UND beats U-18 team, Drake Caggiula injured

This season, the University of North Dakota has four exhibition games on their 2013-14 schedule. These exhibition games give the coaching staff a chance to evaluate their players. Also, the coaching staff can use these exhibition games as an opportunity to try different line combinations and defensive pairing that you couldn’t normally try in a regular season game.  UND was able to play a few players that hadn’t played so far this season.

In tonight’s exhibition game, the University of North Dakota faced off against the US National U-18 team at the Ralph Englestad Arena.  

UND would beat the US National U-18 Team 4-1, but the win would come with a cost. Sophomore forward Drake Caggiula would suffer an apparent injury in the early minutes of the second period. Caggiula tried to jump over an U-18 player, fell and landed on his head.  Caggiula was taken off of the ice on a stretcher and taken to Altru Hospital.

After the game, fellow line mate Rocco Grimaldi was asked about the Caggiula injury.

“It was really tough,” Grimaldi said. “Actually, I was kind of tearing up for him. I have never seen anything like that in my life, so it was tough for all of us to see. Obviously, your thoughts and prayers are going out to him. Hoping he’s okay. Hoping he can get back and everything is going to be okay with him.”

After the game, the head coach Dave Hakstol had this to say about the Caggiula’s injury.

“It’s hard to see with any member of the team,” Hakstol said. “We’re happy to hear some good news and waiting, hopefully we will hear some more good news."

While the injury did take the life out of the building, there were a few positives.

After having a rough first two seasons, junior forward Brendan O’Donnell has gotten off to a fast start this season and scored (1g1a—2pts) tonight.  When asked about his quick start to the season, this is what he had to say.

“You try to build confidence every game,” O’Donnell said. "Every practice, every week, in college hockey, the thing is week to week is such a big difference, fresh start every week. I just try to build on what we have done and look forward to the future."

One difference for O’Donnell this season is that he’s finally healthy.

“Obviously, you never want to be injured,” O’Donnell said. “Its been nice to be healthy...”

After the game, head coach Dave Hakstol was very complimentary of Brendan O’Donnell’s play.

“He’s just maturing in every way,” Hasktol said. “You see that maturity come through. The confidence that he’s playing with, he’s worked hard to elevate his play. He’s a guy that was out of the lineup an awful lot in the middle of the season last year. Instead of stepping back, he stepped forward. He worked extremely hard to get himself back in the lineup, late in the second half of last year. He had an excellent summer, where he was focused on all of the right things. He’s carried that into winning a job on our left side.”

On evaluating his team play, Head Coach Dave Hakstol seemed pleased with his team’s effort.

“Real good second period,” Hakstol said. “Lot of positives there, up and down first and third period. We got to the third period it was matter of just kind running out the 20-minutes from our stand point. Certainly we will give them a lot of credit. They played a game last night. They played good hockey in the third period, which was their sixth period of hockey of the weekend. Lots of credit to the young guys over there.”

Now for the good news: According to UND SID Jayson Hajdu, forward Drake Caggiula has movement and feeling in his extremities, he underwent further testing. The tests came back negative and Caggiula was released from Altru hospital.

Related articles

• NCHC Hockey: North Dakota and Miami Split Inaugural Weekend (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Completes Comeback Against Vermont (insidehockey.com)
• UND completes comeback against Vermont (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND and UVM Skate to a Tie (insidehockey.com)

The Squirrel Told Me... (RW77)

NUTS!

Well, here's my OPINION:

The End of the Road

Well, our season is at an end.  We did pretty well for 2/3rds of the game before it came crashing down.  I wonder what was ailing Gothberg?  Sadly, I was unable to watch the game so I wonder if it is the D that let us down or goaltending or what?

I know, I know.  There is a silver lining to the loss:  The Haters will have something to do this offseason while the fans that support UND truly lick their wounds and pine about things that could've been.  So, I'll sum it all up.

We gave up a costly 3 on 1 goal.  We didn't clear the front of our net.  We broke down in areas.  We didn't pot our chances or capitolize on Yale's mistakes.  Sure, these infractions came down to simple factors but I'll sum it all up:  FIRE HAKSTOL.

You know that 3 on 1?  It wouldn't have happened if Blais was head coach.  In fact, we'd be the first team with double digit National Championships.  Hell... I don't know if we'd've spent a single season without the NC at the Ralph under Blais with the talent Hak has recruited.

