Category: SiouxSports.com

#5 North Dakota (16-6-2, 7-0-0-5 NCHC) hosts the #4-ranked Denver Pioneers (17-5-2, 6-3-2-1 NCHC) this weekend in a pivotal battle of perennial powers.

Both teams have impressive non-conference victories that have vaulted them to the top of the national rankings…

North Dakota blanked #3 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

One week later, Denver won 4-3 at #2 Boston College.

UND was also able to avenge its only two non-conference losses of the season (vs. #9 Minnesota, at #1 Boston University) with wins the following night.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s third-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Pioneers’ schedule weighs in as the seventh-most difficult.

Before we dig into this weekend’s matchup, let’s take a quick look back at the past few games between the two teams…

On December 1st and 2nd, 2023, North Dakota traveled to Denver for a pair of NCHC contests. In Friday’s opener, UND’s Dylan James got the visitors on the board less than two minutes into the action. The Pioneers would storm back with four first-period goals of their own, and it looked like the rout was on. The Fighting Hawks pulled within one in the middle frame, but a late DU goal from Tristan Broz had the Pios up by two with just twenty minutes remaining. The third period was all Green and White, as Jackson Blake, Louis Jamernik V, Riese Gaber, and Cameron Berg all potted goals en route to a 7-5 North Dakota victory.

In Saturday’s finale, UND never trailed in regulation but also never extended a lead past a single goal. DU tied things up at two goals apiece with nine minutes remaining and scored the game-winner during 3-on-3 action to take the extra league point.

Given how things started out on Friday night, grabbing four out of six points in the conference standings was a good result for the Fighting Hawks.

UND looked overmatched against the visiting Pios back in November 2022, as David Carle’s squad managed a 3-2, 6-3 road sweep over a Fighting Hawks team that had taken five of six points at Omaha the week before. Friday’s opener ended up as a one-goal DU victory, but that was only because North Dakota held the Pioneers scoreless on six man-advantage opportunities.

And in the rematch at altitude in February 2023, it was more of the same. Denver scored five goals each night and held the Fighting Hawks to five total goals on the weekend in securing the rare four-game season sweep. In Friday’s opener, UND played well enough to win but were undone by poor goaltending, as Drew DeRidder allowed four goals on the eleven shots he faced before giving way to Jacob Hellsten just five minutes into the second period. The last two goals that DeRidder allowed came just fourteen seconds apart.

In the 2021 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals (held at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks), North Dakota needed overtime to outlast a gutsy performance by a Pios squad that had been decimated by COVID-19. DU dressed only nine forwards for the contest but led 1-0 with under 90 seconds remaining. With the goalie pulled, the Fighting Hawks’ Shane Pinto blasted a shot on net that hit Jasper Weatherby on the way in to send the game to overtime. It took over eight minutes of extra time before Gavin Hain sent the home crowd into a frenzy with a blast of his own that advanced the Green and White into the championship game; Denver had just killed Antti Tuomisto’s boarding minor but could not clear the zone. UND outshot the weary Pioneers 20-4 in the third period and overtime.

With the playoff victory, North Dakota moved to 20-5-1 on the season; David Carle’s squad saw its season end at 10-13-1, the first time DU failed to advance to the NCAA tournament since 2007. The 2020-2021 season was the first losing campaign for DU since the 1999-2000 team went 16-23-2. UND won five of the seven meetings between the teams three years ago, outscoring the Pios 22-14. North Dakota allowed ten goals in the first three meetings with a record of 1-2; since their loss in game one at Denver on January 17th, the Fighting Hawks notched four consecutive victories over DU (15 goals for, 4 goals against). That mid-January defeat was definitely a wakeup call for Brady Berry’s squad; from that point until the end of the season, the Green and White went 13-3, outscoring opponents 69-28.

Denver definitely rebounded two seasons ago, going 31-9-1 and defeating Minnesota State 5-1 for the program’s ninth national title. That championship game was tied 1-1 until the 7:33 mark of the third period. The Pios would add two empty-net goals for the misleading final score.

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 11-7-1 against the Pios.

In the NCHC, it is clear that Denver/North Dakota is at the top of the league rivalries, with the two programs combining for eight NCHC regular season titles and averaging a top-three finish in the league standings each year (UND 2.5, DU 2.9).

The teams have played 47 times during the first ten seasons of the new conference (with the series deadlocked at 20-20-7), but the feud goes all the way back to Geoff Paukovitch’ illegal check on Sioux forward Robbie Bina during the 2005 WCHA Final Five.

Since that 2005 Final Five contest (a Denver victory), the two teams have met thirteen times in tournament play. Denver won the 2005 NCAA title with a victory over North Dakota and claimed a 2008 WCHA Final Five win as well. UND has earned six victories and a tie in the last ten playoff games between the schools, including three consecutive victories in the WCHA Final Five (2010-2012), the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional final which sent the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four, 2016’s thrilling Frozen Four semifinal (a 4-2 UND victory) in Tampa, Florida, and the 2017 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Denver turned the tables by dispatching North Dakota in the first round of the league playoffs at Magness Arena to end the Fighting Hawks’ 2018-2019 campaign.

(It is impossible to bring up the Paukovitch/Bina incident without also writing that Brad Malone‘s check on Denver’s Jesse Martin during an October 2010 contest at Ralph Engelstad Arena fractured three of Martin’s vertebrae and ended the hockey career of the Atlanta Thrashers’ draft pick.)

The rivalry intensified three seasons ago, with the teams combining for 187 penalty minutes in six regular season games (the NCHC semifinal game featured just four minor penalties). The last contest between the squads in Denver saw a DU goaltender run over with nine minutes remaining, which ignited tempers further. That spilled over to the series in Grand Forks in February, with the Pioneers “winning” the penalty minute battle 54-29. North Dakota won the specialty teams battle, scoring two goals on ten man-advantage opportunities and blanking DU on its ten power play chances.

In Saturday’s series finale, North Dakota led on the scoreboard 5-2 thanks to two goals by Jasper Weatherby and 18 saves from Peter Thome, who started in place of injured netminder Adam Scheel. And how was Scheel injured, you might ask? Denver’s Kohen Olischefski ran Scheel from behind late in Friday’s 3-0 UND victory. Olischefski was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for goaltender interference and was issued an additional one-game suspension by the league office.

And in the only series played between the teams two years ago, the two sides combined for 78 penalty minutes and ten power play opportunities. UND swept the series 3-1 and 4-1, thanks in no small part to a 1-for-5 effort on the power play and a perfect penalty kill.

Ten full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 473-239-81 (.648) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#5-ranked North Dakota has gone 16-6-2 against Army, #3 Wisconsin, #9 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #1 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, Bemidji State, #4 Denver, #16 Colorado College, Alaska, Omaha, and #15 St. Cloud State, with a record of 11-4-1 at home and 5-2-1 on the road.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

Update: freshman forward Michael Emerson left the UND program at semester break; Emerson appeared in six games during the first half of the season.

These thirteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 25-player roster. The Fighting Hawks returned 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first 24 games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 84 goals and are on pace for 126 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that eleven North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (15), Gaber (12), Berg (12), Johannes (9), McLaughlin (8), and Perron (8). Those six forwards combined for twenty goals over the past three weekends of game action.

Hunter Johannes will miss this weekend’s games with a lower-body injury.

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored seven goals this season (Pyke 3, Britt 2, Livanavage 2) to go along with their 44 combined assists in 148 games played (0.30 points/game). The offensive output from the blue line has been increasing lately, with Livanavage in particular chipping in more regularly (one goal and ten assists in his last twelve games).

By comparison, Pioneer blueliners have a combined line of 21-88-109 in 159 games played (0.69 points/game), led by two freshman – Zeev Buium (6-26-32) and Boston Buckberger (4-13-17) – and two juniors – Sean Behrens (2-18-20) and Shai Buium (5-15-20).

That production from the back end has helped Denver score more goals than any other team in the country (126). North Dakota is fifth nationally in goal-scoring with 91.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and David Carle’s squad has an astounding TWELVE players who meet that threshold. Incredibly, four of those are averaging over a point per game. The offensive leaders for Denver include junior forward Massimo Rizzo (10-32-42), junior forward Jack Devine (21-18-39), junior forward Carter King (14-17-31), senior forward McKade Webster (8-15-23), junior forward Tristan Broz (9-12-21), sophomore forward Rieger Lorenz (8-8-16), sophomore forward Aidan Thompson (6-12-18), freshman forward Miko Matikka (14-6-20), freshman defenseman Zeev Buium (6-26-32), junior defenseman Sean Behrens (2-18-20), freshman defenseman Boston Buckberger (4-13-17), and junior defenseman Shai Buium (5-15-20).

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine lineup regulars at a half point or better: sophomore forward Jackson Blake (15-15-30), senior forward Riese Gaber (12-10-22), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (8-17-25), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (9-6-15), junior forward Cameron Berg (12-11-23), freshman forward Jayden Perron (8-4-12), senior forward Louis Jamernik V (6-7-13), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (3-18-21), and freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage (2-12-14).

On the injury front, North Dakota graduate forward Hunter Johannes will miss this weekend’s series with a lower-body injury. Denver freshman defenseman Garrett Brown had surgery back in November to repair a lower-body injury and will miss the rest of the season.

DU has not had an issue scoring goals, but they have had some trouble keeping the puck out of their own net. Junior Matt Davis (8-1-2, 2.63 GAA, .897 SV%) and freshman Freddie Halyk (8-4-0, 2.91 GAA, .883 SV%, 3 SO) have seen the most time between the pipes with Halyk starting twelve games over the first three months of the season while Davis was recovering from injury. Matt Carle did choose to add goalie Paxton Geisel from the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) during the first half of the season in order to bolster their netminding crew.

Denver leads the nation in shooting percentage at 16.1%. Put another way, goaltenders opposing the Pioneers have a combined save percentage of just .839. North Dakota clocks in at 12.3%, good for fifth in the country.

DU slightly outpaces UND in shots on goal, with a 784-739 (32.7/game – 30.8/game) advantage through 24 games. Denver’s shot output ranks 14th; UND’s is 24th.

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 607 shots on goal this season (25.3/game, 8th), while Denver has allowed 620 (25.8, 10th).

These two teams are both in the top quarter of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 15th in Corsi (53.3%) and 11th in Fenwick (54.8%)
Denver: 8th in Corsi (55.1%); 12th in Fenwick (54.7%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength. It makes sense that UND has a stronger showing in Fenwick, as more of their shot attempts and offense come from their forwards, and those shots are less likely to be blocked.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 18th-best team on draws (51.9%), while the Pioneers clock in at just 50.6% (30th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 242 of 414 (58.5%). Senior Louis Jamernik V (153 of 272, 56.3%) has been improving, while sophomore Owen McLaughlin (130 of 273, 47.6) has struggled of late.

For Denver, it’s been junior Carter King (235 of 448, 52.5%) taking the majority of draws, with sophomore Aidan Thompson (189 of 371, 50.9%), freshman Kieran Cebrian (132 of 224, 58.9%), and junior Massimo Rizzo (161 of 361, 44.6%) contributing as well.

To this point in the season, Denver has had the better of the specialty teams play. DU has been a combined plus-18, with thirty power play goals scored (30 of 115, 26.1%, 7th in the country) and nineteen power play goals allowed (70 of 89, 78.7%, 42nd), with SEVEN shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Fighting Hawks have posted a plus-11, with twenty power play goals scored (20 of 83, 24.1%, 14th), just twelve power play goals allowed (53 of 65, 81.5%, 29th), three shorthanded goals scored, and none allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned 18 more power plays than penalty kill situations (83-65), while DU has had the advantage 26 more times (115-89).

In the December series in Denver, UND went 3-for-9 (33.3%) with the man advantage and held DU scoreless on five power play chances. Since that series, North Dakota has gone 8-for-19 (42.1%) on the power play.

Denver is 1st in the country in scoring offense (5.25 goals scored/game) but just 31st in the country in scoring defense (2.96 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is 9th in the country in scoring offense (3.79 goals scored/game) and an equally impressive 12th in the country in scoring defense (2.46 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played all but three games between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 13-6-2 with a goals-against average of 2.40, a save percentage of .905, and three shutouts.

Persson was ill three weekends ago, and freshman Hobie Hedquist stepped in for him, winning both games while posting a goals-against average of 3.01 and a save percentage of .870).

Two weeks ago, Persson returned to practice on Wednesday and got the start on Friday, but he struggled, allowing five goals on 24 shots. Hedquist stepped in on Saturday, making 22 of 23 saves and earning his third victory of the season. Persson started both games in St. Cloud last weekend, and he shined, stopping 66 of 72 shots which came his way for a combined save percentage of .917.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 91 goals, a difference of 19 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

North Dakota currently finds itself in 3rd place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 1), Wisconsin (PWR 4), Denver (PWR 6), and Minnesota (PWR 9) certainly helping the cause. After this weekend, UND will face Minnesota Duluth (PWR 25) and Western Michigan (PWR 10) at home and travel to Miami (PWR 44), Colorado College (PWR 18), and Omaha (PWR 20) to close out the regular season. With a top-four finish in the NCHC, UND should be a lock for the national tournament.

At #6 in the Pairwise, Denver also appears to be headed toward another NCAA tournament berth.

Denver Team Profile

Head Coach: David Carle (6th season at DU, 133-58-15, .682)

National Rankings: #4/#4
Pairwise Ranking: 6th
KRACH Rating: 523.1 (7th)

This Season: 17-5-2 overall, 6-3-2-1 NCHC (3rd)
Last Season: 30-10-0 overall (NCAA East Regional Semifinalist), 17-4-2-1 NCHC (1st)

2023-2024 Team Statistics:

Team Offense: 5.25 goals scored/game – 1st of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.96 goals allowed/game – 31st of 64 teams

Power Play: 26.1% (30 of 115) – 7th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.7% (70 of 89) – 42nd of 64 teams

Key players: Junior F Massimo Rizzo (10-32-42), Junior F Jack Devine (21-18-39), Junior F Carter King (14-17-31), Senior F McKade Webster (8-15-23), Junior F Tristan Broz (9-12-21), Sophomore F Rieger Lorenz (8-8-16), Freshman D Zeev Buium (6-26-32), Junior D Sean Behrens (2-18-20), Freshman D Boston Buckberger (4-13-17), Junior G Matt Davis (8-1-2, 2.63 GAA, .897 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 196-98-33, .650)

National Rankings: #5/#5
Pairwise Ranking: 3rd
KRACH Rating: 586.7 (4th)

This Season: 16-6-2 overall, 7-0-0-5 NCHC (1st)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.79 goals scored/game – 9th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.46 goals allowed/game – 12th of 64 teams

Power Play: 24.1% (20 of 83) – 14th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 81.5% (53 of 65) – 29th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (15-15-30), Senior F Riese Gaber (12-10-22), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (8-17-25), Junior F Cameron Berg (12-11-23), Freshman F Jayden Perron (8-4-12), Senior F Louis Jamernik V (6-7-13), Senior D Garrett Pyke (3-18-21), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (2-12-14), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-5-7), Senior G Ludvig Persson (13-6-2, 2.40 GAA, .905 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: December 2, 2023 (Denver, Colorado). UND never trailed in regulation but also never extended a lead past a single goal. DU tied things up at two goals apiece with nine minutes remaining and scored the game-winner during 3-on-3 action to take the extra league point. One night earlier, UND’s Dylan James got the visitors on the board less than two minutes into the action. The Pioneers would storm back with four first-period goals of their own, and it looked like the rout was on. The Fighting Hawks pulled within one in the middle frame, but a late DU goal from Tristan Broz had the Pios up by two with just twenty minutes remaining. The third period was all Green and White, as Jackson Blake, Louis Jamernik V, Riese Gaber, and Cameron Berg all potted goals en route to a 7-5 North Dakota victory.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: November 12, 2022. The visiting Pioneers outshot UND 33-24 and went 2-for-3 with the man advantage in a 6-3 victory, completing the rare road sweep. One night earlier, North Dakota lost 3-2 despite enjoying a 23-19 shot advantage and holding DU scoreless on six power play opportunities. Later on in the season, Denver would sweep the Fighting Hawks on home ice, securing the rare four-game series sweep between these two storied programs.

A Recent Memory: April 7, 2016 (Tampa, Florida). In the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four, the two league rivals squared off in a tightly-contested matchup. Senior forward Drake Caggiula scored twice early in the middle frame to stake UND to a 2-0 lead, but the Pioneers battled back with a pair of third-period goals. The CBS line came through when it mattered most, with Nick Schmaltz scoring the game winner off of a faceoff win with 57 seconds remaining in the hockey game. North Dakota blocked 27 Denver shot attempts and goaltender Cam Johnson made 21 saves for the Fighting Hawks, who won the program’s eighth national title on the same sheet of ice two nights later.

Most Important Meeting: It’s hard to pick just one game, as the two teams have played four times for the national title. Denver defeated UND for the national championship in 1958, 1968, and 2005, while the Sioux downed the Pioneers in 1963. But the game that stands out in recent memory as “the one that got away” was DU’s 1-0 victory over the Fighting Sioux in the 2004 NCAA West Regional final (Colorado Springs, CO). That North Dakota team went 30-8-4 on the season (Dean Blais’ last behind the UND bench) and featured one of the deepest rosters in the past twenty years: Brandon Bochenski, Zach Parise, Brady Murray, Colby Genoway, Drew Stafford and David Lundbohm up front; Nick Fuher, Matt Jones, Matt Greene, and Ryan Hale on defense; and a couple of goaltending stalwarts in Jordan Parise and Jake Brandt.

Last Ten Games: The two teams have each won five of the last ten games, with UND holding a 33-32 edge in goals scored over that stretch. The four most recent games in this series were played in Denver. The Pioneers have won five of the past six contests.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 157-135-16 (.536), including a strong 92-46-10 (.655) record in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first met in 1950, with North Dakota prevailing 18-3 in Denver. The 308 games played between the schools is the most among all of UND’s opponents.

Game News and Notes

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 11-7-1 against the Pios. UND netminder Ludvig Persson faced DU twelve times as a member of the Miami RedHawks, with dreadful numbers (1-11-0, 4.69 GAA, .879 SV%). Twelve of Denver head coach David Carle’s 58 head coaching losses have come against UND. As a team, North Dakota has blocked an astounding 317 shots this season (13.2 per game), led by Bennett Zmolek (50), Abram Wiebe (36), and Garrett Pyke (35). Two seasons ago, the Fighting Hawks won the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions for the fifth time in the ten-year history of the league; the Pioneers have captured the Penrose only three times (2016-2017 and back-to-back in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023). Since seven of Michigan’s nine titles were earned by 1964, I consider Denver (nine titles) and North Dakota (eight titles) to be the top two men’s college hockey programs of all time.

