UND Hockey: Time to Step off of the Ledge, They're Fine

The University of North Dakota hockey team had a statement game Friday, winning 7-2 over Hockey East Powerhouse Boston University. UND came out of the gate like gangbusters. Ultimately, it wasn't even close in the end, as they scored five goals on 11 shots in the first period. For those who are mathematically challenged, that's a .454 save percentage. I said it last year, and I'll repeat it: Mathieu Caron has looked shaky every time he's played against UND.

I told someone this was one of my top-10 UND hockey games ever. 

What a difference a week makes. After last weekend's split with the Minnesota State Mavericks, some fans were again suggested that UND fire Brad Berry. Three games into the season, and they want Berry gone already. So, after the first period, I tweeted this to X. 

 

It’s 5-0, so do the fans on Sioux Sports still want to fire 🔥 the head coach? 😆🤣

— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) October 26, 2024

Let's at least wait till the end of the season to start the Fire Berry thread. He's not going anywhere, anyway. I've already predicted that the Hawks are going to the Frozen Four this year. 

I mean, seriously, I am kidding, not really. Last night's victory was a dismantling of the Boston University Terriers. It was a beatdown. UND came out determined and looked pissed off. They got in the shooting lanes and gave the Terriers nothing. When the Terriers got an odd-man rush, they recovered, breaking up the opportunities. UND forward Jake Schmaltz on the Hawks's quick start in the first period. 

 "After we got the lead, we didn't get too high, didn't get too low, just kind of machine-like mindset, and that kind of carried in the third but thought we we're ready to play, and we're going to have that same effort tomorrow," Schmaltz said.  

Boston University's Head Coach Said What?

Entering Friday’s game, the Terriers had the 62nd youngest team in college hockey. However, it wasn’t the younger players that Boston University head coach Jay Pandolfo was upset with. His veteran players didn’t answer the call.

“We certainly have a young group,” Pandolfo said. “A lot of these guys are playing in this environment for the first time, but I’m not putting it on the young guys. We have guys who are veteran players for us, who have been in tough environments and have experience, and they did not lead the way for us. Getting some of our young guys the first opportunity to play in this type of game, so I’m not putting it on them, but we had some older guys that have been around that did not help our group.”

What else can you say when you lose 7-2 in the opening game of a series?

“It makes it tough when you don’t win battles and compete all over the ice,” Pandolfo said. “It makes it difficult. That was the issue all night.

Jackson Blake Scores His First NHL Goal -- Coach Berry Weighs In

On Tuesday night, another former UND hockey player scored his first NHL goal. Caroline Hurricanes forward Jackson Blakes's goal helped the Hurricanes defeat the New Jersey 4-2. At the 10:16 mark of the third period, Blake scored the game-winning goal. It didn't take Blake long to score his first NHL goal in his third career game, and 106:18 into his second season. 

Here's what his former coach had to say about his first NHL goal. 

"I gotta be honest; reading what was going on, I don't think they were giving him a great chance to make that Carolina hurricane team, UND head coach Brad Berry said. "I think he was pegged to be in the minors right away and work his way up. That tells you what Jackson Blake is as far as what he did for a body of work here, being relentless, being a guy that was one of our best, if not our best player, every day, coming on the ice and for me as a coach, then it's worth it.

"When you leave North Dakota, which has a lot of things going on here, you want to make sure they have an opportunity for themselves to make the big club instead of toiling in the minors for years. For Jackson Blake, he got there. He has to stay there. He has to continue to earn it to be that everyday NHL player; many of our guys have done that just because they know their humility and what it takes to earn it every day."

Here's what his teammates had to say. 

"Every day I think I just get more comfortable," Blake said after the game during the post-game media scrum. "I'm realizing that I think I belong here in this league, and I've got to show it every night. I think every day is a tryout. I felt comfortable tonight and I think I'm just going to continue to feel that."

"It's awesome. Everyone's going to remember your first goal. Like Roddy said, we might not remember this game, but Blaker will for the rest of his life," Shayne Gostisbehere said. "For him and his family, it's all the hard work everyone put in to help get him to that point. Getting the game-winning goal is pretty cool, too."

