Well...Redwing77's Take

Well….

Another season is in the books and well… it was a season.  This was a season made most notable by injuries, transfers, and freshmen.  It was also a season made noteworthy by less favorable statistics.   Here’s my take:

The Offense

This was a team that, on paper, could hang with anyone.  Sometimes it did!  Sometimes, it did not.  The only consistent factor of our offense was the fact that it was inconsistent.  All in all, I figured that the offense had to carry this team in order for it to win.  How so?  They’re VERY FAR under .500 when they score 3 or less goals.  Tonight, they lost the semifinals 4-2.  Very sad, considering how well we played otherwise.

Drop the Puck…no wait… uhm…

This team struggled mightily in the faceoff circle.  I’m not sure how to fix this.  What I saw on the replays and as I watched wasn’t bad form per se, but then again… if you need me to judge form and technique, you might as well fold the team.  Regardless, this is an issue.

The Defense

Young and somewhat Injury-plagued as well.  Emery, Jubenvill, and Strathman have promise.  Strathman can be great if he just is more disciplined.  Jubenvill is going to be special.  I might be the only one, but Caleb McDonald didn't impress me all that much.  He wasn't a liability, but, to me, he wasn't a first-pairing defenseman.  Regardless, UND's defense used to provoke fear due to their physicality and proficiency at their trade.  I don't feel like that's the case much anymore.  WMU shot the puck at will. 

The Goaltending

Whoo… this part is the most aggravating to me.  TJ played great tonight against a VASTLY superior Western Michigan.  However, it’s not enough.  I can’t find much to say negatively about his play tonight, but why is it that it takes most of the season to grow into this form?  I talked to some more dialed-in UND fans at the Baxter Arena in Omaha, and they spoke highly of TJ and even said that he was the best “first-shot goaltender” they’ve ever seen.  The problem is you don’t see just one shot in a flurry of chances usually.  To me, I’m still leaning a lot towards comparing TJ to Drew DeRidder.  Both TJ and Drew had rough seasons and got hot late in the season all for naught.  My thought to ponder, though, is: Is it better to come up just short despite playing well with a transfer or to come up equally short developing a homegrown goaltender like Hedquist?  I think Berry ultimately made the right choice with TJ, but I've always been a homegrown guy.  Think of Herb Brooks in Miracle.  He brought in the flashy guy and sent him home in favor of the guys he had to start.  I'm like that.  Maybe detrimental and irrational, but still..

Special Teams… WELLLLL……

The Power play was pretty good again.  Not as good as last year but still good.  The Penalty Kill, however…. That was special with air quotes around it.  50th in the nation special.  I will give BIG kudos to UND for killing off two penalties against WMU when WMU could shoot the puck practically at will.  I would say that this is the most significant problem in UND’s game if it wasn’t for the fact that faceoffs happen all game long.  I know.  Understatement as usual and certainly not a statement made on a limb.  It was straight-up bad this year, even with the later season PK being better.  

Coaching

FIRE…. No one.  It never ceased amazing me how many social media coaches and GMs out there would fire a head coach with Berry’s resume.  It is true this is the first time since 1990 that UND had 20+ wins and failed to get to the NCAA Regionals, but UND is going to need to fail more before the boo birds get their way.  That being said… I can’t see this year being all that helpful towards the careers of Dane Jackson and maybe Karl Goehring.  Jackson ran the PK coaching, and it was atrocious, and Goehring seems unable to find good goaltenders, or at least ones that grow season to season.  And that hurts because Karl Goehring might be my favorite all-time UND player.  He certainly is my favorite goaltender.

The Future

I think the future hangs a lot on #9.  Sacha Boisvert was a stud this year.  It’s no secret that the Blackhawks are NOT very good and Bedard isn’t happy.  Chicago drafted Boisvert as a two-way player that can, eventually, center a line with Bedard (though I thought Bedard was a center?).  We have good players already in Grand Forks and more coming, but none nearly as dynamic and game-changing as Boisvert.  And he’s only going to get better.  That being said, if we’re not talking about Boisvert, the player that impressed me the most late in the season was Cade Littler.  He’s the replacement for Jackson Kunz and Cam Berg easily if he can improve his faceoff skills.  He’s a big kid, and he can score.  I am VERY certain that Cade will be a top 2 liner next season.