The Prediction

For the first time in forever, Magnus Chrona is not between the pipes for the Pios, and that bodes well for the home team. DU’s defensemen are active and offensive-minded, so the recipe for success is to make them work in their own end by getting pucks in and forcing them to defend and work hard to break out pucks. The Pioneers have not lost since December 8th, while the Fighting Hawks have not lost in regulation since November 3rd. The North Dakota fans and the Denver fan should enjoy two entertaining contests this weekend. DU 5-3, UND 4-3.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s opener (7:36 p.m. Central Time) will be broadcast exclusively on CBS Sports Network, with Saturday’s rematch (6:07 p.m. Central Time) available on Midco Sports Network and also available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#6 North Dakota (15-6-1 overall, 6-0-0-4 NCHC) travels to St. Cloud this weekend to face the #13 Huskies (11-6-3 overall, 7-1-1-1 NCHC) in a battle for first place in the NCHC.

UND trails SCSU by just two points in the league standings, with six conference points up for grabs in this series, the only two games scheduled between the programs this season.

Last year, St. Cloud State got the better of the Fighting Hawks, winning four of five games and ending UND’s season in the semifinals of the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff in St. Paul.

During the 2022-23 regular season, SCSU embarrassed North Dakota in St. Cloud, winning both games on the wide sheet by comfortable margins (7-2, 6-3). On Friday night, a disastrous second period saw the Huskies score every which way: at even strength, shorthanded, with the extra attacker on a delayed penalty, and on the ensuing power play. Saturday’s game at the Herb Brooks Center was a different kind of disturbing for fans of the Green and White, as the visitors led 3-0 early in the second period. The Huskies would get on the board just 23 seconds after UND’s third tally, and then it was the Zach Okabe show, as the senior forward scored a natural hat trick in under nine minutes of game action (from the 18:12 mark of the middle frame through the 7:05 mark of the third period). SCSU would add two late goals – including an empty-netter – to make the score look lopsided.

In the rematch in Grand Forks, both games went to overtime, with UND scoring during 3-on-3 play on Friday night before losing in a shootout in Saturday’s finale.

The Fighting Hawks have clearly struggled lately against the Huskies, winning just once in the past six games.

This season, both teams are in great shape for home ice in the first round of the playoffs, although St. Cloud State – currently sitting in 12th place in the Pairwise rankings – is in a much more precarious position in the national picture.

North Dakota is currently 7th in the Pairwise, finding itself in such good shape after compiling a record of 9-2-1 in non-conference play, including some impressive victories…

North Dakota blanked #4 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

UND was also able to avenge its only two non-conference losses of the season (vs. #10 Minnesota, at #1 Boston University) with wins the following night. That Friday night loss at BU on November 3rd was the last game the Fighting Hawks lost in regulation, a span of fifteen games and well over two months.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s seventh-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Huskies’ schedule weighs in as the 19th-most difficult. Despite its tough slate of games, the Green and White claim the sixth-best best winning percentage in college hockey (.735).

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 483-242-82 (.649) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#6-ranked North Dakota has gone 15-6-1 against Army, #4 Wisconsin, #10 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #1 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, Bemidji State, #5 Denver, #18 Colorado College, Alaska, and #19 Omaha, with a record of 11-4-1 at home and 4-2-0 on the road. Four of UND’s six losses this season have come in overtime.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system was identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

Update: freshman forward Michael Emerson left the UND program at semester break; Emerson appeared in six games during the first half of the season.

These thirteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 25-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first 22 games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 78 goals and are on pace for 128 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that eleven North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (12), Gaber (12), Berg (10), Johannes (9), McLaughlin (9), and Perron (8). Those six forwards combined for fifteen goals over the past two weekends of game action.

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored five goals this season (Britt 2, Pyke 2, Livanavage 1) to go along with their 40 combined assists in 136 games played (0.29 points/game). The offensive output from the blue line has been increasing lately, with Livanavage in particular chipping in more regularly (eight assists in his last ten games).

By comparison, SCSU’s top six defensemen (Dylan Anhorn, Jack Peart, Cooper Wylie, Josh Luedtke, Warren Clark, and Karl Falk) have combined for eight goals and 30 assists in 115 games played (0.33 points/game).

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Brett Larson’s squad has just six lineup regulars who meet that threshold: graduate forward Kyler Kupka (8-10-18), senior forward Veeti Miettinen (11-5-16), sophomore forward Adam Ingram (5-11-16), graduate forward Zach Okabe, senior forward Joe Molenaar (7-3-10), and graduate defenseman Dylan Anhorn (3-15-18).

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine players at a half point or better, including THREE averaging over a point per game: sophomore forward Jackson Blake (12-14-26), senior forward Riese Gaber (12-10-22), and sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (8-15-23). Other offensive contributors include junior forward Cameron Berg (10-10-20), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (9-6-15), sophomore forward Dylan James (4-7-11), senior forward Louis Jamernik V (5-6-11), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (2-17-19), and freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage (1-10-11).

Offensively, UND outpaces SCSU by a large margin. To this point of the season, North Dakota has scored 83 goals in 22 games (3.80 goals per game, 8th in the country), while St. Cloud State has managed just 63 in twenty games (3.15, 21st).

The Fighting Hawks are fifth in the nation in shooting percentage at 12.0%. SCSU clocks in at 10.3%, good for 26th in the country. UND also gets the puck to the net, averaging 31.4 shots on goal per game (27th). The Huskies aren’t far behind, with 30.7 shots on goal per contest (24th).

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 535 shots on goal this season in 22 games (24.3/game, 6th), while St. Cloud State has allowed 540 in 20 games (27.0, 13th).

These two teams are both in the top third of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 11th in Corsi (54.5%) and 8th in Fenwick (56.1%)
St. Cloud State: 19th in Corsi (52.8%); 16th in Fenwick (53.0%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 17th-best team on draws (52.2%), while the Huskies clock in at 51.7% (20th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 224 of 379 (59.1%). Senior Louis Jamernik V (142 of 252, 56.3%) has been improving, while sophomore Owen McLaughlin (121 of 253, 47.8) has struggled of late.

For SCSU, junior Mason Salquist has been the best option (200 of 343, 58.3%); Salquist is a native of Grand Forks. Head coach Brett Larson has also called on two freshmen to do some heavy lifting in the dot: Verner Miettinen (137 of 262, 52.3%) and Tyson Gross (133 of 261, 51.0%); they have both performed admirably.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-10, with eighteen power play goals scored (18 of 80, 22.5%, 15th in the country) and eleven power play goals allowed (50 of 61, 82.0%, 27th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Huskies have posted a meager plus-1, with fifteen power play goals scored (15 of 80, 18.8%, 34th), thirteen power play goals allowed (63 of 76, 82.9%, 22nd), one shorthanded goal scored, and two allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned nineteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (80-61), while St. Cloud State has only earned four more man-advantage situations than shorthanded situations (80-76).

North Dakota is 8th in the country in scoring offense (3.80 goals scored/game) and an equally impressive 10th in the country in scoring defense (2.41 goals allowed/game).

St. Cloud State is 21st in the country in scoring offense (3.15 goals scored/game) and 8th in the country in scoring defense (2.40 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. Up until two weeks ago, the transfer from Miami had played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 12-5-1 with a goals-against average of 2.21, a save percentage of .909, and three shutouts. Persson was ill two weekends ago, and freshman Hobie Hedquist stepped in for him, winning both games while posting a goals-against average of 3.01 and a save percentage of .870).

Last week, Persson returned to practice on Wednesday and got the start on Friday, but he struggled, allowing five goals on 24 shots. Hedquist stepped in on Saturday, making 22 of 23 saves and earning his third victory of the season. The team has not announced a starter for Friday night’s opener in St. Cloud.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 93 goals, a difference of 17 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

St. Cloud State’s top netminder – senior Dominic Basse – is also a transfer. Basse spent his first two seasons at Colorado College before switching jerseys prior to last season, and the change of scenery has done him well:

2020-2021 (CC): 4-11-1, 3.18 goals-against average, .895 save percentage
2021-2022 (CC): 6-15-2, 3.23 goals-against average, .888 save percentage, one shutout

2022-2023 (SCSU): 11-5-2, 2.30 goals-against average, .911 save percentage, three shutouts
2023-2024 (SCSU): 10-6-1, 2.31 goals-against average, .911 save percentage, three shutouts

The two most glaring differences between this year’s version of the Cardinal and Black and the teams UND fans might be used to facing are SCSU’s power play and the Huskies’ home record.

St. Cloud State is notorious for being tough to play against on home ice, as the Huskies are one of just two teams remaining in all of Division I college hockey to play on a full 100-foot-wide sheet of ice (Alaska being the other). In 2021-22 and 2022-23, SCSU went a combined 25-9-5 (.705) at the Herb Brooks Center.

This year, St. Cloud is just 6-3-1 (.650) at home, with losses to Michigan (understandable), Alaska (puzzling), and St. Thomas (baffling).

SCSU finished up the 2021-22 campaign with the nation’s best power play (45 of 145, 31.0%) and followed that up with the fifth-best clip in the country last season (40 of 157, 25.5%).

This year, as mentioned above, the Huskies have gone just 15 of 80 (18.8%), a mark that has St. Cloud State in the bottom half nationally in that category (34th).

In a strange way, those two stuggles may benefit SCSU in the long run. In the past, the Huskies have performed extremely well on the wide sheet of ice and gotten by during the regular season by dominating teams with their power play. That has not translated into much postseason success, however, as all games in the national tournament must be played on NHL ice surfaces (85 feet wide) and power play opportunities are harder to come by in the playoffs.

Perhaps this year’s version of the Cardinal and Red has a formula that will lead to a deep NCAA tourney run.

North Dakota currently finds itself in seventh place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 1), Wisconsin (PWR 5), Denver (PWR 8), and Minnesota (PWR 11) certainly helping the cause. With a non-conference mark of 9-2-1, a top-four finish in the NCHC should lock up a spot in the national tournament for UND.

After this weekend, UND’s other conference series in the second half are vs. Denver (PWR 8), at Miami (PWR 41), at Colorado College (PWR 18), vs. Minnesota Duluth (PWR 32), vs. Western Michigan (PWR 10), and at Omaha (PWR 19).

It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (3-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0).

At #12 in the Pairwise, St. Cloud State has some work to do to solidify a sixth-straight NCAA tourney bid (with a record of 13-15-6 in 2019-2020, SCSU would have missed the field of sixteen, but there was no national tournament).

North Dakota (2015, 2016, 2020, 2021, and 2022) and St. Cloud State (2014, 2018, and 2019) have combined to win the regular season title in eight of the ten seasons of the NCHC. The Huskies also won the last WCHA conference title in 2013.

St. Cloud State Team Profile

Head Coach: Brett Larson (6th season at SCSU, 117-66-19, .626)

National Rankings: #13/#12
Pairwise Ranking: 12th
KRACH Rating: 281.0 (13th)

This Season: 11-6-3 overall, 7-1-1-1 NCHC (1st)
Last Season: 25-13-3 overall (NCAA West Regional Finalist), 10-8-5-1 NCHC (4th)

2023-24 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.15 goals scored/game – 21st of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.40 goals allowed/game – 8th of 64 teams

Power Play: 18.8% (15 of 80) – 34th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.9% (63 of 76) – 22nd of 64 teams

Key players: Graduate F Kyler Kupka (8-10-18), Senior F Veeti Miettinen (11-5-16), Sophomore F Adam Ingram (5-11-16), Graduate F Zach Okabe, Senior F Joe Molenaar (7-3-10), Graduate D Dylan Anhorn (3-15-18), Junior D Jack Peart (2-5-7), Senior G Dominic Basse (10-6-1, 2.31 GAA, .911 SV%, 3 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 195-98-32, .649)

National Rankings: #6/#7
Pairwise Ranking: 7th
KRACH Rating: 534.0 (7th)

This Season: 15-6-1 overall, 6-0-0-4 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.80 goals scored/game – 8th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.41 goals allowed/game – 10th of 64 teams

Power Play: 22.5% (18 of 80) – 15th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.0% (50 of 61) – 27th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (12-14-26), Senior F Riese Gaber (12-10-22), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (8-15-23), Junior F Cameron Berg (10-10-20), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (9-6-15), Freshman F Jayden Perron (8-2-10), Senior D Garrett Pyke (2-17-19), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-10-11), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-4-6), Senior G Ludvig Persson (12-6-1, 2.35 GAA, .903 SV%, 3 SO), Freshman G Hobie Hedquist (3-0-0, 2.34 GAA, .899 SV%)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: March 17, 2023 (St. Paul, MN). With its season on the line, North Dakota could not find the luck of the Irish, falling 3-2 in overtime in the semifinal of the 2023 NCHC Frozen Faceoff. UND built one-goal leads in each of the first two periods, only to find the Huskies pull even each time. Not quite six minutes into the extra session, St. Cloud State’s Zach Okabe ended the Fighting Hawks’ season. SCSU would go on to win the league’s playoff championship with a 3-0 victory over Colorado College, denying the Tigers a tourney bid as well.

Last Meeting in St. Cloud: December 3, 2022. Saturday’s series finale at the Herb Brooks Center was disappointing for fans of the Green and White, as the visitors let a 3-0 second-period lead dissolve into thin air on the wide sheet. The Huskies would get on the board just 23 seconds after UND’s third tally, and then it was the Zach Okabe show, as the senior forward scored a natural hat trick in under nine minutes of game action (from the 18:12 mark of the middle frame through the 7:05 mark of the third period). SCSU would add two late goals – including an empty-netter – for the 6-3 final score. In Friday’s opener, a disastrous second period saw the Huskies score every which way – at even strength, shorthanded, with the extra attacker on a delayed penalty, and on the ensuing power play – on their way to a 7-2 victory.

A Recent Memory: March 16, 2021 (Grand Forks, ND). One night before St. Patrick’s Day, North Dakota enjoyed playing for the NCHC playoff title in front of a whole bunch of green. St. Cloud State led 2-1 after two periods, but the Fighting Hawks stormed back with four third-period goals – including three in the span of 122 seconds early in the final frame and an empty-netter to seal the 5-3 victory and the program’s first Frozen Faceoff championship. UND senior Jordan Kawaguchi and freshman Riese Gaber each had two goals and an assist.

Most Important Meeting: NCAA West Regional Final in Fargo, ND (March 28, 2015). North Dakota scored three unassisted goals over the final two periods of the hockey game to defeat St. Cloud State 4-1 in the West Regional Final and advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. Jimmy Murray got the Huskies on the board less than 90 seconds in to the hockey game, but that did nothing to quiet the partisan crowd of 5,307 at SCHEELS Arena. Four different players scored for UND, while Zane McIntyre made 19 stops to earn his 29th and final victory of the season.

All-Time Series: North Dakota leads the all-time series, 80-49-17 (.606), including a record of 30-26-0 (.536) in games played in St. Cloud. The teams have been squaring off regularly since the 1989-90 season but have only met once in the NCAA tournament (2015).

Last Ten: In the last ten tilts between the teams, each team has won four times, with the other two games ending in a tie. St. Cloud State has lit the lamp 39 times over that stretch; UND, just 34. SCSU has definitely had the better of it in the past six games, with a 3-1-2 record and a scoring margin of 24-16.

Game News and Notes

UND’s Riese Gaber has nine goals and fourteen points in twelve career games against the Huskies; Gaber was held off of the scoresheet at the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. Since SCSU began competing in the WCHA in 1990, the Huskies have made the national tournament sixteen times, with Frozen Four appearances in 2013 and 2021 (zero titles). Over that same stretch, North Dakota has appeared in the NCAA tourney 23 times, with eleven Frozen Fours and three national championships (1997, 2000, 2016). UND head coach Brad Berry is 14-12-5 (.532) in his head coaching career against the Huskies. Fighting Hawks’ senior netminder Ludvig Persson has faced the Huskies nine times in his collegiate career (all with Miami), with a record of 2-5-2, a goals-against average of 4.62, and a save percentage of .872. St. Cloud State has not won an overtime game this season (0-2-3). By announcing plans for a “Whiteout” on Friday night, the SCSU Athletic Department has unwittingly helped turn the Herb Brooks Center into a wonderful combination of Green and White.

The Prediction

North Dakota has a chance to do some damage this weekend, although strange things always seem to happen on the wide sheet in St. Cloud. The first ten minutes on Friday night are the most important stretch of the season to this point, and if UND can come out of that without trailing by more than a goal, I like this team’s chances to have some success. The Fighting Hawks could earn more than a split this weekend if everything breaks their way, but the more likely result is a split. UND 4-2., SCSU 4-3

Broadcast Information

Both games this weekend will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network and also available via webcast at NCHC.tv. Puck drop is scheduled for 7:37 p.m. Central Time on Friday, with a 6:07 p.m. start time on Saturday night. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#4 North Dakota (14-5-1 overall, 5-0-0-3) hosts the unranked Omaha Mavericks (10-6-2 overall, 1-4-3-0 NCHC) this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

UND hosted the Mavs for the last two games of the 2022-2023 regular season, sweeping the series 5-4 and 2-1. The following weekend, the Fighting Hawks traveled down I-29 for a first-round playoff series against Mike Gabinet’s crew. North Dakota lost the opener 2-1 before storming back and taking the best-of-three series with 3-1 and 5-2 victories.

That road series was just the second time that UND was on the road for the league quarterfinals since 2002. The Fighting Hawks also found themselves away from home back in 2019, dropping two straight at Denver (0-2, 2-4) despite outshooting the Pios 32-17 in game one and 42-18 in the rematch.

2002 and 2019 are also – not coincidentally – the only two times that North Dakota failed to make it to the WCHA Final Five/NCHC Frozen Faceoff since 1996. UND hosted the first round of the league playoffs 22 times between 1997 and 2022 and advanced all 22 times (there was no NCHC tournament in 2020, and the format was modified for the 2020-2021 season).

In the ten-year history of the league, Omaha has finished 3rd, 3rd, 6th, 6th, 5th, 7th, 6th, 4th, 6th, and 3rd for an average finish of 4.90, sixth among the eight league teams. North Dakota leads the conference with an average finish of 2.70 (2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 6th). The Mavericks have never advanced past the first round of the league playoffs.

This season, the Fighting Hawks are in great shape for home ice in the first round of the playoffs, trailing only St. Cloud State in the league standings. UND and SCSU will square off next weekend in St. Cloud in the only scheduled meeting between the squads this season.

