Sioux Sports Talk

Yesterday, we took a look ahead at how much of North Dakota’s current roster is coming back for the 2014-15 season and what that means for the future of UND hockey.

And the incoming freshman class will be a big part of that future as well.

If you remember, Dave Hakstol loses four seniors from this year’s Frozen Four squad (forwards Derek Rodwell and Mitch MacMillan, defenseman Dillon Simpson, and goaltender Clarke Saunders). There is also a roster spot available since Adam Tambellini left the team in January. The other question mark on the roster is whether there is still a spot for Coltyn Sanderson, who has appeared in five games over his first two seasons at North Dakota. Sanderson has talent (81 points in 57 games with the Weyburn Red Wings/SJHL in 2011-12), but he might get squeezed out by this incoming group of forwards.

Perhaps the most remarkable thing about this recruiting class is that Hakstol had two blue chip wingers – Ryan Gropp and Brendan Lemieux – decommit and opt for major juniors, and the remaining six players in this recruiting class might still be the best in the nation. At the time of his commitment to UND, Gropp was called the biggest recruit to come to Grand Forks since Jonathan Toews. Brendan Lemieux was recently ranked the 28th best non-goaltending prospect in North America, while Gropp isn’t draft eligible until 2015.

But enough about the players who won’t be on campus and on the ice in October. There is plenty of talent coming in, and fans should expect several of these freshmen to step in and contribute right away.

All six newcomers for the 2014-15 season are coming from the United States Hockey League, joining nine other USHL alums on the current UND roster. If fans appreciate the local flavor that current North Dakota players Gage Ausmus (East Grand Forks, MN), Zane Gothberg (Thief River Falls, MN), Luke Johnson (Grand Forks, ND), Paul LaDue (Grand Forks, ND), and Keaton Thompson (Devils Lake, ND) bring to the lineup, they will be even more pleased next year. Dave Hakstol is bringing in forward John Simonson (a Grand Forks Central product) and defenseman Tucker Poolman (East Grand Forks Green Wave). Poolman is the son of current UND trainer Mark Poolman.

Other incoming freshmen expected on campus this fall (hometown):

Forward Nick Schmaltz (Verona, WI)

Forward Trevor Olson (Duluth, MN)

Defenseman Hayden Shaw (Woodbury, MN)
(edit: there are varying reports on Shaw enrolling at UND or returning to the USHL for another season of juniors)

Goaltender Cam Johnson (Troy, MI)

With all six newcomers hailing from the United States, that will bring the number of Canadians on the roster to single digits (9) for the first time in ten seasons (2004-05).

North Dakota will have seven states and the District of Columbia represented when they take the ice to begin the 2014-15 season. There will be seven Minnesotans (two from East Grand Forks and one each from Thief River Falls, Duluth, Chanhassen, Edina, and Woodbury), four North Dakotans (including three from Grand Forks), two from Wisconsin (the Schmaltz brothers), and one player each from Arizona, California, Michigan, Missouri, and Washington, D.C.

Nine Canadians will hail from four different provinces: British Columbia (3), Manitoba (3), Saskatchewan (2), and Ontario (1).

And now, let’s meet the six rookies, beginning with the three forwards:

Trevor Olson (Sioux City Musketeers /USHL)
Born: November 22, 1993 (age 20)
Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota
Height: 6-2 Weight: 188

This season, Trevor Olson has only appeared in 21 games for Sioux City, scoring nine goals and adding twelve assists for an average of a point per game. Olson was good for one minor penalty per game (40 PIM) this season for the Musketeers.

Last year, in 63 combined games played between Green Bay and Sioux City, he scored 17 goals and added 33 assists for 50 points with 62 PIM.

Olson is perhaps the most underrated player in this recruiting class. He will make his mark as a power forward with some scoring touch – an element that has been mostly lacking over the past two seasons. North Dakota fans should expect a mix of Rylan Kaip and Brad Malone, with his offensive production falling somewhere in the middle of those two. Considering that Kaip ended his career with 39 points in 144 games and Malone bettered that total with 40 points in 43 games as a senior (and 85 points in 161 games overall), I understand that’s a wide range. But the physical play will be there from the get-go, and Olson has a nose for the net that can’t be taught.

Nick Schmaltz (Green Bay Gamblers/USHL)
Born: February 23, 1996 (age 18)
Hometown: Verona, WIsconsin
Height: 6-0 Weight: 172

Nick Schmaltz has the most high-end potential of this entire recruiting class, as evidenced by his #19 ranking of all North American skaters in the final CSS report. His biggest strength is his vision, and, though it sounds absurd, he could potentially lead the team in assists next year. At just 18 years of age, he is still growing and getting stronger, and that definitely bodes well for his future success.

In 55 games with the Gamblers this season, the younger brother of current UND defenseman Jordan Schmaltz has 18 goals and 45 assists for 63 points. His 45 assists are good for third-most in the USHL this season, and he was the #7 point getter overall. Last year, he posted similarly impressive numbers: 18 goals and 34 assists (52 points) in 64 games played, also with Green Bay.

Schmaltz looks to be a player in the mold of Drew Stafford or Travis Zajac. He should be a first round pick in the 2014 NHL draft, and his talent is matched by his willingness to play the physical game and make things happen for his teammates. He definitely needs to work at becoming a more complete player in all three zones before he makes the jump to the next level, so I would expect that he would play at UND for at least two seasons.

John Simonson (Lincoln Stars/USHL)
Born: June 16, 1993 (age 20)
Hometown: Grand Forks, North Dakota
Height: 5-10 Weight: 170

In 58 games played with the Stars this season, Simonson has potted 28 goals (tied for 6th most in the league) and notched 31 assists. The former Central Knight has shown plenty of scoring punch in the USHL, particularly lately, and he has a nice mix of grit and skill. Simonson plays bigger than his 5’10” frame and, as an older player (he’ll be 21 before his freshman season begins), he has enough experience to play a couple of different roles.

The gritty forward has a good shot and can add some offensive punch to a checking line or be called upon to skate on one of the top two lines and create space for his teammates. Over time, Simonson might be seen as a Derek Rodwell-type player with a bit more offensive production. He will be capable and dependable, and he might see some penalty kill time later on in his collegiate career.

Two defensemen are scheduled to appear on UND’s campus this fall, and one of them (Tucker Poolman) is expected to compete for playing time right away. The other (Hayden Shaw) will need some more time to develop and should be seen as a work in progress.

Tucker Poolman (Omaha Lancers/USHL)
Born: June 8, 1993 (age 20)
Hometown: East Grand Forks, Minnesota
Height: 6-3 Weight: 200

Tucker Poolman will be 21 years old when he arrives on UND’s campus in September. He is solid and tough in his own end, and has shown signs of developing his game in the USHL. Last season with Omaha, he had a line of 14g-14a in 64 games played with 49 minutes in penalties and a -7 rating. This year, his line reads 15g26a in 58 games played with 23 PIM and a +20 rating.

Poolman has developed into one of the best two-way defensemen in the USHL. He has some Paul LaDue in his game, and fans should remember that LaDue scored 21 points in 41 games this season as a freshman. A Winnipeg Jets draft pick (5th round, #127 overall), Poolman will be the tallest player on the North Dakota roster next season.

Hayden Shaw (Waterloo Black Hawks/USHL)
Born: June 5, 1996 (age 17)
Hometown: Woodbury, Minnesota
Height: 5-10 Weight: 180

(Edit: It is possible that Shaw will return to Waterloo for a second season of junior hockey before enrolling at UND)

Hayden Shaw is pretty young, having left Woodbury High School after his sophomore season to play in the USHL. He will turn 18 three months before beginning his collegiate career at North Dakota. Shaw is built much like former UND blueliner Joe Gleason, but with more upside. Fans of the Green and White should expect Shaw to develop into a Troy Stecher-like player.

In 53 games played with Waterloo this season, Shaw has scored 8 goals and added 21 assists for 29 points. He currently sits at a +8 with 51 penalty minutes. The move from high school hockey seems to have paid off for the Woodbury native, but he might not see more than 10 or 15 games as a freshman at UND since the returning D-corps is experienced and talented.

And Dave Hakstol will bring in one goaltender to replace Clarke Saunders, who just finished up his senior season in Grand Forks.