Predictions

Well, here we may get a bit edgy, but this is an Op-Ed piece, so…

1. Next season, UND will only have 1 returning goaltender:  Alexsi Huson (assuming Kaleb Johnson graduates).  TJ graduates, and I’m predicting Hobie Hedquist transfers.  What does this mean?  Another transfer to come in with Caleb Heil.  Let’s face it.  Heil didn’t have statistically the best season in Madison.  True, he was 22-8-2, but his 2.67 GAA with a .897 Save% was nothing to write home about.  Will it matter if we’re always going to the Portal for 1 year wonders in net?  I can’t help but notice that WMU had a transfer goaltender, too…as a backup to their freshman phenom (and a former UND commit to boot).  DU doesn’t have a transfer goaltender on their roster.  I guess that puts me in the “homegrown” camp.  I guess I’d rather develop a goaltender through playing time rather than roll the dice on a retread every year.  

2. Please note that the following is my opinion and it is not meant to be a dig at any player or be mean-spirited in any way!  I think Berry SHOULD use the transfer portal to bring in a bench defenseman or depth at D.  Why?  Because Bennet Zmolek has more talent than his body allows him to display.  I like the kid, and it kills me to say this, but… he’s too fragile to play the game style he’s been playing thus far.  Yes, he’s coming back next year, but for how many games?  He hasn’t played a full season to my recollection yet… at least in Grand Forks.  He’s a GOOD defenseman, though.  Maybe this time, he’ll come back healthy and become a workhorse on the back end for UND.  I certainly hope so.  I’m just not confident that his body will allow what his mindset and spirit desires.

3. They aren’t going to fire Berry, but his seat MIGHT be getting warmer.  Correct me if I’m wrong, but I’m pretty sure Berry was the primary recruiter while Hakstol was the head coach.  Could be wrong on this. 

4. In the transfer era, we need a new recruiting philosophy.  How come we’re not even top 3 in the NCHC at recruiting goaltenders?  Even UNO is better than we are and there’s an argument to be made that CC is better too.  I really am thinking that Adam Scheel and Cam Johnson were flukes.  And how come Denver is always able to find great goaltenders?  Pisses me off.

5. It seems like the NCHC is having a grand time finding Scandinavian skaters to bolster their American and Canadian skaters…except UND isn’t one of them.  UND, to my knowledge, has had three:  Ludvig Hoff, Ludvig Persson, and Jacob Helleston.  Not so sure we need Scandinavians but what’s with that anyways?  Bring the umlaut to UND!  :D 

    

Ponderings from around D1 Hockey:

Ok, this is off-topic, but I’ve watched a bit of hockey from other places, and this is what I have pondered:

1. What is everyone’s fascination with Trey Augustine of MSU?  I’m not suggesting he’s a bad goalie nor am I saying he’s overrated.  I’m simply amazed by how, when I watched him play vs. Penn State earlier this year, the commentators couldn’t stop raving about him even after he gives up a rather weak goal or even after MSU lost the game.  This must be the potential he shows.  He was ok with Team USA.  It’s like he’s the second coming of Rick DiPietro or Mike Richter.  Future NHLer?  Quite probably.  Great college hockey goalie?  Not yet.

2. Alex Bump is good.  Not as good as Dave Starman made him out to be, but very darn good.  I feel that Bump is as likely to be signed this offseason as Boisvert is.  Philadelphia is hurting for talent, too. 

3. As for coaching hot seats, What do you think is happening in Duluth?  Sandelin continues to get talent (like the Plante brothers, and their goaltenders aren’t that bad), but they’ve been terrible.  Could Sandelin’s seat be getting a bit toasty?

Final Thought

If you’ve hung around college athletics the past year, be it hockey or football, the prevailing thoughts have been centered around the transfer portal and NIL.  True, the NIL isn’t as big of an issue in hockey as it is in football (and WOW, is it a problem in FBS land), but the true test of Berry and whether or not he can last will be how he will build a team despite the revolving door college athletics has become.  Are we done seeing teams that primarily build from within?  I think the transfer portal has made it harder to build teams and instead play into superficiality in both players and fans alike.  TJ would have been a great add if he were a sophomore or even a junior, but he’s one and done.  Imagine what Ludvig Persson would have been like had he had more than 1 year of eligibility remaining when he came to Grand Forks.  So many fans want a “win now” attitude or maybe now they’re far more vocal than in the past.  UND fans are going around saying that we should be in the National Championship game every year or at least the Frozen Four on a yearly basis and that’s just not practical in this environment.  The biggest key will be how coaches can build and develop teams moving forward in this landscape.  I think UND is trying to find its footing and UND will be back.  I just hope it’s sooner rather than later.

 

Omaha Outworks North Dakota, 3-2

It was a weird night in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. All the home teams won, and not a single road team broke through. On Friday, the University of North Dakota hockey team appeared to suffer from the Penrose Cup hangover. UND came out a step slow and chased the game for 50 minutes. The Hawks didn't play badly; Omaha just played better. They made a push in the third period, but it wasn't enough. 