Coming into this weekend, Omaha is 21st in the all-important Pairwise rankings, while North Dakota is 6th. UND finds itself in such good shape after compiling a record of 9-2-1 in non-conference play, including some impressive victories…

North Dakota blanked #3 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

UND was also able to avenge its only two non-conference losses of the season (vs. #12 Minnesota, at #2 Boston University) with wins the following night. That Friday night loss at BU on November 3rd was the last game the Fighting Hawks lost in regulation, a span of thirteen games and over two months.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s eighth-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Mavericks’ schedule weighs in as the 19th-most difficult. Despite its tough slate of games, the Green and White claim the sixth-best best winning percentage in college hockey (.742).

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 483-242-82 (.649) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#4-ranked North Dakota has gone 14-5-1 against Army, #3 Wisconsin, #12 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #2 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, Bemidji State, #6 Denver, #17 Colorado College, and Alaska, with a record of 10-3-1 at home and 4-2-0 on the road. Three of UND’s five losses this season have come in overtime.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system was identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

Update: freshman forward Michael Emerson left the UND program at semester break; Emerson appeared in six games during the first half of the season.

These thirteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 25-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first twenty games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 71 goals and are on pace for 128 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that ten North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (11), Gaber (11), Berg (9), Johannes (9), and Perron (8). Those five forwards were held without a goal in the home series against Colorado College roughly a month ago but combined for eight goals last weekend against Alaska.

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored five goals this season (Britt 2, Pyke 2, Livanavage 1) to go along with their 36 combined assists in 123 games played (0.33 points/game). The offensive output from the blue line has been increasing lately, with Livanavage in particular chipping in more regularly (eight assists in his last eight games).

Garett Pyke delivered three assists last weekend against his former team, and this weekend, <strong<cameron berg will square off against his old teammates.</strong

Berg spent two seasons at Omaha, appearing in 74 games and collecting 18 goals and 29 assists. This year at UND, the center who grew up in West Fargo has nine goals and ten assists in twenty games, including fourteen points in his last twelve.

Pyke spent four years at Alaska, appearing sparingly (fifteen games) as a freshman before missing his entire sophomore campaign due to injury. The 6-0, 190-pound defenseman from Mississauga, Ontario shined as an upperclassman, playing in 34 games in each of his last two seasons in Fairbanks with identical 4-15-19 scoring totals in both campaigns.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Mike Gabinet’s squad has just six players who meet that threshold: junior forward Tyler Mueller (6-7-13), junior forward Zach Urdahl (3-4-7 in 12 games), graduate forward Jack Randl (5-4-9), freshman forward Tanner Ludtke (4-5-9), sophomore defenseman Joaquim Lemay (4-6-10), and sophomore defenseman Griffin Ludtke (3-7-10).

Before last weekend, Zach Urdahl had not played since November 19th.

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine players at a half point or better, including THREE averaging over a point per game: sophomore forward Jackson Blake (11-13-24), senior forward Riese Gaber (11-9-20), and sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (7-13-20). Other offensive contributors include junior forward Cameron Berg (9-10-19), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (9-6-15), freshman forward Jayden Perron (8-2-10), sophomore forward Dylan James (3-7-10), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (2-15-17), and freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage (1-10-11).

Offensively, UND outpaces Omaha by a large margin. To this point of the season, North Dakota has scored 76 goals in twenty games (3.80 goals per game, 9th in the country), while Omaha has managed just 51 in eighteen games (2.83, 34th).

The Fighting Hawks are third in the nation in shooting percentage at 12.2%. Omaha clocks in at 9.2%, good for 43rd in the country. UND also gets the puck to the net, averaging 31.1 shots on goal per game (21st). The Mavericks aren’t far behind, with 30.7 shots on goal per contest (23rd).

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 488 shots on goal this season in 20 games (24.4/game, 6th), while Omaha has allowed 495 in 18 games (27.5, 16th).

These two teams are both in the top quarter of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 13th in Corsi (54.1%) and 6th in Fenwick (55.8%)
Omaha: 11th in Corsi (54.5%); 15th in Fenwick (53.5%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 16th-best team on draws (52.6%), while the Mavericks clock in at 54.4% (3rd).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 207 of 347 (59.7%). Senior Louis Jamernik V (126 of 229, 55.0%) has been improving, while sophomore Owen McLaughlin (113 of 228, 49.6) has struggled of late.

For the Mavericks, graduate student Nolan Sullivan has been the best option (206 of 346, 59.5%). Head coach Mike Gabinet has also called on junior Ty Mueller (180 of 338, 53.3%) and senior Jimmy Glynn (81 of 159, 50.9%).

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-10, with sixteen power play goals scored (16 of 76, 21.1%, 22nd in the country) and nine power play goals allowed (48 of 57, 84.2%, 16th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Mavericks have posted a minus-3, with only NINE power play goals scored (9 of 80, 11.3%, 59th), eleven power play goals allowed (49 of 60, 81.7%, 29th), one shorthanded goal scored, and two allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned nineteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (76-57), while Omaha has posted anemic specialty teams numbers despite sporting an even greater margin (80-60).

North Dakota is 9th in the country in scoring offense (3.80 goals scored/game) and an equally impressive 11th in the country in scoring defense (2.35 goals allowed/game).

Omaha is 34th in the country in scoring offense (2.83 goals scored/game) and 24th in the country in scoring defense (2.78 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. Up until last weekend, the transfer from Miami had played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 12-5-1 with a goals-against average of 2.21, a save percentage of .909, and three shutouts. (Persson was ill last weekend, and freshman Hobie Hedquist stepped in for him, winning both games while posting a goals-against average of 3.01 and a save percentage of .870).

Persson, who returned to practice on Wednesday of this week, has not yet been named the starter for this weekend.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 87 goals, a difference of 23 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

Omaha’s top netminder – sophomore Simon Latkoczy boasts similar numbers to Persson. Latkoczy has a record of 7-5-2, a goals-against average of 2.244, a save percentage of .911, and one shutout.

With dismal specialty teams play and average defensive numbers, how has Omaha managed an overall record of 10-6-2? It boils down to two things:

1. Omaha has had the puck the majority of the time in most games. With stellar faceoff numbers and puck possession stats, the Mavs have been able to overcome their other deficiencies.

2. The Mavericks have won the close games. UNO is 8-1 in one-goal games (for comparison, UND is 3-4). Omaha has only two comfortable wins all season: an 8-1 shellacking of Niagara to open the season, and a 5-2 victory at Augustana on November 25th. In its six losses, the Mavs have been outscored 27-10.

North Dakota currently finds itself in sixth place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 1), Wisconsin (PWR 2), Denver (PWR 8), and Minnesota (PWR 12) certainly helping the cause. With a non-conference mark of 9-2-1, a top-four finish in the NCHC should lock up a spot in the national tournament for UND.

At 5-0-0-3 in league play, North Dakota sits in second place in the league standings, four points behind St. Cloud State (7-0-0-1).

After this weekend, UND’s other conference series in the second half are at SCSU (PWR 12), vs. Denver (PWR 8), at Miami (PWR 41), at Colorado College (PWR 18), vs. Minnesota Duluth (PWR 32), vs. Western Michigan (PWR 10), and at Omaha (PWR 21).

It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (3-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0).

At #21 in the Pairwise, Omaha has some work to do to earn the program’s first NCAA tourney berth since 2021. In team history, the Mavericks have made the national tournament four times (2006, 2011, 2015), with a Frozen Four appearance under head coach Dean Blais in 2015.

Omaha Team Profile

Head Coach: Mike Gabinet (7th season at UNO, 104-107-16, .493)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 21st
KRACH Rating: 162.0 (21st)

This Season: 10-6-2 overall, 1-4-3-0 NCHC (6th)
Last Season: 19-15-3 overall, 11-7-3-3 NCHC (3rd)

Team Offense: 2.83 goals scored/game – 34th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.78 goals allowed/game – 24th of 64 teams

Power Play: 11.3% (9 of 80) – 59th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 81.7% (49 of 60) – 29th of 64 teams

Key Players: Junior Forward Tyler Mueller (6-7-13), Junior F Zach Urdahl (3-4-7 in 12 games), Graduate F Jack Randl (5-4-9), Freshman Forward Tanner Ludtke (4-5-9), Sophomore Defenseman Joaquim Lemay (4-6-10), Sophomore D Griffin Ludtke (3-7-10), Sophomore G Simon Latkoczy (7-5-2, 2.4 GAA, .911 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 194-97-32, .650)

National Rankings: #4/#4
Pairwise Ranking: 6th
KRACH Rating: 563.0 (6th)

This Season: 14-5-1 overall, 5-0-0-3 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.80 goals scored/game – 9th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.35 goals allowed/game – 11th of 64 teams

Power Play: 21.1% (16 of 76) – 22nd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.2% (48 of 57) – 16th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (11-13-24), Senior F Riese Gaber (11-9-20), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (9-6-15), Freshman F Jayden Perron (8-2-10), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (7-13-20), Junior F Cameron Berg (9-10-19), Senior D Garrett Pyke (2-15-17), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-10-11), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-4-6), Senior G Ludvig Persson (12-5-1, 2.21 GAA, .909 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers:

Last Meeting: March 12, 2023 (Omaha, NE). UND erupted for three goals in 102 seconds late in the third period to win the deciding game of the best-of-three playoff series by a score of 5-2. North Dakota freshman Dylan James scored a shorthanded goal with 29 seconds remaining in the middle frame to knot the game at 2-2. The Fighting Hawks held the Mavericks scoreless on six power play opportunities and went 1-for-8 with the man advantage. One night earlier, with their backs against the wall, UND scored once in each period – including an empty-net goal by James – to win 3-1 and even the series at one game apiece.

Last meeting in Grand Forks: March 4, 2023 (Grand Forks, ND). North Dakota defenseman Ethan Frissch broke a scoreless tie early in the third period, and fellow blueliner Chris Jandric scored with three minutes remaining to give UND a 2-1 lead that they would not relinquish. In Friday’s opener, UND saw a 3-1 lead evaporate in the final frame, with four total goals scored in the third period. The teams went to overtime tied at 4-4, and Ethan Frisch sent the fans home happy with his fifth goal of the season just 66 seconds into the extra session. For his efforts, Frisch was named the NCHC defenseman of the week, while freshman Dylan James scored his fifth and sixth goals of the season to be named the NCHC rookie of the week.

Most memorable meeting: The game that UND fans will long remember is the outdoor game played at TD Ameritrade Park (Omaha, Nebraska) on February 9th, 2013. One day after winning a tight 2-1 contest indoors, North Dakota throttled UNO 5-2 on a sunny, melty afternoon. Mavericks netminder John Faulkner was pulled after allowing three goals on five shots in just ten minutes of game action. In my opinion, this hockey weekend solidified the notion that for UND hockey, it’s always a home game.

Last ten: North Dakota has won six of the last ten contests between the schools, going 6-3-1 (.650) and outscoring the Mavericks 31-25 over that stretch. Seven of the last ten games in this series were played in Omaha.

All-time: UND leads the all-time series 35-18-2 (.655), including a 17-9-1 (.648) record in games played in Grand Forks. North Dakota owns a record of 30-15-2 (.660) against the Mavericks since both teams joined the NCHC. The teams first met on November 19, 2010.

Game News and Notes

In 2015, both North Dakota and Omaha advanced to the Frozen Four but neither team made the championship game. UND fell to Boston University 5-3, while the Mavericks were upended 4-1 by eventual national champion Providence. Since joining the WCHA in 2011 (and later the NCHC), the Mavs have never reached the Twin Cities for the second weekend of the conference tournament despite having home ice in four of those nine years. North Dakota’s Brad Berry is 26-12-1 (.679) in his head coaching career against Omaha. UND’s Riese Gaber has 15 points against Omaha in his collegiate career (6-9-15 in fifteen games), while netminder Ludvig Persson has squared off against the Mavs eight times, with a record of 4-4-0, a goals-against average of 2.88, and a save percentage of .919. In 25 of the past 28 contests in this series, the winning team is the one which scores the first goal. This season, North Dakota is 12-3-1 (.781) when scoring first; Omaha, 9-5-0 (.643).

The Prediction

If Ludvig Persson can suit up this weekend, I like North Dakota’s chances. I think that Omaha will keep one game close, but if the Fighting Hawks can roll four lines, they’ve got the scoring depth to outlast the Mavericks. UND 3-2, 5-2.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s opener will start at 7:07 p.m. Central Time, with Saturday’s rematch beginning at 6:07 p.m. Both games this weekend will be broadcast live on Midco Sports and also available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#4 North Dakota (12-5-1, 5-0-0-3 NCHC) hosts unranked Alaska (10-7-1 overall, no conference affiliation) at Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend.

UND went into the break on a bit of a skid, losing three straight overtime games (at Denver, vs. Colorado College twice) by identical 3-2 scores.

Alaska played in the Great Lakes Invitational last weekend in Grand Rapids, Michigan, losing to Michigan Tech 3-2 in overtime before rebounding to secure a 3-2 victory over Ferris State.

Alaska’s most impressive victory this season is a 5-2 win at St. Cloud State on October 21st, avenging a 4-1 defeat the previous night. Two weeks earlier, the Nanooks hosted the Denver Pioneers, who earned a road sweep with 7-3 and 5-2 victories.

This weekend marks the first meeting between UND and Alaska since October 20, 2012, when the Nanooks defeated North Dakota 2-1 in the Alaska Gold Rush.

The two teams have not met in Grand Forks in over thirty years (January 2nd and 3rd, 1994), a series that went into the books as a Nanook sweep (6-5 OT, 5-3). That UND squad went just 11-23-4 overall, the lowest win total of Gino Gasparini’s head coaching career in what would be his final season behind the bench.

UND’s last win over Alaska was a 3-1 victory on October 9, 2010. That UND squad went 32-9-3 overall and lost in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal in heartbreaking fashion.

UND finds itself in 6th place in the all-important Pairwise rankings thanks in large part to its impressive non-conference victories…

North Dakota blanked #6 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

UND was also able to avenge its only two non-conference losses of the season (vs. #10 Minnesota, at #2 Boston University) with wins the following night.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s tenth-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Nanooks’ schedule weighs in as the 44th-most difficult. Despite its tough slate of games, the Green and White claim the eight-best best winning percentage in college hockey (.713).

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 475-240-82 (.647) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#4-ranked North Dakota has gone 12-5-1 against Army, #5 Wisconsin, #10 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #2 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, Bemidji State, #6 Denver, and #20 Colorado College, with a record of 8-3-1 at home and 4-2-0 on the road. Three of UND’s five losses this season have come in overtime.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first eighteen games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 59 goals and are on pace for 118 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that ten North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (11), Gaber (8), Berg (7), Johannes (7), and Perron (7). Surprisingly, all five of those forwards were held without a goal in the home series against Colorado College four weeks ago.

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored five goals this season (Britt 2, Pyke 2, Livanavage 1) to go along with their 31 combined assists in 110 games played (0.33 points/game). The offensive output from the blue line has been increasing lately, with Livanavage in particular chipping in more regularly (six assists in his last six games).

Garett Pyke notched a goal and an assist against CC and now faces his former team this weekend. Pyke spent four years at Alaska, appearing sparingly (fifteen games) as a freshman before missing his entire sophomore campaign due to injury. The 6-0, 190-pound defenseman from Mississauga, Ontario shined as an upperclassman, playing in 34 games in each of his last two seasons in Fairbanks with identical 4-15-19 scoring totals in both campaigns.

Pyke already has two goals and twelve assists in his first eighteen games as a Fighting Hawk.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Erik Largen’s Nanooks squad has eight players who meet that threshold: junior forward Brady Risk (9-13-22), junior forward Anton Rubtsov (6-12-18), junior forward Harrison Israels (12-5-17), sophomore forward Cade Neilson (3-7-10), junior forward Payton Matsui (2-7-9), sophomore forward Braden Birnie (2-7-9), junior defenseman Arvils Bergmanis (1-12-13), and graduate defenseman T.J. Lloyd (2-9-11).

By that same measure, North Dakota has seven players at a half point or better: sophomore forward Jackson Blake (11-11-22), junior forward Cameron Berg (7-10-17), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (4-11-15), senior forward Riese Gaber (8-6-14), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (7-5-12), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (2-12-14), and freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage (1-8-9).

Offensively, UND outpaces Alaska by a narrow margin. To this point of the season, North Dakota has scored 64 goals (3.56 goals per game, 11th in the country), while Alaska has managed 61 (3.39, 16th).

The Fighting Hawks are 13th in the nation in shooting percentage at 11.2%. Alaska clocks in at 11.3%, good for 10th in the country. UND also gets the puck to the net, averaging 31.6 shots on goal per game. The Nanooks aren’t far behind, with 30.0 shots on goal per contest.

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 442 shots on goal this season in 18 games (24.6/game, 6th), while Alaska has allowed 462 in the same number of games (25.7).

These two teams are both in the top quarter of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 16th in Corsi (53.5%) and 9th in Fenwick (55.4%)
Alaska: 9th in Corsi (54.8%); 12th in Fenwick (54.5%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 14th-best team on draws (53.3%), while the Nanooks clock in at 54.1% (10th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 186 of 308 (60.4%). Senior Louis Jamernik V (115 of 211, 54.5%) and sophomore Owen McLaughlin (107 of 208, 51.4%) have more than held their own.

For the Nanooks, junior Harrison Israels has been the best option (203 of 345, 58.8%). Head coach Erik Largen has also called on junior Payton Matsui (135 of 252, 53.6%), sophomore Cade Nielson (91 of 167, 54.5%), and junior Chase Dafoe (98 of 188, 52.1%).

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-9, with thirteen power play goals scored (13 of 66, 19.7%, 27th in the country) and seven power play goals allowed (43 of 50, 86.0%, 10th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Nanooks have posted a plus-2, with seventeen power play goals scored (17 of 83, 20.5%, 23rd), SEVENTEEN power play goals allowed (71 of 88, 80.7%, 33rd), three shorthanded goals scored, and one allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned sixteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (66-50), while Alaska has been shorthanded five more times than they have been on the power play (83-88).

North Dakota is 11th in the country in scoring offense (3.56 goals scored/game) and an equally impressive 9th in the country in scoring defense (2.28 goals allowed/game).

Alaska is 16th in the country in scoring offense (3.39 goals scored/game) and 16th in the country in scoring defense (2.50 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 12-5-1 with a goals-against average of 2.21, a save percentage of .909, and three shutouts.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 87 goals, a difference of 23 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

Alaska’s top netminder – senior Pierce Charleson boasts similar numbers to Persson. Charleson has a record of 10-6-1, a goals-against average of 2.20, a save percentage of .915, and one shutout.