Cam Johnson (Waterloo Black Hawks/USHL)
Born: July 11, 1994 (age 19)
Hometown: Troy, Michigan
Height: 6-1 Weight: 199

Cam Johnson is every bit as good as Clarke Saunders. He struggled early this season with the Fargo Force (2-14-3, 3.27 GAA, .909 SV%, 1 SO in 20 gp), but he has thrived since his trade to Waterloo (11-1-1, 1.86 GAA, .939 SV%, a SO in 15 gp). I think it was more the team in front of him in Fargo (the Force were the worst team in the USHL this season), and the change of scenery has done wonders for his game and his confidence.

It will definitely be a battle for the backup spot at UND between Johnson and Matt Hrynkiw. I would expect that Johnson will eventually move up the depth chart into the #2 spot behind Zane Gothberg, but it may take him the better part of his freshman season. In any event, Dave Hakstol has an embarrassment of riches in the netminder department.

These are the six players that I expect on the roster for the 2014-15 season. If there are early departures (sophomore forward Rocco Grimaldi and sophomore defenseman Jordan Schmaltz are possibilities), forward Shane Gersich (USNTDP) and defenseman Ryan Mantha (Indiana/USHL) look to be the two skaters most likely to take their spots.

For a closer look at North Dakota’s returning players, click here.

As I stated yesterday, UND should be considered one of the top five teams in the country coming into next season. Dave Hakstol returns balanced scoring, a more experienced group of defensemen, and a Hobey Baker contender in goaltender Zane Gothberg. The pieces are in place.

As always, thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave your comments below and follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and analysis.

Despite Thursday night’s devastating loss to Minnesota in the Frozen Four semifinals, North Dakota hockey fans have much to be thankful for. This year’s version of the Green and White won 25 games, gave the UND faithful plenty of thrilling moments, and pushed the nation’s #1 team to the absolute limit in Philadelphia.

And next year should be even better.

One look at the roster could tell even a casual observer that head coach Dave Hakstol will have plenty more to work with in 2014-15. There are only four seniors listed, with a minimum amount of “flight risk” from underclassmen. But the cupboard is even more full than that. And here’s why:

North Dakota’s three senior skaters (Mitch MacMillan, Derek Rodwell, and Dillon Simpson) appeared in 94 games this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 23 assists for a scoring average of .3830 points per game.

It’s the other three classes that carried the load:

Juniors (6 forwards, 1 defenseman): 53 goals and 84 assists in 290 games (.4724 points/game)

Sophomores (4 forwards, 1 defenseman): 38 goals and 59 assists in 165 games (.5879 points/game)

Freshmen (2 forwards, 4 defensemen): 21 goals and 46 assists in 191 games (.3508 points/game)

And with only Derek Rodwell graduating from Thursday night’s group of 12 forwards, three of the four forward lines can remain intact, at least early in the season:

Drake Caggiula – Mark MacMillan – Michael Parks
Stephane Pattyn – Rocco Grimaldi – Luke Johnson
Bryn Chyzyk – Colten St. Clair – Andrew Panzarella

Either Coltyn Sanderson (five career games over two seasons) or Wade Murphy (19 games as a freshman) can step right into the lineup in October. And that’s not counting UND’s incoming recruits, which we’ll get to in tomorrow’s article.

Before we look at the blue line, I’ll remind the reader that in the previous off-season, Dave Hakstol had to find a way to replace 63 goals and 113 assists (176 points of offense). This time around, North Dakota loses 13 goals and 23 assists (36 points).

As for the senior class, forward Mitch MacMillan only appeared in 19 games this season (and only nine games since December 7th), registering one goal and two assists. He wasn’t in the lineup for the Frozen Four semifinal matchup against Minnesota.

Forward Derek Rodwell brought size and grit to the ice, and his effort earned him a spot in the lineup every night. Even so, it won’t be difficult to replace his offensive production – he scored 13 goals and added 11 assists in 123 career games.

Coming into this season, UND returned three defensemen (senior Dillon Simpson, junior Nick Mattson, and sophomore Jordan Schmaltz) who had played a combined 236 games on defense.

UND would not have been in the NCAA tournament without contributions from their four freshmen blueliners. Paul LaDue (41 games played, 6g-15a) and Troy Stecher (42 games, 2g-9a) were absolute warriors, while fellow rookie defensemen Keaton Thompson (26 games, 3g-5a) and Gage Ausmus (21 games, 2g-1a) were rotated in effectively as the sixth D.

North Dakota will lose Dillon Simpson to graduation, and there is no doubt that his absence will leave a definite void. The senior captain appeared in 156 games in the North Dakota sweater, potting 16 goals and notching 59 assists. He led the nation in blocked shots this season (109 in 42 games) and was recently named to the All-College Hockey News first team. There is no way that UND can replace that type of leadership with just one player.

However, next year’s top six defensemen will return with a combined 333 games of experience on the back end. I would expect that two of the defensive pairings will remain intact, with Ausmus stepping into Simpson’s spot alongside Jordan Schmaltz:

Jordan Schmaltz – Gage Ausmus
Nick Mattson– Paul LaDue
Keaton Thompson – Troy Stecher

This is a far different situation than the one Dave Hakstol faced coming into the 2013-14 season, and North Dakota will definitely improve on the 2.43 goals/game they allowed over the course of this previous campaign. It is also worth noting that as a team, UND only allowed 2.00 goals/game over the final 29 games of the season (beginning on November 30th), a far better measure of the results we should expect next year.

Over that stretch of 29 games, North Dakota only allowed more than two goals seven times (and more than three goals just once).

Dave Hakstol’s crew appears to have the goaltending picture solidified for the foreseeable future. Zane Gothberg (20-10-3, 1.99 GAA, .926 SV%, 3 SO) will be a junior next season, and incoming recruit Cameron Johnson (Fargo/USHL) will compete with Matt Hrynkiw for backup duties while Johnson adjusts to the college game. Fans should also remember that Hrynkiw was named Canada’s 2012-13 national Junior A Goaltender of the Year and SJHL Goaltender of the Year after going 27-11-2 and leading the league in goals against average (1.83), save percentage (.939) and shutouts (six).

North Dakota will lose goaltender Clarke Saunders to graduation, but the transfer from Alabama-Huntsville struggled in his senior season (5-4-0, 3.22 GAA, .905 SV%) after posting much better numbers at UND in 2012-13 (13-9-4, 2.30 GAA, .917 SV%, 3 SO). Even though Saunders lost the starting job to Zane Gothberg, he was a more than capable backup, a great teammate, and an insurance policy for the coaching staff.

The only early departure risks that I see with this group are sophomore forward Rocco Grimaldi (17-22-39 in 42 games played this season) and sophomore defenseman Jordan Schmaltz (6-18-24 in 41 games). I would put both at under a ten percent chance of leaving before next season, as both would definitely benefit from another year at the college level.

North Dakota should be considered one of the top five teams in the country going into next year, along with Boston College, Miami, Michigan and Minnesota. Regardless of last night’s bitter loss, the University of North Dakota hockey program has quite a bit to be proud of and even more to look forward to. Keeping in mind that UND is hosting the NCAA West Regional next season (at Scheels Arena in Fargo, North Dakota), it would not surprise me one bit to see the Green and White in Boston, Massachusetts for the 2015 Frozen Four.

Click here for the inside scoop on North Dakota’s incoming freshmen for 2014-15.

As always, thank you for reading. I encourage you to leave your comments below and follow me on Twitter (@DBergerHockey) for more information and analysis.

In the past ten days, we’ve had plenty of time to discuss the Minnesota/North Dakota rivalry, the history of the two schools, and the 283 games played up until this point. I’ve written countless articles, kept tabs on what fans on both sides are saying in fan forums and on Twitter, and took part in a phone interview with the Associated Press for an article which appeared in the New York Times.

I’ve discussed how I’m pleased that the two schools have reached a schedule agreement and will resume the rivalry three seasons from now. North Dakota will head to Mariucci Arena during the 2016-17 season, and the Gophers will return the favor the following year (dates for each series have not been announced).

I’ve written about the twelve titles that the two teams have earned and how, for both programs, the future may be even brighter than the present. I’ve been asked countless times about the teams, the coaches, the players, and my predictions for the 2014 Frozen Four in Philadelphia.

And after all of that, it’s time to focus on tonight’s game.