Enjoy that first @NHL goal feeling, Jackson Blake!! pic.twitter.com/TdnYdN8xH0

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 16, 2024

College Hockey Fans Have Options When It Comes to Streaming. Are the Prices Reasonable?

It's almost hockey season, and college hockey fans will be looking for streaming and TV options to watch their favorite team. College Hockey Fans Have Options When it Comes to Streaming. Are the Prices reasonable? I believe they are. 

Earlier today, Dan Jacobson posted this on X: Updated NCAA Hockey streaming costs now that CCHA announced their pricing and B1G+ removed sports pass.

Updated NCAA Hockey streaming costs now that CCHA announced their pricing and B1G+ removed sports pass pic.twitter.com/YrmSKA1jUd

— Dan Jacobsen (@DanJacobsen) August 27, 2024

Reading his tweet closer, a few things stood out. Yes, NCHC fans will pay $116.95 for a season of NCHC.TV. The Big Ten Hockey Conference charges about the same, $120.00 a season. You can grumble all you want, but that's what you'll pay for a season to watch your favorite hockey team. Yes, some schools have better webcasts than other schools. Some fans have cheaper options for watching their favorite hockey team. That's life. 

If you're an NCHC fan, are you spending the $120 to watch the B1G Hockey teams? In many cases, not. Many of us only have a little free time to follow both leagues. Even if you decide to purchase both platforms, would you classify $120 as expensive? It's all relative. Honestly, many people spend that much money taking their family out to eat. 

Moving on. The other options are ECAC and Hockey East. Their games are on ESPN+. Like many fans, I already pay the monthly charge of $11.99. If you're an NHL hockey fan, you're probably already a consumer of ESPN+. You're not out any more money. It's the best option for watching college hockey. 

Today, the CCHA announced that its games will be on CCHA TV, which Will be on Midco Sports Plus, per a release by the League: Midco Sports Plus includes three content packages. Midco Sports Plus 1 is available now, and customers can access all three packages on Tuesday, September 3. CCHA TV’s 180 live events can be found on Midco Sports Plus 2 for $24.99 per month or $129.99 per year. Again, I don't think that price is unreasonable. Last season, I purchased a season of Midco Sports Plus to watch Summit League Basketball, and the quality was unbelievable. 

Finally, the Atlantic Hockey Association games are on Flo Sports. Again, that's a win. You get a lot more than college hockey on Flo Sports. Looking at the image below, you can see that you can watch the ECHL, Atlantic Hockey, USHL, and numerous junior hockey leagues. Like myself, if you're a fan of the Highlimit and Luca Oil Late Model Series, you have already paid $150 to watch both series. That's not an unreasonable price to pay to watch college hockey. 

UND Football releases 2025 and 2026 Schedules.

Last Week, the University of North Dakota football team released their future schedules. 

I noticed a few things from the newly released schedules. UND will face NDSU at home for two seasons in a row starting in 2025. In 2026, UND will take on fellow Summit League member St. Thomas. In 2026, UND will again travel to Nebraska. In the 2025 and 2026, UND will play 11 out of 23 games at the Alerus Center. 

2025 UND Football Schedule

Aug. 30 - @ Kansas State
Sept. 6 – Portland State
Sept. 13 - @ Montana
Sept. 20 – Valparaiso
Oct. 4 - @ Northern Iowa*
Oct. 11 – Youngstown State*
Oct. 18 - @ Southern Illinois*
Oct. 25 – Indiana State*
Nov. 1 - @ South Dakota*
Nov. 8 – North Dakota State*
Nov. 15 - @ Murray State*
Nov. 22 – South Dakota State*

2026 UND Football Schedule
Sept. 5 – St. Thomas
Sept. 12 - @ Portland State
Sept. 19 - @ Nebraska
Oct. 3 – Northern Iowa*
Oct. 10 - @ Indiana State*
Oct. 17 – South Dakota*
Oct. 24 - @ South Dakota State*
Oct. 31 - @ Southern Illinois*
Nov. 7 – Murray State*
Nov. 14 - @ Youngstown State*
Nov. 21 – North Dakota State*