North Dakota currently finds itself in sixth place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 2), Wisconsin (PWR 5), Denver (PWR 8), and Minnesota (PWR 12) certainly helping the cause. With a current non-conference mark of 7-2-1, good results at home against Alaska (PWR 20) this weekend, and a top-four finish in the NCHC, UND should be a lock for the national tournament.

At 5-0-0-3 in league play, North Dakota sits in second place in the league standings behind only St. Cloud State (7-0-0-1).

It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (3-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0). Since Alaska is playing this season as an independent and thus will not impact conference comparisons, UND has itself in fine shape for the NCAAs.

At #20 in the Pairwise, Alaska has some work to do to earn the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2010 (the only tourney appearance in program history). The Nanooks were one game away from reaching the NCAAs last season (Colgate knocked off higher-seed Harvard in the ECAC championship game, stealing a spot from Alaska).

North Dakota has eight games remaining on the schedule against the top twenty teams in the Pairwise (vs. PWR 20 Alaska, at PWR 14 St. Cloud State, vs. PWR 8 Denver, and vs. PWR 10 Western Michigan). After this weekend, UND’s other ten games are vs. PWR 23 Omaha, at PWR 45 Miami, at PWR 24 Colorado College, vs. PWR 33 Minnesota Duluth, and at PWR 23 Omaha.

After this weekend, Alaska only plays one other team in the top thirty in the Pairwise; the Nanooks will travel to face PWR 16 Arizona State on February 9th and 10th.

Alaska Nanooks

Head Coach: Erik Largen (5th season at CC, 74-71-13, .509)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 20th
KRACH Rating: 119.3 (25th)

This Season: 10-7-1 overall
Last Season: 22-10-2 overall (missed NCAA tournament)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.39 goals scored/game – 16th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.50 goals allowed/game – 16th of 64 teams

Power Play: 20.5% (17 of 83) – 23rd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 80.7% (17 of 88) – 33rd of 64 teams

Key players: Junior Forward Brady Risk (9-13-22), Junior F Anton Rubtsov (6-12-18), Junior F Harrison Israels (12-5-17), Sophomore F Cade Neilson (3-7-10), Junior F Payton Matsui (2-7-9), Sophomore F Braden Birnie (2-7-9), Junior D Arvils Bergmanis (1-12-13), Graduate D T.J. Lloyd (2-9-11), Senior G Pierce Charleson (10-6-1, 2.20 GAA, .915 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 192-97-32, .648)

National Rankings: #4/#4
Pairwise Ranking: 6th
KRACH Rating: 492.5 (7th)

This Season: 12-5-1 overall, 5-0-0-3 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.56 goals scored/game – 11th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.28 goals allowed/game – 9th of 64 teams

Power Play: 19.7% (13 of 66) – 27th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 86.0% (43 of 50) – 10th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (11-11-22), Senior F Riese Gaber (8-6-14), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (7-5-12), Freshman F Jayden Perron (7-1-8), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (4-11-15), Junior F Cameron Berg (7-10-17), Senior D Garrett Pyke (2-12-14), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-8-9), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-4-6), Senior G Ludvig Persson (12-5-1, 2.21 GAA, .909 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: October 20, 2012 (Fairbanks, Alaska). UND’s Colton St. Clair would get the visitors on the board first, but Alaska would answer with one goal each in the 2nd and 3rd period for a 2-1 victory. The Nanooks held North Dakota scoreless on six power play opportunities and went 1-for-3 with the man advantage.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: January 3, 1994. Alaska (then competing as Alaska-Fairbanks) won 5-3, capping off a road sweep of the Fighting Sioux. One night earlier, it was a 6-5 overtime victory for the Nanooks. UND would travel to Anchorage two weeks later and drop a pair of games to the homestanding Seawolves, results that certainly played a part in the departure of head coach Gino Gasparini. The Green and White were 8-12-2 coming into the four-game stretch against the Alaska teams and went just 3-11-2 down the stretch.

Most Important Meeting: Since this series has major Pairwise implications for both squads, I will call the games at the Ralph this weekend the most important meeting between the two teams.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series 5-3-0 (.625), although the series is tied 2-2 in games played in Grand Forks. North Dakota won the first four meetings between the teams by a combined score of 25-10 but has won only once in the last four games, topping Alaska 3-1 in Anchorage on October 9th, 2010.

Game News and Notes

Alaska is one of only two teams remaining in men’s Division I college hockey to play on a full Olympic-sized sheet of ice (100×200); the other is St. Cloud State. North Dakota’s Cameron Berg has faced Alaska five times in his collegiate career (all as an Omaha Maverick), collecting three goals and adding two assists. Over the first eighteen games of the season, Alaska has blocked 194 shots as a team (10.8/game); UND has blocked 243 (13.5/game). Grand Forks native and Central High School product William Lawson-Body is a freshman for the Nanooks; he has appeared in one game this season (against Denver), registering two shots on goal. It is unclear whether Lawson-Body, who went 71-6-2 in his last three seasons at Central with two state championships, will crack the lineup this weekend.

The Prediction

North Dakota has a few edges in this game – the home crowd, the narrower sheet of ice, a longer period of rest, and the matchup of its power play against a dreadful Alaska penalty kill that has allowed at least one power play goal in fourteen of its eighteen games this season. UND will need to play both fast and physical against the Nanooks, getting the puck to the net with regularity. Goaltending will be key in this series, and I give the edge to the home team. North Dakota hasn’t lost in regulation in over two months, and that trend will continue this weekend. UND 4-2, 3-2 (OT).

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network and will also be available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on X-Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#1 North Dakota (12-3-1, 5-1-0 NCHC) hosts unranked Colorado College (7-6-1, 2-4-0 NCHC) in the last weekend of action for both squads before winter break.

UND finds itself on top of the national rankings and in the all-important Pairwise rankings thanks in large part to its impressive non-conference victories…

North Dakota blanked #6 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

UND was also able to avenge its only two non-conference losses of the season (vs. #10 Minnesota, at #2 Boston University) with wins the following night.

The Fighting Hawks have also taken care of business in NCHC action, sweeping at Minnesota Duluth and at home against Miami before taking four of six league points at #4 Denver last weekend.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s sixth-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Tigers’ schedule weighs in as the 25th-most difficult. Despite its tough slate of games, the Green and White are tied with Quinnipiac for the best winning percentage in college hockey (.760).

Before we dig into this weekend’s matchup between the Hawks and Tigers, let’s take a quick look back at the past few games between the two teams…

Last season, the teams only played two games, and, in a strange February series in the Springs, North Dakota earned a 2-1 overtime victory on Friday before the two teams skated to a 0-0 tie in the rematch, just the third scoreless game in UND hockey history.

North Dakota went 6-0 against CC two seasons ago, outscoring the Tigers 20-7. The two first-round playoff games in Grand Forks were tight affairs, with UND advancing to St. Paul by virtue of a pair of 2-1 victories. In that series, all six goals were scored in the second period.

When the teams squared off at brand-new Robson Arena for a December 2021 series in Colorado Springs, the Fighting Hawks secured the road sweep with 5-2 and 4-1 victories. Those games dropped the Tigers to 3-10-3 on the season.

UND held the advantage in all phases, outshooting the Tigers 62-54 and winning 72 of 119 faceoffs (60.5%). North Dakota scored three power play goals on nine attempts and held Colorado College to just a single power play goal in ten man-advantage opportunities.

After that weekend, the Tigers went 4-4-0 against Arizona State, Miami, Denver, and Omaha to close out January, much more respectable results for first-year head coach Kris Mayotte. Mayotte replaced Mike Haviland, who went just 74-177-28 (.315) in his seven seasons behind the Tiger bench, with no regular season or postseason titles and zero NCAA tournament appearances. Haviland had something brewing from 2017-2019, with his teams going 32-37-9 (.468). Things fell off over his last two seasons, however (15-37-5, .307), and it was time for a change.

February and March of 2022 were not kind to Mayotte’s squad, however, as the Tigers won just twice in their last twelve games. Both of those victories came in overtime against Miami (4-3, 3-2). In the other eight, CC was outscored 30-11.

Two of those losses came on February 11th and 12th at UND. Colorado College put up a good showing in Friday night’s 3-2 defeat, nearly overcoming a 3-0 first-period deficit and outshooting North Dakota 26-21 for the game. The Fighting Hawks turned the tables in Saturday’s 4-0 triumph, sweeping the regular season series between the two teams by a combined score of 16-5.

In the last eight games against CC, North Dakota has only trailed for a total of eleven minutes and fifty seconds.

Colorado College also traveled to Grand Forks to face UND in the first round of the playoffs in 2014, 2015, and 2016. As I’ve written about before, it is difficult to end a team’s season, and tight Saturday night elimination games are to be expected, even after relatively comfortable Friday night victories. In fact, UND’s 2016 sweep (7-1, 5-1) is one of only two playoff series in recent memory that did not feature at least one close contest.

Here are the results from the past four first-round playoff series between North Dakota and Colorado College:

2014: UND 4-2, CC 3-2 (OT), UND 4-3
2015: UND 5-1, UND 3-2
2016: UND 7-1, UND 5-1
2022: UND 2-1, UND 2-1

CC was also scheduled to face the Fighting Hawks in 2020 before the college hockey season was canceled due to COVID-19. And two seasons ago, the Tigers dressed just eleven forwards, five defensemen, and one goalie for their opening-round game against St. Cloud State at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Despite losing a blueliner to a major penalty in the second period, Colorado College took SCSU to the wire, surrendering the game-winning goal with less than four minutes remaining in the contest.

Ten full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 475-240-82 (.647) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#1-ranked North Dakota has gone 12-3-1 against Army, #6 Wisconsin, #10 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #2 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, Bemidji State, and #4 Denver with a record of 8-1-1 at home and 4-2-0 on the road.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first sixteen games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 56 goals and are on pace for 126 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that nine North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (11), Gaber (8), Berg (7), Johannes (7), and Perron (7).

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored four goals this season (Britt 2, Livanavage 1, Pyke 1) to go along with their 29 combined assists in 98 games played (0.34 points/game). The offensive output from the blue line has been increasing lately, with Livanavage in particular chipping in more regularly (six assists in his last four games).

By comparison, Tiger defensemen have scored seven goals and added twenty assists in 90 games played (0.30 points/game).

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Kris Mayotte’s squad has seven players who meet that threshold: sophomore forward Gleb Veremyev (6-6-12), sophomore forward Noah Laba (6-5-11), senior forward Logan Will (3-6-9), sophomore forward Ryan Beck (2-5-7), junior forward Stanley Cooley (1-6-7), freshman forward Evan Werner (4-3-7), and freshman forward Zaccharya Wisdom (3-3-6).

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine players at a half point or better, including three skaters averaging at least a point per game: sophomore forward Jackson Blake (11-11-22), junior forward Cameron Berg (7-9-16), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (4-11-15), senior forward Riese Gaber (8-6-14), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (7-5-12), freshman forward Jayden Perron (7-1-8), junior forward Jake Schmaltz (0-6-6 in 12 games), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (1-11-12), and freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage (1-7-8).

Livanavage was recently named to the initial U.S. World Junior roster, one of ten defensemen going to tryout camp from December 14th-16th. Three blueliners are expected to be cut before the team travels to Gothenburg, Sweden for the World Juniors, which will take place from December 26th through January 5th.

The Colorado College and North Dakota team rosters feature a family connection. Drew Montgomery (3-3-6 in 14 games) is a freshman forward for the Tigers, and he has played a number of different roles for CC this season. His brother Dane Montgomery is a junior forward for UND, and he has slowly worked his way into the lineup, appearing in four of the past five games while scoring a goal and adding an assist.

Offensively, UND far outpaces Colorado College. To this point of the season, North Dakota has scored 60 goals (3.75 goals per game, 7th in the country), while CC has managed just 43 (3.07, 28th).

The Fighting Hawks are 8th in the nation in shooting percentage at 11.7%. Colorado College clocks in at 10.5%, good for 19th in the country.

Even though both teams are scoring on a high percentage of their shots on goal, why is UND so much better offensively? Because North Dakota puts the puck on net. To this point in the season, the Green and White have 511 shots on goal. Colorado College? 411.

This averages out to 31.9 shots on goal per game for UND (17th) and 29.4 shots on goal per game for CC (33rd).

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 395 shots on goal this season in 16 games (24.7/game, 6th), while Colorado College has allowed 400 in 14 games (28.6, 23rd).

These two teams are both in the top third of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 17th in Corsi (53.4%) and 9th in Fenwick (55.7%)
Colorado College: 18th in Corsi (53.1%); 23rd in Fenwick (52.5%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s fourth-best team on draws (54.8%), while the Tigers clock in at 53.6% (13th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 169 of 270 (62.6%). Senior Louis Jamernik V (105 of 192, 54.7%) and sophomore Owen McLaughlin (100 of 186, 53.8%) have more than held their own.

For the Tigers, senior Logan Will has been the best option (143 of 242, 59.1%). Kris Mayotte has also called on sophomore Noah Laba (118 of 223, 52.9%) and junior Stanley Cooley (120 of 233, 51.5%).

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-9, with twelve power play goals scored (12 of 61, 19.7%, 25th in the country) and six power play goals allowed (41 of 47, 87.2%, 11th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Tigers have posted a minus-6, with just SIX power play goals scored (6 of 69, 8.7%, 63rd), twelve power play goals allowed (48 of 60, 80.0%, 40th), two shorthanded goals scored, and two allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned fourteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (61-47), while CC has had the advantage nine more times (69-60).

North Dakota is 7th in the country in scoring offense (3.75 goals scored/game) and an equally impressive 6th in the country in scoring defense (2.19 goals allowed/game).

Colorado College is 28th in the country in scoring offense (3.07 goals scored/game) and 26th in the country in scoring defense (2.79 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 12-3-1 with a goals-against average of 2.12, a save percentage of .914, and three shutouts.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 83 goals, a difference of 27 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

North Dakota currently finds itself in first place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 2), Wisconsin (PWR 6), Denver (PWR 7), and Minnesota (PWR 11) certainly helping the cause. With a current non-conference mark of 7-2-1, good results at home against Alaska (PWR 26) on January 5th and 6th, and a top-four finish in the NCHC, UND should be a lock for the national tournament. It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (3-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0). Since Alaska is playing this season as an independent and thus will not impact conference comparisons, UND has itself in fine shape for the NCAAs.

At #29 in the Pairwise, Colorado College has some work to do to earn the program’s first NCAA tournament berth since 2011.

North Dakota only has six games remaining on the schedule against the top twenty teams in the Pairwise (at PWR 14 St. Cloud State, vs. PWR 7 Denver, and vs. PWR 12 Western Michigan). After this weekend, UND’s other twelve games are vs. PWR 21 Alaska, vs. PWR 22 Omaha, at PWR 41 Omaha, at PWR 29 Colorado College, vs. PWR 39 Minnesota Duluth, and at PWR 22 Omaha.

At 5-0-0-1 in league play, North Dakota sits in second place, behind only St. Cloud State (6-0-0-0). Colorado College has a league record of 2-4-0-0, good for sixth place in the eight-team league.

In the NCHC, Colorado College has finished 7th, 8th, 8th, 8th, 7th, 6th, 8th, 7th, 7th, and 7th for the worst average finish (7.3) among all eight league teams. North Dakota leads the conference with an average finish of 2.6 (2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, 2nd, and 5th).

In terms of common opponents, CC played a home-and-home with Denver and lost both games (1-6, 1-5). Last weekend, North Dakota traveled to Denver and emerged with a win and an overtime loss , collecting four of six league points.

Colorado College Tigers

Head Coach: Kris Mayotte (3rd season at CC, 29-52-6, .368)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 29th
KRACH Rating: 136.9 (#22)

This Season: 7-6-1 overall, 2-4-0-0 NCHC (6th)
Last Season: 13-22-3 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 6-13-2-3 NCHC (7th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.07 goals scored/game – 28th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.79 goals allowed/game – 26th of 64 teams

Power Play: 8.7% (6 of 69) – 63rd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 80.0% (48 of 60) – 40th of 62 teams

Key players: Sophomore F Gleb Veremyev (6-6-12), Sophomore F Noah Laba (6-5-11), Senior F Logan Will (3-6-9), Sophomore F Ryan Beck (2-5-7), Junior F Stanley Cooley (1-6-7), Senior D Jack Millar (1-5-6), Freshman D Max Burkholder (2-3-5), Senior D Nicklas Andrews (2-3-5), Sophomore G Kaidan Mbereko (7-6-1, 2.61 GAA, .909 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 192-95-32, .652)

National Rankings: #1/#1
Pairwise Ranking: 1st
KRACH Rating: 725.5 (2nd)

This Season: 12-3-1 overall, 5-0-0-1 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.75 goals scored/game – 7th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.19 goals allowed/game – 6th of 64 teams

Power Play: 19.7% (12 of 61) – 25th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 87.2% (41 of 47) – 11th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (11-11-22), Senior F Riese Gaber (8-6-14), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (7-5-12), Freshman F Jayden Perron (7-1-8), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (4-11-15), Junior F Cameron Berg (7-9-16), Senior D Garrett Pyke (1-11-12), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-7-8), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-4-6), Senior G Ludvig Persson (12-3-1, 2.12 GAA, .914 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: February 25, 2023 (Colorado Springs, CO). The two league rivals skated to a 0-0 tie, just the third scoreless game in UND hockey history. One night earlier, North Dakota freshman Jackson Blake netted both goals – including the overtime winner 29 seconds into the extra session – in a 2-1 Fighting Hawks victory. UND outshot CC 34-18 in Friday’s opener; Riese Gaber had two assists.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: March 12, 2022. In a carbon copy of the previous night’s league playoff opener, North Dakota sandwiched two second-period goals around a CC marker to survive a tight 2-1 contest. The Tigers outshot UND 30-22 for the game; each team scored once on the power play. In Friday’s opener, the Fighting Hawks outshot CC 23-16.

Most Important Meeting: March 27, 1997. UND defeated Colorado College, 6-2, in the Frozen Four Semifinals in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Two nights later, North Dakota downed Boston University, 6-4, to claim its sixth NCAA Championship. North Dakota and Colorado College also met in the 2001 East Regional (Worcester, Mass.), with UND prevailing, 4-1.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 173-84-12 (.665), including a sparkling mark of 111-22-7 (.818) in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first met in 1948; North Dakota’s 173 wins over the Tigers are the most against any single opponent in program history.