"We didn't start on time." head coach Brad Berry said. "That was a desperate team. They were sharper than we were in the first two periods. We played with some desperation in the third, but in this league, you got to play three periods." 

"We knew they were going to be a hungry team, UND captain Riese Gaber said. "They came out hungry. That was a difference. We had a good third period, but we got outworked in the first half of the game. That ended up being the deciding factor." 

"They were the hungrier team," Louis Jamernik V said. "It's such a mental game. We did a good job preparing all week and doing the right things. It just comes down to who wants it more. They won the puck battles and puck races, especially in that first half. We didn't give up. I thought our third period was pretty good. We were 14 and 4 for shots. It shows when we're playing desperate hockey, we can dominate."

"I thought our game, all three periods, was very good' Omaha head coach Mike Gabinet said, "Guys played extremely well." 

It wasn't all negatives for UND. Sophomore forward Jackson Blake set the NCHC's conference scoring record with an assist in the first period, his 36th conference point of the season. He broke the record held by former UND forward Brock Boeser (2015-16) and DU forward Bobby Brink (2021-22). 

Junior forward Cameron Berg scored his 20th goal of the season, becoming the second player since Shane Gersich, 21 goals in 2016-17 to reach 20. Looking at the player stats for the UND hockey team, the Hawks could have three players with 20 or more goals.

Even with the loss, UND remains at No. 3 in the Pairwise Rankings. 

Special teams play: UND went 1-for-4 on the power play. UND's penalty kill remained hot; the Hawks have now killed 14 straight penalties since Feb. 16, 2024. 

  

Goon's Takeaways: UND Sweeps Miami with 4-1 Win

Things don't always come easily for the University of North Dakota hockey team. Entering the weekend, this looked like a series in which UND would dominate from the drop of the first puck to the final whistle. It was Miami; they had won a single NCHC conference game and were 1-12-1 in conference play. Some in NoDak Nation wondered if this could be a trap series. 

When the final horn sounded, UND had completed the sweep of the RedHawks with a 4-1 win. While it wasn't a dominating series win, UND took 11 of 12 points in the season series. More importantly, it was the second series in a row where UND had closed out an opponent, winning the season series. 

It was a series in which UND graduate defenseman Logan Britt had a great weekend on the score sheet. On Saturday, he scored two goals to lead UND. Britt scored three goals on the weekend to push his goal total to five, a career-high. It was also the first time in his career that Britt had scored a pair of goals.  

Saturday was a bounce-back game for senior goalie Ludvig Persson. After letting in four goals the night before, Ludvig Persson was stellar between the pipes, stopping 33 of 34 shots (.970).

  

Earlier this week, I listened to the UND hockey podcast, and Brad, Eli, and Feldy talked about statistics. This season's UND hockey is a stats geek's dream. There are so many positive stories to run on. Below are some storylines from this weekend's series against the Miami RedHawks. 

Saturday's game against the RedHawks was a parade to the penalty box for UND. They played an undisciplined game and took an excessive amount of penalties; UND entered the game, averaging 6 minutes a game in penalties minutes. Saturday, UND was assessed eight minor penalties for 16 penalty minutes. After Saturday's game, UND is still ranked 4th least penalized team in the nation. I am sure UND will want to clean that up before the playoffs. 

Forward Jackson Blake extended his point streak to 10 straight games (6g-11a-17pts). Moreover, Blake has scored 13 points in his last six games (5g-8a-13pts). He also has 10 multi-point games. In 28 games, he's scored (17g-22a-39pts). 

Cameron Berg is having a career year. Saturday, he pushed his career-long point streak to seven, where he's scored (6g-4a-10pts). Berg has eight goals in the last 10 games. In 28 games, he's scored (15g-14a-29pts).

UND head coach Brad Berry recorded his 200 win behind the UND bench. Berry's team also improved to 20-6-1 and 11-4-1 NCHC.

"The guys gave me a puck today in the locker room," Berry said. It was pretty emotional. I've been here for a while and told them this isn't just me. It was the players in the locker room- the players that came before them - an amazing coaching and support staff. We have a great staff here. It's a team award, but I told them I'll hand this puck in right now and trade it for championships and banners."

With Saturday's win, UND tied the program record for the longest regulation unbeaten streak, reaching 21 games. UND has not lost a game in regulation since November 3, 2023 (against BU, 3-2 loss). In 2024, UND improved to 8-1-1 (.850).

Since moving to the NCHC, UND has owned the RedHawks. After Saturday's win, UND is 29-8-1 (.776) all-time against the RedHawks and 12-4-2 in Oxford, OH. 