You can't blame execution or bad play on the ice because they are just kids.  Yale is from the ECACHL, dang it!  Since when is it possible for ANY team out east to even be HALF decent?  No, Yale wasn't better than us on this one day (silly facts), it was all Hakstol.

So, yeah.  Fire him.  It'll be gratifying to watch Hak flounder in unemployment for all of 72 hours max.  But hey, at least we'll get Blais back....well, ok, at least that's what the UND fans in Colorado and Washington State are claiming in between bags of Doritos and through a fine blue smoky haze.

Reality Check

We lost.  It SUCKS.  The truth is, I thought last year's team or the year prior had the tools to go far.  This year seemed more of a transitional year.  We never had the consistency we've had in previous years.  I guess that falls partly on Hakstol.  I won't deny that Hak and Co. deserve some of the blame.  But I won't join the haters doing what they love to do.  I love my team and those who truly love their team don't ENDLESSLY bag on them and aren't stuck in the past.

We'll be back.  Gothberg will mature and he'll firmly take over.  Grimaldi will turn into a stud once he gains some consistency.  We will miss Kristo and Knight.  We'll miss the lockerroom presence of Tate.  Andrew MacWilliam?  Well...  I love his style, but... the heavy hitters are being drummed out of hockey so in the coming years UND won't have to worry about the penalties he brings to the table.  Joe?  He's a fan favorite so I won't say anything but what a stud.

I will always trust in Hakstol and always have faith in the knowledge that some day we will make it all the way and win it all.  And I will recognize that, until that happens, Hakstol will be hated upon unreasonably by all these "traditionalist" idiots who pervade fanbases nowadays.  Yeah, flame away.  I don't care.

I'm wrong.  Big whoop.  I'm an idiot.  Doesn't bother me.  I got you to read my opinion and some of you so revved up that you had to respond.  I win. 

Tate Maris takes the ice

That was one of my favorite moments of the season, it was a classy move by the UND coaching staff, to give Tate Maris a few moments between the pipes, it was nice to see. The post game press conference was pretty cool as well. Last night on Twitter, the #TateMarisWatch picked up some serious momentum.

What was more impressive, coach Hakstol pulled Clarke Saunders, who at the time, had a 27 shot shutout going and put in Tate Maris, that to me was cool because, it showed a commitment to a team player and not just individual's numbers. The team worked hard to preserved the shutout and I thought Tate looked good in net.

Tigers take a bite out of UND 4-3.

Grand Forks, ND – There was much anticipation coming into tonight’s game. UND was riding a 6-0-1 mark in the last seven games that they had played in.

The Colorado College Tigers came into this game as a team going the opposite direction of UND. The Tigers were winless in 0-6-1 their last seven games and hadn’t won since the last time the two teams met on November 31, 2012.

Both teams would end their current streaks tonight.

After the game, Colorado College Tigers head coach Scott Owens seemed to down play his team’s rough stretch.

“Ours shoulders aren’t as slumped as you think they’d be,” Owens said.  “Despite our six or seven weeks, because we have played decent, we come to work every day with a smile on our face and work hard. It’s just nice for the kids to get rewarded a little bit. We’ve been bad some games and pretty good some games that we haven’t won either. So will take it as a positive, enjoy it for an hour and square ourselves away.”
On the other side of the ice UND Head coach Dave Hakstol wasn’t all that thrilled with his team’s effort tonight.

“Last time I checked it was a 60 minute hockey game for all of us,” Hakstol said.

Speaking of players enjoying hot steaks; senior forward Corban Knight came into tonight’s game smoking hot riding a 15 game scoring streak.

Despite the loss, Knight was able to extend that streak to 16 games, after he assisted UND’s first goal of the evening at the 09:33 mark of the first period.

Tonight, just wasn’t UND’s night as the Green and White would come out of the gates slow, and the Tigers would capitalize first, as they got on the board first with a wicked shot from Tiger forward Jordan DiGiando.  Digiando would take a pass from Peter Stoykewych and shot the puck past UND goalie Clarke Saunders. It looked as if Saunders never saw Digiando’s shot. Incidentally, speaking of streaks, that was the first goal of the season and the first goal of his career for the sophomore forward from Gahanna, OH.