Last Ten: North Dakota has nine victories and a scoreless tie in the last ten meetings between the teams, outscoring CC 31-9 over that span. In those ten tilts, the Tigers have been shut out three times, scored a single goal five times, and managed two goals twice. The Fighting Hawks’ last loss to Colorado College was at CC on March 1, 2019 (1-3).

Game News and Notes

North Dakota head coach Brad Berry is 24-4-2 (.833) in his head coaching career against Colorado College. CC has won two national titles (1950, 1957). Since 1957, the Tigers have appeared in the NCAA tournament thirteen times (most recently in 2011) and advanced to three Frozen Fours (1996, 1997, 2005). Head coaches Scott Owens (1999-2014) and Don Lucia (1993-1999) combined to lead CC to six regular-season titles, twelve NCAA tournament appearances, three Frozen Fours, and one national championship game appearance (1996). Only five UND players expected to be in the lineup this weekend have scored goals in their careers against Colorado College. North Dakota netminder Ludvig Perrson has never beaten the Tigers (0-4-2 with Miami). Colorado College is 7-3-1 when leading or tied after one period of play but 0-3-0 when trailing. The Tigers have scored a total of three goals in their last four games combined (0-3-1). UND’s 173 wins over CC are the most over a single opponent in the history of the program.

The Prediction

Everything points to a North Dakota sweep, but goaltending can be the great equalizer. CC netminder Kaidan Mbereko has given up more than two goals just once in his last six starts. One of these games will be closer than the other, and I’ve got a feeling that it’ll be the opener. UND 3-2, 4-1.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network and will also be available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#2 North Dakota (11-2-1, 4-0-0 NCHC) travels to Colorado this weekend to face the #3-ranked Denver Pioneers (10-3-1, 3-1-0 NCHC) in a pivotal battle of perennial powers.

Both teams have impressive non-conference victories that have vaulted them to the top of the national rankings…

North Dakota blanked #6 Wisconsin 2-0 at Ralph Engelstad Arena back on October 14th.

One week later, Denver won 4-3 at #1 Boston College.

UND was also able to avenge its only two losses of the season (vs. #7 Minnesota, at #4 Boston University) with wins the following night.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s thirteenth-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Pioneers’ schedule weighs in as the fifteenth-most difficult.

Before we dig into this weekend’s matchup, let’s take a quick look back at the past few games between the two teams…

UND looked overmatched against the visiting Pios back in November 2022, as David Carle’s squad managed a 3-2, 6-3 road sweep over a Fighting Hawks team that had taken five of six points at Omaha the week before. Friday’s opener ended up as a one-goal DU victory, but that was only because North Dakota held the Pioneers scoreless on six man-advantage opportunities.

And in the rematch at altitude in February 2023, it was more of the same. Denver scored five goals each night and held the Fighting Hawks to five total goals on the weekend in securing the rare four-game season sweep. In Friday’s opener, UND played well enough to win but were undone by poor goaltending, as Drew DeRidder allowed four goals on the eleven shots he faced before giving way to Jacob Hellsten just five minutes into the second period. The last two goals that DeRidder allowed came just fourteen seconds apart.

In the 2021 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals (held at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks), North Dakota needed overtime to outlast a gutsy performance by a Pios squad that had been decimated by COVID-19. DU dressed only nine forwards for the contest but led 1-0 with under 90 seconds remaining. With the goalie pulled, the Fighting Hawks’ Shane Pinto blasted a shot on net that hit Jasper Weatherby on the way in to send the game to overtime. It took over eight minutes of extra time before Gavin Hain sent the home crowd into a frenzy with a blast of his own that advanced the Green and White into the championship game; Denver had just killed Antti Tuomisto’s boarding minor but could not clear the zone. UND outshot the weary Pioneers 20-4 in the third period and overtime.

With the playoff victory, North Dakota moved to 20-5-1 on the season; David Carle’s squad saw its season end at 10-13-1, the first time DU failed to advance to the NCAA tournament since 2007. The 2020-2021 season was the first losing campaign for DU since the 1999-2000 team went 16-23-2. UND won five of the seven meetings between the teams three years ago, outscoring the Pios 22-14. North Dakota allowed ten goals in the first three meetings with a record of 1-2; since their loss in game one at Denver on January 17th, the Fighting Hawks notched four consecutive victories over DU (15 goals for, 4 goals against). That mid-January defeat was definitely a wakeup call for Brady Berry’s squad; from that point until the end of the season, the Green and White went 13-3, outscoring opponents 69-28.

Denver definitely rebounded two seasons, going 31-9-1 and defeating Minnesota State 5-1 for the program’s ninth national title. That championship game was tied 1-1 until the 7:33 mark of the third period. The Pios would add two empty-net goals for the misleading final score.

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 10-6-1 against the Pios.

In the NCHC, it is clear that Denver/North Dakota is at the top of the league rivalries, with the two programs combining for eight NCHC regular season titles and averaging a top-three finish in the league standings each year (UND 2.5, DU 2.9).

The teams have played 45 times during the first ten seasons of the new conference (with the series deadlocked at 19-19-7), but the feud goes all the way back to Geoff Paukovitch’ illegal check on Sioux forward Robbie Bina during the 2005 WCHA Final Five.

Since that 2005 Final Five contest (a Denver victory), the two teams have met thirteen times in tournament play. Denver won the 2005 NCAA title with a victory over North Dakota and claimed a 2008 WCHA Final Five win as well. UND has earned six victories and a tie in the last ten playoff games between the schools, including three consecutive victories in the WCHA Final Five (2010-2012), the 2011 NCAA Midwest Regional final which sent the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four, 2016’s thrilling Frozen Four semifinal (a 4-2 UND victory) in Tampa, Florida, and the 2017 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Denver turned the tables by dispatching North Dakota in the first round of the league playoffs at Magness Arena to end the Fighting Hawks’ 2018-2019 campaign.

(It is impossible to bring up the Paukovitch/Bina incident without also writing that Brad Malone‘s check on Denver’s Jesse Martin during an October 2010 contest at Ralph Engelstad Arena fractured three of Martin’s vertebrae and ended the hockey career of the Atlanta Thrashers’ draft pick.)

The rivalry intensified three seasons ago, with the teams combining for 187 penalty minutes in six regular season games (the NCHC semifinal game featured just four minor penalties). The last contest between the squads in Denver saw a DU goaltender run over with nine minutes remaining, which ignited tempers further. That spilled over to the series in Grand Forks in February, with the Pioneers “winning” the penalty minute battle 54-29. North Dakota won the specialty teams battle, scoring two goals on ten man-advantage opportunities and blanking DU on its ten power play chances.

In Saturday’s series finale, North Dakota led on the scoreboard 5-2 thanks to two goals by Jasper Weatherby and 18 saves from Peter Thome, who started in place of injured netminder Adam Scheel. And how was Scheel injured, you might ask? Denver’s Kohen Olischefski ran Scheel from behind late in Friday’s 3-0 UND victory. Olischefski was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for goaltender interference and was issued an additional one-game suspension by the league office.

And in the only series played between the teams two years ago, the two sides combined for 78 penalty minutes and ten power play opportunities. UND swept the series 3-1 and 4-1, thanks in no small part to a 1-for-5 effort on the power play and a perfect penalty kill.

Ten full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 473-239-81 (.648) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

#2-ranked North Dakota has gone 11-2-1 against Army, #6 Wisconsin, #7 Minnesota, Minnesota State, #4 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, Miami, and Bemidji State, with a record of 8-1-1 at home and 3-1-0 on the road.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first fourteen games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 47 goals and are on pace for 121 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that eight North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (10), Gaber (7), Perron (7), and Johannes (6).

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored four goals this season (Britt 2, Livanavage 1, Pyke 1) to go along with their 24 combined assists in 86 games played (0.28 points/game). By comparison, Pioneer blueliners have a combined line of 14-53-67 in 94 games played (0.71 points/game), led by two freshman – Zeev Buium (4-14-18) and Boston Buckberger (3-10-13) – and junior Sean Behrens (1-13-14).

That production from the back end has helped Denver score more goals than any other team in the country (77). North Dakota is eighth nationally in goal-scoring with 51.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and David Carle’s squad has an astounding FOURTEEN players who meet that threshold. Incredibly, six of those are averaging over a point per game. The offensive leaders for Denver include junior forward Massimo Rizzo (6-19-25), junior forward Jack Devine (13-11-24), junior forward Carter King (8-11-19), senior forward McKade Webster (6-9-15), junior forward Tristan Broz (4-8-12), sophomore forward Rieger Lorenz (6-4-10), sophomore forward Aidan Thompson (2-8-10), freshman forward Miko Matikka (7-3-10), sophomore forward Jared Wright (4-4-8), senior forward Connor Caponi (2-5-7), freshman defenseman Zeev Buium (4-14-18), junior defenseman Sean Behrens (1-13-14), freshman defenseman Boston Buckberger (3-10-13), and junior defenseman Shai Buium (3-7-10).

By that same measure, North Dakota has seven lineup regulars at a half point or better: senior forward Riese Gaber (7-6-13), sophomore forward Jackson Blake (10-8-18), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (3-9-12), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (6-4-10), junior forward Cameron Berg (4-8-12), freshman forward Jayden Perron (7-0-7), and senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (1-9-10).

On the injury front, UND junior forward Jake Schmaltz will return to the lineup for the first time since suffering an upper body injury late in a 2-0 road victory over Minnesota Duluth on November 11th. Schmaltz notched four assists in the first ten games of the season and has been the team’s fourth option on draws, going 40-39 (50.6 percent). Graduate forward Carson Albrecht (1-1-2) sustained an injury against Bemidji State last weekend and did not make the trip to Denver.

Denver freshman defenseman Garrett Brown had surgery this past week to repair a lower-body injury and will miss the rest of the season. Fellow blueliner Shai Buium, a junior, did not play against Yale last Friday night and is questionable for this series.

DU has not had an issue scoring goals, but they have had trouble keeping the puck out of their own net. Junior goaltender Matt Davis (3-1-1, 3.22 GAA, .872 SV%) has been out of the lineup since late October, and the Pios have gone with freshman Freddie Halyk (7-2-0, 2.32 GAA, .899 SV%, 3 SO) since that time. Matt Carle did choose to add goalie Paxton Geisel from the Muskegon Lumberjacks (USHL) last week in order to bolster their netminding crew.

Denver leads the nation in shooting percentage at 17.5%. Put another way, goaltenders opposing the Pioneers have a combined save percentage of just .825. North Dakota clocks in at 11.3%, good for 17th in the country.

UND slightly outpaces DU in shots on goal, with a 453-440 (32.4/game – 31.4/game) advantage through fourteen games. North Dakota’s shot output ranks 15th; Denver’s is 23rd.

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 341 shots on goal this season (24.4/game, 7th), while Denver has allowed only 332 (23.7, 3rd).

These two teams are both in the top quarter of all teams in the nation in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 13th in Corsi (54.1%) and 10th in Fenwick (56.1%)
Denver: 5th in Corsi (57.2%); 9th in Fenwick (56.3%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s third-best team on draws (55.1%), while the Pioneers clock in at just 51.7% (24th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 150 of 238 (63.0%). Sophomore Owen McLaughlin is not far behind, having won 90 of 166 (54.2%). Senior Louis Jamernik V has been steady at 55.0% (93 of 169).

For Denver, it’s been junior Carter King (148 of 273, 54.2%) taking the majority of draws, with sophomore Aidan Thompson (110 of 206, 53.4%), freshman Kieran Cebrian (92 of 161, 57.1%), and junior Massimo Rizzo (95 of 208, 45.7%) contributing as well.

To this point in the season, Denver has had the better of the specialty teams play. DU has been a combined plus-12, with sixteen power play goals scored (16 of 66, 24.2%, 13th in the country) and nine power play goals allowed (45 of 54, 83.3%, 22nd), with FIVE shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Fighting Hawks have posted a plus-6, with nine power play goals scored (9 of 52, 17.3%, 38th), just six power play goals allowed (36 of 42, 85.7%, 16th), three shorthanded goals scored, and none allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned ten more power plays than penalty kill situations (52-42), while DU has had the advantage twelve more times (66-54).

Denver is 1st in the country in scoring offense (5.50 goals scored/game) but just 20th in the country in scoring defense (2.64 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is 9th in the country in scoring offense (3.64 goals scored/game) and an even more impressive 2nd in the country in scoring defense (1.93 goals allowed/game).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 11-2-1 with a goals-against average of 1.85, a save percentage of .924, and three shutouts.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 74 goals, a difference of 36 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

North Dakota currently finds itself in 6th place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Boston University (PWR 3), Wisconsin (PWR 10), and Minnesota (PWR 12) certainly helping the cause. With a current non-conference mark of 7-2-1, good results at home against Alaska (PWR 26) on January 5th and 6th, and a top-four finish in the NCHC, UND should be a lock for the national tournament. It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (3-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0). Since Alaska is playing this season as an independent and thus will not impact conference comparisons, UND has itself in fine shape for the NCAAs.

At #4 in the Pairwise and 7-2-1 outside the NCHC, Denver also appears to be headed toward another NCAA tournament berth. DU’s only non-conference games remaining are vs. Niagara in early January.

Denver will travel to Grand Forks to face North Dakota at Ralph Engelstad Arena on January 26th and 27th, 2024.

Denver Team Profile

Head Coach: David Carle (6th season at DU, 126-56-14, .679)

National Rankings: #3/#3
Pairwise Ranking: 4th
KRACH Rating: 564.2 (6th)

This Season: 10-3-1 overall, 3-1-0-0 NCHC (3rd)
Last Season: 30-10-0 overall (NCAA East Regional Semifinalist), 17-4-2-1 NCHC (1st)

2023-2024 Team Statistics:

Team Offense: 5.50 goals scored/game – 1st of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.64 goals allowed/game – 20th of 64 teams

Power Play: 24.2% (16 of 66) – 13th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 83.3% (45 of 54) – 22nd of 64 teams

Key players: Junior F Massimo Rizzo (6-19-25), Junior F Jack Devine (13-11-24), Junior F Carter King (8-11-19), Senior F McKade Webster (6-9-15), Junior F Tristan Broz (4-8-12), Sophomore F Rieger Lorenz (6-4-10), Freshman D Zeev Buium (4-14-18), Junior D Sean Behrens (1-13-14), Freshman D Boston Buckberger (3-10-13), Freshman G Freddie Halyk (7-2-0, 2.23 GAA, .899 SV%, 3 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 191-94-32, .653)

National Rankings: #2/#2
Pairwise Ranking: 6th
KRACH Rating: 596.8 (4th)

This Season: 11-2-1 overall, 4-0-0-0 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.64 goals scored/game – 9th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 1.93 goals allowed/game – 2nd of 64 teams

Power Play: 17.3% (9 of 52) – 38th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 85.7% (36 of 42) – 16th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (10-8-18), Senior F Riese Gaber (7-6-13), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (6-4-10), Freshman F Jayden Perron (7-0-7), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (3-9-12), Junior F Cameron Berg (4-8-12), Senior D Garrett Pyke (1-9-10), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-4-5), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-4-6), Senior G Ludvig Persson (11-2-1, 1.85 GAA, .924 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: February 11, 2023 (Denver, CO). The homestanding Pios handled North Dakota in every sense of the word: on the power play (3-for-8), on the penalty kill (6-for-6), in the faceoff circle (42-23), in shots on goal (37-23), and, most importantly, on the scoreboard (5-2). In Friday’s opener, UND played well enough to win but were undone by poor goaltending, as Drew DeRidder allowed four goals on the eleven shots he faced before giving way to Jacob Hellsten just five minutes into the second period. The last two goals that DeRidder allowed came just fourteen seconds apart.

A Recent Memory: April 7, 2016 (Tampa, Florida). In the semifinals of the NCAA Frozen Four, the two league rivals squared off in a tightly-contested matchup. Senior forward Drake Caggiula scored twice early in the middle frame to stake UND to a 2-0 lead, but the Pioneers battled back with a pair of third period goals. The CBS line came through when it mattered most, with Nick Schmaltz scoring the game winner off of a faceoff win with 57 seconds remaining in the hockey game. North Dakota blocked 27 Denver shot attempts and goaltender Cam Johnson made 21 saves for the Fighting Hawks, who won the program’s eighth national title on the same sheet of ice two nights later.

Most Important Meeting: It’s hard to pick just one game, as the two teams have played four times for the national title. Denver defeated UND for the national championship in 1958, 1968, and 2005, while the Sioux downed the Pioneers in 1963. But the game that stands out in recent memory as “the one that got away” was DU’s 1-0 victory over the Fighting Sioux in the 2004 NCAA West Regional final (Colorado Springs, CO). That North Dakota team went 30-8-4 on the season (Dean Blais’ last behind the UND bench) and featured one of the deepest rosters in the past twenty years: Brandon Bochenski, Zach Parise, Brady Murray, Colby Genoway, Drew Stafford and David Lundbohm up front; Nick Fuher, Matt Jones, Matt Greene, and Ryan Hale on defense; and a couple of goaltending stalwarts in Jordan Parise and Jake Brandt.

Last Ten Games: The Fighting Hawks have a 6-4-0 (.600) advantage over the last ten games, outscoring DU 32-25 over that stretch of games. Seven of the last ten tilts between these rivals have been played in Grand Forks.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 156-134-16 (.536), although the Pios hold a 79-56-5 (.582) advantage in games played in Denver. The teams first met in 1950, with North Dakota prevailing 18-3 in Denver. The 306 games played between the schools is the most among all of UND’s opponents.

Game News and Notes

Since Denver ended North Dakota’s season in 2019, UND has gone 10-6-1 against the Pios. UND netminder Ludvig Persson faced DU twelve times as a member of the Miami RedHawks, with dreadful numbers (1-11-0, 4.69 GAA, .879 SV%). Eleven of Denver head coach David Carle’s 56 head coaching losses have come against UND. As a team, North Dakota has blocked 198 shots this season, led by Bennett Zmolek (31), Abram Wiebe (24), and Garrett Pyke (22). Zmolek has eighteen blocks in the last seven games, all UND victories. Two seasons ago, the Fighting Hawks won the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions for the fifth time in the ten-year history of the league; the Pioneers have captured the Penrose only three times (2016-2017 and back-to-back in 2021-2022 and 2022-2023). Since seven of Michigan’s nine titles were earned by 1964, I consider Denver (nine titles) and North Dakota (eight titles) to be the top two men’s college hockey programs of all time.