UND Sweeps Pioneers, 4-2. UND Sits All Alone on Top of the NCHC Standings

After a successful weekend by the hometown team, NoDak Nation is all smiles. The UND hockey dominated all weekend, sweeping their arch-rival, the Denver Pioneers (5-2 W, 4-2W). I would classify this past weekend's series as an ice-bag series. UND was the first team in 2023-24 to beat Denver in back-to-back games. What's more impressive, UND held the Pioneers top line of Mckade Webster, Massimo Rizzo and Jack Devine to a single point all weekend long. 

For the second straight game in a row, UND held DU to less than three goals, the first time that has happened this season. 

I think sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin said best: "They're a really good team, we don't like them."

With UND sweeping DU and Boston College sweeping BU, UND vaults into second place in the all-important Pairwise Rankings. If UND can maintain a top-four spot, that's Huge. With the sweep and Omaha taking four of six points against SCSU, UND is four points ahead of the Huskies and nine points ahead of DU and CC. During the regular season, UND went 3-1-0 against DU and took 10-of-12 points against the Pioneers. UND swept the Pioneers for the first time since November 5-6, 2021 (3-1 W, 4-1 W) in Grand Forks. 

At the 8:35 mark of the third period, the game was tied 2-2 when Pioneers defenseman Sean Behrens was assessed a five-minute major and a game misconduct. The Hawks would go on the power play and cash in with goals from McLaughlin and Riese Gaber. 

"Let's get one early, and let's get another," Gaber said. 

"This has to be the nail in the coffin," UND head coach Brad Berry said in the post-game press conference after his team went on the game-changing five-minute power play. 

UND had the attack mentality all weekend long. 

"Having that attack mentality, whether you're up in a game, we want to continue to build our lead; whether you're down, you're never out of it, UND head coach Brad Berry said. "Each game presents a different scenario, and you must make the most of it."

 

UND extended its regulation unbeaten streak to 19 games, the third-longest in school history. They can add to that total against the Miami RedHawks in Oxford, OH.

UND's top pointgetter, Jackson Blake, had another great weekend; he recorded a pair of assists to extend his point streak to eight games. Blake now has (16g-18a-34pts). Blake has nine multi-point games and six three-point games. 

Sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin has caught fire and has multiple points in five of his last eight games. He had another three-point game on Saturday night, his fifth of the season. He's tied with Blake with nine multi-point games. McLaughlin now has (9g-19a-28pts). That's good for second on the team in points. McLaughlin has accomplished this impressive point total despite being held pointless in his first four games of the season and a three-game stretch in December where he was held pointless. 

Junior forward Cameron Berg remained hot, scoring a goal for the fifth straight game, giving him 10 points (7g-3a-10pts) in the last nine games.

Goon's Takeaways: UND Races Past DU, 5-2

Walking into Ralph Engelstad Arena Friday night, you could feel the energy; there was a buzz. During the warmups, it got louder. The DU vs. UND series is one of the matchups the fans and players circle on their calendars. When the final horn sounded, UND fans would leave Ralph happy. Here are my takeaways from Friday's convincing 5-2 win. 

On Friday night, it was about the details. UND played a solid defensive game and held the Pioneers to two shots on goal during the first period. In the second period, UND was outshot 10-9 but outscored the Pioneers 3-1. 

After dominating Denver in the first period, halfway through the second, Dylan James and the little-used Griffin Ness gave UND a 2-0 lead. A minute and 37 seconds later, Pioneers Defenseman Zeev Buium got the Pioneers on the board. At the 17:10 mark of the second period, the Hawks got their first and only power play goal with a snipe from Jackson Blake. 

At the 14:42 mark of the third period, the Pioneers would cut UND's lead to one with a goal from junior forward Aidan Thompson. That was all the closer the Pioneers would get; UND would score two empty net goals (Cameron Berg and Ben Strinden) to give UND a 5-2 win. 

Details: How good was UND's defense? Denver is the top offensive team in the country, and they're averaging 5.1 goals per game. For comparison sake, UND is the fifth ranked team in goals scored. Entering Friday's game, the Pioneers had scored at least three goals per game. UND's defense held the Pioneer's high-flying offense to two goals and Massimo Rizzo and Jack Devine without a point. 

"We know they're a good rush team," head coach Brad Berry said. "They jump four or five guys at that time. Puck management is one thing, and making sure that you close on guys quicker. When we give that team a little room, they can make plays, and our guys did a good job from start to finish, taking time and space away." 

Friday, against the Pioneers, UND played its best defensive game of the year. 

"I thought it was a really good 60 minutes, probably one of our better ones of the year," UND graduate defenseman Keaton Pehrson said.

