Category: SiouxSports.com

North Dakota (10-11-4) travels to face Miami (7-15-2) for a pair of NCHC games this weekend in a matchup of the bottom two teams in the league standings. It is worth noting that, despite being unranked, UND currently sits in 25th place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, mostly due to the fact that eight of its eleven losses are to teams in the top nine in the country (Minnesota, St. Cloud State twice, Quinnipiac, Denver twice, and Western Michigan twice). Miami is 46th in the Pairwise coming into this weekend.

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

In addition to the eight losses mentioned above, the three defeats that are looming large in UND’s Pairwise predicament are:

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

Miami 4, North Dakota 3 (November 19th)

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

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

Back in November, 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.

These two teams have not met four times in the regular season in quite some time. The Miami RedHawks have only faced North Dakota five times over the past two seasons, but that has been more than enough for Chris Bergeron’s squad.

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 seven games, North Dakota has outscored Miami 33-19 while holding a 263-136 advantage in shots on goal.

Over the past two seasons, the RedHawks had to rely on junior goaltender Ludvig Persson to keep games close, as Miami only averaged 2.33 goals per game. Unfortunately, MU allowed 3.97 goals per game over those two campaigns and only won twelve total games (12-45-4, .230).

After a promising start for Chris Bergeron and company (25 goals scored and 34 allowed while going 4-6-2), Miami has gone just 3-9-0 while scoring 26 goals and allowing 54.

Nine 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 eight 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 six national titles.

Over the first nine 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, and 8th), with a combined league record of 59-133-24 (.329).

By comparison, North Dakota has finished 2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, and 1st for an average finish just under second place and a combined league record of 133-67-16 (.653). 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.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Chris Bergeron’s squad has just THREE players who meet that threshold: junior forward Matthew Barbolini (9-11-20), freshman forward John Waldron (8-5-13), and sophomore forward Red Savage (4-6-10).

By that same measure, North Dakota has five players at a half point or better (with another five at 0.48): junior forward Riese Gaber (13-10-23), freshman forward Jackson Blake (10-16-26), senior forward Gavin Hain (9-3-12), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (3-21-24), and senior defenseman Ethan Frisch (3-8-11).

UND is fourth in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 11.6% (84 goals on 723 shots). By comparison, Miami is 48th in the country at 8.3% (51 goals on 615 shots). North Dakota creates 28.9 shots on goal per game (36th), while Miami manages 25.6 (53rd). UND only allows 24.9 shots on goal per game (7th), while the RedHawks surrender an average of 32.9 (50th). The Fighting Hawks (18th in Corsi, 21st in Fenwick) also lead MU (48th, 50th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s 15th-best team on draws (53.0%), while MU clocks in at 44.9% (58th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 264 of 469 (56.3%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (243 of 464, 52.4), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (134 of 262, 51.1%). Junior Griffin Ness has fallen off lately, with 49 wins in 118 opportunities (41.5%). Despite the absence of Jake Schmaltz (upper body injury) last weekend, North Dakota won 71 of 125 total draws (56.8%), led by Jamernik V (21 wins), Mark Senden (19), and Ben Strinden (12). Riese Gaber won 9 of 13 draws on the weekend, primarily on the power play.

Schmaltz is expected to return to the North Dakota lineup this weekend.

For Miami, sophomore Red Savage has taken the majority of important draws, going 199 of 435 (44.7%). Senior Joe Cassetti has had the most success (190 of 404, 47.0%), while two freshmen – William Hallen (81 of 188, 43.1%) and Blake Mesenburg (72 of 153, 47.1%) – have been steady but not spectacular.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-15, with 31 power play goals scored (31 of 103, 30.1%, 2nd in the country) and only fifteen power play goals allowed (74 of 89, 83.1%, 16th), with one shorthanded goal scored and two allowed.

Miami has posted a minus-9, with 17 power play goals scored (17 of 92, 18.5%, 35th), 26 power play goals allowed (85 of 111, 76.6%, 53rd), three shorthanded goals scored, and three shorthanded goals allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned fourteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (103-89), while Miami has earned nineteen more penalty kill situations than power plays (111-92).

When the two teams split in Grand Forks back in November, UND won the special teams battle each night. On Friday, North Dakota held the visitors scoreless on three man advantage opportunities, scored twice on five power plays, and added a shorthanded goal. On Saturday, Miami went 1-for-6 on the power play while the Fighting Hawks went 1-for-5. The home team would, however, score a four-on-four goal for the special teams edge.

North Dakota is 13th in the country in scoring offense (3.36 goals scored/game) but just 45th in the country in scoring defense (3.20 goals allowed/game). Miami is 55th in the country in scoring offense (2.13 goals scored/game) and a dreadful 58th in scoring defense (3.67 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomore Brent Johnson and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

The six blueliners regularly in the lineup for the Green and White have scored 15 goals and added 54 assists for 69 points in 137 combined games this season (0.50 points/game). By comparison, the six regular defensemen for Miami have posted a line of 4-21-25 in 127 games (0.20).

Coming into last weekend, goaltending and team defense were the two weakest links for this year’s North Dakota squad. Graduate transfer Drew DeRidder turned in two strong performances against the Bulldogs, allowing just two goals each night and stopping 47 of 51 (a save percentage of .922). Over the last ten games of the regular season and into the playoffs, the Fighting Hawks will need consistently excellent play between the pipes and in their own end if they hope to make a push for home ice. Thankfully for fans of the Green and White, DeRidder now has five straight starts allowing three goals or fewer.

After these two tilts at Goggin Ice Center in Oxford, Ohio, the Fighting Hawks will travel to Denver (February 10-11), host St. Cloud State (February 17-18), travel to Colorado College (February 24-25), and host Omaha (March 3-4) to close out the regular season.

Miami has only won two league games this season, the aforementioned 4-3 victory at North Dakota and a 5-0 home drubbing of St. Cloud State. After shutting out the Huskies on December 10th, MU netminder Ludvig Persson has allowed 24 goals in his last five games, with a record of 1-40, a goals-against average of 5.39, and a save percentage of .844.

Miami Team Profile

Head Coach: Chris Bergeron (4th season at Miami, 27-81-11, .273)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 46th
KRACH Ranking: 41st

This Season: 7-15-2 overall, 2-11-0-1 NCHC (8th)
Last Season: 7-27-2 overall, 4-16-1-3 NCHC (8th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.13 goals scored/game – 55th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.67 goals allowed/game – 58th of 62 teams

Power Play: 18.5% (17 of 92) – 35th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 76.6% (85 of 111) – 53rd of 62 teams

Key players: Junior F Matthew Barbolini (9-11-20), Senior F Joe Cassetti (7-3-10), Sophomore F Red Savage (4-6-10), Freshman F Max Dukovac (1-8-9), Freshman F John Waldron (8-5-13), Junior F PJ Fletcher (2-9-11), Junior D Hampus Rydqvist (1-9-10), Senior D Jack Clement (1-2-3), Junior G Ludvig Persson (7-13-2, 3.60 GAA, .890 SV%, 2 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 172-88-29, .645)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 25th
KRACH Ranking: 19th

This Season: 10-11-4 overall, 4-8-1-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.36 goals scored/game – 13th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.20 goals allowed/game – 45th of 62 teams

Power Play: 30.1% (31 of 103) – 2nd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 83.1% (74 of 89) – 16th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (13-10-23), Freshman F Jackson Blake (10-16-26), Freshman F Owen McLaughlin (0-11-11), Graduate F Mark Senden (6-6-12), Senior F Gavin Hain (9-3-12), Freshman F Dylan James (3-7-10) Graduate D Chris Jandric (3-21-24), Junior D Tyler Kleven (5-6-11), Senior D Ethan Frisch (3-8-11), Junior D Cooper Moore (3-7-10), Graduate G Drew DeRidder (5-5-2, 2.94 GAA, .888 SV%, 2 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 19, 2022 (Grand Forks, ND). 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.

Last Meeting in Oxford: November 13, 2021. After a furious opening frame that ended with North Dakota holding a 3-2 advantage on the scoreboard, the two teams traded goals in each of the next two periods, leaving the homestanding RedHawks one goal short. That 5-4 UND win, coupled with Friday night’s 4-1 victory, earned the Green and White a rare road sweep in the NCHC. The Fighting Hawks outshot their flying foes 68-31 in the series.

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 eight wins and a tie (8-1-1, .850) in the past ten contests between the teams, outscoring Miami 47-25 over that stretch of games. Before MU’s November 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 23-8-4 (.714), including a sparkling 8-4-2 (.643) record in games played in Oxford. The teams first played in 1999 (Badger Showdown, Milwaukee, WI).

Game News and Notes

In five career games against Miami, junior forward Riese Gaber has scored seven goals and added four assists. North Dakota has scored 31 power play goals this season, tied with Denver for the most in the country. Twelve different Fighting Hawks have lit the lamp on the man advantage, the nation’s best number in that category. MU has not made the national tournament since 2015, their second season in the NCHC. Green Hawks are preferable to RedHawks.