Minnesota has been on top of the college hockey world for the entire season. The Gophers have won 27 games this year (against just six losses) and steamrolled through the first season of the Big Ten with a 14-3-3 record. The U of M is back in the Frozen Four for the fifth time in Don Lucia’s fifteen seasons behind the Gopher bench.

As I said in my article about the Gophers’ young roster, Minnesota has just four senior skaters – forwards Nate Condon and Tom Serratore, and defensemen Justin Holl and Jake Parenteau. The quartet has appeared in a combined 138 games this season, potting 12 goals and collecting 34 assists. It’s really been the other three classes that have made this team go. The six juniors have scored 53 goals in 2013-14, and, remarkably, the eight freshmen have potted 56.

Minnesota sophomore netminder Adam Wilcox has been even better this season than last. It is astonishing that the Hobey Baker finalist already has 50 wins to his credit (with seven shutouts). Incidentally, Michigan’s Marty Turco (1995-98) holds the record for career goaltending victories with 127.

The end of the regular season had its share of hiccups for Don Lucia’s group. The Gophers went just 6-4-1 down the stretch, losing to Ohio State in their first ever Big Ten tournament game. The Maroon and Gold rebounded in the West Regional (St. Paul, MN), throttling Robert Morris 7-3 and St. Cloud State 4-0.

Many people are saying that the Gophers’ most recent game was their most complete, well-played game of the season. If there was any program that wanted to get right back to playing, it would be Minnesota. It will be interesting to see whether the extended layoff has any effect on the team’s performance in Philadelphia.

North Dakota’s second-half surge has been well documented, but there are some underlying reasons why things turned around last December. Junior forwards Mark MacMillan and Brendan O’Donnell missed a combined eleven games due to injury, and their return has solidified the lineup. UND routinely plays three freshman defensemen (Troy Stecher, Paul LaDue, and a platoon of Gage Ausmus/Keaton Thompson), and those rookie blueliners have come a long way since the beginning of the year. And sophomore Zane Gothberg has solidified the goaltending situation after splitting time with senior Clarke Saunders in October and November. Saunders did step in for five games while his teammate was battling back from injury, but it’s been Gothberg’s crease since then.

Dave Hakstol has his team back in the Frozen Four for the sixth time in his ten seasons behind the UND bench. North Dakota played a couple of tight contests at the Midwest Regional (Cincinnati, OH), toppling former WCHA foe Wisconsin 5-2 with two empty net goals before finding a way to win against Ferris State. The Bulldogs outshot UND 26-8 over a forty minute stretch before Conner Gaarder netted the game winner in the second overtime session. The aforementioned Gothberg, who hails from Thief River Falls, Minnesota (hometown of Ralph Engelstad) stopped 44 of 45 shots in the 2-1 victory.

One question mark for tonight is how the game will be officiated. I don’t think UND wants to play a game with six power plays on each side. As always, goaltending will be huge, and both Wilcox and Gothberg have the ability to take over a game. And a final point is how the fans will support one team or the other. I’m not talking about how many Minnesota or North Dakota fans will be there. I’m wondering if fans of Boston College and Union (who play in Thursday’s first semifinal) will embrace the underdog and get behind the Green and White.

The winner of this matchup will move on to Saturday’s championship game to face either the Boston College Eagles or the Union Dutchmen. I’ve written a full preview of that matchup as well.

Minnesota Team Profile

Head Coach: Don Lucia (15th season at Minnesota, 371-188-65, .647)

National Ranking: #1
This Season: 27-6-6 overall, 14-3-3 Big Ten (1st)
Last Season: 26-9-5 overall (NCAA West Regional semifinalist), 16-7-5 WCHA (t-1st)

Team Offense: 3.51 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.00 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 20.2% (34 of 168)
Penalty Kill: 82.9% (107 of 129)

Key Players: Junior F Kyle Rau (14-23-37), Junior F Sam Warning (12-20-32), Junior F Travis Boyd (9-22-31), Freshman F Justin Kloos (15-15-30), Freshman F Hudson Fasching (13-16-29), Sophomore D Mike Reilly (9-23-32), Sophomore D Brady Skjei (6-7-13), Sophomore G Adam Wilcox (25-5-6, 1.89 GAA, .934 SV%, 4 SO)

North Dakota Team Profile

Head Coach: Dave Hakstol (10th season at UND, 260-132-40, .648)

National Ranking: #5
This Season: 25-13-3 overall, 15-9-0-0 NCHC (2nd)
Last Season: 22-13-7 overall (NCAA West Regional finalist), 14-7-7 WCHA (3rd)

Team Offense: 3.07 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.44 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 17.4% (32 of 184)
Penalty Kill: 83.3% (145 of 174)

Key Players: Sophomore F Rocco Grimaldi (17-22-39), Sophomore F Michael Parks (12-18-30), Junior F Mark MacMillan (10-16-26), Sophomore F Drake Caggiula (11-13-24), Freshman F Luke Johnson (8-13-21), Senior D Dillon Simpson (7-15-22), Sophomore D Jordan Schmaltz (6-17-23), Sophomore G Zane Gothberg (20-9-3, 1.99 GAA, .926 SV%, 3 SO)

By The Numbers

Last meeting: January 19, 2013 (Minneapolis, MN). North Dakota twice saw two-goal leads vanish at Mariucci Arena in the last meeting between the two teams as WCHA foes, a 4-4 tie. Nick Bjugstad and Nate Condon scored third period goals for the Gophers to send the game to overtime, and the teams combined for just one shot on net in the extra frame. Zane Gothberg made 31 saves for UND, while Adam Wilcox turned aside 22 shots.

Last meeting in the NCAA tournament: March 25, 2012 (St. Paul, MN). The Gophers got multi-point efforts from Travis Boyd, Zach Budish, and Nate Condon in a 5-2 win over North Dakota in the West Region final at Xcel Energy Center. Minnesota somewhat atoned for the “timeout game” in the WCHA Final Five one week earlier, when the Fighting Sioux spotted the Maroon and Gold three goals before exploding for six of their own. The Gophers advanced to the Frozen Four, suffering a 6-1 defeat at the hands of Boston College in the national semifinals.

Most important meeting: March 24, 1979 (Detroit, MI). North Dakota and Minnesota met to decide the national championship, and the Gophers prevailed, 4-3. Neal Broten scored the game-winning goal for the U of M, and Steve Janaszak was named the Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

All-time: Minnesota leads the all-time series by a slim margin, 138-130-15 (.514). Each team has won eight of the sixteen meetings on neutral ice. The teams first met in 1948.

All-time in the NCAA playoffs: The teams have split their previous four meetings in the national tournament. Minnesota won the 1979 title with a 4-3 victory over North Dakota, and also took down UND 5-2 in the 2012 West Region final. Dave Hakstol has defeated the Gophers twice in NCAA play. Chris Porter’s wraparound goal in overtime sent the Fighting Sioux to the 2007 Frozen Four with a 3-2 victory in the West Region final, and the Green and White also got the better of Minnesota in the 2005 Frozen Four semfinal. Erik Fabian and Travis Zajac each scored twice in North Dakota’s 4-2 win.

Last ten: The Gophers have gone 6-3-1 in the last ten meetings between the schools, outscoring UND 33-25 in those games.

Game News and Notes

Dave Hakstol is 17-14-4 against Minnesota in his head coaching career. The Gophers are 19-0-2 when leading after one period of play but just 3-4-2 when trailing after the opening twenty minutes. North Dakota is 8-3-0 in one goal games this season. In an effort to alleviate parking concerns, Minnesota fans are asked to park in Pittsburgh and walk to the Wells Fargo Center.

The Prediction

UND seems to have embraced the underdog role in this year’s Frozen Four. If head coach Dave Hakstol can get the boys playing fast and loose, they could be a handful for the Gophers. I don’t see much scoring early, as both squads feel each other out and try to avoid mistakes and turnovers. I feel more excited than nervous about this one, and that’s always a good sign. I’ll take the Green and White in a close one. North Dakota 3, Minnesota 2

Union College has been one of the most successful hockey programs in the country over the past four years. The Dutchmen have made the NCAA tournament all four seasons, won three of the past four ECAC regular season championships, and claimed the past three ECAC playoff titles. From 2010-14, Union teams have collected 104 victories and find themselves in their second Frozen Four in three years.