   

With the 5-2 win, UND sits alone in first place in the NCHC standings with 29 points. With their 7-6 loss to the Omaha Mavericks, St. Cloud State is in second place, 2 points behind. Denver is third with 23 points. If UND could win the series finale, they would be nine points ahead of the Pioneers.

What else can we say about sophomore forward Jackson Blake? This week, UND announced he was a Hobey Baker Memorial Award candidate. He's the team's leading scorer (16g-16a-32pts) and a plus-three. Last night, he added a goal and an assist for his eighth multi-point game of the season, which leads UND. Blake extended his point streak to seven games and has scored in three straight. Finally, Blake has been very successful against the Pioneers. He has scored 11 points (3g-8a-11pts) in seven career games.

Junior forward Cameron Berg has been on a roll. He's scored (13g-12a-25pts) and is tied for second in points with Owen McLaughlin. With his two points (1g-1a-2pts), he now has seven multi-point games. Like his teammate Blake, Berg has had some success against the Pioneers; after last night's two-point game, he now has 10 points (5g-5a-10pts) in nine career games. Finally, West Fargo Native Berg has six goals and two assists in his last seven games. 

With the 5-2 win, UND improves to 158-135-16 (.547) all-time against Denver. UND holds a 93-46-10 advantage on home ice. In recent years, this series has been pretty even; UND is 8-7 in the last 15 games against the Pioneers. After losing four straight games last season, UND has won two of the previous three meetings between the two foes.

The UND hockey team has gone 18 straight games without losing in regulation. Their last regulation loss was on Nov 3, 2023, when UND lost to BU 3-2. 

Goon's Takeaways: UND Beats SCSU, 5-3

Last season, the University of North Dakota hockey team didn't do very well against the St. Cloud State Huskies. In five games against UND, the Huskies dominated the Hawks 3-1-1 and ended their season. UND looked to right the ship on Friday against SCSU. Revenge was on the UND player's minds. 

This week in practice, the UND players kept that in the back of their minds as they traveled to St. Cloud to take on the Huskies. 

"I didn't have to talk about it during the week," head coach Brad Berry said. "I mentioned it once, and it kept coming back in conversations as a group. That's always a tough pill to swallow; when your season gets ended by the team you're playing, there's a little revenge there. The biggest thing for us, we got to stay hungry. We won a game tonight. There can't be any complacency. We got to make sure we're hungry, and we come out hard, just like we did this evening." 

"The first period gave us momentum throughout the game," Blake said. "There will be ups and downs, but we stayed with it and played well tonight."

The players know the importance of this series. It's the only regular season series between the two teams, and the importance of getting a good start and winning in regulation wasn't lost on the UND players. UND would race to a 2-0 lead in the first period with goals from Jackson Blake and Garrett Pyke.

SCSU and UND would exchange goals in the second period. In the back of their minds, UND fans had to wonder if the Hawks could hang on to the lead. In the third period, UND and SCSU scored two more goals, and when the final horn sounded, UND ended the night on top, winning the game 5-3. 

With the win, UND vaulted into first place in the NCHC standings. 

 "You want to be up there -- you don't want to be chasing," Jake Livanavage said. "Now we're in first place. We've earned it. We had a good first half. We just got to keep it rolling."

Embed below are the highlights from last night's game. It was one of the better games of the 2023-24 season. 

Here are some things that stuck out for me during Friday's game. 

UND goalie Ludvig Persson finished with a season-high 34 saves to improve to 13-6-1. After not being 100 percent a week prior, in game one against the Huskies, Persson was on top of his game, making 14 saves on 15 shots in the second period. In 20 games this season, Ludvig has a 2.38 GAA and a .904 save percentage. He also has three shutouts.

"Ludvig (Persson) was outstanding tonight," Berry said. "When he was called upon, he made some huge saves for us." 

Sophomore forward Jackson Blake had another multi-point game, his seventh of the season. That was also his sixth three-point game of the season. Blake has hit the 30-goal threshold for his career with his two-goal game. 

With his two-point game (two assists), sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin extended his point streak to five straight games. McLaughlin has scored four goals and six assists for 10 points in those five games. In 22 games, he's scored (8g-17a--25pts), and he's also plus-six. 

Junior forward Cameron Berg continued his torrid pace. He has points in 12 of his last 15 games, including 10 goals. Last night, Berg scored his 11th goal of the season, a career-high. In 23 games, Berg has scored (11g-11a--22pts), and he's also a plus-10.

Goon’s Takeaways: UND Sweeps Alaska With 6-2 Win

Entering the weekend, UND juggled their forward lines to spark offensive output. Head coach Brad Berry put Hunter Johannes, Cameron Berg, and Riese Gaber on the top line. That line got hot and sparked UND. When the weekend was over, the Hawks had scored 12 goals. 
For the weekend, the top line scored (7g-4a--11pts). 