The Prediction

If ever there was a “get right” series for North Dakota hockey, this is it. UND is deeper, more talented, and has dug itself a hole in the league standings, and that last point might be the most important of them all. The Fighting Hawks will be a motivated group from the drop of the puck on Friday night, and that will make for a long weekend for the homestanding RedHawks. UND 4-2, 5-2.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s opener will be broadcast exclusively on CBS Sports Network, while Saturday’s rematch will be available online at NCHC.tv. Puck drop is set for 6:30 p.m. Central Time on Friday and 6:05 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.

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!

North Dakota (9-10-4, 3-7-2 NCHC) hosts Minnesota Duluth (9-12-1, 4-8-0 NCHC) at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks this weekend. It is worth noting that, despite being unranked, UND currently sits in 23rd place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, mostly due to the fact that eight of its ten losses are to teams in the top ten in the country (Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Denver twice, St. Cloud State twice, and Western Michigan twice). Duluth is 37th in the Pairwise coming into this weekend.

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

Last season, the two teams split a November series in Grand Forks, 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 eight 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 six 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.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, 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: freshman forward Ben Steeves (12-3-15), sophomore forward Dominic James (7-6-13), senior forward Quinn Olson (2-10-12), senior forward Luke Loheit (3-7-10), sophomore defenseman Owen Gallatin (3-9-12), and senior defenseman Derek Daschke (2-10-12).

By that same measure, North Dakota has ten players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (12-10-22), freshman forward Jackson Blake (9-15-24), freshman forward Dylan James (3-7-10), freshman forward Owen McLaughlin (0-11-11), senior forward Gavin Hain (8-3-11), freshman forward Ben Strinden (2-5-7), freshman forward Dylan James (3-7-10), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (3-20-23), junior defenseman Tyler Kleven (5-6-11), and senior defenseman Ethan Frisch (3-7-10).

UND is sixth in the nation in shooting percentage at 11.6% (79 goals on 680 shots); by comparison, Minnesota Duluth sits in 57th place at 7.4% (51 goals on 688 shots). UMD puts an average of 31.3 shots/game on frame, while North Dakota manages 29.6. The two teams are nearly identical in shots allowed (Bulldogs 28.6, Fighting Hawks 24.9). UND (16th in Corsi, 18th in Fenwick) also leads Duluth (21st, 20th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s fifteenth-best team on draws (52.6%), while the Bulldogs clock in at 48.5% (43rd).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 264 of 469 (56.3%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (222 of 425, 52.2), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (133 of 260, 51.2%). Junior Griffin Ness has fallen off lately, with 49 wins in 111 opportunities (44.1%).

For Minnesota Duluth, sophomore Dominic James has been the only bright spot in the circle, going 205 of 354 (57.9%). Graduate student Jesse Jacques (149 of 311, 47.9%) and sophomore Carter Loney (153 of 347, 44.1%) have struggled, while freshman Cole Spicer (63 of 140, 45.0%) may turn into a solid option down the road.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-14, with 30 power play goals scored (30 of 97, 30.9%, 2nd in the country) and only fifteen power play goals allowed (70 of 85, 82.4%, 19th), with one shorthanded goal scored and two allowed.

Minnesota Duluth has posted a minus-4, with 17 power play goals scored (17 of 73, 23.3%, 18th), 19 power play goals allowed (70 of 89, 78.7%, 44th), one shorthanded goal scored, and three allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned fourteen more power plays than penalty kill situations (97-85), while UMD has been shorthanded far more often (73-89).

North Dakota is 12th in the country in scoring offense (3.43 goals scored/game) but just 47th in the country in scoring defense (3.30 goals allowed/game). Minnesota Duluth is 50th in the country in scoring offense (2.32 goals scored/game) but slightly better on the defensive side, allowing 2.95 goals/game (38th).

When healthy, North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomores Brent Johnson and Luke Bast and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Despite the Fighting Hawks’ defensive depth and experience, UND’s goaltending troubles continue. North Dakota has the worst combined save percentage in the country at .867; in other words, opponents are scoring on 13.3 percent of shots on goal this season. Only one team in the country (Western Michigan, 13.4 percent) lights the lamp at a higher percentage than that.

This weekend’s games are the only two scheduled meetings between UND and Duluth this season.

Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs

Head Coach: Scott Sandelin (22nd season at UMD, 437-360-95, .543)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 37th
KRACH Ranking: 27th

This Season: 9-12-1 overall, 3-6-1-2 NCHC (6th)
Last Season: 22-16-3 overall (NCAA West Regional Finalist), 9-9-3-3 NCHC (4th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.32 goals scored/game – 50th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.95 goals allowed/game – 38th of 62 teams

Power Play: 23.3% (17 of 73) – 18th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.7% (70 of 89) – 44th of 62 teams

Key players: Freshman F Ben Steeves (12-3-15), Sophomore F Dominic James (7-6-13), Senior F Quinn Olson (2-10-12), Senior F Luke Loheit (3-7-10), Sophomore D Owen Gallatin (3-9-12), Senior D Derek Daschke (2-10-12), Senior G Matthew Thiessen (5-6-0, 2.21 GAA, .918 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 171-87-29, .646)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 23rd
KRACH Ranking: 18th

This Season: 9-10-4 overall, 3-7-1-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.43 goals scored/game – 12th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.30 goals allowed/game – 47th of 62 teams

Power Play: 30.9% (30 of 97) – 2nd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 82.4% (70 of 85) – 19th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (12-10-22), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-5-8), Freshman F Owen McLaughlin (0-11-11), Graduate F Mark Senden (5-5-10), Freshman F Jackson Blake (9-15-24), Senior F Gavin Hain (8-3-11), Freshman F Dylan James (3-7-10) Graduate D Chris Jandric (3-20-23), Junior D Tyler Kleven (5-6-11), Senior D Ethan Frisch (3-7-10), Junior D Cooper Moore (3-7-10), Sophomore G Jakob Hellsten (5-5-2, 2.77 GAA, .873 SV%)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: February 19, 2022 (Duluth, Minnesota). 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.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: November 20, 2021. North Dakota’s Brendan Budy broke a 1-1 tie at the 5:05 mark of the third period and UND hung on for the 2-1 victory. The Fighting Hawks scored a power play goal late in the second period (Ethan Frisch) and held the Bulldogs scoreless with the man-advantage. Duluth won Friday’s opener 4-1 behind two goals from Casey Gilling and an empty-net goal with just under two minutes remaining in the game. The Fighting Hawks held the advantage in the faceoff circle all weekend, winning 68 of 115 faceoffs (59.1%). In game one, UMD went 1-for-6 with the man advantage and held UND scoreless on six power plays. In the rematch, it was North Dakota scoring on the power play and holding the Bulldogs without a power play goal.

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, 152-88-11 (.627), including a 83-38-3 (.681) advantage in games played in Grand Forks. 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 5-4-1 (.550) in the last ten games between the teams, although the Bulldogs have outscored the Hawks 28-25 over that stretch thanks to a 7-4 home victory in January 2020 and a 4-1 road win in November 2021. Only four of the past ten UND-UMD games were played in Duluth.

Game News and Notes

UND has outscored opponents 59-47 through two periods of play this season but has been outscored 28-19 in the final frame. The Bulldogs have been outscored 25-15 in third periods and overtime. No North Dakota player expected to be in the lineup this weekend has more than two career goals against UMD. Freshman forward Cole Spicer decommitted from UND to join the Bulldogs this season; the Grand Forks native has appeared in twenty games thus far, scoring two goals and adding two assists. 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 North Dakota can find success with the man advantage, a sweep is possible. Despite all of the question marks surrounding the Green and White this year, this is the weekend where things will start to come together. UND 4-2, 4-3.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast 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!

North Dakota (9-8-4, 3-5-2 NCHC) hosts #12 Western Michigan (12-9-1, 4-5-1 NCHC) at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks this weekend. It is worth noting that, despite being unranked, UND currently sits in 16th place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, mostly due to the fact that six of its eight losses are to the top five teams in the country (Minnesota, Quinnipiac, St. Cloud State twice, and Denver twice). WMU is 12th in the Pairwise coming into the weekend series.

The two teams tangled at Lawson Ice Arena back on December 9th and 10th, with the Fighting Hawks securing five of six possible league points with a 2-2 overtime tie (shootout win) and a 3-0 victory.

UND found success at Lawson Arena by limiting high-quality chances, winning the special teams battle (2 for 7 on the power play and a perfect eight-for-eight on the penalty kill), and getting excellent goaltending from Drew DeRidder, who made 51 of 53 saves (.962) and added three stops in the five-round shootout.

WMU’s Jamie Rome (from Aiden Fulp and Tim Washe) and Jack Perbix (from Dylan Wendt) were the only two goal scorers that weekend, which means that the Broncos’ Big Three of Jason Polin, Max Sasson, and Ryan McAllister – who have combined for 37 goals and 96 points in 66 games played this season – were held off the scoresheet for the entire weekend. The frustration mounted for WMU’s top line, as Sasson and McAllister combined for eight minutes in penalties in the series.

UND followed up those impressive results with a home sweep of Lindenwood University (4-3, 4-2) last weekend but will need better starts in both games if they hope to hang with the high-flying Broncos. On Friday, North Dakota gave up the first two goals of the game within three minutes of the opening faceoff and trailed 3-1 just 3:49 into the contest. Saturday was not much better, as Lindenwood built a 2-0 lead after twenty minutes of play.