Remarkably, Union has not lost a game since back-to-back 2-1 losses vs. Rensselaer and at St. Lawrence on January 25th and January 31st. Since that time, the Dutchmen have gone 14-0-1, outscoring opponents 62-25 (an average margin of 4.13-1.67). In eleven of those fifteen games, UC has scored four or more goals.

Overall, the ECAC is far different than the conference that was much-maligned for more than a decade as an easy out in the NCAAs. League members Colgate, Cornell, Quinnipiac, RPI, and Yale have combined with Union to go 14-8 in the tournament over the past four seasons, with four Frozen Four appearances and a national championship (Yale, 2013).

By comparison, in the four years before that (2007-10), five ECAC schools (Clarkson, Cornell, Princeton, St. Lawrence, and Yale) had a combined NCAA tournament record of 3-9 with zero Frozen Four appearances. Because of those performances, some had taken to calling the league the “EZAC”, as in “easy victory”. But that is definitely no longer the case.

For further evidence of this shift, “exhibit A” is last season’s NCAA tournament game between Union and Boston College, the first-ever meeting between the two programs. The Dutchmen throttled BC 5-1 in a game that was basically over after Union scored two goals in the first 64 seconds of the middle frame to take a commanding 3-0 lead.

And there are many who think that this year’s version of the Dutchmen is better, deeper, and more experienced than last year’s team.

(Incidentally, if you want a closer look at how Rick Bennett and his boys dismantled Jerry York’s squad, Joseph Gravellese of BC Interruption does a great job of breaking it down here.)

Union plays a tough, in-your-face brand of hockey all over the ice that takes away time and space. It’s the same style that Notre Dame employed against Boston College in winning three of four March games between the teams. The Irish continually frustrated the Eagles, outscoring BC 13-5 in the three victories and holding Johnny Gaudreau (the presumptive Hobey Baker winner) to just one goal and one assist in those three games combined.

To be fair, Gaudreau scored two goals and added one assist in the Eagles’ 4-2 victory over Notre Dame, but “Johnny Hockey” was held off the scoresheet in the third and decisive game of the Hockey East quarterfinals.

And it’s my opinion that Union does a better job of playing that gritty style of hockey than Notre Dame does, led by junior Shayne Gostisbehere (a Hobey Baker finalist) and senior Mat Bodie on the blue line.

Boston College’s playoff success is well documented. The Eagles have made the tournament in fifteen of the past seventeen seasons (missing the NCAAs in 2002 and 2009), advancing to the Frozen Four eleven times and winning national titles in 2001, 2008, 2010, and 2012. And yes, this year is 2014. That seems to be on Jerry York’s side.

The other thing going for BC is the best line in college hockey. Johnny Gaudreau and Kevin Hayes are both Hobey Baker finalists, and linemate Bill Arnold is also an accomplished player (143 points in 158 career games). The three haven’t been skating together all season, but they boast combined stats of 76 goals and 116 assists (192 points) in 117 games played this year. To put that in perspective, the top three point getters from outside of Chestnut Hill this year are:

Greg Carey, senior forward, St. Lawrence: 18 goals, 39 assists (57 points) in 38 games
Cody Wydo, junior forward, Robert Morris: 31 goals, 23 assists (54 points) in 42 games
Brent Gensler, senior forward, Bentley: 21 goals, 32 assists (53 points) in 37 games

Carey, Wydo, and Gensler combined for 70 goals and 94 assists (164 points) in their 117 games, and they play on different teams. The three Eagle teammates outscored the three other top scorers in the nation by 28 points this year. That’s astounding.

There are two other factors that make this game interesting…

In last season’s NCAA tournament matchup between the Dutchmen and the Eagles, Union won the special teams battle decisively. UC converted three of seven power play opportunities, killed all seven BC power plays, and scored two four-on-four goals early in the second period to put the game out of reach. Boston College has the advantage on paper this season (combined power play and penalty killing percentages of 114.5%, compared to 104.6% for Union), but the Eagles have had 166 shorthanded situations and 137 power plays this year, while the Dutchmen have been called upon to kill just 135 penalties and have been awarded the man advantage 162 times.

A second area of the game that bears a closer look is goaltending. Boston College rookie Thatcher Demko is facing off against an experienced netminder in Union’s Colin Stevens. Stevens already has twelve career shutouts (in 56 games played), while Demko has but two in 23 games this season. However, Stevens did not appear in an NCAA tournament game over his first two seasons (that honor went to goalie Troy Grosenick, now with the Worcester Sharks of the AHL), and so the two goaltenders are even on the playoff side of the ledger.

The winner of this contest will face off against either Minnesota or North Dakota on Saturday night for the 2014 NCAA ice hockey championship. For a full preview of the UND/Minnesota matchup, click here.

Boston College Team Profile

Head Coach: Jerry York (20th season at BC, 496-241-68, .658)
National Ranking: #3
This Season: 28-7-4 overall, 16-2-2 Hockey East (1st)
Last Season: 22-12-4 overall (NCAA East Regional finalist), 15-9-3 Hockey East (2nd)

Team Offense: 4.10 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.28 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 24.1% (33 of 137)
Penalty Kill: 90.4% (150 of 166)

Key Players: Junior F Johnny Gaudreau (35-42-77), Senior F Kevin Hayes (27-36-63), Senior F Bill Arnold (14-38-52), Senior F Patrick Brown (14-15-29), Sophomore D Michael Matheson (3-17-20), Freshman D Ian McCoshen (5-8-13), Freshman G Thatcher Demko (16-4-3, 2.16 GAA, .920 SV%, 2 SO)

Union College Team Profile

Head Coach: Rick Bennett (3rd season at UC, 78-27-16 .711)
National Ranking: #2
This Season: 30-6-4, 18-3-1 ECAC (1st)
Last Season: 22-13-5 overall (NCAA East Regional finalist), 10-8-4 ECAC (4th)

Team Offense: 3.70 goals scored/game
Team Defense: 2.05 goals allowed/game
Power Play: 21.6% (35 of 162)
Penalty Kill: 83.0% (112 of 135)

Key Players: Senior F Daniel Carr (22-26-48), Junior F Daniel Ciampini (19-17-36), Senior F Kevin Sullivan (8-27-35), Junior F Max Novak (14-15-29), Senior D Mat Bodie (6-29-35), Junior D Shayne Gostisbehere (8-21-29), Junior G Colin Stevens (26-4-2, 1.93 GAA, .932 SV%, 6 SO)

By The Numbers

Last meeting: March 30, 2013 (Providence, RI). The Dutchmen blitzed Boston College with three second period goals, including two back-breaking 4 on 4 tallies in the first 64 seconds of action, as Union dismantled the Eagles 5-1. Boston College got a late goal by (who else) Johnny Gaudreau, but gave up three power play goals on seven opportunities and were held scoreless on all seven of their man advantage situations. Union would lose 5-1 to Quinnipiac in the regional final the following day.

Most important meeting: Since the Eagles and Dutchmen have never met in the Frozen Four (and have only faced each other once before), I will call Thursday’s national semifinal the most important meeting between the squads.

Game News and Notes

Boston College is undefeated this season when leading after the first period (18-0-2). The Dutchmen have lost only three times away from their home rink (Achilles Center) all season (17-3-3). These two teams were both participants in the 2012 Frozen Four (Tampa, FL). Union lost 3-1 to Ferris State in the semifinals, while Boston College took home its fifth national title with victories over Minnesota (6-1) and Ferris State (4-1). Eagles head coach Jerry York has 963 career coaching victories (including 496 in twenty seasons at BC), while Rick Bennett has collected 78 victories in his first three years at Union.

The Prediction

This game will be much tighter than last year’s affair (a 5-1 Union victory). I’ve got a feeling that the Dutchmen can contain the high-flying Eagles, but if BC’s power play starts to click, anything can happen. I see it as another victory for the ECAC, but it’s close, with an empty-netter at the end. Union 4, Boston College 2

Now that North Dakota and Minnesota’s most recent titles are more than a decade old, Thursday’s matchup takes on new meaning. If the Gophers beat UND and go on to win the 2014 NCAA title, fans of that program would claim three championships (2002, 2003, 2014) since the last time the Green and White were on top of the college hockey world (1997, 2000).

