Discussion: UND Finds Their Game, but Is It a Little Too Late?

On Friday night, the UND hockey team won for only the second time in 2025 (2-6-1). Friday has been a killer for the UND hockey team during the second half of the season. With the win, UND improves to 8-8-1 on Friday nights. 

With the 3-1 victory against the Mavericks, the Hawks also broke a three-game losing streak, including a 6-3 loss to the Mavericks in last year's Frozen Faceoff. With their play in the previous four and half weeks, UND has found their game. However, is it a little too late? NODAK is 6-2-0 in the last eight games and 14-7-2 since November 16, 2024. UND needs to win the NCHC tourney to make the NCAA tourney a very tall order. From here on out, every game is a must-win game. 

Speaking of NODAK, UND is 3-1-0 when wearing the white NODAK jerseys. I am on record for the NODAK jerseys becoming the official UND hockey team jerseys. UND could sell more of them than the current jerseys.

Stick Taps 

I was reading the UND post-game notes by Alec Johnson, the UND SID. A few things caught my attention. 

Over the years, the UND hockey team has had the better of the matchup against Omaha, 37-22-2 (.622) all-time. However, entering last night's game, the Mavericks had won the three previous games. 

You can bet that T.J. Semptimphelter will be in the net when the two teams face off on Saturday. He's 2-0-0, 0.99 GAA and a .964 save percentage. Semptimphelter improved to 6-2-0 over his last eight starts.

Carter Wilkie continued his torrid pace, scoring his 10th point in the last 10 games (4g-6a–10pts). 

Freshman forward Sacha Boisvert scored his fifth straight goal, his sixth goal in the previous five games (6g-1a–7pts). He leads the team with 15 goals. That was also his seventh multipoint game of the season.

Speaking of multipoint games. UND sophomore defenseman Jake Livanavage recorded his seventh multipoint game of the season with two assists. Livanavage becomes only 11th UND defenseman to record 50 points in his first two seasons. Even more impressive, Livanavage has the most points by UND defense in his first two seasons since 1999-01 (Travis Roche). Yeah, that guy.

UND junior forward Dylan James has been on a heater; on Friday, he scored his 14th goal of the season, giving him 15 points in the last 16 games (9g-5a-15pts). He's fifth on the team in scoring (14g-8a-22pts). He also has four multipoint games, including a four-point game on February 7, 2025. 

UND Hockey: Crunching the Numbers; It's Crunch Time

Today, I looked at the 2024-25 UND hockey team numbers. There are some good and bad. This time of year, no one cares about anything other than wins, losses, and Natty's. However, some of these statistics are telling and have value. But I digress. These numbers can also paint a larger picture. 

UND needs to improve its penalty kill, especially if it wants to advance in the NCHC playoffs and possibly to the NCAA playoffs. For most of the season, UND's penalty kill bottomed out at 58th in the nation. UND is currently 48th in the PK nationally, which is not great. Since UND's 3-1 win against C.C., the Hawks have improved on the power play and are 27-33 (81.8). 

Dr. Jekyell and Mr. Hyde, Friday nights have been a house of horrors during the second half of the season. Since January, the Hawks have been 1-5-1 (.214). On Saturday nights, UND is 6-1-0 (.857). 

During February, it was no different; UND was 5-3. All three losses came on Friday nights; UND was 1-3-0 (.250). UND was 4-0-0 on Saturday nights. UND's only win was against UMD on Friday night, February 21, 2025, 4-2.

Jake Livanavage Takes Flight 

UND defenseman Jake Livanavage has been stellar, averaging 24:28 minutes per game. His highest minute totals were 30:32 last Saturday against WMU, 29:12 against ASU, 27:47 against UMD, and 27:28 against DU. Jake Livanavage is UND’s top point-getter (4g—22a—26—pts). He’s also a plus-two. He has six multiple-point games. Saturday against Western Michigan, Livanavage scored the game-winning goal. His post-goal Celly was epic.

🤫#UNDproud | #LGH pic.twitter.com/01X66rxkvk

— North Dakota Hockey (@UNDmhockey) March 2, 2025

Carter Wilkie Gets Hot

Graduate forward Carter Wilkie came to UND as a highly touted offensive player. In 117 games at RIT, Wilkie scored (43g-68a—111pts). Yes, he compiled those numbers against the Atlantic Hockey competition, but you still have to be a good player to score those numbers. 

We're seeing a glimpse of what UND was looking for when they recruited Wilikie.

In 33 games with UND, Wilkie has scored (7g-8a—15pts); he’s also a plus one. Wilkie is getting hot at the right time. He has started contributing on the scoresheet after scoring (3g-3a—6pts) in the first 24 games of the season. Wilkie has (3g-6a—9pts) in the last nine games and  (2g-4a—6pts) in the previous four games.

Wilkie's hard work hasn’t gone unnoticed.

“He was snakebit a little bit in the first half of the season. I guess analytically and point-wise, but he’s just kept on playing,” Berry said. 

“We’ve started to play the right way, and it’s reaping the reward right now,” Wilkie said following Friday's wins against UMD. “Every guy in there is contributing, too. Not only my offense but everyone’s continued the winning aspect for our team.”

Louis Jamernik Breaks an O-Fer Streak 

UND captain Louis Jamernik V broke a 14-game pointless streak with an assist last Friday against Western Michigan. Jamernik hasn't scored a goal since November 8, 2024. 

Hobie Sacha? 

Check out this Tweet from the Hobie Baker Memorial Award's X feed. Sacha Boisvert's Hobey Baker Memorial Award. You can vote for Boisvert here. 

Sacha Boisvert is a Hobey Baker Memorial Award nominee! 🏒💪 North Dakota fans, show your support for this standout forward by voting daily at https://t.co/CGEVafN9rB! #VoteForHobey @boisvertsacha @undmhockey @thenchc @drinkbodyarmor pic.twitter.com/lx1BHwYysa

— Hobey Baker Award (@HobeyBakerAward) March 4, 2025

Goal Scoring 19th 

NCHC Goal Scoring 4th

NCHC Goals Scored Per Game 4th 3.21

NCHC Shooting % 2nd 

Goals Against 30th GAA 

NCHC Goals Allowed Per Game 6th 2.88 GAA

Save Percentage 40th 

Save Percentage NCHC .898 7th SV%

Power Play 10th (25.5) 

Power Play NCHC 4th (25.3)

Penalty Kill 48th (76.5) 

Penalty Kill NCHC 8th (76.5) 

Shorthanded Goals Tied 13th 4 

Shorthanded Goals NCHC 3rd 

Faceoffs 54.5 tied Tied for 20th 

Faceoffs NCHC 5th 

(Link to NCHC Stats)

(College Hockey News Stats)