Second-year Broncos head coach Pat Ferschweiler (WMU ’93) has his team playing at an extremely high level, with Western Michigan exhibiting the nation’s top-scoring offense (4.23 goals scored/game). Ferschweiler, who had previously been the WMU associate head coach under Andy Murray, also spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

In his rookie campaign, Ferschweiler went 26-12-1 and brought his team within one game of the Frozen Four, falling to Minnesota in the regional final. In September, the Western Michigan bench boss was extended through the 2025-26 season.

Despite this year’s high-powered offense, Western Michigan’s only truly impressive win on the season is a 4-2 victory at St. Cloud back on November 11th. WMU also split with Notre Dame in a home-and-home series back in October.

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

Nine 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 eight 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 six national titles.

In the Division I era (since 1975), the Broncos have had sixteen twenty-win seasons, with nine of those coming between 1984 and 1996 under head coach Bill Wilkinson. WMU has made the national tournament four times since 1996.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Pat Ferschweiler’s squad has TEN players who meet that threshold, including three players averaging over a point per game: freshman forward Ryan McAllister (10-28-38), junior forward Jason Polin (19-11-30), and sophomore forward Max Sasson (8-20-28). Other solid offensive contributors include junior forward Luke Grainger (7-13-20), graduate forward Jaime Rome (9-6-15), freshman forward Ethan Wolthers (2-3-5 in nine games), senior forward Jack Perbix (3-8-11), graduate forward Cole Gallant (3-9-12), junior defenseman Zak Galambos (9-7-16), and senior defenseman Carter Berger (3-14-17, no relation).

By that same measure, North Dakota has nine players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (11-9-20), freshman forward Jackson Blake (9-13-22), freshman forward Dylan James (3-7-10), senior forward Gavin Hain (8-3-11), sophomore forward Nick Portz (2-5-7), freshman forward Ben Strinden (2-4-6), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-18-20), junior defenseman Tyler Kleven (5-6-11), and senior defenseman Ethan Frisch (2-7-9).

UND is seventh in the nation in shooting percentage at 11.6% (73 goals on 630 shots); by comparison, Western Michigan leads the nation at 13.0% (93 goals on 714 shots). WMU puts an average of 32.5 shots/game on frame, while North Dakota manages 30.0. The two teams are nearly identical in shots allowed (Broncos 25.0, Fighting Hawks 24.3). The Broncos (11th in Corsi, 11th in Fenwick) also lead North Dakota (15th, 16th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s twelfth-best team on draws (53.2%), while the Broncos clock in at 50.9% (27th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 241 of 425 (56.7%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (203 of 382, 53.1), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (118 of 233, 50.6%). Junior Griffin Ness has fallen off lately, with 47 wins in 104 opportunities (45.2%).

For Western Michigan, sophomore Max Sasson has taken the majority of important draws, going 235 of 480 (49.0%). Junior Tim Washe has fared the best (182 of 302, 60.3%), while junior Luke Grainger (135 of 300, 45.0%) and sophomore Jack Perbix (127 of 252, 50.4%) have been up and down.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-13, with 26 power play goals scored (26 of 89, 29.2%, 2nd in the country) and only twelve power play goals allowed (65 of 77, 84.4%, 13th), with one shorthanded goal scored and two allowed.

Western Michigan has posted a plus-3, with 23 power play goals scored (23 of 95, 24.2%, 13th), a whopping 21 power play goals allowed (67 of 88, 76.1%, 49th), two shorthanded goals scored, and one allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned twelve more power plays than penalty kill situations (89-77), while WMU has been closer to even (95-88).

North Dakota is 10th in the country in scoring offense (3.48 goals scored/game) but just 40th in the country in scoring defense (3.10 goals allowed/game). Western Michigan leads the nation in scoring offense (4.23 goals scored/game) but is allowing 2.86 goals/game (33rd).

When healthy, North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomores Brent Johnson and Luke Bast and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Ethan Frisch is expected to return to the lineup this weekend after suffering a lower-body injury in the final seconds of last Saturday’s contest against Lindenwood. Frisch, last season’s NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year, plays heavy minutes next to Tyler Kleven on UND’s top defensive pair.

The Broncos have not played since winning the Great Lakes Invitational (December 27th and 28th). Western Michigan and North Dakota will both be in the mix for home ice in the first round of the league playoffs, and points this weekend would go a long way toward that goal.

Western Michigan Broncos

Head Coach: Pat Ferschweiler (2nd season at WMU, 38-21-2, .639)

National Rankings: #12/#12
Pairwise Ranking: 12th
KRACH Ranking: 12th

This Season: 12-9-1 overall, 4-5-0-1 NCHC (t-5th)
Last Season: 26-12-1 overall (NCAA Northeast Regional Finalist), 13-9-2-0 NCHC (3rd)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.23 goals scored/game – 1st of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.86 goals allowed/game – 33rd of 62 teams

Power Play: 24.2% (23 of 95) – 13th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 76.1% (67 of 88) – 49th of 62 teams

Key Players: Freshman F Ryan McAllister (10-28-38), Junior F Jason Polin (19-11-30), Sophomore F Max Sasson (8-20-28), Junior F Luke Grainger (7-13-20), Graduate F Jaime Rome (9-6-15), Senior F Jack Perbix (3-8-11), Graduate F Cole Gallant (3-9-12), Junior D Zak Galambos (9-7-16), Senior D Carter Berger (3-14-17), Junior G Cameron Rowe (11-8-1, 2.77 GAA, .893 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 171-85-29, .651)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 16th
KRACH Ranking: 14th

This Season: 9-8-4 overall, 3-5-1-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.48 goals scored/game – 10th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.10 goals allowed/game – 40th of 62 teams

Power Play: 29.2% (26 of 89) – 2nd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.4% (65 of 77) – 13th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (11-9-20), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-5-8), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (2-7-9), Graduate F Mark Senden (5-5-10), Freshman F Jackson Blake (9-13-22), Senior F Gavin Hain (8-3-11 in nineteen games), Freshman F Dylan James (3-7-10 in nineteen games) Graduate D Chris Jandric (2-18-20), Junior D Tyler Kleven (5-6-11), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-7-9), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-6-8), Sophomore G Jakob Hellsten (5-4-2, 2.73 GAA, .871 SV%)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: December 10, 2022 (Kalamazoo, MI). North Dakota opened the scoring with a first-period Judd Caulfield power play goal, withstood a furious Western Michigan second period, and then turned the tables with a two-goal third period to blank the homestanding Broncos. UND netminder Drew DeRidder turned aside all 25 WMU shots, including six off the stick of Jason Pollin. In Friday’s opener, the two teams tied at two goals apiece before freshman Owen McLaughlin scored in the fifth round of the shootout to earn an extra point for the Green and White.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: February 26, 2022. UND built a three-goal lead after just twelve minutes of play and boatraced the Broncos 5-2 at Ralph Engelstad Arena for their sixth consecutive regulation victory. Judd Caulfield scored twice for North Dakota, who won Friday’s opener 2-1. Fighting Hawks’ netminder Zach Driscoll made 55 saves in the weekend sweep.

Most Important Meeting: March 24, 2012 (St. Paul, MN). North Dakota upended Western Michigan 3-1 in the NCAA West Regional semifinal. Brock Nelson had two points, including an empty net goal with 25 seconds remaining that sent UND to the regional finals against Minnesota. Aaron Dell made 24 saves for the Green and White. The Broncos, who have played at the Division I level since 1975-76, have seven NCAA tournament appearances.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Saturday, March 22, 2014 (Minneapolis, MN). North Dakota faced a must-win situation in the 3rd place game at the inaugural NCHC Frozen Faceoff, and did not disappoint the partisan crowd. The Green and White rolled to a 5-0 victory behind two first-period goals from Conner Gaarder. UND netminder Zane Gothberg made 25 saves for the shutout, and Dave Hakstol’s crew played the waiting game for several more hours before discovering that they had indeed made the NCAA tournament for the twelfth consecutive season.

All-Time Series: In the short history between the schools, UND has won 28 of the 39 games (28-10-1, .731), including twelve of the sixteen games played in Grand Forks. Before the 2016-17 season in which Western Michigan won three of the four meetings, WMU’s lone victory over North Dakota was a 2-1 road win on March 8th, 2014. The teams first met in 1997.

Last Ten: North Dakota has won six of the last ten meetings between the two teams (6-3-1, .650), outscoring the Broncos 31-21 over that stretch of games. Before the Broncos’ home sweep of North Dakota in January 2022, UND had swept the previous six with a scoring margin of 28-10.

Game News and Notes

Western Michigan moved up to the Division I ranks beginning with the 1975-76 season and has advanced to the NCAA tournament seven times. The Broncos have made the NCAA tourney twice (2017, 2022) in their first nine seasons in the NCHC after advancing to the national tournament twice (2011, 2012) in the last three seasons in the now-defunct CCHA. The Broncos are 9-0-0 when leading after two periods of play but just 3-9-1 when trailing or tied. UND’s Judd Caulfield has nine goals and two assists in twelve career games against WMU. Western Michigan has outscored opponents 36-13 in third periods this season. In the December series in Kalamazoo, UND killed off all eight Bronco power plays; in its last eighteen man-advantage opportunities, Western Michigan has scored just one power play goal (5.6%).