On the other hand, if Dave Hakstol can get the monkey off his back and win North Dakota’s eighth national championship overall, it would put more distance between these border rivals, since everyone knows that 8 > 5 is greater than 7 > 5.

One thing is for certain – Thursday’s losing side will have a difficult time cheering for the winner in Saturday’s final, since neither fan base wants to give any ground to the other in the battle for bragging rights. It would be one thing to watch Boston College win another title or watch Union win its first, since there aren’t many supporters of those programs in the upper Midwest. It’s yet another for fans to watch their fiercest rival hoist the trophy that they so desperately wanted their team to win, particularly when that trophy will be proudly displayed and used as ammunition in the bragging rights battle for the next decade and beyond.

Here’s a look back at how North Dakota and Minnesota collected their twelve combined NCAA titles:

1959 – North Dakota’s 1st NCAA title (head coach Barry Thorndycraft):

North Dakota 4, St. Lawrence 3 in OT (Troy, NY)
North Dakota 4, Michigan State 3 in OT (Troy, NY)

Incidentally, Boston College beat St. Lawrence 7-6 in double overtime for third place. UND’s Reg Morelli was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

1963 – North Dakota’s 2nd NCAA title (head coach Barry Thorndycraft)

North Dakota 8, Boston College 2 (Chestnut Hill, MA)
North Dakota 6, Denver 5 (Chestnut Hill, MA)

UND’s Al McLean was chosen as Most Outstanding Player of the tournament. Boston College lost the third place game to Clarkson, 5-3, going 0-2 on home ice.

1974 – Minnesota’s 1st NCAA title (head coach Herb Brooks):

Minnesota 5, Boston University 4 (Boston, MA)
Minnesota 4, Michigan Tech 2 (Boston, MA)

The games were played at the Boston Garden. U of M goaltender Brad Shelstad was the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.

1976 – Minnesota’s 2nd NCAA title (head coach Herb Brooks):

Minnesota 4, Boston University 2 (Denver, CO)
Minnesota 6, Michigan Tech 4 (Denver, CO)

Michigan Tech went to double overtime to defeat Brown 7-6 in the semifinals. Minnesota’s Tom Vannelli was named the Most Outstanding Player.

1979 – Minnesota’s 3rd NCAA title (head coach Herb Brooks):

Minnesota 6, Bowling Green 3
Minnesota 4, New Hampshire 3 (Detroit, MI)
Minnesota 4, North Dakota 3 (Detroit, MI)

Golden Gopher Steve Janaszakwas named Most Outstanding Player, but most fans on both sides of the rivalry will remember Neal Broten‘s game winning goal over North Dakota in the title game.

1980 – North Dakota’s 3rd NCAA title (head coach Gino Gasparini):

North Dakota 4, Dartmouth 1 (Providence, RI)
North Dakota 5, Northern Michigan 2 (Providence, RI)

UND fans were hoping for a rematch, but Minnesota fell to Northern Michigan 4-3 in the NCAA quarterfinals. North Dakota’s Doug Smail was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

1982 – North Dakota’s 4th NCAA title (head coach Gino Gasparini):

North Dakota 5, Clarkson 1; North Dakota 2, Clarkson 1 (UND wins total goals, 7-2)
North Dakota 6, Northeastern 2 (Providence, RI)
North Dakota 5, Wisconsin 2 (Providence, RI)

Wisconsin had outscored opponents 15-7 heading into the championship game. Fighting Sioux forward Phil Sykes was tabbed as the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player.

1987 – North Dakota’s 5th NCAA title (head coach Gino Gasparini):

North Dakota 3, St. Lawrence 1; North Dakota 6, St. Lawrence 3 (UND wins totals, 9-4)
North Dakota 5, Harvard 2 (Detroit, MI)
North Dakota 5, Michigan State 3 (Detroit, MI)

Minnesota fell 5-3 to Michigan State in the semifinals. As predicted, Tony Hrkac was named Most Outstanding Player one day after winning UND’s first Hobey Baker award.

1997 – North Dakota’s 6th NCAA title (head coach Dean Blais):

North Dakota 6, Cornell 2 (Grand Rapids, MI)
North Dakota 6, Colorado College 2 (Milwaukee, WI)
North Dakota 6, Boston University 4 (Milwaukee, WI)

Minnesota fell to juggernaut Michigan 7-4 in the West Regional. The Wolverines, who had lost only three games all season, were upended 3-2 by Boston University at the Frozen Four. UND’s Matt Henderson was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

2000 – North Dakota’s 7th NCAA title (head coach Dean Blais):

North Dakota 4, Niagara 1 (Minneapolis, MN)
North Dakota 2, Maine 0 (Providence, RI)
North Dakota 4, Boston College 2 (Providence, RI)

Boston College knocked off top-seeded Wisconsin in the West Regional to advance to the Frozen Four. Lee “Scorin’” Goren was named the tourney’s Most Outstanding Player.

2002 – Minnesota’s 4th NCAA title (head coach Don Lucia):

Minnesota 4, Colorado College 2 (Ann Arbor, MI)
Minnesota 3, Michigan 2 (St. Paul, MN)
Minnesota 4, Maine 3 in OT (St. Paul, MN)

It took overtime, but the Gophers erased 22 years of frustration with one goal. Grant Potulny, the tournament’s Most Outstanding Player, scored the overtime winner after Minnesota needed an extra-attacker goal late in the third period to force the extra session.

2003 – Minnesota’s 5th NCAA title (head coach Don Lucia):

Minnesota 9, Mercyhurst 2 (Minneapolis, MN)
Minnesota 7, Ferris State 4 (Minneapolis, MN)
Minnesota 3, Michigan 2 in OT (Buffalo, NY)
Minnesota 5, New Hampshire 1 (Buffalo, NY)

The Golden Gophers became the first team to go back-to-back since Boston University (1971, 1972). Minnesota’s Thomas Vanek was named Most Outstanding Player of the tournament.

Both programs desperately want to add another championship to their storied history, but just one of these teams will have a shot at another NCAA title on Saturday night. The losing team will be left hoping that their rival doesn’t hang another banner in the ultimate battle for bragging rights.

North Dakota and Minnesota will face off this Thursday evening, April 10th in the NCAA semifinals (Philadelphia, PA). The winner will move on to face either Boston College or Union College for the 2014 NCAA national championship, while the losing side will be left wondering what might have been.

But for both squads, the future is just as bright as this present moment.

Minnesota has four senior skaters – forwards Nate Condon and Tom Serratore, and defensemen Justin Holl and Jake Parenteau. The quartet has appeared in a combined 138 games this season, potting 12 goals and collecting 34 assists for an average of exactly one point every three games (.3333).

And here’s how the other classes compare at Minnesota:

Juniors (5 forwards, 1 defenseman): 53 goals and 92 assists in 210 games (.6905 points/game)

Sophomores (2 forwards, 2 defensemen): 16 goals and 32 assists in 96 games (exactly .5 points/game)

Freshmen (6 forwards, 2 defensemen): 56 goals and 73 assists in 258 games (exactly .5 points/game)

In my opinion, the only big graduation loss for Don Lucia’s squad will be captain Nate Condon. The senior forward from Wausau, Wisconsin is a member of the U of M Century Club with over 100 career points (40g-62a in 157 career games). Minnesota will miss his production and leadership next season.

Fourth-year defensemen Justin Holl and Jake Parenteau have been steady defensively but have not chipped in on the offensive end (0 goals and 15 assists in 66 combined games this year). Likewise, senior forward Tom Serratore has registered exactly one point in the past four months and has 22 career points in 138 games.

Sophomore netminder Adam Wilcox appeared in 36 games for the Gophers this season with a record of 25-5-6. For the season, he sports a 1.89 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage with four shutouts. Goaltender Nick Lehr (Austin Bruins/NAHL) is expected to join the Maroon and Gold for next season, but Wilcox will be the man between the pipes for the next couple of seasons.

North Dakota’s three senior skaters (Mitch MacMillan, Derek Rodwell, and Dillon Simpson) have appeared in 92 games this season, scoring 13 goals and adding 22 assists for a scoring average of .3804 points per game.