UND would tie the score at 08:45 mark of the first period with an absolute snipe by Danny Kristo. Assisting on the goal, was Corban Knight and Dillon Simpson.

The Tigers would take the lead yet again at the 09:33 mark of the first period, with a goal from Archie Skalbeck. That would be all of the scoring for the first period. The Tigers outshoot UND 13-11.

Not only did UND lose the game tonight, but they would also suffer a heavy price when Tiger defenseman Mike Boivin would bury UND forward Drake Caggiula into the boards, with a vicious check from behind. For his efforts, Boivin was given a five minute major and a game misconduct. Caggiula would go down the tunnel and not return to the game.

After the game coach Hakstol was asked about the condition of his freshman forward Drake Caggiula.
“I don’t, I haven’t even talked to anyone on it,” Hakstol said. “ I just know that he was out for the night.
The second period saw both team exchange goals.

At the 13:29 mark for the second period, sophomore defenseman Nick Mattson would get his second goal of the year.  Rocco Grimaldi would take a shot from the point that was tipped by Carter Rowney in front of Joe Howe; the puck would trickle through Howe’s legs, where Nick Mattson would bury the puck behind Howe.

Tie game 2-2.

The Tigers would take a 3-2 lead with a power play goal by William Rapuzzi at the 19:22 mark on the power play. Assisting on the play was Rylan Schwartz and Eamonn McDermott.

The Tigers would again out shoot UND 11-8 in the second period.

At the 02:44 mark of the third period, UND would tie the game with a beautiful goal by sophomore forward Mark MacMillian. MacMillan would take a pass form senior defenseman Joe Gleason and race by the Tigers defense and cut out in front of the Tigers net and shoot the behind a sprawling Joe Howe.
The Tigers would again re-take the lead 4-3 with a goal from Jeff Collett at the 12:56 mark of the third period. UND was unable to get the equalizer as C.C. would win the game 4-3

Cross Posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine. 

Book Review: One Goal, From a UND Hockey Fan's Perspective

Coach Hakstol addresses his team after a game
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

This Christmas my wife gave me the book “One Goal” by Allison Davis O’Keefe.  If this book was not under your Christmas tree and you are thinking of purchasing it, do it.

I was told that they’re flying off of the shelves at the Sioux Shop. “One Goal” is on sale for $45.23 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena Sioux Shop. According to the Sioux Shop webpage, the book is still in stock.

In my opinion, this is a great gift idea for that person that loves UND hockey. I am glad that I found this book under my Christmas tree, and I am thankful for receiving it. Of course, this is coming from a guy that makes no apologies for his love of UND hockey. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, because I believe that the book’s audience is UND hockey fans.

If you’re a Fighting Sioux hockey fan and you followed the team during the 2010-11 season – you lived the memories that are well-documented in this book – “One Goal” will also bring back emotions that you experienced during the season.

I know the name changed for good on June 12, 2012 but for the purposes of this review, the team is referred to as Fighting Sioux, because that was the team’s name at the time.

“One Goal” is an emotional, thoughtful and personal look into the 2010-11 UND Fighting Sioux hockeyseason. “One Goal” also gives UND hockey fans a chance at closure, seeing their favorite team lose in the semifinals of the 2011 Frozen Four. This was a very painful experience for the team, the community and the fans.

“One Goal” also does a good job humanizing UND head hockey coach Dave Hakstol as well.

Coach Hakstol with his wife Erin after a game.
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

Being credentialed by UND for the last year and a half has allowed me to get a closer look at a man that many fans might not totally understand. In my opinion, Hakstol at times, has been unfairly bagged on by some in the UND fan base.

From the “front stage” perspective, Hakstol comes off a bit stiff, but also very serious and businesslike. One of my friends once asked me “when Hakstol was going to take the hanger out of his suit coat.”  If anything, this book gives the readers a chance to get a different look at the man that many fans have not seen.

From the “front stage” Hakstol at times also comes off as being a “bit” intimidating, if not standoffish.

Coach Hakstol is a very passionate person when it comes to UND Hockey and that emanates from the book as well.

“One Goal” gives a glimpse into the “back stage” version of Dave Hakstol, but also the 2010-11 Fighting Sioux Hockey team as well. You see a guy that’s a family man.

