North Dakota vs. Harvard game two shot charts

The Fighting Sioux end the first half of the season with a 10-8-2 record overall and 7-7-0 WCHA. On November 5th 2011 the Fighting Sioux were sitting at 3-6-1 and had been swept by UMN and UW. Since that low spot in the season, the Fighting Sioux have gone an impressive 7-2-1. The Fighting Sioux have gone 3-1-3 in their non-conference match ups and have one more game against the Clarkson Knights next Saturday Night in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

The Fighting Sioux are currently sitting in 18th or 19th place in the all important Pairwise Rankings; depending on which site you look at. Contrary to what some of our friends to the south say, *cough, cough* choke*, Silly Minnesota Gopher Fans, UND’s season is far from over and they aren’t out of the running for a bid in the NCAA tourney. Like I said before, there is no throphy for finishing first at the half way point on the season. Hockey is a body of work and over the course of a season, you want to be playing your best at the end of the season.

The depleted UND Hockey team went into last night’s game with 11 forwards and 5 defensemen. UND heach hockey coach Dave Hakstol said this the last night after his team pasted the Harvard Crimson 7-3,  “We weren’t real happy about our finish last night, the way we came out in the third period and squandered a two-goal lead. I think that stuck with us through the day. I don’t think the lineup was an issue at all. Our mindset was about how important this game was and how critical it was.”

I think one thing that got lost in the shuffle last night was how well Aaron Dell played. Dell Stopped 29/32 shots and held the Harvard Crimson at bay in the third period. Harvard out shot UND 20-10 during the last two periods.

Looking at the official WCHA stats page here are a few of the numbers

• UND is no longer a bunch of knuckle dragging Nethanderals Goons, UND is ranked 11^th out of 12 teams in the WCHA for Penalty Minutes. UND is averaging 11.6 minutes a game.
• UND is scoring 3.10 goals per game, good for 7^th overall.
• UND is tied for 4^th with Denver in the WCHA for Defense, UND is giving up 2.86 goals per game.
• UND’s power play is ranked 4^th in the WCHA scoring 22 power play goals on  100 power plays, that’s good for 22%.
• Colorado College has had 7 short handed goals scored against them, that is the most in the WCHA.
• Colorado College’s power play is ranked number 1 in the WCHA scoring 21 power play goals on 83 power plays, that’s good for 25.3%.  
• UND is ranked 4^th on the Penalty Kill, killing 69/85 of their opponents power plays.
• UND has scored 15 goals in the third period, that is ranked 9^th in the WCHA.
• The Knight line, Danny Kristo (11g-12a—23pts), Brock Nelson (15g-8a—23pts), Corbin Knight (6g-15a—23pts) is one of the top scoring lines in the WCHA.