UND Hockey Recruit Dalton Andrew's Filthy Shootout Goal

Last week, the University of North Dakota hockey team picked up a commitment from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The recruit in question is Winkler Flyers' leading scorer, Dalton Andrew. The Brandon, Manitoba native, has committed to UND for the 2024-25 season. Looking back, there haven't been many UND players to come out of the MJHL; recently, Riese Gaber Dauphin Kings, the Steinbach Pistons, and Cole Smith Steinbach Pistons are two that come to mind. However, if you look at their All-Time Scoring Leaders, there are some familiar names. 

This past season, Andrew scored (43g-39a-82) points in 54 games. Yes, that led the MJHL. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the 2024-25 version of the Fighting Hawks. 

Andrew's team, the Flyers, are currently playing in the Centennial Cup. According to the Flyers page, Andrew scored four goals against the Sioux Lookout Bombers to lead the Winkler Flyers to a 4-2 win.

The snipe from @winklerflyers forward and @UNDmhockey commit, Dalton Andrew 👀🚨 pic.twitter.com/L8za89b1ki

— MJHL (@mjhlhockey) May 9, 2024

   

Monday, May 13, 7:30 PM EDT
Oakville Blades (Host) @ Winkler Flyers

Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 PM EDT
Winkler Flyers @ MHL (Miramichi Timberwolves)

“Dalton has shown a high level of growth not only this season but yearly throughout his entire three years in Winkler.  He continually shows commitment to his off ice and on ice training during all parts of the year, especially during Christmas breaks to ensure his game would continue to rise throughout the season.   He has been receptive to the coaching and teaching that would help develop his individual game and prepare him as a person and player for the high level of hockey coming next season.  DA has worked extremely hard, and with the help and support of his teammates, family, billet family, trainers, and the rest of the coaching staff, is very deserving of this next opportunity at the University of North Dakota.  Congratulations to Dalton and his family.” GM & Head Coach Justin Falk and the hockey operations staff could not be more thrilled for the Andrew family.

Andrew gave his thoughts on being a Winkler Flyer “I think being a Winkler Flyer showed me how to be a professional, every day is a chance to get better. Having three ex NHL coaches was awesome, they really showed me how to take my game to the next level, from the extra work at the end of practices to the different tools and knowledge they provided me with, along with my work ethic. This all helped me get better over my three years here which led me to success.” He added that his thoughts on the organization “I have nothing but great things to say about the Flyers organization. From the coaching staff to the trainers, our marketing guy all the people behind the scenes, Including board members and volunteers. They really make it easy on us as players and allow us to focus on just playing the game which I think helped a lot." (Link to story)

Check out this shootout goal by Andrew. 

 

Dalton Andrew got that DOG in him ☝🏼

The @UNDmhockey commit is off to a hot start at the #CentennialCup, scoring five goals in regulation while adding this snipe in shootout 🚨 pic.twitter.com/uMUYyOTvbu

— MJHL (@mjhlhockey) May 11, 2024

Brad Marchand Taken Out by Sam Bennett, Bruins Have Bigger Problems

On Friday night in Boston, Florida Panthers forward Sam Bennett took out Boston Bruins forward Brad Marchand with a questionable play. It was very subtle, but you can see the intent. Some will say that since it's Marchand, we will excuse the questionable play. He had it coming anyway, right? Bennett is known to be a dirty player who takes liberties against the opposition on the ice. This is a known fact.

okay I know my opinion but I'm curious, did Bennett sucker (rabbit) punch Marchand here or not? probably doesn't matter, but I'm curious what the masses think.#NHLBruins | @OnlyBruinsPod pic.twitter.com/FsECQMF8CS

— PrimeTime Brett (@bretthoward_) May 11, 2024

Here's a different angle of the hit in question.

Here’s another angle of the Bennett sucker punch#NHLBruins | @BruinSomethin pic.twitter.com/5vJGmXlpSh

— Michael Sullivan (@_MikeSullivan) May 11, 2024

Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery didn't pull any punches, "there's clear evidence of what went on." According to Montgomery, Marchand is day-to-day with an upper-body injury.