“One Goal” really does a good job giving the fans a closer look at the senior class of 2011, especially seniors Matt Frattin and Chay Genoway, two of the bigger stars in a very star-studded line up.

While Frattin was known for his bone-crushing hits and timely goals on the ice, you see a different side of a young man off the ice. You see a reflective Frattin stopping to collect his thoughts before a big game.

The 2010-11 version of UND hockey was probably one of UND’s best teams during the Dave Hakstol era that made it to the Frozen Four; in my opinion that team should have hung a banner, but in the end could not seal the deal and bring home the hardware. That is  also illustrated in the book.

“One Goal” also illustrates that it’s more than just being about hockey, it’s about comradeship and being there for your teammates.

UND not winning the NCAA title in 2010-11 left a void in the hearts of Fighting Sioux hockey fans all across the Fighting Sioux fan base. You can see from the pictures in the book, that the loss also affected the players as well.

There are few if any written words in this book, but the pictures tell the story about a hockey season that did not quite end the way most of us would have wanted.

You see the cold reality of losing and also the cold barren winter prairie that comes alive when Fighting Sioux Hockey is in town playing at the Ralph.

Historically, the 2010-11 Fighting Sioux hockey team was also the last “full” season of UND being called the Fighting Sioux.

There is a bit of irony in the book, the Fighting Sioux nickname is supposed to be “hostile and abusive” or at least that’s what we’re led to believe based on what the NCAA has said in the past.  Yet there is a picture of Fighting Sioux fans of Native American descent at the Midwest Regional wearing jerseys sporting the Fighting Sioux logo. How could that be?

The Fighting Sioux came into the Frozen Four on a 15-game unbeaten streak (14-0-1) and won theMacNaughton Cup by six points over second-place Denver.

UND also won the Broadmoor Trophy in impressive fashion beating DU 3-2 in the championship game in two over times, but the team didn’t touch either trophy when it was presented to them at center ice. UND would then travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin and roll through the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal beating RPI 6-0 and DU 6-1 in impressive fashion.

The 2010-11 team was built to win a national title and was by far the best team in the WCHA during the regular season and first three rounds of the playoffs, but as we have learned in the past, the best team doesn’t always win. Just ask Brendan Morrison from Michigan.

Matt Frattin after the Frozen Four loss against Michigan
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

The 2010-11 Fighting Sioux Hockey team had higher aspirations, but it appeared from a bystander and the book illustrates that the Fighting Sioux hockey team didn’t really stop long enough to enjoy the moment.

Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol made mention of this to the author of the book a year and a half later. From the afterword of One Goal; “he [Hakstol] wished he had allowed the team to relish their wins – that perhaps the pressure of “destiny” prevented them from appreciating their accomplishments.”

There are a few examples of this in the book. You can see the lonely Broadmoor Trophy and a MacNaughton Cup sitting at center ice just begging to be picked up and paraded around the Ralph and the Xcel Energy Center. Some of the college hockey media people seem almost taken back by that, I think the author might have been as well. None-the-less, the author gives you the opportunity to ponder that for yourself.

I have now read the book “One Goal” about ten times and I find something new each time that I re-read the book, the first time I read it I got tears in my eyes. I highly recommend picking up a copy so you can relive the memories of the UND Fighting Sioux’s 2010-11 season. It’s like you can feel the memories coming out in the pictures of the book.

It would be interesting to see the pictures that didn’t make the book.

Originally posted at the Hockey Writers Combine... 

Wednesday UND Hockey press conference notes

Seal of the University of North Dakota (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Originally post the Hockey Writers - Combine

This weekend, the University of North Dakota travels to South Bend, Indiana to play the Fighting Irish in a two game series in Compton Family Arena.

Today was media day for this weekend’s series and these are a few of the points from North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol that caught my attention.

This is what Coach Hakstol had to say about UND’s fans.

“Our students; is the best student section in the country,” Hakastol said. “We leave for the pre-game meal and there’s a thousand students already lined up at two thirty or three in the afternoon and you come back to the game and the student line up out in the cold that wraps halfway around to the back of the arena. That in its self brings excitement right way when you come to the rink and inside the arena – the passion – not just the students but all of our fans bring is second to none. I can compare that to just about any sporting event that I have ever been at. What continually strikes me is new people come into the building – National Hockey League people – hockey people from all-over different parts of north America – come in here and no matter what they have heard about the building – no matter how many positives they have heard about the atmosphere by the end of the hockey game here they’re in disbelief of what they have just witnessed.  That’s all due to the passion and excitement of our fans – their loyalty is second to none.”