Mission Accomplished.

UND swept the Nanooks in a convincing fashion (6-4 W and 6-2 W). UND finishes the non-conference portion of their schedule with a 9-2-1 record, its best mark since the 2019-20 season (9-1-1). 

UND captain Riese Gaber racked up (3g-3a--6pts); he also scored two of his three goals on the power play. After this weekend's play, Gaber now has six multi-point games and recorded back-to-back games with at least three points for the first time in his career. 

Junior forward Cameron Berg is getting hot at the right time. He has scored (8g-6a--14pts) in the last 12 games. Berg is fourth on the team in points with (9g-10a--19pts). 

Another player who had an outstanding weekend was sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin; he had a five-point weekend scoring (2g-3a--5pts). In 20 games, McLaughlin has scored (7g-13a--20pts), and he's a plus-six. 

Last night, grad student defenseman Garrett Pyke extended his point streak to seven games with an assist. This past weekend, he had three assists against his former team. Pyke has points in eight of the last nine games (2g-7a--9pts). In 20 games with UND, Pyke has (2g-15a--17pts). 

UND has now gone 13 straight games without a regulation loss, dating back to the 3-2 loss on November 3, 2023, at Boston University. 

 

Goon's Takeaways: UND beats, Alaska 6-4

Entering Friday's non-conference game against the University of Alaska, the University of North Dakota hockey changed their lines around to get more offense production out of their lineup. The new line combinations appeared to add a spark.

UND also started freshman goalie Hobie Hedquist after their starting goalie, Ludvig Persson, came down with an illness. Hedquist stopped 23 of 27 shots and recorded his first collegiate win. 

"I found out in our morning meetings that Luds (Ludvig Persson) was around the rink, and he ended up being too sick," Hedquist said. "Karl Goehring (KG) called me over and said that I'd be going in tonight."

UND didn't start out as quickly as they would've liked. The Hawks ended the first period down 1-0. UND took over in the second period, scoring five goals (Owen McLaughlin X2, Riese Gaber, Cameron Berg, and Louis Jamernik) and chased Nanooks goalie Pierce Charleson from the game. That was the most goals UND had scored in a single period since UND scored five goals in the third period on Oct. 12, 2019, vs. Canisius. 

"First period, not how we have to play," UND head coach Brad Berry said. "I got to commend the way they played. We knew through video and watching how they play. They are an older team. Everybody's over 20 years old; they look like it. They play like men. They played a hard, heavy game early, and our puck management wasn't the greatest. We didn't give ourselves a chance consistently to play in their end of the rink. We did a better job of that in the second period of playing more direct and more simple."

On Friday night, UND's power play cashed in twice on six power play chances. 

Sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin is heating up; he notched his fourth game with three points this season. McLaughlin now is tied for second in points with junior forward Cameron Berg. Finally, McLaughlin has five multi-point games. 

UND has gone 12 straight games without losing in regulation; their last regulation loss was on November 3, 2023, at Boston University. 

Tonight, senior forward Riese Gaber broke a three-game scoreless streak when he scored two goals against the Nanooks. It was the first time since November 18, 2023, Gaber had scored two goals in a game. Gaber now has five multi-point games. 

Goon's Takeaways: DU Beats UND 3-2 in OT to Get the Series Split

When the weekend started, many in NoDak would have agreed that a series split with Denver (7-5 W, 3-2 OT L) would've been an acceptable result. The Hawks hadn't swept in Denver for 20 years, and taking 4-of-6 points would be a great result, considering that point. 

Not so fast. The loss ended an eight-game winning streak by UND. In the post-game press conference, the UND players weren't satisfied with taking 4-of-6 points. 

 "They weren't too happy about last night, so we knew they were going to bring it and there were going to be some emotions out there tonight," UND defenseman Keaton Pehrson told the media following Saturday's game. "We expected that."

If you didn't see Saturday's game, no problem; the highlights are embedded in the YouTube video below.

 

Here are some of the things that stuck out for me this weekend. After watching both games,  I think it was a good hockey weekend for UND. Obviously, a much better for UND would have been a sweep, but that is a very tall task. You could see the guys were a little tired at the end of the second and third periods. 

The players UND acquired through the NCAA Transfer Portal have paid big dividends through the first half of the season. It's not an understatement to say that junior forward Cameron Berg had a big weekend for UND against the Pioneers. Berg scored three goals on the weekend and five goals in his last four games. That translates to seven points during those four games (4g-3a--7pts). He also has five multi-point games. In 16 games, Berg has scored (7g-9a--16-pts), he's also a plus-seven. Four of Berg's 7 goals have come on the power play. Berg is second in the NCHC in faceoff wins 169-101 (.626). 