The Prediction

Including this weekend’s series, North Dakota has fourteen conference games remaining, and the time is now to start stacking wins. The biggest question mark is how Western Michigan will come out in its first game action since December 28th. Having last line change should allow UND head coach Brad Berry to send Hain, Jamernik, Senden, Kleven, and Frisch out against Polin, Sasson, and McAllister throughout the contest. The Green and White should be able to score at least one power play goal each night, and that will help tremendously. With this year’s North Dakota squad, it’s often been one step forward and at least one step back, so I’m calling a split. UND 4-2, WMU 5-3.

Broadcast Information

Friday’s game will be broadcast live on Midco Sports, with Saturday’s rematch available on Midco Sports Two. Both games will be available via livestream 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!

North Dakota (7-8-4, 3-5-2 NCHC) hosts Lindenwood University (5-13-0) this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena in the first-ever meeting between the two programs.

The Lindenwood Lions are a first-year Division I independent men’s ice hockey program based in St. Louis, Missouri under the direction of former North Dakota defenseman Rick Zombo. Zombo is in his 13th season as the Lindenwood head coach, leading his team to two ACHA Division I titles and overseeing the transition to the NCAA this year.

The Lions have played sixteen of their first eighteen games away from home this season, with road victories over Bentley, Army (twice), and Vermont to go along with a 7-6 home win over Air Force.

Despite playing road series at Minnesota, Michigan, and Denver this season, Lindenwood’s overall strength of schedule is rated 53rd among the 62 men’s college hockey programs competing this season. According to KRACH, North Dakota’s schedule has been the second-toughest in all of college hockey, trailing only Notre Dame.

Despite being swept at the Gophers, Wolverines, and Pioneers, the Lindenwood Lions put together several strong performances:

October 2, 2022 at Minnesota: leading 3-2 in the 2nd period and tied 4-4 in the 3rd period (lost 6-4)

October 7, 2022 at Michigan: leading 2-1 in the 2nd period (lost 7-4)

December 17, 2022 at Denver: tied 4-4 with three minutes remaining in the game (lost 5-4)

It is worth noting that, despite being unranked, UND currently sits in 17th place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, mostly due to the fact that six of its eight losses are to the top five teams in the country (Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Denver twice, and St. Cloud twice).

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Rick Zombo’s squad has seven players who meet that threshold, all of whom are forwards: sophomore David Gagnon (7-11-18), senior Hunter Johannes (8-7-15), senior Andy Willis (5-8-13), sophomore Kyle Jeffers (3-8-11), graduate student Ryan Finnegan (5-6-11), freshman Cade DeStefani (5-5-10), and senior Adam Conquest (3-3-6 in twelve games).

Hunter Johannes is a native of Eden Prairie, Minnesota, one of three Minnesotans on the Lions roster (freshman defenseman Joe Prouty is from Apple Valley and freshman forward Shane Lavelle is from Chaska.)

By that same measure, North Dakota has just six players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (11-8-19), freshman forward Jackson Blake (9-12-21), freshman forward Dylan James (3-7-10), senior forward Gavin Hain (8-2-10), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-18-20), and junior defenseman Cooper Moore (2-6-8).

Jackson Blake, who also hails from Eden Prairie, recently won a bronze medal at the 2023 World Junior Championship in Halifax, Nova Scotia. Blake finished the tournament with one goal and five assists in seven games, and became the 24th UND player (and the 17th in the past twenty years) to win a medal at the World Juniors. His return to the lineup this weekend is questionable.

Gavin Hain was held out of the lineup last Saturday against the U.S. Under-18 Team as a precaution, but he is expected back in the mix this weekend.

Junior center Griffin Ness (4-0-4) will miss Friday’s opener after receiving a one-game suspension from the NCHC for his contact-to-the-head major on Saturday.

As a unit, Lindenwood’s blueliners have scored seven goals and added 25 assists for 32 points in 116 combined games (0.28 points/game). By comparison, UND’s defensemen have put up a combined line of 8-49-57 in 120 games played (0.48 points/game).

UND is fifth in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 11.9% (65 goals on 546 shots). By comparison, Lindenwood is 9th in the country at 11.4% (50 goals on 439 shots). Lindenwood puts an average of 24.4 shots/game on frame, while North Dakota manages 28.7. The differences are found in the defensive zone: the Fighting Hawks have allowed 60 goals in 19 games and an average of 24.8 shots on goal against; the Lions have allowed 76 goals in 18 games and an average of 42.8 shots on goal against, easily the worst mark in men’s Division I college ice hockey.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s twelfth-best team on draws (53.1%), while Lindenwood clocks in at 42.3% (61st).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 222 of 393 (56.5%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (187 of 351, 53.3), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (106 of 212, 50.0%). Junior Griffin Ness has been fading in the faceoff circle, with 47 wins in 102 opportunities (46.1%).

For Lindenwood, freshman Drew Kuzma has taken the majority of important draws, going 162 of 331 (48.9%). To be honest, everyone else has struggled, with sophomore Mitch Allard (117 of 294, 39.8%), junior Zachary Aughe (65 of 168, 38.7%), and freshman Cade DeStefani (48 of 110, 43.6%) taking turns in the dot.

Given the numbers above, it is not surprising that North Dakota leads Lindenwood in both puck possession statistics:

Corsi: UND 52.3% (22nd), LU 35.6% (61st)
Fenwick: UND 52.3% (23rd), LU 35.4% (62nd)

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-11, with 23 power play goals scored (23 of 82, 28.0%, 3rd in the country) and only eleven power play goals allowed (62 of 73, 84.9%, 13th), with one shorthanded goal scored and two allowed.

Lindenwood has posted a minus-13, with 14 power play goals scored (14 of 67, 20.9%, 24th), a whopping 29 power play goals allowed (78 of 107, 72.9%,58th), three shorthanded goals scored, and one allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned nine more power plays than penalty kill situations (82-73), while the Lions have been shorthanded 40 more times than they have had the power play (107-67).

North Dakota is 12th in the country in scoring offense (3.42 goals scored/game) but just 41st in the country in scoring defense (3.16 goals allowed/game). Lindenwood is 32nd in the nation in scoring offense (2.78 goals scored/game) but is allowing 4.22 goals/game (61st).

When healthy, North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomores Brent Johnson and Luke Bast and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Lindenwood Lions

Head Coach: Rick Zombo (1st season at LU, 5-13-0, .278)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 55th
KRACH Ranking: 58th

This Season: 5-13-0 overall
Last Season: NA

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.78 goals scored/game – 32nd of 62 teams
Team Defense: 4.22 goals allowed/game – 61st of 62 teams

Power Play: 20.9% (14 of 67) – 24th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 72.9% (78 of 107) – 58th of 62 teams

Key Players: Sophomore F David Gagnon (7-11-18), Senior F Hunter Johannes (8-7-15), Senior F Andy Willis (5-8-13), Sophomore F Kyle Jeffers (3-8-11), Graduate F Ryan Finnegan (5-6-11), Freshman F Cade DeStefani (5-5-10), Sophomore D Caleb Price (3-5-8), Freshman D Joe Prouty (1-6-7), Sophomore G Trent Burnham (4-5-0, 3.91 GAA, .912 SV%)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 169-85-29, .648)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 17th
KRACH Ranking: 17th

This Season: 7-8-4 overall, 3-5-2-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.42 goals scored/game – 12th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.16 goals allowed/game – 41st of 62 teams

Power Play: 28.0% (23 of 82) – 3rd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 84.9% (62 of 73) – 13th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (11-8-19), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-5-8), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (2-7-9), Graduate Student Mark Senden (4-4-8), Freshman F Jackson Blake (9-12-21), Senior F Gavin Hain (8-2-10 in seventeen games), Freshman F Dylan James (3-7-10 in seventeen games) Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (2-18-20), Junior D Tyler Kleven (1-6-7), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-6-8), Graduete G Drew DeRidder (4-4-2, 2.86 GAA, .890 SV%, 2 SO)

By The Numbers

Common Opponents This Season: Lindenwood was swept at Minnesota (0-4, 4-6) and at Denver (0-5, 4-5). North Dakota split at Minnesota (2-3 overtime loss, 5-4 overtime win) and was swept at home by Denver (2-3, 3-6).

Game News and Notes

Lindenwood is 3-2 in one-goal games this season and has played strong third periods throughout its inaugural campaign. UND has outscored opponents 21-12 in first periods this season. Lions head coach Rick Zombo played at North Dakota for three seasons (1981-1984), collecting 13 goals, 50 assists, and 112 penalty minutes in 112 games and winning the national championship as a freshman. Zombo went on to have a twelve-year NHL career mostly with the Detroit Red Wings and Boston Bruins, with a line of 24-130-154 and 728 PIM in 652 National Hockey League contests.

The Prediction

With its current precarious Pairwise position, North Dakota cannot afford a loss this weekend. UND will build upon the momentum from last weekend’s exhibition win (in overtime) and boatrace the Lions in back-to-back games. The Green and White should be able to score at least one power play goal each night, and that will help tremendously. The only thing in doubt is the final score, and I see goals aplenty. UND 5-2, 4-2.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast live on Midco Sports and also available via livestream 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!