This past weekend, UND gave up 70 plus shots to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs and Coach Hakstol was asked what he had to do defensively to limit the amount of shots that he team game up in the defensive zone.

“It’s what we have to do outside of our defensive zone,” Hakstol said. “Not inside. We’re playing good hockey in our own zone. We have to do a better job taking care of the puck. We have to play to our strengths. In order to do that, we want to play in the opposition’s end of the rink. When we turn pucks over in the neutral zone – when we give up possession easily in the offensive zone that leads to three or four more opportunities that we have to play in our own defensive zone – I think last week that was a bigger issue than our actual performance in terms of defensive zone coverage. It comes down to taking care of the puck and pushing the puck up ice and making it a 200 foot game for our opposition. Give Duluth a lot of credit. I said it a week ago – they’re a quick team – they’re a great fore-checking team – they’re a good transition team. We cannot turn the puck over to them. I think we turned the puck over to them a little bit too much. That’s one area of our game that has to get better because we’re going into a series against another team that’s pretty good in the neutral zone that’s pretty good in transition.”

The games this past weekend were some of the longest teams in UND history and coach Hakstol was asked about the communication with the officials and if there is too much between the officials and the players and coaches during a game.

“No I think we have to reduce the communication,” Hakstol said. “Not the communication but the length of communication between officials and the teams and that includes both the players on the ice – the captions that are communicating with officials – as  well as the amount of time that is spent at the benches talking with the officials. That’s not on any one individual part of the game – that’s on all of us. We have to reduce that amount of time. For those games last week to be some the longest games we have played in 250 games is crazy because there wasn’t really very much going on in terms of extracurricular stuff  that’s on all of us and we have to reduce that over length of game time.”

Coach Hakstol was asked if the rivalry between UMD and UND is heating up.

“I think it’s always been that way,” Hakstol said. “I think if you look at some of the series we have played over the past few years I think it’s always been that way. I think it’s a great rivalry it’s a traditional and historical rival for us – so absolutely – obviously we are both moving into a new league next year and I consider them certainly to be of our… not just proximity wise but they’re one of our closest rivals. I think this games weekend were pretty indicative of that and probably of the healthy rivalry to come.”

Coach Hakstol was asked about the status of injured forward Michael Parks who was injured during the first period of Friday’s game.

“Michael Parks will travel to South Bend this weekend, but will not play,” Hakstol said. “He’s still week to week.”

Dillon Simpson from boy to polished defenseman… UND’s defensman steps up to make major impact on team.

Edmonton Oilers (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

This is what I wrote for the Hockey Writers - Combine. 

University of North Dakota Junior defenseman Dillon Simpson accelerated his high school studies to come to UND at a very young age of 17 years old. His first season with UND, Simpson could have been attending high school with kids his own age instead of playing in a league full of 20 year old men.

Simpson was drafted in the fourth round, 92^ndover-all in the 2011 NHL entry level draft by the hometown Edmonton Oilers.

The Edmonton Oilers Hockey’s Future page

has Simpson listed as a project.

Simpson is a project in the purest sense. It’s unlikely he leaves school early, barring an incredible jump in production, so it won’t be clear where he fits for a couple years.

This season has kind of been a coming out party for the young defenseman.

This season, Simpson has shown us a peak of what we can expect from him in the weeks to come.

On the ice Simpson’s play oozes with confidence.

Head coach Dave Hakstol had this to say about Dillon Simpson’s play during the last series and more specifically last Saturday Night.

“I thought this past Saturday especially in a game where we weren’t happy with a lot of things – there were very many things that we did. I thought he was one guy that continued to play at a real efficient level. We’re happy with his play – he’s made a nice step forward from where he was as a sophomore and he has held that level of play at a pretty consistent level. So there have been a lot of positive signs for him.

Coach Hakstol on whether Dillon Simpson is physically stronger this season.