The Prediction

For the first time in forever, Magnus Chrona is not between the pipes for Denver, and that bodes well for the visitors. DU’s defensemen are active and offensive-minded, so the recipe for success is to make them work in their own end by getting pucks in and forcing them to defend and work hard to break out pucks. The Pioneers did drop a game at home to Omaha just two weeks ago, and I think they’ll do the same this weekend. UND 4-2, DU 5-2.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s opener will be broadcast live on Midco Sports Network. Both games will be available via webcast at NCHC.tv. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#1 North Dakota (9-2-1, 4-0-0 NCHC) hosts Bemidi State (5-7-0, 4-4-0 CCHA) for a pair of non-conference games this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

Ten full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the former Central Collegiate Hockey Association created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA.

And now, the WCHA is no more, and Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State find themselves as three of nine programs in the latest version of the CCHA along with Bowling Green, Ferris State, Lake Superior State, Northern Michigan, St. Thomas (third season at the Division I level), and Augustana (first season at the Division I level).

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 465-237-80 (.646) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that eight-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

Bemidji State had a very successful 2020-2021 season, going 16-5-3 overall, making the NCAA tourney, and shocking #4-overall Wisconsin 6-3 before being blanked 4-0 by eventual national champion Massachusetts. UMass also shut out St. Cloud State 5-0 in the title game and outscored their opponents 17-3 in their four tournament games.

The Beavers went 22-10-5 in 2020 and would have made the NCAA tournament. Tom Serratore’s head coaching mark of 38-20-8 (.636) from 2019-2021 was by far the best two-year for BSU since they made the jump from the CHA in 2010.

Since then, however, it has not been smooth sailing. The Beavers have gone just 38-44-5 (.466) since their most recent tournament run, with a third-place league finish in 2022 and a fifth-place finish last year. Through eight conference games this year, BSU sits in fourth place in the CCHA.

Top-ranked North Dakota has gone 9-2-1 against Army, #6 Wisconsin, #8 Minnesota, #26 Minnesota State, #5 Boston University, Minnesota Duluth, and Miami, with a record of 6-1-1 at home and 3-1-0 on the road.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first twelve games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 40 goals and are on pace for 120 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that eight North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (8), Gaber (7), Perron (7), and Johannes (6).

Perhaps alarmingly, Fighting Hawks defensemen have only scored three goals this season (Britt 2, Livanavage 1) to go along with their twenty combined assists in 73 games played. By comparison, Beaver blueliners have a combined line of 9-21-30 in 80 games played.

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Tom Serratore’s squad has six players who meet that threshold: graduate defenseman Kyle Looft (5-10-15), sophomore forward Lleyton Roed (8-3-11), senior forward Jackson Jutting (5-4-9), freshman defenseman Eric Pohlkamp (4-4-8), graduate forward Carter Jones (0-8-8), and senior forward Eric Martin (0-7-7).

By that same measure, North Dakota has eight lineup regulars at a half point or better: senior forward Riese Gaber (7-5-12), sophomore forward Jackson Blake (8-7-15), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (3-8-11), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (6-3-9), junior forward Cameron Berg (2-7-9), freshman forward Jayden Perron (7-0-7), senior forward Louis Jamernik V (2-4-6), and senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (0-9-9).

On the injury front, UND will have to go through another weekend without junior forward Jake Schmaltz, who suffered an upper body injury late in a 2-0 road victory over Minnesota Duluth on November 11th. Schmaltz notched four assists in the first ten games of the season and has been the team’s fourth option on draws, going 40-39 (50.6 percent). Senior Griffin Ness and sophomore Ben Strinden will likely see additional opportunities in the faceoff circle this weekend.

North Dakota has also been battling illness in the locker room over the past ten days or so. UND center Owen McLaughlin, who had been centering Riese Gaber and Jackson Blake, missed last Saturday’s finale against Miami. McLaughlin has been a full participant in practice this week and is expected to suit up on Friday night.

UND and Bemidji State are tied for 18th in the nation in shooting percentage at 11.0%; the difference is that BSU has managed 318 shots on goal through the first twelve games of the season (26.5 shots on goal/game, 49th in the country), while North Dakota has peppered goaltenders 390 times over their first twelve games (32.5, 16th). That has translated to eight more goals this season for Brad Berry’s squad (43-35).

On the defensive side, UND has only allowed 291 shots on goal this season (24.3/game, 5th), while Bemidji State has allowed 339 (28.3, 23rd).

And more to the point, North Dakota has enjoyed a shots-on-goal advantage of +99 (390-291), while the Beavers are sitting at a -21 (318-339). Much of that negative margin is due to the fact that BSU allowed 61 shots on goal to Wisconsin back in October, managing only 19 on their side of the column.

It is not surprising that UND also leads Bemidji State in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 13th in Corsi (54.2%) and 6th in Fenwick (56.4%)
Bemidji State: 36th in both Corsi (49.6%) and Fenwick (50.2%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s second-best team on draws (55.3%), while the Beavers clock in at just 46.8% (53rd).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 125 of 200 (62.5%). Sophomore Owen McLaughlin is not far behind, having won 79 of 139 (56.8%). Senior Louis Jamernik V has been steady at 55.1% (76 of 138).

For Bemidji State, it’s been senior Jackson Jutting (110 of 208, 52.9%) and not much else to speak of. Serratore has most frequently called upon senior Eric Martin (94 of 213, 44.1%) and junior Jere Vaisanen (78 of 186, 41.9%) without much success.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-5, with eight power play goals scored (8 of 46, 17.4%, 39th in the country) and only six power play goals allowed (32 of 38, 84.2%, 20th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

The Beavers have posted a minus-5, with nine power play goals scored (9 of 55, 16.4%, 43rd), THIRTEEN power play goals allowed (25 of 38, 65.8, 64th), zero shorthanded goals scored, and one allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned eight more power plays than penalty kill situations (46-38), while Bemidji State has had the advantage 17 more times (55-38) and is still in the minus column. The Beavers have been awarded the majority of power plays in ten of twelve games this season.

North Dakota is 7th in the country in scoring offense (3.58 goals scored/game) and an even more impressive 2nd in the country in scoring defense (2.08 goals allowed/game). Bemidji State is 34th in the country in scoring offense (2.92 goals scored/game) and even worse on the defensive side, allowing 3.75 goals/game (59th).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 9-2-1 with a goals-against average of 2.00, a save percentage of .917, and two shutouts.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 80 goals, a difference of 30 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

Bemidji State’s team save percentage of .867 is the worst in the country among all 64 men’s Division I hockey programs. There is more to the story, though. Junior netminder Matthias Sholl, the starter, was injured on October 27th against St. Thomas and has not returned to the lineup. Sholl went 1-2-0 to start the year with a save percentage of .910 and a goals-against average of 3.30; the team expects him back December 8th and 9th against Lake Superior State.

Freshman Raythan Robbins is dragging the numbers down somewhat, with six goals allowed on 27 shots in his two games (56 minutes) for a save percentage of .778 and a goals-against average of 6.48.

Over the last month and change, the crease has belonged to senior Gavin Enright, and he has been steady but not spectacular (4-5-0, 3.22 GAA, .871 SV%, 1 shutout).

North Dakota currently finds itself in 3rd place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Wisconsin (PWR 6), Boston University (PWR 1), and Minnesota (PWR 13) certainly helping the cause. With a current non-conference mark of 5-2-1 and good results at home this weekend and against Alaska (PWR 25) on January 5th and 6th, UND should be in good shape for the national tournament. It is also important to point out that the Fighting Hawks currently have a winning record against the B1G Ten (2-1-0), the CCHA (1-0-1), and the AHA (1-0-0), with a .500 mark against Hockey East (1-1-0). If UND can manage at least a split this weekend, the interconference Pairwise comparisons will all be favorable ones.

At #35 in the Pairwise and at 1-3-0 outside of the CCHA, Bemidji State has quite a bit of work to do to make the national tournament. After this weekend, the Beavers will play a home-and-home with St. Cloud State and host Augustana for a pair to round out their non-conference schedule.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has played the 7th-toughest schedule in the country, while Miami’s slate of games ranks as the 40th-most difficult.

Even though Bemidji State and North Dakota did not play head-to-head, both teams hosted and participated in the Ice Breaker Tournament back in October. The Beavers played two overtime games in that tourney, falling to Wisconsin 4-3 before besting Army 3-2. UND defeated Army 7-2 and Wisconsin 2-0.

Since that time, BSU and North Dakota have both played series against Minnesota Duluth and Minnesota State. In those games, the Beavers went 1-3-0 and were outscored 12-20. UND went 3-0-1 against those two teams, with a combined score of 14-6.

Bemidji State Team Profile

Head Coach: Tom Serratore (23rd season at BSU, 373-351-97, .513)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 35th
KRACH Rating: 72.4 (37th)

This Season: 5-7-0 overall, 4-4-0 CCHA (4th)
Last Season: 14-17-5 overall, 9-10-5-2 CCHA (5th of 8 teams)

Team Offense: 2.92 goals scored/game – 34th of 63 teams
Team Defense: 3.75 goals allowed/game – 59th of 64 teams

Power Play: 16.4% (9 of 55) – 43rd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 65.8% (25 of 38) – 64th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Lleyton Roed (8-3-11), Senior F Jackson Jutting (5-4-9), Graduate F Carter Jones (0-8-8), Senior F Eric Martin (0-7-7), Graduate D Kyle Looft (5-10-15), Freshman D Eric Pohlkamp (4-4-8), Senior G Gavin Enright (4-5-0, 3.22 GAA, .871 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 189-94-32, .651)

National Rankings: #1/#1
Pairwise Ranking: 3rd
KRACH Rating: 859.0 (4th)

This Season: 9-2-1 overall, 4-0-0-0 NCHC (2nd of 8 teams)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th of 8 teams)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.58 goals scored/game – 7th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.08 goals allowed/game – 2nd of 64 teams

Power Play: 17.4% (8 of 46) – 39th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.2% (32 of 38) – 20th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (8-7-15), Senior F Riese Gaber (7-5-12), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (6-3-9), Freshman F Jayden Perron (7-0-7), Sophomore F Owen McLaughlin (3-8-11), Senior F Louis Jamernik V (2-4-6), Junior F Cameron Berg (2-7-9), Senior D Garrett Pyke (0-9-9), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-2-3), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-3-5), Senior G Ludvig Persson (9-2-1, 2.00 GAA, .917 SV%, 2 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 26, 2023 (Grand Forks, North Dakota). One night after the teams skated to a 3-3 tie in Bemidji, the homestanding Fighting Hawks dispatched the Beavers 4-2. On Friday night, UND outshot the home team 31-21 but needed a Judd Caulfield tally with 83 seconds remaining in the hockey game to salvage a road tie. In the rematch at Ralph Engelstad Arena, the home team build a 3-0 lead through the first half of the game only to see the Beavers battle back and get it within one. It was Judd Caulfield providing the heroics on back-to-back nights with an empty-netter with 29 seconds remaining.

Most Important Meeting: October 15, 2010 (Bemidji, MN). In the first game played at the BREC, North Dakota spotted BSU the opening goal less than two minutes into the contest and then steamrolled the Beavers 5-2. The Fighting Sioux outshot their fellow Green-and-Whiters 38-14.

Last Ten: North Dakota is 5-2-3 (.650) in the last ten meetings between the teams, outscoring the Beavers 29-20 over that stretch of games. Seven of the last ten tilts have been decided by a goal or less, with the two teams playing the tight games exactly even (two wins for each side and three ties).

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 35-5-7 (.819), including a record of 24-3-4 (.839) in games played in Grand Forks. Three of BSU’s five wins over North Dakota have come in the past ten seasons (October 2014, October 2018, and October 2021). Bemidji’s other victories over UND came in 1970 and 2011.

Game News and Notes

UND head coach Brad Berry is 7-2-3 (.708) in his career against Bemidji State. BSU has competed at the Division I level since the 1999-00 season and has made the NCAA tournament five times (2005, 2006, 2009, 2010, and 2021), with a Frozen Four appearance in 2009. North Dakota men’s hockey teams are a combined 284-99-46 (.716) at Ralph Engelstad Arena since the building opened in 2001. As a team, North Dakota has blocked 171 shots this season, led by Bennett Zmolek (27), Abram Wiebe (21), and Garrett Pyke (19). Zmolek has fourteen blocks in the last five games, all UND victories.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast on Midco Sports Network and also available online at NCHC.tv. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. Central Time on Friday and 6:07 p.m. Central Time on Saturday. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

Social Media

Keep up with the action live during all UND hockey games by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via Brad Schlossman’s live chat on the Grand Forks Herald website.

Ticket Information

Information about tickets can be found at the UND Box Office inside Ralph Engelstad Arena or online at FightingHawks.com/tickets.

The Prediction

For the second weekend in a row, the Fighting Hawks are deeper, more talented, and have better goaltending than the visitors. BSU’s active defensemen (Looft and Pohlkamp) may cause UND trouble, although facing Minnesota Duluth (Owen Gallatin and Aaron Pionk) and Boston University (Lane Hutson) in recent weeks should help out North Dakota’s cause. Bemidji State always seems to bring their best effort against UND, and this weekend will be no exception. I expect UND’s power play to get right this weekend, with multiple man-advantage goals possible each night. In the last six series against the Beavers, North Dakota has only truly been held in check offensively over one weekend (two total goals scored in October 2018). In the other five series, the Fighting Hawks have managed 10, 7, 7, 6, and 7 total goals. A hiccup is possible, but I’m calling another sweep.

UND 5-2, 4-2.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#2 North Dakota (7-2-1, 2-0-0 NCHC)) hosts Miami (4-5-1, 0-4-0 NCHC) for a pair of NCHC games this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

Remarkably, when UND traveled to face to RedHawks back in January of 2023, the two teams were both at the bottom of the league standings. This time around, the Fighting Hawks have their sights set squarely on another Penrose Cup.

Back in November of 2022, the Fighting Hawks won Friday’s home opener vs. Miami in runaway fashion, boatracing the RedHawks by building a 5-0 lead over the first 31 minutes of the hockey game. In Saturdays’ rematch, UND spotted the visitors a 3-0 lead before making a late push, outshooting MU 27-6 over the final two periods but falling just short in a 4-3 loss. That RedHawks victory was the only blemish in North Dakota’s 9-1 head-to-head mark over the past ten games.

The Fighting Hawks traveled to Oxford, Ohio in November 2021 and earned a road sweep with 4-1 and 5-4 victories. UND outshot Miami 68-31 in the two-game series.

Almost one year earlier (December 2nd, 2020), the two teams met in Omaha in the first pod game for either side. North Dakota blanked Miami 2-0 and put 39 shots on goal.

And in the rematch on December 20th – the final game of the Omaha pod – the RedHawks managed to score twice but allowed six North Dakota goals on 39 shots.

Miami put a total of 42 shots on frame over the course of those six periods of hockey.

After those two December tilts, the teams were not scheduled to face each other in the second half of the 2021-2022 season. As fate would have it, however, top-seeded UND (18-5-1) drew last-place Miami (5-17-2) in the first round of the modified NCHC Frozen Faceoff. There was little drama in the contest, as the Fighting Hawks scored three goals in the first six minutes of the hockey game and cruised to a 6-2 victory, outshooting MU 46-28.

In the past nine games, North Dakota has outscored Miami 45-15 while holding a 321-187 advantage in shots on goal.

Over the past three seasons, the RedHawks relied on goaltender Ludvig Persson to keep games close, as Miami only averaged 2.22 goals per game. Unfortunately, MU allowed 3.91 goals per game over those three campaigns and only won twenty total games (20-69-8, .247).

And now Ludvig Persson is wearing the green and white of North Dakota (more on that below).

Ten full seasons have come and gone since the college hockey landscape changed forever. With Minnesota and Wisconsin departing the Western Collegiate Hockey Association for the Big Ten after the 2012-13 season, several other conference schools and two members of the Central Collegiate Hockey Association (Miami and Western Michigan) created the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and left Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State, Michigan Tech, and Minnesota State behind in a watered-down WCHA. And now, the WCHA is no more, and the CCHA reformed beginning with the 2021-2022 campaign.

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 434-223-72 (.645) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that seven-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

Over the first ten seasons of the NCHC, Miami has averaged slightly better than a seventh-place finish among the eight conference teams (8th, 2nd, 5th, 7th, 8th, 8th, 7th, 8th, 8th, and 8th), with a combined league record of 62-149-29 (.319).

By comparison, North Dakota has finished 2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, 1st, and 5th for an average finish just under second place and a combined league record of 140-77-23 (.631). No other league member has collected as many conference wins as UND.

When the National Collegiate Hockey Conference was formed, Miami appeared positioned to be a dominant program. Prior to the 2013-14 season (their inaugural campaign in the NCHC), the RedHawks had made eight consecutive NCAA tournament appearances, with consecutive Frozen Four bids in 2009 (2nd) and 2010 (3rd). Since joining the NCHC, Miami has just one NCAA tournament appearance (2015), and that ended quickly with a first-round loss to eventual national champion Providence.

Long-tenured head coach Enrico Blasi was fired after posting a fourth consecutive losing season in 2018-2019. Over that stretch of time, the RedHawks were 47-81-19 (.384). There is reason for optimism in Oxford, however, with new bench boss Chris Bergeron taking over the program after leading Bowling Green to six consecutive winning seasons, five consecutive years with twenty or more victories, and an NCAA tournament appearance in 2018-2019.

And turning our attention to this season…

#2 North Dakota has gone 7-2-1 against Army, #1 Wisconsin, #6 Minnesota, #26 Minnesota State, #8 Boston University, and #25 Minnesota Duluth, outscoring opponents 32-20 while playing all but the last four games at home.

How has North Dakota made such a dramatic turnaround in just one season?

After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first ten games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 29 goals and are on pace for 104 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that eight North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (6), Gaber (5), Johannes (5), and Perron (5).

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Chris Bergeron’s squad has eight players who meet that threshold: senior forward Matthew Barbolini (4-8-12), sophomore forward John Waldron (3-6-9), senior forward PJ Fletcher (3-4-7), sophomore forward William Hallen (2-4-6), junior forward Raimonds Vitolins (3-3-6 in seven games), sophomore forward Artur Turansky (2-3-5), sophomore forward Frankie Carogioiello (2-0-2 in four games), and sophomore defenseman Axel Kumlin (1-4-5).

Carogioello will not play this weekend in Grand Forks, while Vitolins’ return to the lineup is questionable. Head coach Chris Bergeron will also be without the services of graduate forwaard Ryan Sullivan (1-2-3 in seven games).

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine players at a half point or better: senior forward Riese Gaber (5-4-9), sophomore forward Jackson Blake (6-5-11), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (2-5-7), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (5-1-6), junior forward Cameron Berg (2-5-7), freshman forward Jayden Perron (5-0-5), senior forward Louis Jamernik V (2-3-5), senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (0-8-8), and graduate defenseman Logan Britt (2-3-5).