North Dakota (6-8-3, 2-5-1 NCHC) travels to face #17 Western Michigan (10-8-0, 4-4-0 NCHC) at Lawson Ice Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan this weekend. It is worth noting that, despite being unranked, UND currently sits in 22nd place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings, mostly due to the fact that six of its eight losses are to the top four teams in the country (Minnesota, Quinnipiac, Denver twice, and St. Cloud twice).

Second-year head coach Pat Ferschweiler (WMU ’93) has his team playing at an extremely high level, with the Broncos exhibiting the nation’s top-scoring offense. Ferschweiler, who had previously been the WMU associate head coach under Andy Murray, also spent four seasons as an assistant coach for the NHL’s Detroit Red Wings.

In his rookie campaign, Ferschweiler went 26-12-1 and brought his team within one game of the Frozen Four, falling to Minnesota in the regional final. In September, the Western Michigan bench boss was extended through the 2025-26 season.

Despite this year’s high-powered offense, Western Michigan’s only truly impressive win on the season is a 4-2 victory at St. Cloud State nearly a month ago. WMU also split with Notre Dame in a home-and-home series back in October.

According to KRACH, North Dakota has faced the nation’s fourth-toughest schedule to this point of the season, while the Broncos schedule weighs in as the 17th-most difficult.

Nine 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 eight seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 422-218-71 (.617) 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 six national titles.

In the Division I era (since 1975), the Broncos have had sixteen twenty-win seasons, with nine of those coming between 1984 and 1996 under head coach Bill Wilkinson. WMU has made the national tournament four times since 1996.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Pat Ferschweiler’s squad has nine players who meet that threshold: freshman forward Ryan McAllister (10-23-33), junior forward Jason Polin (13-11-24), sophomore forward Max Sasson (7-16-23), junior forward Luke Grainger (6-10-16), graduate student Jaime Rome (8-4-12), freshman forward Ethan Wolthers (2-3-5 in nine games), senior forward Jack Perbix (2-7-9), junior defenseman Zak Galambos (9-7-16), and senior defenseman Carter Berger (3-12-15, no relation).

By that same measure, North Dakota has just six players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (11-8-19), freshman forward Jackson Blake (9-10-19), freshman forward Dylan James (2-7-9), senior forward Gavin Hain (8-2-10), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-16-18), and junior defenseman Cooper Moore (2-6-8).

UND is fourth in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 12.2% (60 goals on 490 shots). By comparison, Western Michigan is 2nd in the country at 12.8% (75 goals on 585 shots). WMU puts an average of 32.5 shots/game on frame, while North Dakota manages 28.8 The two teams are nearly identical in shots allowed (Broncos 24.4, Fighting Hawks 24.6). The Broncos (10th in Corsi, 10th in Fenwick) also lead North Dakota (22nd, 21st) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s eighth-best team on draws (53.8%), while SCSU clocks in at 50.7% (27th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 205 of 361 (56.8%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (165 of 310, 53.2), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (95 of 185, 51.4%). Junior Griffin Ness has been nearly dead even, with 43 wins in 89 opportunities (48.3%).

For Western Michigan, sophomore Max Sasson has taken the majority of important draws, going 200 of 393 (50.9%). Junior Tim Washe has fared the best (153 of 254, 60.2%), while junior Luke Grainger (112 of 254, 44.1%) and sophomore Jack Perbix (96 of 203, 47.3%) have been up and down.

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 21 power play goals scored (21 of 75, 28.0%, 4th in the country) and only eleven power play goals allowed (54 of 65, 83.1%, 22nd), with one shorthanded goal scored and two allowed.

Western Michigan has posted a plus-4, with 22 power play goals scored (22 of 79, 27.8%, 5th), a whopping 19 power play goals allowed (55 of 74, 74.3%,54th), one shorthanded goal scored, and one allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned ten more power plays than penalty kill situations (75-65), while WMU has been closer to even (79-74).

North Dakota is 10th in the country in scoring offense (3.53 goals scored/game) but just 48th in the country in scoring defense (3.41 goals allowed/game) after allowing thirteen goals last weekend against St. Cloud State. Western Michigan leads the nation in scoring offense (4.17 goals scored/game) but is allowing 3.06 goals/game (42nd).

When healthy, North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomores Brent Johnson and Luke Bast and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Ethan Frisch is expected to return to the lineup this weekend after suffering a lower-body injury two weeks ago in Bemidji, while Luke Bast has been in the lineup for three of the past four games, his first appearances of the season.

The Broncos and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on January 13th and 14th, 2023 at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

Western Michigan Broncos

Head Coach: Pat Ferschweiler (2nd season at WMU, 36-20-1, .640)

National Rankings: #17/#17
Pairwise Ranking: 18th
KRACH Ranking: 17th

This Season: 10-8-0 overall, 4-4-0-0 NCHC (4th)
Last Season: 26-12-1 overall (NCAA Northeast Regional Finalist), 13-9-2-0 NCHC (3rd)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 4.17 goals scored/game – 1st of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.06 goals allowed/game – 42nd of 62 teams

Power Play: 27.8% (22 of 79) – 5th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 74.3% (55 of 74) – 54th of 62 teams

Key Players: Freshman F Ryan McAllister (10-23-33), Junior F Jason Polin (13-11-24), Sophomore F Max Sasson (7-16-23), Junior F Luke Grainger (6-10-16), Graduate F Jaime Rome (8-4-12), Freshman F Ethan Wolthers (2-3-5 in nine games), Senior F Jack Perbix (2-7-9), Junior D Zak Galambos (9-7-16), Senior D Carter Berger (3-12-15), Junior G Cameron Rowe (9-7-0, 3.03 GAA, .881 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 168-85-28, .648)

National Rankings: NR/NR
Pairwise Ranking: 22nd
KRACH Ranking: 20th

This Season: 6-8-3 overall, 2-5-0-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.53 goals scored/game – 10th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.41 goals allowed/game – 48th of 62 teams

Power Play: 28.0% (21 of 75) – 4th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 83.1% (54 of 65) – 22nd of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (11-8-19), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-5-8), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (1-7-8), Graduate Student Mark Senden (4-4-8), Freshman F Jackson Blake (9-10-19), Senior F Gavin Hain (8-2-10 in fifteen games), Freshman F Dylan James (2-7-9 in fifteen games) Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (2-16-18), Junior D Tyler Kleven (1-4-5), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-6-8), Sophomore G Jakob Hellsten (3-4-2, 3.13 GAA, .859 SV%)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: March 18, 2022 (St. Paul, MN). North Dakota’s early 1-0 lead would last less than two minutes, and two second-period goals had the Fighting Hawks staring down a 3-1 deficit in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals. Enter Nick Portz, whose second goal of the season at 19:53 drew UND within one with twenty minutes to play. The Broncos controlled much of the play in the final frame and added an empty-net tally with 93 seconds remaining to put the game on ice.

Last Meeting in Kalamazoo: January 22, 2022. WMU’s Max Sasson scored on a shorthanded breakway at the 19:14 mark of the first period, and the Broncos would make that hold up for a 2-0 (EN) victory. One night earlier, North Dakota outshot Western Michigan 35-23 but were undone by three power play goals and an ineffective power play of their own (0-for-3).

Most Important Meeting: March 24, 2012 (St. Paul, MN). North Dakota upended Western Michigan 3-1 in the NCAA West Regional semifinal. Brock Nelson had two points, including an empty net goal with 25 seconds remaining that sent UND to the regional finals against Minnesota. Aaron Dell made 24 saves for the Green and White. The Broncos, who have played at the Division I level since 1975-76, have seven NCAA tournament appearances.

A Trip Down Memory Lane: Saturday, March 22, 2014 (Minneapolis, MN). North Dakota faced a must-win situation in the 3rd place game at the inaugural NCHC Frozen Faceoff, and did not disappoint the partisan crowd. The Green and White rolled to a 5-0 victory behind two first-period goals from Conner Gaarder. UND netminder Zane Gothberg made 25 saves for the shutout, and Dave Hakstol’s crew played the waiting game for several more hours before discovering that they had indeed made the NCAA tournament for the twelfth consecutive season.

All-Time Series: In the short history between the schools, UND has won 27 of the 37 games (27-10-0, .730), including eleven of the sixteen games played in Kalamazoo. Before the 2016-17 season in which Western Michigan won three of the four meetings, WMU’s lone victory over North Dakota was a 2-1 road win on March 8th, 2014. The teams first met in 1997.

Last Ten: North Dakota has won seven of the last ten meetings between the two teams, outscoring the Broncos 37-22 over that stretch of games. Before the Broncos’ home sweep of North Dakota in January 2022, UND had swept the previous six with a scoring margin of 28-10.

Game News and Notes

Western Michigan moved up to the Division I ranks beginning with the 1975-76 season and has advanced to the NCAA tournament seven times. The Broncos have made the NCAA tourney twice (2017, 2022) in their first nine seasons in the NCHC after advancing to the national tournament twice (2011, 2012) in the last three seasons in the now-defunct CCHA. The Broncos are 7-0-0 when leading after two periods of play but just 3-8-0 when trailing or tied. UND’s Judd Caulfield has seven goals and two assists in ten career games against WMU. Western Michigan has outscored opponents 32-10 in third periods this season.