He’s stronger, he’s more mature, Hakstol said. You always have to remember that everyone’s body matures at a different age. But also, Dillon’s a junior but he just turned 19 years old, he’s a young junior. I think what we’re starting to see is some of that physical maturity starting to kick in and that combined with a lot of the hard work that he has put in over the last couple of years you’re starting to see the payoff of that added strength and improved conditioned levels and that usually leads to an improved level of consistent play.

Coach Hakstol was asked whether junior defenseman Dillon Simpson has improved dramatically from last season.

“Number one he [Simpson] is getting a little more opportunity,” Hakstol said. “But usually opportunity comes with performance. The two have a coincidently way of meeting in the middle. You perform well you tend to see more opportunity. I think it’s a combination of the two for Dillon, he has very good offensive instincts, that’s a hole that he jumped into obviously it’s part of the power playset up but it’s also a read from his stand point – he made a good read – he jumped into a hole and finished a play. That’s something that we hope to see more and more out of him, we hope to see more of his offensive talents coming through.”

I believe the sky is the limit with Dillon Simpson and as his play improves, his minutes increase and so does his points total.

In case you were wondering, Dillon is the son of former NHLer, Hockey Night in Canada television broadcaster and MSU Spartans Alumnus Craig Simpson.

Related articles

• Joey Holka check on Dillon Simpson (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Jordan Schmaltz hit on Drew Leblanc (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND Slips Past UAA (insidehockey.com)
• UND third in CHN's Preseason Top 10 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Wednesday Press Conference notes. (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Und 4 Uaa 1 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• North Dakota Wednesday Press Conference notes. (thehockeywriters.com)

Notes from the Wednesday's UND Men’s Hockey press conference

Originally posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine

This weekend UND plays their first WCHA series of the season against the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves at Ralph Englestad Arena, October 26th and 27th.

Senior forward Carter Rowney had to say about the team’s first trip of the season to Fairbanks Alaska.

“I think a lot of stepping stones this weekend,” Rowney said. “Playing shorthanded was definitely the biggest challenge probably up in Alaska. It definitely showed we can play with whoevers in the lineup – whoever is out of the lineup – we’re definitely able to compete out there and I think that’s huge – the depth in our lineup is huge and that’s the stepping stone we created on Friday night and Saturday night. I think it was a good weekend for us and we came together being on the road with the boys and a good weekend to get away.”

Carter Rowney on watching some of the young guys stepping up and scoring goals last weekend.

“Definitely, watching the game on Friday – watching some of those young guys play – a lot of them played unreal and played like veterans out there,” Rowney said. “Really good to see – a lot of them stepped up – to get comfortable real fast in games – they improved throughout the weekend I think that was something to look forward to and something for me as a senior to look down to say hey their working hard and it pushes me.”

Rowney on having a full lineup and having some of the younger on the roster players step up without the upper classmen in the lineup on Friday.

“I think it’s huge for our team,” Rowney said. “Because the more people push each other… its better – you know – coming every day to practice and having each person pushing one another – I think that’s only going to make our team improve.”

Head coach Dave Hakstol on what he learned about his team the first weekend.

“I like how we worked on Friday,” Hakstol said. “l like how we played. I thought we played a complete game. We played a tenacious game and went to the all of the hard areas and we had contributions from everybody. We backed off a little bit on Saturday and I don’t’ think we played with quite enough energy and most importantly our difference from Friday to Saturday, was going to those greasy areas offensively, I thought that was a big difference, so hopefully that is something we can be a little more consistent this weekend from Friday to Saturday.”

Coach Hakstol on playing in the last year of the current WCHA and opening their conference play at home against UAA.

We have talked about it a lot; you know right now – it’s one game and one day,” Hakstol said. You know the big picture of the last year and everything else, that’s been put in place and that’s with in the big picture. You know, the scene that we’re concerned about is one weekend against Alaska Anchorage that’s what we have to concentrate on. You know, we have seen it before – we know how competitive the league is – we know how competitive it will be and points in the first weekend of the season are just as critical as points on the last weekend, so we got to have a focused approach.”

Coach Hakstol on what kind of team UAA is and what we’re to expect from the UAA Seawolves.

“To be very honest with you, I don’t think Alaska Anchorage played very well last Friday night when we played against them,” Hakstol said.