“People can say it wasn’t intentional, but we have our view of it.”

Jim Montgomery‘s full comments on the Sam Bennett-Brad Marchand collision that injured the Bruins captain. pic.twitter.com/1sgAehh4QH

— B/R Open Ice (@BR_OpenIce) May 11, 2024

No matter how you feel about the hit, the Bruins have bigger problems. Once again, the Panthers are living rent-free in the Bruins' heads. If the Bruins don't start playing and stop worrying about what the Panthers are doing, this series is going to be over in five games. Someone needs to step up and start making plays. 

What's even more concerning is that none of the Bruins responded to the hit on their captain. If the players actually played by the hockey code, one of the leaders on the Bruins would have a chat with Matthew Tkachuk; he would tell him that if you take any more liberties with our players, we're going to start with the star players and go from there. 

UPDATE: Here's a better look at Sam Bennett's fist to Marchand's face. You can see it's a dirty hit that should've resulted in a look from the NHL's Department of Players Safety. 

Army, Ace and Biz went back to the tape on the shot Sam Bennett gave to Brad Marchand in Game 3 and they got some thoughts 👀 @armdog @ansoncarterla @biznasty2point0 pic.twitter.com/kqJRr2px5V

— NHLonTNT (@NHL_On_TNT) May 12, 2024

Michigan Ends North Dakota Season, 4-3. What Now?

 

Good morning from cloudy Grand Forks, ND. Another UND hockey season has come to an end, and the team has fallen short of the goal of winning an NCAA title. On Friday night, UND was on the wrong end of a 4-3 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Another year, another first-round exit in the NCAA playoffs. 

What now? 

I am not a negative person; I am puzzled by some of the fans' burn-it-to-the-ground mentality. After missing the NCAA playoffs the year before, UND rebounded during the 2023-24 season, winning the Penrose Trophy and finishing the season with a 26-12-2 record. That tied for the most wins since the 2019-20 season. I know, I know. At UND, we only care about National Championships. 

I am checking in with X this morning; none of that matters. UND is about winning a natty. Winning the conference is nice, but that's not the standard. 

By the numbers 2-7 in the first round of the Frozen Faceoff. That's bound to change with the NCHC tourney going completely to campus during the 2025-26 season. UND has had one NCAA win since 2016, and the win was against AIC. Bruce Ciskie said it best, hockey is about getting the right bounce and having a little luck. Recently, luck has yet to be on UND's side. 

Yes, crazy ass "Fire Berry" bandwagoners, I'm talking to you.

This tournament is luck. Draws, matchups, travel, ice conditions, health, puck luck, officiating, you name it.

The job is to get there, then hope to hell the hockey gods smile on you enough to keep going. https://t.co/j6WLpCRdOs

— Bruce Ciskie (@BruceCiskie) March 30, 2024

UND entered this game with questions. One of their best defensemen, Garrett Pyke, was injured, and there are questions about UND's mental toughness. Last weekend, I told a friend that I thought UND's mental game was a bit soft this season. I saw it against CC and Omaha. They could have handled the adversity better. This season was also a bridge year to the future. But there's hope on the horizon. UND's defense corps will be bolstered next season by adding promising talents of incoming freshmen E.J. Emery and Andrew Strathmann. Add forwards Mac Swanson and Sacha Boisvert, and the future looks bright. 

Yes. There are some questions heading into the offseason. March was an up-and-down month for the green and white; they went 4-4-0 and finished the season losing in the St. Louis Regional.  

During the second half of the season, UND was 12-7-1. Six losses were to Omaha (4) and CC (2). Of course, Michigan was the final loss. 

"It's tough to think about that right now," a somber head coach Brad Berry said in the post-game press conference. Knowing our season has ended, it's spending time with the guys here. But once we get back, we'll have conversations to see what goes on. I know the majority of our guys will be coming back, and we'll carry on with another year."