The Prediction

This is the most important series of the season, as 8-8-3 headed into the Christmas break would feel a whole lot better than 6-10-3. North Dakota is as healthy as it has been all season on the back end, and that should help limit the number of Grade-A chances given up this weekend. The Green and White should be able to score at least one power play goal each night, and that will help tremendously. I can almost guarantee a Fighting Hawks’ victory on Friday night, with Saturday’s rematch up for grabs. UND 5-3, 4-4 tie.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be available via livestream 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!

#23 North Dakota (6-6-3, 2-3-1 NCHC) travels to face #3 St. Cloud State (11-3-0, 3-2-1 NCHC) at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minnesota this weekend. Despite scoring 29 goals over the past four weekends of play (3.63 goals scored/game), UND may struggle to score against the homestanding Huskies, who have only allowed sixteen goals over that same stretch of games (2.0 goals allowed/game). On the season, SCSU has been the nation’s best defensive team, allowing just 1.71 goals per game.

Almost exactly one year ago today (Friday, December 3rd, 2021), the homestanding Huskies embarrassed the Fighting Hawks by a final score of 8-1. SCSU went 3-for-7 on the power play and held UND scoreless on two man-advantage opportunities. In Saturday’s rematch, North Dakota turned the specialty teams tables, going 1-for-7 on the power play and killing all four Husky power plays en route to a 5-3 road victory and a split of the weekend series.

The Fighting Hawks had better success in Grand Forks last season, earning a 7-1 victory to go along with a 3-3 tie (and shootout victory) in late January.

At 4th in the Pairwise and with an overall record of 11-3-0, St. Cloud State is in line to make the NCAA tourney for the fifth consecutive season. (It is worth noting that in 2019-2020 – when there was no national tournament – SCSU went just 13-15-6.) The Huskies’ three losses this season have come at Bemidji State (PWR 31), at Denver (PWR 5), and vs. Western Michigan (PWR 13).

On the other side of the ledger, North Dakota sits at 24th in the Pairwise, with six losses already this season. Thankfully for fans of the Green and White, four of UND’s losses are to teams currently in the top five in the Pairwise (Minnesota 2nd, Quinnipiac 3rd, and Denver 5th). The Fighting Hawks’ Las Vegas loss at the hands of Arizona State (PWR 25) and a home loss to Miami (PWR 38) are currently weighing the team down, as is the team’s strength of schedule (15th). Playing St. Cloud State and Western Michigan on the road over the next two weekends – and getting good results – would go a long way toward a top-15 Pairwise position.

Nine 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 eight seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 422-218-71 (.617) 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 six national titles.

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 nine seasons of the NCHC. The Huskies also won the last WCHA conference title in 2013.

Given that these two squads have been at the top of the league standings since its inception, it was only fitting that they would meet in the 2021 NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship game, played in Grand Forks. Top-seeded North Dakota (20-5-1) squared off against #2 seed St. Cloud State (17-9-0). UND trailed 2-1 after two periods but strung together three goals just 122 seconds apart to take a lead they would never relinquish. The victory secured North Dakota’s first NCHC postseason title in the eight-year history of the league and its first conference playoff championship since the 2012 WCHA Final Five. In a nod to the Miracle On Ice, fans may well remember the 6-3 victory over Minnesota in the “Timeout Game” that year but forget that there was another game to play in the tournament. One night later, the green and white was out in full force on St. Patrick’s Day, and the Green and White dispatched Denver 4-0 to hoist the Broadmoor Trophy for the third consecutive season.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Brett Larson’s squad has eight players who meet that threshold: graduate forward Grant Cruikshank (11-6-17), senior forward Jami Krannila (6-10-16), senior forward Zack Okabe (8-7-15), senior forward Kyler Kupka (2-6-8 in eight games), junior forward Veeti Miettinen (3-9-12), graduate forward Micah Miller (2-6-8), senior defenseman Dylan Anhorn (3-12-15), and sophomore defenseman Jack Peart (0-9-9).

Kyler Kupka has returned to practice this week and may return to the SCSU lineup this weekend.

By that same measure, North Dakota has ten players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (10-8-18), freshman forward Jackson Blake (8-9-17), freshman forward Dylan James (2-7-9), senior forward Gavin Hain (7-1-8), junior forward Louis Jamernik V (1-7-8), graduate forward Mark Senden (4-4-8), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-14-16), junior defenseman Cooper Moore (2-5-7), sophomore defenseman Brent Johnson (1-5-6), and sophomore defenseman Luke Bast (0-1-1 in two games).

Luke Bast appeared in his first two games of the season last weekend.

UND is third in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 12.7% (55 goals on 432 shots). By comparison, St. Cloud State is 6th in the country at 11.9% (46 goals on 386 shots). The two teams create almost an identical number of shots on goal per game (UND 28.8, SCSU 27.6), although North Dakota only allows 24.4 shots on goal per game (7th) while the Huskies surrender an average of 25.5 (11th). The Fighting Hawks (22nd in Corsi, 23rd in Fenwick) also lead SCSU (30th, 27th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s seventh-best team on draws (54.7%), while SCSU clocks in at 51.6% (21st).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 187 of 321 (58.3%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has more than held his own (147 of 272, 54.0), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (83 of 162, 51.2%). Junior Griffin Ness has been nearly dead even, with 36 wins in 73 opportunities (49.3%).

For St. Cloud State, grad transfer Grant Cruikshank has taken the majority of important draws, going 166 of 292 (56.8%). Senior Jami Krannila has been up and down (114 of 230, 49.6%), while sophomore Mason Salquist has performed admirably (86 of 162, 53.1%). Salquist hails from Grand Forks, North Dakota.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had slightly the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-11, with nineteen power play goals scored (19 for 67, 28.4%, 3rd in the country) and only eight power play goals allowed (49 of 57, 86.0%, 9th), with one shorthanded goal scored and one allowed.

St. Cloud State has posted a plus-10, with thirteen power play goals scored (13 of 58, 22.4%, 20th), an identical penalty kill (49 of 57, 86.0%, 9th), and an astounding five shorthanded goals scored (2nd in the country).

It is also worth noting that UND has earned ten more power plays than penalty kill situations (67-47), while St. Cloud State has been nearly even (58-57).

North Dakota is 7th in the country in scoring offense (3.67 goals scored/game) but just 37th in the country in scoring defense (3.00 goals allowed/game). St. Cloud State is 14th in the country in scoring offense (3.29 goals scored/game) but best in the country in scoring defense (1.71 goals allowed/game).

When healthy, North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomores Brent Johnson and Luke Bast and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Ethan Frisch is expected to remain out of the lineup this weekend after suffering a lower-body injury last Friday night in Bemidji.

The Huskies and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on February 17th and 18th at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks.

St. Cloud State Team Profile

Head Coach: Brett Larson (5th season at SCSU, 92-50-13, .635)
National Rankings: #3/#3
Pairwise Ranking: 4th

This Season: 11-3-0 overall, 3-2-1-0 NCHC (3rd)
Last Season: 18-15-4 overall (NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinalist), 9-8-2-5 NCHC (5th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.29 goals scored/game – 14th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 1.71 goals allowed/game – 1st of 62 teams

Power Play: 22.4% (13 of 58) – 20th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 86.0% (49 of 57) – 9th of 62 teams

Key players: Graduate F Grant Cruikshank (11-6-17), Senior F Jami Krannila (6-10-16), Senior F Zack Okabe (8-7-15), Senior F Kyler Kupka (2-6-8 in eight games), Junior F Veeti Miettinen (3-9-12), Graduate F Micah Miller (2-6-8), Senior D Dylan Anhorn (3-12-15), Sophomore D Jack Peart (0-9-9), Junior G Dominic Basse (6-1-0, 1.29 GAA, .948 SV%, 2 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 166-82-27, .653)
National Rankings: #23/#24
Pairwise Ranking: 24th

This Season: 6-6-3 overall, 2-3-0-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.67 goals scored/game – 7th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.00 goals allowed/game – 37th of 62 teams

Power Play: 28.4% (19 of 67) – 3rd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 86.0% (49 of 57) – 9th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (10-8-18), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-4-7), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (1-7-8), Graduate Student Mark Senden (4-4-8), Freshman F Jackson Blake (8-9-17), Senior F Gavin Hain (7-1-8 in thirteen games), Freshman F Dylan James (2-7-9 in thirteen games) Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (2-14-16), Junior D Tyler Kleven (1-4-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-5-7), Sophomore G Jakob Hellsten (3-3-2, 2.73 GAA, .869 SV%)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: January 29, 2021 (Grand Forks, ND). After drubbing the visitors 7-1 in Friday’s opener, UND came back from an early 3-1 deficit to send the game to overtime knotted at three apiece. After a scoreless 3-on-3 session, North Dakota’s Ashton Calder scored the only goal in the eight-player shootout for the extra league point.

Last Meeting in St. Cloud: December 4, 2021 (St. Cloud, MN). North Dakota rebounded from an 8-1 shellacking at the hands of the homestanding Huskies by scoring two goals in the middle frame to break a 2-2 tie. Each team scored once in the third period to bring the final score to 5-3 in favor of the Fighting Hawks. St. Cloud State outshot UND 33-29 for the game and 65-57 over the course of the weekend series.

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, 79-46-16 (.617), including a record of 30-24-0 (.556) in games played in St. Cloud, Minnesota. Aside from their 2015 and 2018 NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinal victories, the Huskies also defeated North Dakota in the 2001 WCHA Final Five championship game. The teams have been squaring off regularly since the 1989-90 season but have only met once in the NCAA tournament (2015).