Another NCAA Transfer Portal acquisition, Hunter Johannes, has scored (7g-5a--12pts) in 16 games. He is a plus-10. Until Saturday night, he hadn't scored a goal on the road. He finally broke through at the 3:08 mark of the third period.  

Sophomore forward Jackson Blake is on fire. He is on a seven-game scoring streak (5g-7a--12pts). In 16 games, Blake has scored (11g-11a--22pts), which leads UND. He is a plus-six. Blake is tied for fourth in the NCHC in points with 22.  

UND closes out the 2023 part of the schedule this weekend against Colorado College. They play the next six games at home (seven if you count the exhibition game against the U18 team). UND has 20 regular season games, 12 at home and eight on the road. UND is 8-1-1 at home and 4-2 on the road. 

They Said what?

With Nick back at the helm at Let's Go DU. Much better. 

The Grand Forks Herald: UND Drops Series Finale in Overtime

Goon's Takeaways: UND Beats DU in Denver, 7-5

Last night in Magness Arena, after the game, when game officials posted the final box score read UND 7 DU 5. It was a tale of two games. UND would score first with a goal from forward Dylan James. Then the momentum would shift, and then it was all Denver as they raced to a 4-1 lead. In the first period, UND looked like deer in the headlights. UND also came out on their heels and a step slow. Maybe a little nervous. UND didn't panic. 

In the second period, UND picked up momentum, got a rhythm, and started chipping away at the Pioneer's 4-1 lead. UND would score six of the last seven goals to beat the Pioneers. I know this sounds cliche, but this game may end up being one for the ages. You can see the highlights below if you didn't watch Friday's game. 

Entering Friday's game against DU, UND goalie Ludvig Persson had played in 12 games, going 1-11-0, 4.69 GAA, and a .879 save percentage, snapped an 11-game losing streak to the Pioneers. The last time Persson had beaten DU was on December 17, 2020, in the pod at Baxter Arena. Persson struggled in the first period, stopping 6/10 shots. He would finish the game with 27 saves on 32 shots.  Persson is now (12-2-1, 2.06 GAA, .917 save percentage). He also has three shutouts. 

With the win, UND is now on an eight-game winning streak. That's the longest in the nation. With the win, UND also vaulted to the top of the Pairwise rankings. Yes, I still think it's too early to worry, but it was mentioned somewhere else.  

UND freshman forward Jayden Perron recorded his first assist of the season. He now has (7g--1a--8pts), he's also a plus-four. 

Sophomore forward Jackson Blake continues to shine; he notched his fifth three-point game of the season, which leads, UND. He's also scored in five straight games; that's a career-high. In 15 games this season, Blake has scored (11g-10a--21pts); he's also a plus-nine. Two of his 11 goals have come on the power play. Blake has six multi-point games this season. That leads UND. In 54 games, Blake has scored (27g-36a--63pts).

After missing four games due to injury, sophomore forward Jake Schmaltz returned to the lineup and added a pair of assists. In 10 games, Schmaltz has recorded six assists and is a plus-one. 

Sophomore forward Owen McLaughlin also recorded three points for the third time this year. In 14 games this season, he's scored (4g-11a--15pts), and he's also a plus-seven. The Spring City, PA., native has recorded four multi-point games this season. McLaughlin has equaled his point total of last season.   

Some in the college hockey world made a big deal about UND using the NCAA Transfer Portal to fill in their roster holes. UND hit the jackpot with junior forward Cameron Berg. The Fargo native now has four multi-point contests in his last seven games.  Speaking of faceoffs, the Hawks finished with a 33-25 advantage over the Pioneers. Berg led the way for UND, going 13-6 (.684).  In 15 games, Berg has (6g-8a--14pts); he's also a plus-seven. 

They Said

You can get the Let's Go DU perspective on last night's game. 

The Grand Forks Herald Gamer 

"I get it, they're a high-emotion team," Louis Jamernik V told the Grand Forks Herald following the game. "They can get a little cocky sometimes. We just said, 'All right, we'll match it. If you want to put your stick up in front of our bench, we'll do the same to you.'"

"We knew, and we thought there were going to be growing pains at certain points through the year," DU Head Coach David Carle said. "This hurts; this needs to hurt. We can't forget how this feels and go about it the same way we always do. We'll teach and try and get better."

Goon's Takeaways; Game One: UND Beats BSU 3-2 in OT

The University of North Dakota hockey team kicked off their Thanksgiving weekend with a non-conference tilt with the Bemidji State University Beavers. 