It's more fun covering a team when they're winning. For me, I look for the silver lining. I've been covering the UND hockey team since the 2011-12 season—for the mathematically challenged like me, that's 12 years. I've seen many players come and go, and I've seen many seasons end in the NCHC playoffs, Frozen Faceoff, or the NCAA tourney. This season's team was a lot of fun to cover. UND replaced eight defensemen and a starting goalie. They added two new forwards and some exciting freshmen. This is an excellent group of young men.

Finally, good luck to outgoing seniors/grad students: Carson Albrecht, Logan Britt, Riese Gaber, Hunter Johannes, Keaton Pehrson,  Ludvig Persson, Garrett Pyke, and Griffin Ness; you all left a mark on the program and wore the UND uniform proudly and smartly. 

UND Crushes Miami, 7-1. Advances to the Frozen Faceoff

There's an old hockey cliche: It's very hard to end a team's season. On Saturday night, the UND hockey team looked like a determined team. They were determined not to play game three. It was pretty straightforward: Lose to the lowly RedHawks, and they'd be back on the ice on Sunday night. Mission accomplished: When the final horn sounded, the Hawks left no doubt as they crushed the Miami RedHawks 7-1 and sent them home looking for answers. 

Seven different players scored goals for UND - at the 13:17 mark of the first period, Riese Gaber scored his 18th goal of the season to give UND a 1-0 lead. Gaber is two short of 20 goals, and if he can reach 20 goals, it will be the first time since the 2005-06 season that three UND players have had 20 or more goals: Drew Stafford, 24; Jonathan Towes, 22; and T.J. Oshie, 24.

The Hawks scored another in the second and five in the third period to blow the game open. It was an impressive win against a bad hockey team. 

In one of the nice stories of the year, graduate forward Hunter Johannes scored the first UND goal of the season at Ralph and the last goal of the season at Ralph. This was a player that wanted to play at UND but didn't get the opportunity. After playing three seasons at AIC, he transferred to Lindenwood College. Due to COVID-19, he benefited from having a fifth year and transferred to UND—his dream school. He's made the most of his opportunity. 

The three stars of the game were 1st star Jackson Blake (1g-2a-3pts), 2nd Star Jackson Kunz (1g-2a-3pts), and third star of the game Hobie Hedquist 28 saves. It was the second multipoint game of Kunz's career and the first three-point game of his career. Kunz has (5g-6a-11pts) in his last 13 games. When asked about having his first three-point game of his career, Kunz was pretty low-key.

"I don't like talking about myself too much," Kunz said. "You're playing with good players, making one pass, and you don't know what they will do with it. I'm lucky to be able to be out there with the guys we have."

It didn't matter what the RedHawks game plan was; the Fighting Hawks had an answer for everything they tried. When a shot got through, the defense either blocked it, or freshman goalie Hobie Hedquist saved it. 

"We had the puck on our stick," Miami head coach Chris Bergeron said. "(We) don't do what we're asking them to do; we turn the puck over to the wrong guy, and it's one zero." 

This past weekend, UND's starting goalie was out with an undisclosed issue (injury or illness). During Saturday's post-game press conference, Brad Schlossman asked UND head coach Brad Berry for an update on his starting goalie. It was Mum's the word. 

"We're not going to divulge very much information because it's the playoffs," Berry said. "As the week progresses, we'll share more information, but right now, it's undisclosed." 

No matter what the issue was, UND didn't need Persson. The rookie phenom stopped 51 of 53 shots (.962). During the first period of Saturday's game, Hedquist was tested early and made quite a few difficult stops. 

Hedquist's play caught the eye of the Miami coach.

"For a guy who hasn't played much, he hasn't lost yet; he's 5-0 over 90 save percentage," Bergeron said. "They don't have bad players here. Whether he's played a bunch or not that much, he's proven he's a good player."

During the post-game press conference, I asked Coach Berry if he was tempted to ride a hot goalie and start him on Friday at the Frozen Faceoff. 

"Yeah, everything's on the table, Berry said. "You've known us long enough that we will put a lineup together that gives us a chance to win. We have two very good goaltenders. Hobie proved himself now, and Ludvig proved himself in the past. We will go through the week here. We'll keep moving forward. It's nice to know guys get to come in and contribute."