Last Ten: UND holds a slight lead of 5-3-2 (.600) in the last ten tilts between the teams, outscoring the Huskies 34-32 over that stretch of games. Two of the last ten meetings have gone to overtime, with North Dakota’s Jordan Kawaguchi scoring the game winner in both contests.

Game News and Notes

UND’s Riese Gaber has ten career points against the Huskies. SCSU opened the season with six consecutive victories (sweeps over St. Thomas, Wisconsin, and Minnesota State) before earning splits against Bemidji State, Denver, and Western Michigan. North Dakota head coach Brad Berry is 13-9-4 (.577) in his career against St. Cloud.

The Prediction

North Dakota was mostly a mess on the wider sheet of ice against Minnesota at 3M Arena at Mariucci back in October and yet somehow managed a split despite being outshot 79-38 in the series. UND cannot afford to get hemmed into its own end for long stretches, as the Huskies often build momentum with possession in front of their home crowd. The best offensive players for the Fighting Hawks – Riese Gaber, Jackson Blake, and Gavin Hain – will need to find their way onto the scoresheet in order to earn victories this weekend, but goals will be hard to come by. There is no doubt that the Huskies are the better, faster team, and things could snowball quickly in St. Cloud. SCSU 4-2, 4-3.

Broadcast Information

Both games will be broadcast live on Fox9+ (Midco Sports Network will be carrying this local broadcast) and also available via livestream 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!

#19/#19 North Dakota hosts unranked Miami for a pair of NCHC games this weekend, and facing the RedHawks may be just what UND needs to right the ship after being swept at home last weekend at the hands of the Denver Pioneers.

The Miami RedHawks have only faced North Dakota five times over the past two seasons, but that has been more than enough for Chris Bergeron’s squad.

The Fighting Hawks traveled to Oxford, Ohio last November 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 five games, North Dakota has outscored Miami 23-14 while holding a 192-101 advantage in shots on goal.

Over the past two seasons, the RedHawks had to rely on junior goaltender Ludvig Persson to keep games close, as Miami only averaged 2.33 goals per game. Unfortunately, MU allowed 3.97 goals per game over those two campaigns and only won twelve total games (12-45-4, .230).

The scoring margin has gotten better for Chris Bergeron and company this year, with 25 goals scored (2.08/game) and 34 allowed (2.83) through the first twelve games of the season (4-6-2).

Nine 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 eight seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 420-216-70 (.644) 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 six national titles.

Over the first nine 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, and 8th), with a combined league record of 59-133-24 (.329).

By comparison, North Dakota has finished 2nd, 1st, 1st, 4th, 4th, 5th, 1st, 1st, and 1st for an average finish just under second place and a combined league record of 133-67-16 (.653). 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.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and Chris Bergeron’s squad has six players who meet that threshold: junior forward Matthew Barbolini (4-6-10), senior forward Joe Cassetti (5-3-8), sophomore forward Red Savage (4-4-8), freshman forward Max Dukovac (1-6-7), junior forward PJ Fletcher (2-4-6), and junior defenseman Hampus Rydqvist (1-5-6).

Red Savage and Max Dukovac, two stalwarts on the Miami power play, did not make the trip to Grand Forks this weekend.

By that same measure, North Dakota has ten players at a half point or better: junior forward Riese Gaber (8-4-12), freshman forward Jackson Blake (4-7-11), freshman forward Dylan James (1-5-6), senior forward Gavin Hain (5-1-6), graduate forward Mark Senden (3-3-6), sophomore forward Nick Portz (0-4-4), sophomore forward Jake Schmaltz (3-3-6), senior forward Carson Albrecht (1-0-1 in two games), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (2-12-14), and junior defenseman Cooper Moore (2-5-7).

Cooper Moore is questionable for this weekend’s games with an undisclosed illness/injury, while fellow blueliner Tyler Kleven is probable with a lower body injury.

UND is second in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 12.7% (38 goals on 300 shots). By comparison, Miami is 47th in the country at 7.7% (25 goals on 325 shots). The two teams created almost an identical number of shots on goal per game (UND 27.3, Miami 27.1), although North Dakota only allows 26.4 shots on goal per game (15th) while the RedHawks surrender an average of 31.8 (46th). The Fighting Hawks (34th in Corsi, 32nd in Fenwick) also lead MU (40th, 44th) in both puck possession statistics.

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s eighth-best team on draws (55.0%), while MU clocks in at 45.1% (56th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 150 of 254 (59.1%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has been a bit better than even (109 of 210, 51.9), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (70 of 138, 50.7%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chipped in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For Miami, sophomore Red Savage has taken the majority of important draws, going 126 of 265 (47.5%). Senior Joe Cassetti has had the most success (101 of 211, 47.9%), while two freshmen – William Hallen (36 of 80, 45.0%) and Blake Mesenburg (41 of 91, 45.1%) – have been steady but not spectacular.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined plus-10, with sixteen power play goals scored (16 for 53, 30.2%, 4th in the country) and only six power play goals allowed (36 of 42, 85.7%, 9th). Miami has posted a minus-2, with nine power play goals scored (9 of 49, 18.4%, 36th), thirteen power play goals allowed (47 of 60, 78.3%, 42ns), three shorthanded goals scored, and one shorthanded goal allowed.

It is also worth noting that UND has earned eleven more power plays than penalty kill situations (53-42), while Miami has earned eleven more penalty kill situations than power plays (60-49).

North Dakota is 10th in the country in scoring offense (3.45 goals scored/game) but just 44th in the country in scoring defense (3.18 goals allowed/game). Miami is 48th in the country in scoring offense (2.08 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 31st in scoring defense (2.83 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomore Brent Johnson and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

The RedHawks and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on January 27th and 28th at Goggin Ice Center in Oxford, Ohio.

Miami RedHawks

Head Coach: Chris Bergeron (4th season at Miami, 24-72-11, .276)
National Rankings: NR/NR

This Season: 4-6-2 overall, 0-5-1 NCHC (8th)
Last Season: 7-27-2 overall, 4-16-1-3 NCHC (8th)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 2.08 goals scored/game – 48th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.83 goals allowed/game – 31st of 62 teams

Power Play: 18.4% (9 of 49) – 36th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 78.3% (47 of 60) – 42nd of 62 teams

Key players: Junior F Matthew Barbolini (4-6-10), Senior F Joe Cassetti (5-3-8), Sophomore F Red Savage (4-4-8), Freshman F Max Dukovac (1-6-7), Junior F PJ Fletcher (2-4-6), Junior D Hampus Rydqvist (1-5-6), Senior D Jack Clement (0-2-2), Junior G Ludvig Persson (4-6-2, 2.55 GAA, .918 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 166-82-27, .653)
National Rankings: #19/#19

This Season: 4-5-2 overall, 1-2-0-1 NCHC (7th)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.45 goals scored/game – 10th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 3.18 goals allowed/game – 44th of 62 teams

Power Play: 30.2% (16 of 53) – 4th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 85.7% (36 of 42) – 9th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (8-4-12), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-3-6), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-3-6), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-7-11), Senior F Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in nine games), Freshman F Dylan James (1-5-6 in nine games) Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (2-12-14), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (2-5-7), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (3-3-1, 2.72 GAA, .900 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 13, 2021 (Oxford, OH). After a furious opening frame that ended with North Dakota holding a 3-2 advantage on the scoreboard, the two teams traded goals in each of the next two periods, leaving the homestanding RedHawks one goal short. That 5-4 UND win, coupled with Friday night’s 4-1 victory, earned the Green and White a rare road sweep in the NCHC. The Fighting Hawks outshot their flying foes 68-31 in the series.

Last Meeting in Grand Forks: March 12, 2021. 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 (including two by Collin Adams) and cruised to a 6-2 victory, outshooting MU 46-28. Over the next four days, North Dakota would defeat Denver 2-1 (OT) and St. Cloud State 5-3 to claim the program’s first NCHC postseason tournament title.

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 eight wins and a tie (8-1-1, .850) in the past ten contests between the teams, outscoring Miami 46-24 over that stretch of games. The RedHawks have not beaten North Dakota since November 10, 2018, a 3-2 home victory.

All-time Series: North Dakota leads the all-time series 22-7-4 (.727), including a sparkling 10-2-2 (.786) record in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first played in 1999 (Badger Showdown, Milwaukee, WI).

Game News and Notes

In five career games against Miami, junior forward Riese Gaber has scored six goals and added an assist. The RedHawks have not beaten UND in over four years. North Dakota goaltender Drew DeRidder has faced MU once in his collegiate career, earning a 2-1 Michigan State comeback victory over Miami with 35 saves on Saturday, October 26th, 2021. Green Hawks are preferable to RedHawks.

On A Personal Note

I have participated in Movember for the past ten years and have proudly raised over $20,000 to help change the face of men’s health. Will you join me and support the cause? Please visit my Movember fundraising page to learn more and to donate. Thank you!

The Prediction

If ever there was a “get right” series for North Dakota hockey, this is it. UND is deeper, more talented, and has dug itself a hole in the league standings, and that last point might be the most important of them all. The Fighting Hawks will be a motivated group from the drop of the puck on Friday night, and that will make for a long weekend for the visiting RedHawks. UND 4-1, 4-2.