At North Dakota, the other three classes have been carrying the load:

Juniors (6 forwards, 1 defenseman): 52 goals and 84 assists in 282 games (.4823 points/game)

Sophomores (4 forwards, 1 defenseman): 38 goals and 58 assists in 161 games (.5963 points/game)

Freshmen (3 forwards, 4 defensemen): 23 goals and 48 assists in 203 games (.3498 points/game)

There are two key points to consider on North Dakota’s roster. UND would not be where they are this season without contributions from their four freshmen on the blue line. Paul LaDue (40 games played, 6g-15a) and Troy Stecher (41 games, 2g-9a) have been absolute warriors, while fellow rookie defensemen Keaton Thompson (25 games, 3g-5a) and Gage Ausmus (21 games, 2g-1a) have been rotated in effectively as the sixth D.

And Dave Hakstol’s crew appears to have the goaltending picture solidified for the foreseeable future. Zane Gothberg (20-9-3, 1.99 GAA, .926 SV%, 3 SO) is just a sophomore, and incoming recruit Cameron Johnson (Fargo/USHL) will compete with Matt Hrynkiw for backup duties while Johnson adjusts to the college game.

The only early departure risks that I see with this group are sophomore forward Rocco Grimaldi (17-22-39 in 41 games played) and sophomore defenseman Jordan Schmaltz (6-17-23 in 40 games played). I would put both at under a ten percent chance of leaving before next season, as both would definitely benefit from another year at the college level.

As for the senior class, forward Mitch MacMillan has only appeared in nine games since December 7th, registering one goal and one assist. He isn’t expected to be in the lineup at the Frozen Four.

Forward Derek Rodwell brings size and grit to the ice, and his effort has earned him a spot in the lineup every night. Even so, it won’t be difficult to replace his offensive production – he’s scored 13 goals and added 11 assists in 122 career games.

North Dakota will also lose goaltender Clarke Saunders to graduation, but the transfer from Alabama-Huntsville has struggled this season (5-4-0, 3.22 GAA, .905 SV%) after posting much better numbers at UND in 2012-13 (13-9-4, 2.30 GAA, .917 SV%, 3 SO). Even though Saunders has lost the starting job to Zane Gothberg, he has been more than a capable backup, a great teammate, and an insurance policy for the coaching staff.

The key graduation loss for this team will be defenseman Dillon Simpson. The senior captain has appeared in 155 games in the North Dakota sweater, potting 16 goals and notching 58 assists. He leads the nation in blocked shots (107 in 41 games) and was recently named to the All-College Hockey News first team. It will be interesting to see which defenseman will be paired with Jordan Schmaltz next season, provided Schmaltz doesn’t leave early.

North Dakota and Minnesota should be considered two of the top four teams in the country going into next season (along with Boston College and Miami). Regardless of the outcome of Thursday’s national semifinal, both programs have quite a bit to be proud of and even more to look forward to. Keeping in mind that UND is hosting the West Regional next season (at Scheels Arena in Fargo, ND), it would not surprise me one bit to see the Green and White in Boston, Massachusetts for the 2015 Frozen Four. And with as much talent as the Gophers stand to bring back, I fully expect the Maroon and Gold to be there as well.

With four days until the puck drops in Philadelphia, I thought I would weigh in on a few topics of interest regarding the last four teams standing in the 2013-14 college hockey season:

Number one:

It is interesting that in the first year of conference re-alignment, four different conferences are represented in the Frozen Four, including the two brand new leagues. The Big Ten and the National Collegiate Hockey Conference are made up of teams in the same geographical footprint – Colorado, Michigan, Minnesota, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin – and each conference is looking to claim superiority since all of the teams represented compete for many of the same recruits. In just the same way as we used to compare the WCHA to the CCHA and Hockey East, we’ll be comparing national titles between the Big Ten and the NCHC, and that starts with Thursday’s tilt between Minnesota and North Dakota.

Number two:

It comes as no surprise that all four teams in the Frozen Four were represented on College Hockey News’ All-Star teams for 2013-14. The Frozen Four participants named to the All-CHN teams are:

Boston College: Junior F Johnny Gaudreau (1st team), Senior F Kevin Hayes (1st team)

Minnesota: Sophomore G Adam Wilcox (1st team), Sophomore D Mike Reilly (2nd team)

North Dakota: Senior D Dillon Simpson (1st team)

Union: Junior D Shayne Gostisbehere (1st team), Senior F Daniel Carr (2nd team)

Three players named to the Hobey Baker top ten were left off of the CHN list. Two junior goaltenders, Ferris State’s C.J. Motte and Wisconsin’s Joel Rumpel, were passed over in favor of UMass-Lowell’s sophomore netminder Connor Hellebuyck (one of my Hobey top ten choices). Ohio State junior forward Ryan Dzingel was not named to either all-star team, as the aforementioned Daniel Carr was tabbed instead.

It is also interesting to note that the big four conferences (Big Ten, ECAC, Hockey East, and the NCHC) each had three players named. Atlantic Hockey and the new-look WCHA were blanked on this year’s teams.

Number three:

There has been so much attention paid to the Minnesota/North Dakota tilt on Thursday that I think many people are overlooking how great the Boston College/Union matchup is. Union is the only school in the nation with thirty wins (30-6-4), and the Dutchmen, who won both the ECAC regular season and playoff titles, are ranked #1 in the country for a reason. Boston College has Johnny Gaudreau and Kevin Hayes, but Union is scoring 3.70 goals per game (compared to 4.10 for BC), and junior netminder Colin Stevens has six shutouts on the season and a goals-against average of 1.93. Check back on Wednesday for a complete preview of Thursday’s first semifinal.

Number four:

And speaking of North Dakota and Minnesota, the New York Times has a great article called “In Frozen Four, a Rivalry Interrupted Is Rekindled“. Some great quotes from former and current players, coaches, and some guy named Dave Berger. I encourage you to follow the link and check it out.

As North Dakota worked its way through the NCAA Midwest Regional last weekend, UND fans around the world paid attention. Some traveled to U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, many watched the games on ESPNU, and still others followed the results via live chat, fan forums, and social media.

It quickly became apparent that many of those fans keeping track of the boys from Grand Forks had worn the green and white themselves.

I’m not suggesting that this phenomenon of former players taking pride in their alma mater is unique, but the level of involvement and connection seems like something special.

Within minutes of Conner Gaarder’s double overtime game winner over Ferris State, T.J. Oshie (UND 2005-08) sent this tweet to the team:

TJ Oshie ‏@OSH74 • Mar 29
Congrats to the @UNDMHockey on their win tonight! Good luck in the #FrozenFour boyyyyys!!! #Sioux #RollTribe

Joe Gleason (UND 2009-13) was following the regional final with former teammates Derek Forbort (UND 2010-13) and Andrew MacWilliam (UND 2009-13). In a moment of Edina pride, Gleason assured the others (follow this link for a screenshot) that Gaarder, a former Hornet himself, would come through in the clutch.

Gleason has split time this season between the Rockford IceHogs (AHL) and the Toledo Walleye (ECHL), and I asked him why it was important for him to keep up with North Dakota hockey. Here’s what he told me:

@DBergerHockey we care more about that program than anything else. We talk every weekend but never about each other, just how the Sioux did. My mom doesn’t even watch my games anymore, she watches North Dakota and emails with my classmates’ parents!

Former Hobey Baker winner Ryan Duncan (UND 2005-09) is over in Germany, playing for Munich EHC after two stints with Salzburg EC (Austria) and a season with the Portland Pirates of the American Hockey League. In response to my request for a quote, he tweeted:

@DBergerHockey I check Brad Schlossman’s blog every day, watch highlights of every game. Stayed up till 5am in Europe this past weekend. watching the games while texting with former teammates. I’m a fan. Can’t get enough of Sioux hockey

I didn’t give him a hard time for reading Schlossman’s blog and not mine.

It’s interesting to note that not only is social media allowing former players to stay connected to UND and to each other, it also allowed me to check in with them and write this story.

It probably comes as no surprise that players from every generation continue to follow the University of North Dakota hockey program. Jeff Ulmer, who played for Dean Blais from 1995-1999 and has fashioned himself a fifteen year professional hockey career, had some unique perspective and sees some similarities between UND’s 1997 championship team and this year’s squad:

Congrats @UNDMHockey ! We weren’t given the easy route in ’97 either. Plenty of proud alumni behind you guys. #SiouxProud #FrozenFour

I caught up with Mitch Vig (UND 1994-98) the old fashioned way – by telephone. He was gracious enough to answer a few questions and visit about following the team. We talked about how things were so different when he signed. Twenty years ago, information was hard to come by. The former captain said, “I was down in Dubuque when I signed with the team, and we could find some stuff on the internet, but not like it is now. Once in a while I’d look at the Minneapolis paper and see what the WCHA teams were doing.”