“There was a completely different team that stepped on the ice against Merrimack [College] the following day – they played hard – they played hungry – they played gritty and I think that’s what we will see this weekend, a highly competitive team.”

Coach Hakstol on the status of injured forward Michael Parks this weekend.

“Same, no change there,” Hakstol said. “I said last week that it’s going to be a few weeks; that’s where he is at, it’s going to be a few weeks. That’s not a medical term, I realize, but that’s probably the best I can do for you, I don’t want to put a time frame on it, because I don’t know and I don’t think anybody truly does and it going to be a few weeks.”

UND junior goalie Clarke Saunders was asked about how it felt getting his first shutout of his career for UND in the first game of the season with UND.

“It feels pretty cool,” Saunders said. “I am just happy that the team got the win. Always nice to start the season likes that and I think that we’re all pretty happy.”

Saunders was asked about his expectations coming into UND as a transfer student.

“To earn a spot, Saunders said. “Just to play there was some tough competition coming in. Zane [Gothberg] and Tate [Maris] are both very good goalies, so just try to work as hard as I can, hopefully to play as much as I can.”

Saunders was asked if he is nervous about his first WCHA home series this weekend.

“A good nervous, Saunders said. “Probably more excited is the term that I would like to use. Obviously we had two exhibition games at the Ralph, but we’re really looking forward to the home opener and the sold out crowd and I am excited to see what that’s about and experience what it’s going to be like.”

Related articles

• Nine Men out, UND heads north to Alaska (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Squeaks Past USNDT U-18 Team (insidehockey.com)
• UND squeaks by USNDT U-18 team 6-4 (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND: The Weekend Ahead (10/19-10/20) (insidehockey.com)
• Game Notes for UND versus UAA 10/26-10/27 (thehockeywriters.com)

Game time UND vs USDT U-18

This is what caught my attention from the video... “None of the conditioning that we do – do we do it at 80 or 90 percent speed, coach Hakstol said. We do what we can do at 100 percent 100 percent speed.” As it says in the basement at the Ralph - "Speed Kills" and this years UND Hockey team is built for speed.

Rowney and Parks out, MacWilliam in; Grimaldi to play off wing on top line bit.ly/R46Tv9
— Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) October 12, 2012

Looks like the injury bug is starting to hit UND a bit already.

Injury bug keeps biting: Carter Rowney out tonight. Status for next week up in air.
— Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) October 12, 2012

Wednesday press update for UND Men's hockey

Originally posted at the Hockey Writers - Combine. 
 
Today, I attended the UND media day for Men’s hockey and these are some of the quotes that I got from the head coach and a few of the UND hockey players.

UND Head coach Dave Hakstol was asked the specifics that his team needs to improve upon.
“Our play away from the puck,” coach Hakstols said.   “Our play without the puck has to improve.”
Coach Hakstol was asked about sophomore forward Michael Parks who suffered a lower leg injury during the third period of Saturday’s exhibition game against the Manitoba Bison.

“I honestly don’t have any new information than what I had on Sunday and Monday,” Coach Hakstol said. “We’re going to re-evaluate him on Friday and I think that will tell us a little bit more that we need to know he certainly won’t be available this weekend.”

Coach Hakstol was asked where red-shirt freshman forward Rocco Grimaldi and where he is going to play this weekend.

“I don’t know yet, Hakstol said. “He might play center, he might play left wing or he might play right wing. I am not trying… I don’t know exactly what we’re going to set for combinations for Friday. So far in practiced this week, he has played left wing as well as center. So were going to go with… probably, likely we will set our lines tomorrow for Thursday’s practice going into Friday’s game. But I am 100 percent set yet on exact line combinations, were going to mix it up, he’s going to play a lot of different position during the season.”

Senior defenseman Andrew MacWilliam had off season shoulder surgery and sat out the first exhibition game against the Manitoba Bison. Coach Hakstol was asked on whether defenseman Andrew MacWilliam is going to play this weekend.

“We will wait till Thursday, coach Hakstol said. “I think there’s a… he’s doing really well – potentially he could play one game even low minutes this weekend and up in Alaska and go up and play one game and that’s a great progression and get to play two games the following weekend and come back for our home opener – but we are going to give it all the time we possibly can before we make that final decision and that will probably be Thursday morning, he has practiced, he has had a regular practice jersey on for the last two weeks of practice – that tells me how close he is .”