On the injury front, UND will have to do without junior forward Jake Schmaltz, who suffered an upper body injury late in Saturday’s 2-0 road victory over Minnesota Duluth. Schmaltz has notched four assists in the first ten games of the season and has been the team’s fourth option on draws, going 40-39 (50.6 percent). Senior Griffin Ness and sophomore Ben Strinden will likely see additional opportunities in the faceoff circle this weekend.

UND is 32nd in the nation in shooting percentage at 9.8% (32 goals on 326 shots); by comparison, Miami sits in 36th place at 9.5% (27 goals on 283 shots). Through ten games, UND clearly has an advantage in shots on goal (32.6 to 28.3), and the Fighting Hawks only allow 25.6 shots on goal per game (MU allows 31.6).

UND also leads Miami in two key puck possession statistics:

North Dakota: 19th in both Corsi (53.8%) and Fenwick (56.0%)
Miami: 41st in both Corsi (48.4%) and Fenwick (46.7%)

Corsi measures the share of shot attempts for each team at even strength, while Fenwick measure the share of unblocked shot attempts for each team at even strength.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s eighth-best team on draws (54.2%), while the RedHawks clock in at just 43.4% (61st).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 107 of 171 (62.6%). Sophomore Owen McLaughlin is not far behind, having won 68 of 122 (55.7%). Senior Louis Jamernik V has been steady at 52.7% (59 of 12).

For Miami, there hasn’t really been a good option, although sophomore Blake Mesenburg has taken the most draws, winning just 48.6% (69 of 142). Junior Raimonds Vitolins (59 of 121, 48.8%) and sophomore William Hallen (59 of 138, 42.8%) have done their best.

To be fair, Miami lost their projected top center, Albin Nilsson, to a longterm injury before the season even started. Nilsson scored 18 goals and added 27 assists over the past two seasons (72 games) with Niagara.

Vitolins, who had slotted in on the top line, has also missed games due to injury this season; he is expected to travel with the team to Grand Forks.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-5, with seven power play goals scored (7 of 42, 16.7%, 42nd in the country) and only five power play goals allowed (27 of 32, 84.4%, 18th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

Miami has posted a minus-3, with six power play goals scored (6 of 38, 15.8%, 45th), seven power play goals allowed (32 of 39, 82.1%, 26th), zero shorthanded goals scored, and two allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned ten more power plays than penalty kill situations (42-32), while Miami has been shorthanded more often than on the power play (39-38).

North Dakota is 20th in the country in scoring offense (3.20 goals scored/game) but a stellar fifth in the country in scoring defense (2.00 goals allowed/game). Miami is 39th in the country in scoring offense (2.70 goals scored/game) and even worse on the defensive side, allowing 3.30 goals/game (42nd).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 7-2-1 with a goals-against average of 1.90, a save percentage of .925, and two shutouts.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams. To put the difference in perspective, North Dakota allowed 110 goals on 962 shots last season. If we apply Persson’s save percentage from this year to that shot total, the Fighting Hawks would have allowed a total of only 72 goals, a difference of 38 goals over the 39-game season.

And what difference does one goal make? UND found itself in a Pairwise predicament last season due to three tough losses:

Arizona State 3, North Dakota 2 (October 29th, 2022)

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th, 2022)

Minnesota Duluth 2, North Dakota 1 (January 21st, 2023)

All three of those games were tied in the third period.

Miami’s overall goaltending numbers (.896 SV%, 39th in the country) are skewed a bit by freshman netminder Bruno Bruveris who has played in one game this season (at St. Cloud State) and allowed six goals on 33 shots for a save percentage of just .818. Graduate student Logan Neaton has been better, stopping 256 of 282 in his nine games. Neaton transferred from UMass-Lowell in the fall of 2021 and appeared in sixteen games over the past two seasons with Miami.

North Dakota currently finds itself in 7th place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Wisconsin (PWR 3), Boston University (PWR 9), and Minnesota (PWR 12) certainly helping the cause. With a current non-conference mark of 5-2-1 and good results in home non-conference series against Bemidji State (PWR 43) on November 24th and 25th and Alaska (PWR 10) on January 5th and 6th, UND should be in good shape for the national tournament.

At #37 in the Pairwise, Miami has quite a bit of work to do during the conference portion of the schedule, and they are off to a dreadful start, dropping their first four league games (at St. Cloud State, vs. Colorado College) by a combined score of 18-4.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has played the 8th-toughest schedule in the country, while Miami’s slate of games ranks as the 37th-most difficult.

The two teams will tangle in Oxford, Ohio on February 2nd and 3rd, 2024.

Miami Team Profile

Head Coach: Chris Bergeron (5th season at Miami, 32-95-14, .277)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 37th
KRACH Rating: 67.0 (38th)

This Season: 4-5-1 overall, 0-4-0-0 NCHC (8th)
Last Season: 8-24-4 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 3-16-0-5 NCHC (8th)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.70 goals scored/game – 39th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 3.30 goals allowed/game – 42nd of 64 teams

Power Play: 15.8% (6 of 38) – 45th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.1% (32 of 39) – 26th of 64 teams

Key players: Senior F Matthew Barbolini (4-8-12), Sophomore F Max Dukovac (2-2-4), Sophomore F John Waldron (3-6-9), Senior F PJ Fletcher (3-4-7), Sophomore F William Hallen (2-4-6), Junior F Raimonds Vitolins (3-3-6 in 7 games), Sophomore D Axel Kumlin (1-4-5), Sophomore D Michael Feenstra (0-4-4), Senior D Hampus Rydqvist (0-3-3), Graduate G Logan Neaton (4-4-1, 2.86 GAA, .908 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 187-94-32, .649)

National Rankings: #2/#4
Pairwise Ranking: 7th
KRACH Rating: 856.7 (8th)

This Season: 7-2-1 overall, 2-0-0-0 NCHC (t-2nd)
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th of 8 teams)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.20 goals scored/game – 20th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.00 goals allowed/game – 5th of 64 teams

Power Play: 16.7% (7 of 42) – 42nd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.4% (27 of 32) – 18th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (6-5-11), Senior F Riese Gaber (5-4-9), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (5-1-6), Freshman F Jayden Perron (5-0-5), Senior F Louis Jamernik V (2-3-5), Junior F Cameron Berg (2-5-7), Senior D Garrett Pyke (0-8-8), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-2-3), Graduate D Logan Britt (2-3-5), Senior G Ludvig Persson (7-2-1, 1.90 GAA, .925 SV%, 2 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: January 28, 2023 (Oxford, Ohio). One night after notching four goals in a 4-1 road victory, UND doubled down, blanking the homestanding RedHawks 8-0 behind a hat trick from Riese Gaber, who also had two assists in the series. North Dakota netminder Drew DeRidder had his finest weekend of the season, stopping 50 of 51 shots in the two-game sweep.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: November 19, 2022. North Dakota spotted the visitors a 3-0 lead before making a late push, outshooting MU 27-6 over the final two periods. UND’s furious rally would come up just a bit short, with Miami’s Jack Clement breaking the third-period tie with just 5:26 remaining in the hockey game. The Fighting Hawks won Friday’s home opener vs. Miami in runaway fashion, boatracing the RedHawks by building a 5-0 lead over the first 31 minutes of the hockey game.

Most Important Meeting: March 6, 2015 (Oxford, OH). North Dakota claimed the Penrose Cup with a 2-1 road victory over Miami. UND fell flat the following night, losing 6-3 in the final game of the regular season.

Last Ten: UND has picked up nine wins (9-1–0, .900) in the past ten contests between the teams, outscoring Miami 50-18 over that stretch of games. Before MU’s November 2022 victory at the Ralph, the RedHawks had not beaten North Dakota since November 10, 2018, a 3-2 home victory.

All-time Series: North Dakota leads the all-time series 25-8-4 (.730), including a sparkling 11-3-2 (.750) record in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first played in 1999 (Badger Showdown, Milwaukee, WI).

Game News and Notes

In nine career games against Miami, junior forward Riese Gaber has scored ten goals and added six assists. MU has not made the national tournament since 2015, their second season in the NCHC. As a team, North Dakota has blocked 150 shots this season, led by Abram Wiebe and Garrett Pyke (18 each). Miami head coach Chris Bergeron has lost more games in his five seasons at Miami (32-95-14, .277) than North Dakota bench boss Brad Berry has in his nine seasons at UND (187-94-32, .649). MU has been outscored 13-5 in second periods this season. Green Hawks are preferable to RedHawks.

The Prediction

The Fighting Hawks are deeper, more talented, and have better goaltending. The only worry is a letdown after so many high-intensity games in a row (Wisconsin, Minnesota, Minnesota State, Boston University, and Minnesota Duluth). If North Dakota can play to its identity from the drop of the puck each night, it won’t be pretty for the RedHawks. I expect a closer contest on Saturday night, but this one is a sweep. UND 6-2, 4-1.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast on Midco Sports Network and also available online at NCHC.tv. Puck drop is set for 7:07 p.m. Central Time on Friday and 6:07 p.m. Central Time on Saturday. All UND men’s hockey games can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network as well as through the iHeart Radio app.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

#4 North Dakota heads to Amsoil Arena this weekend to take on #18 Minnesota Duluth in the NCHC opener for both teams. The Fighting Hawks and Bulldogs are the last two teams to begin league play.

UND will wear helmet stickers for this series honoring former Duluth forward Adam Johnson, who died two weeks ago when a skate blade cut his neck during a pro hockey game. The stickers will feature the initials ‘AJ’ along with the number 47, which he was wearing for the Nottingham Panthers. Former UND forward Westin Michaud was Johnson’s teammate with the Panthers.

Last season, the teams only met two times, a January series in Grand Forks that ended in a split. North Dakota took the opener 4-2 before falling 2-1 in the rematch. In Saturday’s finale, senior Luke Loheit broke a 1-1 tie with just over two minutes remaining in regulation. The goal came just 33 seconds after freshman Ben Steeves departed from the penalty box; Steeves assisted on the game-winning goal. Fast forward one year, and Steeves leads his team in goals (7) and points (11).

Two seasons ago, the two rivals split a November series at Ralph Engelstad Arena, with the Bulldogs winning by a 4-1 margin on Friday night. UND came from behind in Saturday’s rematch, knotting the score at 1-1 with five seconds remaining in the second period before scoring the game-winner five minutes into the third. When the two teams tangled in Duluth in February 2022, the visitors managed a pair of one-goal victories (4-3, 3-2).

And turning back the clock to March 27th, 2021, North Dakota was down 2-0 to Minnesota Duluth with just 101 seconds remaining in the third period of the 2021 NCAA Midwest Regional final at Scheels Arena in Fargo, North Dakota. The Bulldogs had built their lead with two goals just 80 seconds apart early in the final frame on a pair of fluky plays. A partially blocked shot off the stick of Jackson Cates fluttered past Fighting Hawks’ netminder Adam Scheel, and a broken stick at the blue line sent Cole Koepke in alone on a breakaway.

Through the first 25 games of the season, UND had only won one game after allowing the first goal (1-5-1). But after coming back against both Denver and St. Cloud State to claim the program’s first NCHC Frozen Faceoff postseason title, Brad Berry’s squad had to feel like another comeback was possible.

And it was indeed possible. Collin Adams and Jordan Kawaguchi scored extra-attacker goals 44 seconds apart to send the partisan crowd into a frenzy and send the game to overtime. And overtime. And overtime. And overtime.

UMD’s Luke Mylymok scored the game-winner just over two minutes into the FIFTH overtime session; his second goal of the season ended the longest NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey tournament game in history.

One could argue that after over 140 minutes of game action, Duluth had a built-in advantage: the Bulldogs (14-10-2) were scheduled to face Michigan in the regional semifinal, but after the Wolverines withdrew due to a positive COVID-19 test in their hockey program, UMD advanced in a “no contest” and therefore had fresher legs than top overall seed North Dakota (22-5-1).

Adams and Kawaguchi were two of six North Dakota players to finish the season with double digit goal totals. Of those six, only Riese Gaber remains at North Dakota.

The NCHC has been the premier hockey conference since its inception, and particularly over the past nine seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 434-223-72 (.645) in non-conference action since the start of the 2014-15 season and sent twelve teams to the Frozen Four (UND and Omaha in 2015, UND and Denver in 2016, Denver and Duluth in 2017, Duluth in 2018, Denver and Duluth in 2019, Duluth and St. Cloud State in 2021, and Denver in 2022) over that seven-year stretch (there was no national tournament in 2020). Conference members North Dakota (2016), Denver (2017, 2022), and Minnesota Duluth (2018, 2019) have won five of the last seven national titles.

The Bulldogs played ten games at the Division I level in the early 1930s but didn’t really get started until after World War II. Its first 19 seasons after the war were played as an independent before joining the WCHA in 1965. It would take 18 seasons – and a head coach named Mike Sertich – before UMD would make the NCAA tournament, and Sertich would take them there in three consecutive seasons:

1982-1983: National Quarterfinalist
1983-1984: 2nd Place (National Runner-Up)
1984-1985: 3rd Place (Consolation Champion)

In 1984, Duluth was tantalizingly close to winning its first title. The Bulldogs defeated North Dakota 2-1 in overtime (behind a goal by Bill Watson) to advance to the championship game, where they would face Bowling Green in the longest NCAA final in Division I men’s hockey history. Gino Cavallini scored for the Falcons in the fourth overtime session, ending a game that took over 97 minutes of game action to complete.

And, perhaps, fittingly, UMD would find themselves locked in overtime contests in 1985 as well. The Bulldogs took RPI to three overtimes in the national semis before falling 6-5. Back in those days, there was still a third-place game, and so Duluth faced Boston College (which had also played three overtimes in its semifinal) for no reason at all. Of course, that game also went to overtime, with UMD defeating the Eagles 7-6.

After that three-year splash on the national scene, Mike Sertich would manage just one more tournament appearance (1993) over the final fifteen years of his head coaching career before giving way to Scott Sandelin, who has guided the Bulldogs to the NCAAs eleven times in his 22 seasons behind the Bulldog bench.

Even though UMD has been a more frequent participant over the past two decades than at any other point in team history, Duluth and North Dakota have only met twice in the national tournament (1984 and 2021). UND had a chance to meet the Bulldogs in the 2011 title game but fell to the Wolverines in the semifinals 2-0 (with an empty-net goal) despite outshooting Michigan 40-20.

Before the Wolverines were forced to withdraw from the 2021 tournament, UMD and Michigan were set to square off in the national tournament for the first time since that overtime thriller in St. Paul.

With three national titles in a nine-year stretch, the Bulldogs could certainly be considered the best team of the 2010s; North Dakota’s eight national titles have been spread out across the decades: 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, 2000, and 2016.

The Wolverines have won nine NCAA titles but only two since 1964, those coming in 1996 and 1998. For that reason, I consider North Dakota (eight titles) and Denver (nine titles) the two best programs in NCAA Division I men’s ice hockey history.

And turning our attention to this season…

North Dakota has gone 5-2-1 against Army, #3 Wisconsin, #6 Minnesota, Minnesota State, and #9 Boston University, outscoring opponents 26-18 while playing all but the last two games at home.

Minnesota Duluth got off to a strong start this season, going 3-0-2 against Michigan Tech, Northern Michigan, and Bemidji State while outscoring those teams 24-16. The wheels have fallen off over the past two weekends, however, as the Bulldogs suffered a road sweep at the hands of #7 Cornell (1-4, 0-3) and a road loss (1-5) and home tie (3-3) against #6 Minnesota. Those disappointing results have UMD at 3-3-3 on the year.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, the Bulldogs will be without two familiar faces this weekend:

The top center for Duluth -junior Dominic James – suffered a shoulder injury on October 13th vs. Northern Michigan and is not expected to return this season. James had a line of 16-30-46 in his first two seasons (74 games) at UMD. Grand Forks native Cole Spicer has taken his spot in the lineup and has scored four goals and notched three assists through the first nine games of the season.

Bulldog junior defenseman Will Francis is taking this semester off to undergo cancer treatments. All of us at SiouxSports.com wish Will all the best in his journey to recovery. No one fights alone.

After a down season (16-20-1) a year ago, Scott Sandelin dipped his toe into the transfer portal, bringing in forward Connor McMenamin from Penn State (24-42-66 in 129 games over four seasons with the Nittany Lions) and defenseman Luke Bast from North Dakota (3-6-9 in 39 games over two seasons with the Fighting Hawks). Sandelin’s freshman class numbers just four players, although only three of those – defenseman Aaron Pionk and forwards Anthony Menghini and Matthew Perkins have seen game action.

Pionk, whose older brother Neal played for UMD from 2015-2017, is a fifth-round pick of the Minnesota Wild. Perkins is a fourth-round pick of the Vancouver Canucks.

The names have changed in Grand Forks as well. After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first eight games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 24 goals and are on pace for 108 goals in the regular season alone. It is also encouraging that six North Dakota forwards already have multiple goals this season, led by Blake (6), Johannes (5), Gaber (4), and Perron (4).

A half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Scott Sandelin’s squad has just six players who meet that threshold: sophomore forward Ben Steeves (7-4-11), graduate forward Quinn Olson (1-8-9), sophomore forward Cole Spicer (4-3-7), senior forward Blake Biondi (1-4-5), junior defenseman Owen Gallatin (1-7-8), and freshman defenseman Aaron Pionk (1-5-6).

By that same measure, North Dakota has eight players at a half point or better: senior forward Riese Gaber (4-3-7), sophomore forward Jackson Blake (6-4-10), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin (2-5-7), graduate forward Hunter Johannes (5-0-5), junior forward Cameron Berg (1-4-5), junior forward Jake Schmaltz (0-4-4), freshman forward Jayden Perron (4-0-4), and senior defenseman Garrett Pyke (0-8-8).

UND is 22nd in the nation in shooting percentage at 10.4% (26 goals on 250 shots); by comparison, Minnesota Duluth sits in 26th place at 10.3% (29 goals on 282 shots). UMD and North Dakota both average 31.3 shots on goal per game, although UND only allows 25.5 shots on goal per contest (12th in the country), while the Bulldogs lag far behind in that category (31.6, 42nd).

UND (20th in Corsi, 16th in Fenwick) also leads Duluth (40th, 41st) by a wide margin in both puck possession statistics.

As always, a key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 10th-best team on draws (54.2%), while the Bulldogs clock in at just 51.2% (23rd).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 90 of 140 (64.3%). Sophomore Owen McLaughlin is not far behind, having won 55 of 98 (56.1). Senior Louis Jamernik V has been steady at 52.0% (51 of 98).