And now that his hockey career is over, he says, things are different. “With all of the apps and the advent of social media, there are so many more sources of information. I get a lot of my news from Twitter and the College Hockey app right on my phone. Whenever I want to know, I can pull something right up.”

When talking about what it means to be a part of the University of North Dakota hockey program, Mitch Vig spoke about how the current team’s success is meaningful for him. “I always feel a large sense of pride. It’s not a unique situation, but there’s something special at North Dakota. You feel like part of a program, the fans, the guys, you’re part of a family and part of a program. You still, with social media and everything else, you feel a connection to some of the current players even though you don’t really know them. They’re a part of the family and a part of the program, too.”

I asked him what he thought another national title would mean for UND. He said, “It would mean a ton to get that eighth one. You don’t try to compare yourself to other schools, but that’s one way that people talk about teams, they measure them by national championships. We’re already one of the premiere programs, and getting closer to Michigan’s nine (titles) and putting one more up on all the other schools is very important.”

We talked about how, with the schools changing leagues, there wasn’t supposed to be a “Sioux/Gopher” game this season. He remarked, “I’m excited to watch how it all plays out. With the conference realignment, the first year that UND and Minnesota weren’t scheduled to play, that this is how it all worked out, that these two teams with this great rivalry get to meet with a chance to go to the national title game.”

At the end, I asked Mitch Vig whether he would be in Philadelphia for the Frozen Four, and he was still trying to get everything worked out. He told his friend that if they go, he might need some help learning what to do as a fan. Vig said, “I’ve been to one of these, but not in the stands, so I need to get filled in.”

It looks to me like Mitch Vig, like so many other former Sioux greats, already has it figured out. They have become such an important part of a fan base that makes the North Dakota family unique in college hockey.

Which team do you consider North Dakota’s biggest rival?

I have Minnesota at the top of my list, along with Boston College, Denver, Michigan, and Wisconsin.

And what makes some rivalries so intense? For some of the above-mentioned schools, it’s conference affiliation. Wisconsin joined the WCHA in 1969 and was a part of some of the most intense extra-curricular activities in UND hockey history – the pre-game brawl, the water bottle incident, and the line brawl in Madison.

Denver and UND have been in the same conference since 1951, and the two schools have been battling it out for league titles ever since (DU has 11, North Dakota, 15). Minnesota could make that same claim up until last season, but the Gophers bolted for the Big Ten (along with UW), creating a scheduling void that few wanted to see (but more on that later). For the Pioneers, the Badgers, the Gophers, and the team formerly known as the Fighting Sioux, familiarity bred contempt.

But why else? Why are Boston College and Michigan on my list? And why has Denver become such a bitter feud while Wisconsin has cooled a bit? It all boils down to tournament time.

Since 1997, UND has met 18 different teams in NCAA tournament action, and of those eighteen, seven have at one time or another ended North Dakota’s season. The Fighting Sioux avenged a loss to Michigan in 1998 with playoff wins in 2006 and 2007, but the Wolverines took out the most talented North Dakota team in recent memory at the 2011 Frozen Four in St. Paul. Denver has had UND’s number, defeating the Sioux in 2004 and 2005, although the boys from Grand Forks got some revenge in 2011.

Ferris State bounced North Dakota from the 2003 tournament, but last weekend’s double overtime regional final in Cincinnati evened the score. Yale twice ended UND’s season (2010 and 2013), and the 2009 overtime loss to New Hampshire was especially heartbreaking, as North Dakota led that game with three seconds remaining in regulation.

The seven tournament games between Boston College and UND (1999, 2000, 2001, and 2005-2008) are well-documented., with the Eagles holding a commanding 5-2 edge in those contests. North Dakota won its seventh national title with a victory over BC in 2000, and Dave Hakstol earned his only postseason victory over Jerry York in the 2005 East Region final (Worcester, MA).

Other teams UND has defeated in the NCAAs during that same span include Cornell (1997), Colorado College (1997, 2001), Boston University (1997, 2005), Niagara (2000, 2013), Maine (2000), Michigan State (2001), Holy Cross (2004, 2006), Princeton (2008), Renssalaer (2011), and Western Michigan (2012). These rivalries are not as intense as the schools listed above, and it is my opinion that it is because these schools have not ended UND’s season on the biggest stage that they are not regarded as such.

In other words, postseason games against Boston College, Denver, and Michigan seem to generate more interest because there is more postseason history, with victories on both sides of the ledger to keep things interesting. Of the others mentioned, Yale and Ferris State have some chance of becoming bigger rivalries down the road, provided the teams continue to meet in the NCAAs.

Up until 2008, Wisconsin and North Dakota had not met in the national tournament since the 1982 title game (a UND victory). The Green and White downed the Badgers in the 2008 regional final (Madison, WI) and in the opening round of this season’s NCAA tournament.

And that leaves us with Minnesota. The 1979 title game between North Dakota and Minnesota, which Minnesota won 4-3, would set off a 25 year span (1980-2004) during which the two schools would not meet in the NCAA tournament. That’s astounding. During that time, Minnesota advanced to the national tournament 20 times (winning titles in 2002 and 2003), and North Dakota advanced to the national tournament 12 times (winning titles in 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997, and 2000), and yet they never played each other.

North Dakota has somewhat atoned for the 1979 title game loss with NCAA victories over Minnesota in 2005 and 2007. The Gophers returned the favor in 2012, bouncing UND from the national tournament with a 5-2 victory in the West Regional final in St. Paul.

Why, for those 25 years, did the two fan bases continue to circle Sioux/Gopher weekend on their calendars? What was it about these two programs that caused every regular season matchup to feel like a playoff game and every WCHA Final Five tilt to feel like the Super Bowl? And that’s saying nothing about my heart rate during overtime of the 2007 West Regional Final or the 2005 Frozen Four Semifinal.

There are a few schools of thought about why the games between UND and Minnesota are so contentious. The teams recruit many of the same players, and some of that spills over onto the ice. Crowds are at fever pitch before the puck is dropped, and to some extent both teams try to live up to what they think the fans want.

Another way to compare rivalries is to list players and coaches from each team under consideration. In other words, I have no doubt that fans of North Dakota hockey can name head coaches Jerry York (Boston College), Red Berenson (Michigan), and Don Lucia (Minnesota). How many other coaches come to mind? Mike Eaves (Wisconsin)? George Gwozdecky of Denver (before he left/was shown the door)?

Which other coaches come to mind? How about former coaches?

The ability to name coaches from years past is definitely a measure of how long a school has been a bitter rival. Without looking, I could name former Minnesota coaches Doug Woog, Brad Beutow, and Herb Brooks. And I’m certain that Gopher fans can easily remember Dean Blais and Gino Gasparini. The more important the rivalry, the more we pay attention.

Think of all of the goaltenders from years past who have stolen victories or let pucks in from 180 feet: Adam Hauser, Steve DeBus, Alex Kangas, Kellen Briggs, Jeff Frazee, and Kent Patterson. Players who have scored big goals against North Dakota in important games: Brian Bonin, Johnny Pohl, Jordan Leopold, Thomas Vanek, Grant and Ryan Potulny, Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler, Jacob Cepis, and Erik Haula.

And it’s important to remember that this works both ways. Fan of the Maroon and Gold still remember which two UND players crushed Kevin Wehrs into the same corner of Ralph Engelstad Arena (Matt Frattin and Brad Malone). Or how much it stung when Zach Parise chose North Dakota. The handshake lines, jersey pulls, more handshake lines, and incredible goals become a part of the story, and each game writes a new chapter.

It’s been interesting to hear both head coaches share thoughts on the rivalry this week. Minnesota head coach Don Lucia has been taking the approach that the trip to the Frozen Four should be the headline, not the opponent. But depending on the day or the audience, his comments also speak to how much both sides have invested in the two teams facing off in Philadelphia.