Broadcast Information

Both games this weekend will be broadcast live on Midco Sports 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.

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!

#12/#13 North Dakota (4-3-2) will host #2/#2 Denver (7-3-0) at Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend in a matchup of two perennial powerhouses.

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

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 two 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 last year, 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 10-2-1 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 seven NCHC regular season titles and averaging a top-three finish in the league standings each year (UND 2.2, DU 3.1).

The teams have played 39 times during the first nine seasons of the new conference (with UND going 19-13-7), 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 two 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 last year, 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.

Nine 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 eight seasons. The eight teams in the league have gone 420-216-70 (.644) 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 six national titles.

Turning our attention to this weekend’s matchup, a half-point per game or better is my benchmark for solid offensive production, and David Carle’s squad has eight active players who meet that threshold and THREE averaging a point per game or better: sophomore forward Massimo Rizzo (4-13-17), senior forward Casey Dornbach (5-9-14), sophomore forward Carter Mazur (10-3-13), sophomore forward Jack Devine (3-2-5), junior forward McKade Webster (1-1-2 in three games), freshman forward Aidan Thompson (0-1-1 in two games), junior defenseman Mike Benning (2-5-7), and sophomore defenseman Shai Buium (1-5-6). Rizzo was a former North Dakota recruit.

It is worth noting that DU lost its top four point-getters and six of the top ten from last year’s title team: forwards Bobby Brink (14-43-57), Cole Guttman (19-26-45), Carter Savoie (23-22-45), Brett Stapley (18-25-43), Cameron Wright (23-11-34), and Ryan Barrow (8-13-21) combined to score 105 of Denver’s 175 goals (60.0%) and 245 of the team’s 493 points (49.7%) a season ago.

By that same measure, North Dakota has twelve players at a half point or better, although two of those – senior forwards Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in seven games) and Carson Albrecht (1-0-1 in two games) – are injured and questionable to return to the lineup. Leading the way for UND are junior forward Riese Gaber (8-3-11), freshman forward Jackson Blake (4-5-9), graduate forward Mark Senden (3-3-6), sophomore forward Nick Portz (0-4-4), freshman forward Owen McLaughlin (0-5-5), sophomore forward Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), junior forward Louis Jamernik V (0-5-5), graduate defensemen Chris Jandric (1-11-12), junior defenseman Cooper Moore (1-5-6), and senior defenseman Ethan Frisch (2-3-5).

UND is fifth in the nation in shooting percentage at an astounding 13.0% (33 goals on 253 shots). By comparison, Denver is 37th in the country at 9.3% (31 goals on 334 shots). The Pioneers average more than five additional shots on goal per game than the Fighting Hawks (33.4 – 28.1) and lead UND in both puck possession statistics (Corsi and Fenwick).

One key area to watch this weekend is the face-off circle. The Fighting Hawks are the nation’s tenth-best team on draws (53.9%), while Denver clocks in at 48.5% (40th).

For UND, sophomore Jake Schmaltz has been making a living on draws, winning 117 of 201 (58.2%). Junior Louis Jamernik V has been nearly even (81 of 164, 49.4), while freshman Owen McLaughlin has shown improvement (60 of 119, 50.4%). Sophomore Matteo Costantini has chipped in with 12 wins in 16 opportunities (75.0%).

For Denver, sophomore Massimo Rizzo has taken the majority of important draws, going 73 of 151 (48.3%). Sophomore Carter King has had the most success (55 of 107, 51.4%), while junior Carter Caponi (71 of 144, 49.3%) and sophomore Tristan Broz (40 of 84, 47.6%) have been steady but not spectacular.

To this point in the season, North Dakota has had far the better of the specialty teams play. UND has been a combined +10, with fourteen power play goals scored (14 for 44, 31.8%, 3rd in the country) and only four power play goals allowed (29 of 33, 87.9%, 8th). Denver has posted a +1, with eleven power play goals scored (11 of 47, 23.4%, 19th), eight power play goals allowed (26 of 34, 76.5%, 40th), and two shorthanded goals allowed.

North Dakota is 9th in the country in scoring offense (3.67 goals scored/game) but just 33rd in the country in scoring defense (2.89 goals allowed/game). Denver is 25th in the country in scoring offense (3.10 goals scored/game) but a more respectable 8th in scoring defense (2.10 goals allowed/game).

North Dakota is strong on the back end this season, with junior Tyler Kleven and senior Ethan Frisch leading the way. A trio of graduate students (Chris Jandric, Ty Farmer, and Ryan Sidorski) match up well with sophomore Brent Johnson and junior Cooper Moore to form a defensive corps not unlike the one that took UND all the way to the national title seven years ago.

Last season, Denver went 31-9-1 on the way to the program’s ninth national title. North Dakota (2-0 vs. the Pios) and Minnesota Duluth (3-2) were the only teams to beat DU more than once during the 2021-2022 campaign.

The Pioneers and Fighting Hawks will also tangle on February 10th and 11th at Magness Arena in Denver, Colorado.

Denver Team Profile

Head Coach: David Carle (5th season at DU, 93-46-13, .655)
National Rankings: #2/#2

This Season: 7-3-0 overall, 3-0-0-1 NCHC (1st)
Last Season: 31-9-1 overall (National Champions), 17-6-1-0 NCHC (1st)

2022-2023 Team Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.10 goals scored/game – 25th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.10 goals allowed/game – 8th of 62 teams

Power Play: 23.4% (11 of 47) – 19th of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 76.5% (26 of 34) – 40th of 62 teams

Key players: Sophomore FMassimo Rizzo (4-13-17), Senior F Casey Dornbach (5-9-14), Sophomore F Carter Mazur (10-3-13), Sophomore F Jack Devine (3-2-5), Junior D Mike Benning (2-5-7), Sophomore D Shai Buium (1-5-6), Senior D Justin Lee (1-2-3), Senior G Magnus Chrona (6-3-0, 2.14 GAA, .911 SV%, 1 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Brad Berry (8th season at UND, 166-80-27, .658)
National Rankings: #10/#11

This Season: 4-3-2 overall, 1-0-0-1 NCHC (3rd)
Last Season: 24-14-1 overall (NCAA Regional Semifinalist), 17-6-1 NCHC (t-1st)

2022-2023 Season Statistics:

Team Offense: 3.67 goals scored/game – 9th of 62 teams
Team Defense: 2.89 goals allowed/game – 33rd of 62 teams

Power Play: 31.8% (14 of 44) – 3rd of 62 teams
Penalty Kill: 87.9% (29 of 33) – 8th of 62 teams

Key Players: Junior F Riese Gaber (8-3-11), Sophomore F Jake Schmaltz (3-2-5), Junior F Louie Jamernik V (0-5-5), Graduate Student Mark Senden (3-3-6), Freshman F Jackson Blake (4-5-9), Senior F Gavin Hain (5-1-6 in seven games), Graduate Student D Chris Jandric (1-11-12), Senior D Ethan Frisch (2-3-5), Junior D Cooper Moore (1-5-6), Graduate Student G Drew DeRidder (3-2-1, 2.65 GAA, .906 SV%, 1 SO)

By The Numbers

Last Meeting: November 6, 2021 (Grand Forks, ND). North Dakota built a two-goal lead after twenty minutes of play on goals by Matteo Costantini and Tyler Kleven and withstood a furious middle frame by the Pios, surrendering just a single goal on eight shots. In the third period, UND scored twice at 4-on-4 to win by a final margin of 4-1. In Friday’s opener, North Dakota’s Louis Jamernik scored twice, and the Fighting Hawks held Denver scoreless on five power play opportunities. The teams combined for 78 penalty minutes in the weekend series.

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 an 8-2-0 (.800) advantage over the last ten games. UND has outscored DU 34-17 over that stretch, including a 22-6 scoreboard advantage in six home victories.

All-time Series: UND leads the all-time series, 156-130-16 (.543), including a massive 92-44-10 (.658) advantage in games played in Grand Forks. The teams first met in 1950, with North Dakota prevailing 18-3 in Denver. The 302 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 10-2-1 against the Pios. DU is 5-1 at home this season but just 2-2 on the road. Fighting Hawks’ captain Mark Senden has faced Denver 19 times in his collegiate career, with one goal and seven assists in those contests. Eleven of Denver head coach David Carle’s 46 head coaching losses have come against UND. Last season, the Fighting Hawks won the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions for the fifth time in the nine-year history of the league; the Pioneers have captured the Penrose only twice (2016-2017 and 2021-2022). 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.

On A Personal Note

I have participated in Movember for the past ten years and have proudly raised nearly $20,000 to help change the face of men’s health. Will you join me and support the cause? Please visit my Movember fundraising page to learn more and to donate. Thank you!

The Prediction

Denver’s roundabout travel plan will definitely have an effect on Friday’s opener. It will be interesting to see how this next chapter in the rivalry plays out. I expect North Dakota to trail for large stretches of this series as they have against tough opponents to this point in the season. Special teams seem to favor North Dakota, but the Fighting Hawks also have more scoring depth and might prefer to play long stretches at even strength. The difference may just come down to goaltending, but I have a feeling that there will be plenty of goals scored at the Ralph this weekend. UND 4-2, DU 4-3.

Broadcast Information

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!