Statistically, entering the weekend, this looked like a series that could be very one-sided. BSU entered Friday's game with the worst penalty kill in college hockey at 65.8 percent. The Beavers goaltending had also played poorly during the first 12 games of the season as they entered the game with the worst save percentage in college hockey. 

 Looking at the stats, you would think the UND hockey team would be licking their lips with the prospect of filling the Beaver goal with pucks. Through two periods, the game played out differently. 

None of this mattered; hockey is played on the ice and not on paper. The Hawks came out of the gates a step slow, looking like they were feeling the effects of a big Thanksgiving hangover. The Beavers beat them to pucks and kept them on their heels. 

Forward Kasper Magnussen gave the Beavers a quick 1-0 lead 1:19 into the first period. Assist Lleyton Roed and Carter Jones.

Kasper Magnussen puts @BSUBeaversMHKY up 1-0 on No. 1 UND!

📺: https://t.co/FUbYbgZoLj #CCHAHockey | #BeaverTerritory pic.twitter.com/ezA6OFHfAw

— CCHA (@CCHAHockey) November 25, 2023

Forward Jackson Jutting would score the Beavers second goal at the 17:30 mark of the first period to give them a 2-0 lead.

Jackson Jutting makes it 2-0 @BSUBeaversMHKY in Grand Forks!

📺: https://t.co/FUbYbgZoLj #CCHAHockey | #BeaverTerritory pic.twitter.com/7u8DOpoWQR

— CCHA (@CCHAHockey) November 25, 2023

Cameron Berg would score UND's first goal of the game with a goal at the 18:05 mark of the first period. 2-1 Beavers.

Good ping. #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/suOyI7xarK

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 25, 2023

Berg would score his second goal of the year to tie the game at 2-2. Berg took a pass from Hunter Johanness and shot from above the right faceoff circle. With his two goals, Berg doubled his season goal total. He now has four goals on the season.

🍔🍔#UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/1I5eCUt4n9

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 25, 2023

Jackson Blake scores the game-winning goal 50 seconds into Overtime to give UND a 3-2 win. Assists Jake Livanavage and Owen McLaughlin. UND has played in three overtime games and has a 2-0-1 record. Blake has scored both of UND's game-winning goals. Both overtimes combined lasted a minute and 10 seconds.

Not bad, not bad at all. #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/z6E7786yw3

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 25, 2023

Video evidence confirms that the game-winning goal was offside. BSU didn't challenge the play. With the win, UND improved to 10-2-1 (.807), with the loss, BSU dropped to 5-8-0.

Why not challenge? pic.twitter.com/C3WOrWakP2

— Beaver Territory 🦫 (@BeavTerritory) November 25, 2023

UND Beats Miami 6-4 in Game One

The University of North Dakota hockey team opened their conference schedule at home with a 6-4 win against the Miami RedHawks. 

UND Scored two in the first period, three in the second period and one in the third period. At the 11:59 mark of the first period, graduate forward Hunter Johannes would get UND on the board with this beautful goal from the top of the circles. That was goal number six of the year. Assists Cameron Berg and Jackson Blake.

On the prowl again!#UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/yh12Z4PB7k

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

At the 14:32 mark of the first period, freshman forward Jayden Perron would give UND a 2-0 lead with his sixth goal of the seasons. Assists by Hunter Johannes, Cameron Berg. Perron has yet to record an assist, he has 6 goals in 11 games. Johannes now has two multi-point games on the season. Last season, he has seven multi-point games with Lindenwood. 

Follow your shot, kids!#UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/2uA4KdPgec

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

At the 7:52 mark of the second period, Owen McLauglin give UND a 3-0 lead. Assists Jackson Blake and Riese Gaber.

Their connection is special. #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/vB4kMpnyhF

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

Miami would get two quick goals less than a minutes apart by PJ Fletcher, and Matthew Barbolini. Unfortunately, the RedHawks didn't post the goals on their Twitter page.

At the 12:42 mark of the second period, UND would take a two goal lead with a goal from Jackson Blake. The RedHawks would challenge the goal for a handpass, but the goal would stand.

Oh nothing, just Jackson's third game this season with at least three points. #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/XmjrfwawwQ

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

Less than two minutes later, senior forward Carson Albrecht assist Owen McLaughlin. In the pregame, I was talking to Virg Foss and he said that Albrecht was going to score tonight. He's also add an assist later in the game.

200-foot player! #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/LgQD3Knyh1

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

UND didn't take long to open the scoring in the third period. Seven seconds in sophomore forward Dylan James would give UND a 6-2 lead. That would close out the scoring or UND. Albrecht would pick up the assist.

DJ, turn it up! #UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/QQPToGSdEQ

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) November 18, 2023

Miami would scored to goals in the final two minutes of the game to make the score 6-4.