For Minnesota Duluth, sophomore Cole Spicer has been the only bright spot in the circle, going 95 of 175 (54.3%). Sophomore Jack Smith (58 of 114, 50.9%) and junior Carter Loney (57 of 116, 49.1%) have been basically even, while freshman Matthew Perkins (48 of 113, 42.5%) has struggled to adjust to the college game.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had slightly the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-4, with five power play goals scored (5 of 33, 15.2%, 44th in the country) and only four power play goals allowed (24 of 28, 85.7%, 18th), with three shorthanded goals scored and none allowed.

Minnesota Duluth has posted a plus-3, with fourteen power play goals scored (14 of 38, 36.8%, 3rd), twelve power play goals allowed (39 of 51, 76.5%, 49th), one shorthanded goal scored, and none allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned five more power plays than penalty kill situations (33-28), while UMD has been shorthanded far more often (38-51).

North Dakota is 21st in the country in scoring offense (3.25 goals scored/game) but 10th in the country in scoring defense (2.25 goals allowed/game). Minnesota Duluth is 25th in the country in scoring offense (3.22 goals scored/game) but much worse on the defensive side, allowing 3.44 goals/game (48th).

A huge key to UND’s defensive turnaround this season has been the play of senior netminder Ludvig Persson. The transfer from Miami has played every minute between the pipes for the Fighting Hawks, posting a record of 5-2-1 with a goals-against average of 2.12, a save percentage of .916, and one shutout.

Last year, UND’s team save percentage was .886, the fifth-worst mark among 62 teams.

Duluth’s defensive woes this season echo North Dakota’s from a year ago. UMD has tried both senior Zach Stejskal (six games, .896 SV%) and graduate student Matthew Thiessen (four games, .891 SV%) between the pipes. As a team, the Bulldogs’ save percentage of .891 ranks 46th in the country.

North Dakota currently finds itself in 9th place in the all-important Pairwise rankings, with victories over Wisconsin (PWR 6), Boston University (PWR 14), and Minnesota (PWR 19) certainly helping the cause. With good results in home non-conference series against Bemidji State (PWR 42) on November 24th and 25th and Alaska (PWR 13) on January 5th and 6th, UND should be in good shape for the national tournament.

At #28 in the Pairwise, Minnesota Duluth has quite a bit of work to do during the conference portion of the schedule.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has played the 11th-toughest schedule in the country, while Minnesota Duluth’s slate of games ranks as the 22nd-most difficult.

The two teams will tangle in Grand Forks on February 23rd and 24th, 2024.

Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Head Coach: Scott Sandelin (23rd season at UMD, 447-371-98, .541)

National Ranking: #18
Pairwise Ranking: 28th
KRACH Rating: 138.1 (25th)

This Season: 3-3-3 overall, 0-0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 16-20-1 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 9-10-1-4 NCHC (t-5th of 8 teams)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.22 goals scored/game – 25th of 64 teams
Team Defense: 3.44 goals allowed/game – 48th of 64 teams

Power Play: 36.8% (14 of 38) – 3rd of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 76.5% (39 of 51) – 49th of 64 teams

Key players: Sophomore F Ben Steeves (7-4-11), Sophomore F Cole Spicer (4-3-7), Graduate F Quinn Olson (1-8-9), Senior F Blake Biondi (1-4-5), Junior D Owen Gallatin (1-7-8), Freshman D Aaron Pionk (1-5-6), Senior G Zach Stejskal (2-2-2, 3.17 GAA, .896 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 185-94-32, .646)

National Ranking: #4
Pairwise Ranking: 9th
KRACH Rating: 605.7 (9th)

This Season: 5-2-1 overall, 0-0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall (missed NCAA tournament), 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th of 8 teams)

2023-2024 Season Statistics

Team Offense: 3.25 goals scored/game – 21st of 64 teams
Team Defense: 2.25 goals allowed/game – 10th of 64 teams

Power Play: 15.2% (5 of 33) – 44th of 64 teams
Penalty Kill: 85.7% (24 of 28) – 18th of 64 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (6-4-10), Senior F Riese Gaber (4-3-7), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (5-0-5), Freshman F Jayden Perron (4-0-4), Senior F Louis Jamernik V (0-3-2), Junior F Cameron Berg (1-4-5), Senior D Garrett Pyke (0-8-8), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-2-3), Graduate D Logan Britt (1-2-3), Senior G Ludvig Persson (5-2-1, 2.12 GAA, .916 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: January 21, 2023 (Grand Forks, ND). One night after a 4-2 home victory, North Dakota saw a 1-1 tie turn into a regulation defeat. In Saturday’s finale, UMD senior Luke Loheit broke the 1-1 tie with just over two minutes left on the clock. The goal came just 33 seconds after freshman Ben Steeves departed from the penalty box;

Last Meeting in Duluth: February 19, 2022. Louis Jamernik V scored a shorthanded goal late in the second period that stood as the game-winner in a 3-2 UND victory. The Bulldogs outshot the visitors 35-29, including a 19-10 advantage in the final frame. In Friday’s opener, North Dakota went 3-for-5 on the power play and outlasted UMD 4-3 despite being outshot 39-27.

Most Important Meeting: March 27, 2021 (Fargo, ND). Minnesota Duluth outlasted North Dakota 3-2 in five overtimes to advance to the NCAA Frozen Four. UND scored two extra-attacker goals in the final two minutes of regulation to send the game long into the night. The three goaltenders involved in the contest combined to make 114 saves.

The Meeting That Never Was: Both teams advanced to the 2011 NCAA Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center (St. Paul, Minnesota). UND could not get past Michigan, falling 2-0 despite outshooting the Wolverines 40-20. In the other national semifinal, Minnesota-Duluth defeated Notre Dame 4-3 and rode that momentum to the title game. The Bulldogs took the Wolverines to overtime before senior forward Kyle Schmidt scored the game winner and earned UMD their first national championship. North Dakota won two of the three games against Duluth that season, outscoring Scott Sandelin’s team 11-5.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 153-89-11 (.626), including a 65-46-6 (.581) advantage in games played in Duluth. The teams first met in 1954, with North Dakota winning the first ten games between the schools by a combined score of 72-16. UMD’s first win over the Fighting Sioux (a 3-2 road victory on December 18th, 1959) did not sit well with the defending national champions. UND defeated Duluth 13-2 the following night.

Last Ten: North Dakota is 6-3-1 (.650) in the last ten games between the teams, outscoring the Bulldogs 24-22 over that stretch. Only three of the past ten UND-UMD games were played in Duluth (two were played in the Omaha pod, one in Fargo, and four in Grand Forks).

Game News and Notes

UND has outscored opponents 19-12 through two periods of play this season. Nearly half of Duluth’s goals this season (14 of 29) have come with the man advantage. As a team, North Dakota has blocked 125 shots this season, led by Abram Wiebe (18) and Garrett Pyke (15). Both head coaches this weekend are alumni of the University of North Dakota; Brad Berry (1983-86) and Scott Sandelin (1982-86) both played for UND under John “Gino” Gasparini.

The Prediction

The Fighting Hawks should have the puck the majority of the time, and that may lead to an extra power play or two. If UND can find success with the man advantage AND stay out of the penalty box, a sweep is possible. A road split is probably a more realistic goal to open conference play, but I have a feeling that North Dakota will do better than that. UND 4-2, 3-3 tie.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!

Back in 2015, UND cruised through the NCAA West Regional at Scheels Arena (Fargo, North Dakota) with a pair of 4-1 victories (vs. Quinnipiac and St. Cloud State). The reward for that accomplishment? A Frozen Four semifinal matchup against Boston University at TD Garden (Boston, Massachusetts). Dave Hakstol, coaching his last college game, saw his team fall behind 2-0 and 4-1 before mounting a late third-period comeback that fell just short (BU’s Jack Eichel potted an empty-net goal with just under twenty seconds remaining to make the final score 5-3).

It was that unfinished business, coupled with a heartbreaking last-second loss to Minnesota in the 2014 national semifinals, that fueled North Dakota’s 2016 title run, the eighth in team history.

In the 2017 tournament, UND welcomed the Terriers to Fargo. Two early third-period goals by BU broke a 1-1 tie, and things were looking grim for the home team. Enter Ludvig Hoff and Christian Wolanin, who potted goals 200 seconds apart late in the final frame to send the game to overtime. The rally came after a nearly 15-minute delay to replace a pane of broken glass caused by a check from UND forward Mike Gornall, who crushed Kiefer Bellows into the second row.

North Dakota had an apparent winning goal by freshman Dixon Bowen disallowed at 3:48 of the first overtime. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the play was offside, even though the video evidence used to make that determination was shot through a potato.

The Terriers advanced to the regional final on a Charlie McAvoy tally 11:38 into the second overtime. The Fighting Hawks outshot Boston University 59-29 in the losing effort. UND went 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Jake Oettinger (now with the Dallas Stars) made 56 saves. North Dakota saw 51 shots blocked by the Terrier defense and hit two posts along the way.

Boston University has changed head coaches twice since the two teams last battled on the ice. David Quinn was replaced following the 2017-18 season, and Albie O’Connell lasted just four seasons, going 58-49-16 (.537) and making just one NCAA tournament appearnace (2021).

Jay Pandolfo took over last season, and found immediate success, leading the Terriers to a 29-11-0 (.725) record, Hockey East regular season and playoff titles, and a Frozen Four appearance. BU fell to Minnesota 6-2 in the semifinals, with two late empty-net goals making the game appear more lopsided than it was.

And turning our attention to this season…

#3/#4 North Dakota went 4-1-1 last month against Army, Wisconsin, Minnesota, and Minnesota State, outscoring opponents 19-11 while playing all six games at home.

#9/#8 Boston University went 3-2-1 in October 2023, outscoring opponents 24-19. BU lost two straight road games (4-6 at New Hampshire and 1-4 at Notre Dame) before rattling off two regulation wins and a shootout win over the past three.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 11th-best team on draws (54.3%), while Boston University clocks in at just 51.2% (24th).

For UND, junior Cameron Berg has been making a living on draws, winning 70 of 110 (63.6%). Sophomore Owen McLaughlin is not far behind, having won 42 of 72 (58.3%). Senior Louis Jamernik V has been steady at 53.4% (39 of 73).

For the Terriers, sophomore Ryan Greene has taken the most draws, winning 55 of 106 (51.9%), while freshman Macklin Celebrini has had the most success (53 of 99, 53.5%). Graduate student Sam Stevens (37 of 70, 52.9%) has been a strong third option.

Boston University features nine rookies in its lineup this year. Four first-year defensemen are joined by five forwards, including freshman phenom Macklin Celebrini, who has already scored eight goals and three assists through his first six collegiate games. The six-foot, 190-pound center from Vancouver, British Columbia is one of four players (along with Cole Eiserman, Ivan Demidov, and Aron Kiviharju) in the mix to be selected first overall in the 2024 NHL Entry Draft.

Celebrini is currently the top goal-scorer in men’s Division I college hockey.

Times have changed in Grand Forks as well. After missing the national tournament last year, head coach Brad Berry and his staff brought in fourteen fresh faces, tied for the second-most in team history. More strikingly, all eight defensemen are new to the UND men’s hockey program, including four freshmen.

Coincidentally, the breakdown of first-year players and transfers into the North Dakota system is identical:

Freshmen:

Four defensemen (Nate Benoit, Tanner Komzak, Jake Livanavage, Abram Wiebe)

Two forwards (Michael Emerson, Jayden Perron)

One goaltender (Hobie Hedquist)

Transfers:

Four defensemen (Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, Garrett Pyke, Bennett Zmolek)

Two forwards (Cameron Berg, Hunter Johannes)

One goaltender (Ludvig Perrson)

These fourteen newcomers join eleven returning forwards and second-year netminder Kaleb Johnson to form UND’s 26-player roster. The Fighting Hawks return 70 goals up front, led by senior Riese Gaber (20 goals last season) and sophomore Jackson Blake (16). With the addition of Berg (10 goals last season at Omaha), Johannes (13 at Lindenwood), and Chicago Steel (USHL) teammates Emerson (30) and Perron (24), North Dakota should easily surpass the 102 goals scored all of last season by its forward group.

Over the first six games of the 2023-2024 season, UND forwards have scored 17 goals and are on pace for 102 goals in the regular season alone.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. The FIghting Hawks have been a combined +4, with four power play goals scored (4 for 27, 14.8%, 39th in the country), two power play goals allowed (18 of 20, 90.0%, 15th), two shorthanded goals scored, and zero shorthanded goals allowed. Boston University has posted a -2, with five power play goals scored (5 of 25, 20.0%, 20th), SIX power play goals allowed (18 of 24, 75.0%, 49th), and one shorthanded goal allowed (none scored).

After this weekend’s road action, home series against #33 Bemidji State (November 24th and 25th) and #31 Alaska (January 5th and 6th) will round out the non-conference schedule. North Dakota’s results in their twelve games outside the NCHC (4-1-1 so far) will play a large role in the final PairWise rankings and seeding for the NCAA tournament, and, to that end, a split or better this weekend would pay huge dividends.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has played the 16th-toughest schedule in the country, while Boston University’s slate of games ranks as the 23rd-most difficult.

Boston University Team Profile

Head Coach: Jay Pandolfo (2nd season at BU, 32-13-1, .707)
National Rankings: #9/#8

This Season: 3-2-1 overall, 1-1-1-0 Hockey East (2nd)
Last Season: 29-11-0 overall (NCAA Frozen Four semifinalist), 16-4-2-2 Hockey East (1st)

2023-2024 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.00 goals scored/game – 9th of 63 teams
Team Defense: 3.17 goals allowed/game – 43rd of 63 teams

Power Play: 20.0% (5 of 25) – 20th of 63 teams
Penalty Kill: 75.0% (18 of 24) – 49th of 63 teams

Key Players: Freshman F Macklin Celebrini (8-3-11), Sophomore F Jeremy Wilmer (0-8-8), Senior F Luke Tuch (3-4-7), Sophomore F Ryan Greene (2-3-5), Sophomore D Lane Hutson (2-3-5), Freshman D Aiden Celebrini (1-3-4), Senior G Mathieu Caron (3-2-1, 3.15 GAA, .891 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (9th season at UND, 184-93-32, .647)
National Rankings: #3/#4

This Season: 4-1-1 overall, 0-0-0-0 NCHC
Last Season: 18-15-5 overall, 7-10-5-2 NCHC (t-5th of 8 teams)

2023-2024 Season Statistics

Team Offense: 3.17 goals scored/game – 22nd of 63 teams
Team Defense: 1.83 goals allowed/game – 5th of 63 teams

Power Play: 14.8% (4 of 27) – 39th of 63 teams
Penalty Kill: 90.0% (18 of 20) – 15th of 63 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F Jackson Blake (4-2-6), Senior F Riese Gaber (3-2-5), Graduate F Hunter Johannes (5-0-5), Freshman F Jayden Perron (3-0-3), Junior F Senior F Louis Jamernik V (0-2-2), Junior F Cameron Berg (1-4-5), Senior D Garrett Pyke (0-7-7), Freshman D Jake Livanavage (1-1-2), Graduate D Logan Britt (1-1-2), Senior G Ludvig Persson (4-1-1, 1.65 GAA, .933 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: March 24, 2017 (Fargo, ND). In the first round of the NCAA tournament, UND welcomed the Terriers into a hostile environment at Scheels Arena. Two early third-period goals by BU broke a 1-1 tie, and things were looking grim for the “home” team. Enter Ludvig Hoff and Christian Wolanin, who potted goals 200 seconds apart late in the final frame to send the game to overtime. North Dakota had an apparent winning goal by freshman Dixon Bowen disallowed at 3:48 of the first overtime. After a lengthy review, it was determined that the play was offside, even though the video evidence used to make that determination was shot through a potato. The Terriers advanced to the regional final on a Charlie McAvoy tally 11:38 into the second overtime. The Fighting Hawks outshot Boston University 59-29 in the losing effort. UND went 0-for-6 with the man advantage. Jake Oettinger (now with the Dallas Stars) made 56 saves. North Dakota saw 51 shots blocked by the Terrier defense and hit two posts along the way.

Last Meeting in Boston: April 9, 2015. In a battle of heavyweights, UND outshot the Terriers 39-28 but trailed for 55 minutes of the Frozen Four semifinal. North Dakota made it interesting with two late third-period goals but came up just short. Jack Eichel notched three points for BU, including an empty-net goal with under twenty seconds remaining that made the final score 5-3.

Most Important Meeting: March 29, 1997 (Milwaukee, WI). North Dakota scored five goals in the second period and went on to defeat Boston University 6-4 for the 1997 NCAA championship (the program’s 6th). David Hoogsteen scored two goals for the Fighting Sioux, including a back-breaking tally with six seconds remaining in the middle frame.

All-time record: North Dakota leads the all-time series, 12-11-2 (.520), although the Terriers hold a 7-4-1 advantage in games played in Boston and have gone 4-0-1 in the last five. When the newly-formed Hockey East began play in 1984-1985, it created a five-year interlocking schedule with the WCHA. During that time, Boston University and North Dakota met 7 times, with John “Gino” Gasparini’s Fighting Sioux squad going 6-1-0 against Jack Parker’s Terriers. The teams first met in 1981.

Last Ten: Boston University has had the better of it lately, going 6-3-1 (.650) over the last ten games between the teams and outscoring UND 34-30 over that stretch.

Game News and Notes

The Terriers play on a hybrid sheet of ice at Agannis Arena; the playing surface is 90 feet wide, five feet wider than NHL rinks but not as wide as the Olympic ice sheets (100 feet wide). North Dakota has outshot and outscored opponents in each period this season, whiie Boston University has been outscored in third periods. Last Saturday night, Fighting Hawks captain Riese Gaber became the 83rd member of UND’s Century Club (100 career points). Gaber has 49 goals and 51 assists in 108 career games.

Media Coverage

Both games will be availab le via webcast at ESPN+, with puck drop each night scheduled for 6:00 p.m. Central Time. All UND men’s hockey games (home and away) can be heard on 96.1 FM and on stations across the UND Sports Network (as well as through the iHeart Radio app). Follow @UNDMHockey for real-time Twitter updates, or follow the action via live chat at UNDsports.com.

The Prediction

Boston University will give UND fits with its overall team speed and talent, and North Dakota netminder Ludvig Persson will need to be up to the challenge, as I expect the Terriers to generate several odd-man rushes in this game. Specialty teams will be in a factor, with the winning team each night likely finding itself on the plus side of that ledger. This one feels like a split, and that’s what I’ve got. BU 4-2. UND 5-3.

As always, thank you for reading. I welcome your questions, comments, and suggestions. Follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and insight. Here’s to hockey!