In this College Hockey News article about the rivalry, Lucia is quoted as saying “I almost had a kind of inkling: once North Dakota won, well, I guess we have to win now,” said Lucia, who oversaw a 7-3 opening-round win Saturday against Robert Morris. “You can’t go a year without playing.”

This after the Gophers coach claimed that the rivalry was unhealthy and too heated.

Hakstol has said continuously that the North Dakota-Minnesota matchup is important for both programs and important for the sport of hockey. In this Star Tribune article about the new schedule agreement, the UND coach had this to say: “This is a rivalry that our fans, alumni and team look forward to renewing. It is one of the most heated in all of college sports.”

The two schools are scheduled to resume the rivalry three seasons from now, with North Dakota heading to Mariucci Arena during the 2016-17 season and the Gophers returning the favor the following year. Dates for each series have not been announced.

It’s important for both sides to put aside pride and personal politics and reach a long-term schedule agreement that has each school traveling to the other at least once every four years. It’s good for the fans, it’s good for each program, and it’s good for the sport.

It’s also good for the players. It is my opinion that every four-year player at North Dakota and Minnesota should have the experience of playing in this rivalry, both home and away. So make it simple: keep the rivalry “on” for two seasons (with each school hosting one season and traveling the other), then “off” for two seasons.

And finally, there is some great content available across the vast interweb to keep you entertained until Thursday evening. The SiouxSports.com thread has some great videos and stories shared by fans on both sides of the rivalry. And Daddy Dump and Chase is counting down his favorite UND/Minnesota hockey memories from now until the puck drops. Both of those are worth a look. And if you’re so inclined, here’s a preview of the UND/Minnesota matchup in the Frozen Four.

What do you think? I’d like to hear your thoughts. Your stories. Your memories of the Sioux/Gopher rivalry. Please leave comments about your favorite games and ones you’d like to forget. It’s your turn. It’s your time. It’s North Dakota and Minnesota, on the ice once again. And we wouldn’t have it any other way.

The distance between Edina, Minnesota and Grand Forks, North Dakota is 317 miles. But for UND junior forward Conner Gaarder, the journey took him much further than that. The trail wasn’t straight, the path wasn’t clear. But Gaarder ended up making his mark on the University of North Dakota hockey program just like so many Edina hockey players before him.

The most famous hockey players from Edina are Bill Nyrop, who won three consecutive Stanley Cups with the Montreal Canadiens (1976-1978); Paul Ranheim, who played for five different NHL clubs over 24 seasons; and Anders Lee, who currently plays for the New York Islanders. Brian Burke, former general manager and executive vice president for the Toronto Maple Leafs, also hails from Edina.

The Edina Hornets have won twelve Minnesota state high school hockey championships: 1969, 1971, 1974E, 1978E, 1979E, 1982, 1984, 1988, 1997, 2010, 2013, and 2014. The “E” designation is used to denote Edina East because, from 1973-1981, there was also an Edina West. After 1981, “West” became the new Edina High School and the old East building was converted to a community center.

Through it all, the hockey teams have been known as the Hornets, with their signature colors of kelly green and white.

Perhaps that’s why, in 1973, Brad Becker became the first Edina native to play at the University of North Dakota. Becker was a four-year letterwinner for the Fighting Sioux (1973-77), appearing in 143 games and collecting 123 points (66 goals, 57 assists). The 5-11, 165 pound former Hornet ended his career as just the ninth member of UND’s Century Club (100 career points), joining former Sioux greats Ben Cherski, Bill Reichart, Jim Cahoun, Earl Anderson, Ken Johansson, James Ridley, Roger Lamoureux, and Reg Morelli. Becker still ranks as one of North Dakota’s top fifty scorers of all time.

While Becker was in Grand Forks, he convinced David Geving and Scott Nieland to join him.

Geving played defense for two seasons at UND, appearing in 77 games. He scored 15 goals and notched 47 assists for 62 points while racking up 90 minutes in penalties. The Edina West product left the program after the 1975-76 season.

Nieland appeared in 32 games during the 1975-76 season, potting two goals and adding ten assists before deciding to transfer to Boston University. He sat out a year before appearing in 67 games over three seasons (1977-80) for the Terriers. Nieland perhaps gave up an opportunity for a national title with the Fighting Sioux by doing so, but he did collect three goals and thirteen assists at BU.

After Becker, Geving, and Nieland left Grand Forks, it would be almost 20 years before another Hornet would make his mark on the North Dakota hockey program. Peter Armbrust, standing identical in height to Brad Becker before him, appeared in 154 games for the Fighting Sioux from 1996 to 2000, winning two national titles (1997, 2000) and helping UND to a remarkable record of 124-32-10 (.777) under head coach Dean Blais. Armbrust, who served as captain of the 1999-2000 championship team, collected 50 points (21 goals, 29 assists) during his four year tenure and is perhaps best remembered for getting a puck past Minnesota’s Steve DeBus in overtime at the 1997 WCHA playoff championship.

Here’s Armbrust talking about his two championships at North Dakota.

During that same time, another Edina native appeared on the roster. Jeff Yurecko spent two years with the program (1999-2001) and collected three points in 29 games while experiencing an NCAA championship victory (2000) and an overtime loss in the title game (2001).

Joe Finley was the next to trade in the kelly green and white of his hometown Hornets for the green and white of North Dakota. The 6-7, 245 pound defenseman left his mark on the UND program in a variety of ways. Finley played in 154 games for the Fighting Sioux from 2005 to 2009 and served as assistant captain for the 2008-09 season. He helped lead North Dakota to four straight NCAA tournaments (three Frozen Fours), a Broadmoor Trophy (2006), and a MacNaughton Cup as a senior in 2008-09. A rugged blueliner, Finley was a +66 for his collegiate career with 303 penalty minutes.

Another Edina defenseman stepped in at North Dakota just as Finley was beginning his pro career. Joe Gleason played for Dave Hakstol from 2009 to 2013, appearing in 143 games and collecting 46 points while amassing 82 minutes in penalties. Gleason also helped UND earn four straight NCAA tournament bids (including one Frozen Four appearance) and a WCHA regular season championship in 2010-11. He was also a part of three straight WCHA Final Five championships (2010-12) and 105 overall victories (against just 48 losses) in his four year stint in Grand Forks.

And that brings us to the current North Dakota hockey roster. Junior Conner Gaarder is the latest Edina native to call Grand Forks home. The 5-10 forward has appeared in 108 games over his first three seasons, lighting the lamp 16 times and adding 21 assists. He scored the biggest goal of UND’s 2013-14 season in double overtime against Ferris State in the NCAA Midwest Regional final, sending North Dakota back to the Frozen Four (Philadelphia, PA).

Here’s the entire double overtime session, including Gaarder’s goal:

Conner Gaarder’s double overtime winner

What is most remarkable about Gaarder’s story is that he never dreamed that he would end up playing for Dave Hakstol. He had every intention of heading off to play Division III hockey, but the UND coaching staff asked him to walk on after another recruit de-committed. Gaarder has earned his way into the lineup and anchors North Dakota’s checking line. He also scored the first two goals in the NCHC third place game against Western Michigan, a game the boys from Grand Forks absolutely had to win in order to make the NCAA tournament.

I enjoyed seeing this Instagram picture of Joe Gleason’s conversation with some former teammates before and after Gaarder scored to send North Dakota to Philly. Here’s the full article talking about how former players stay connected to UND hockey.

And who’s next? Three Edina Hornets were selected to the All-USA boys hockey team, and two of those three have not given a verbal commitment to any school. Defenseman Tyler Nanne was named to the All-USA third team but has already committed to play his college hockey at Ohio State.

Senior goaltender Andrew Rohkohl (5-9, 150 pounds) was named to the All-USA first team. Rohkohl amassed a record of 23-4-1 with a 1.84 goals-against average and a .919 save percentage. He had three shutouts on the season and made 36 stops in the title game as the Hornets claimed their 2nd-straight AA championship.

Senior forward Miguel Fidler (6-1, 185 pounds) was named to the All-USA second team. A pure goal scorer, Fidler scored 20 goals and notched 30 assists in 50 games while leading Edina to the state title.

What are the chances that either Andrew Rohkohl or Miguel Fidler will follow in the footsteps of the Hornets before them and make their mark on the University of North Dakota hockey program? Only time will tell.