Sophomore defenseman Nick Mattson was asked about his impression of the first exhibition game against the Manitoba Bison.

“I thought it was a good game,” Mattson said. Obviously there was a little rust and a few sloppy plays but overall it felt really good to get back on the ice and I think it’s pretty evident that we have some individuals that have a lot of skill and ability to make some plays but as a team we have a ways to go it was kind of expected. So it felt good to get back on the ice we’re looking forward to kind of improving and keeping things going here.

Senior forward Corbin Knight on whether freshman forward Drake Caggiula was going to stay on the top line with Knight and Danny Kristo.

“It’s up to the coach, I don’t know right now, Knight said. He played good there on Saturday and he made some plays. It’s up to the coach, I couldn’t tell you.”

Knight was asked about his impression of freshman Rocco Grimaldi’s play on the power play.

“He was good we didn’t get a whole lot of opportunities on the power play unfortunately,” Knight said. But from what we did, he is such a dynamic player; he makes stuff happen from anywhere on the ice. So… he is pretty impressive and it was fun to be on the ice with him.”

Related articles

• North Dakota shakes off early rust to beat the University of Manitoba Bison 5-3 (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• ND Shakes Off Rust to Beat Manitoba Bison (insidehockey.com)
• UND Men's Hockey Media Day (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• UND Men's Hockey Media Day (thehockeywriters.com)

UND Hockey coach Dave Hakstol weighs in on the nickname ...

Fighting Sioux head hockey coach Dave Hakstol spoke out today at the Wednesday press conference about the continued use of the Fighting Sioux nickname.

I believe that coach Hakstol has unfairly taken a lot of heat by some, that want to blame him for the Sioux nickname debacle. Today the Fighting Sioux hockey coach weighed in on the issue.

UND hockey's Hakstol: Sioux nickname law creates ‘insurmountable challenges’ Grand Forks Herald.

King on the CHL; Misguided anger from NCAA

You had to know that the response would be coming... Here is the response/rebuttal to the UND head coach Dave Hakstol's comments that appeared in a Grand Forks Herald article this past week.

Patrick King, Sportsnet --- Their arguments make about as much sense as the analogy Hakstol presented. We've heard it all before; a player makes a verbal commitment and must then fulfill his obligations. Should he back out, he is then viewed as a liar and accused of using the NCAA as a bargaining chip to land in whichever CHL destination he desires most.

What's never mentioned is the timing the commitments are being made. To get a leg up on the CHL, players are being recruited and giving verbal commitments around the same time as they're attending a Grade 9 math class.

Kenny Ryan's father, K.C., once put it in perspective when his son was being wooed by college programs.

"Here's a kid who is still having sleepovers," he said.

And yet, when a young kid returns from said sleepover, he's supposed to have his college career sorted out well before high school graduation day. Should he change his mind, as teenagers are prone to do and hardly ever chastised for doing with any other decisions, he's suddenly a liar unwilling to see through a commitment.

From reading this article, it would appear that some parents of kids that are being recruited by Division I college hockey programs, also take issue with the age which kids are now recruited at. Personally, I do think it's asinine that college hockey programs are getting kids to commit so early to college hockey programs. But I think that this feigned outrage is a bit disingenuous, because the CHL is recruiting kids a very young age as well.

How come it's not an issue for some that the CHL is recruiting kids when they are 14, 15 and 16 years old as well?

That being said, college hockey programs have to recruit players at a young age to prevent losing the top end recruits to the CHL so it's really a double edged sword. your damned if you do and damned if you don't

Related articles

• Coach Hakstol takes issue with Wally Shaver's comments... (ndgoon.blogspot.com)
• Hakstol says college teams at disadvantage in recruiting wars with CHL (ndgoon.blogspot.com)

He said what?

Image via WikipediaLol... I was wondering if Roman Augustoviz was trying to create some bulletin board material to fire up the Golden Gophers. Having been to numerous Wednesday press conferences and post game conferences, this is not an uncommon response for Coach Hakstol. In my opinion coach Hakstol is more concerned about his teams mental and physical make up then some meaningless poll ranking.

HAKSTOL SAYS

"We are finding ways to win games any way we can," said UND coach Dave Hakstol, who needs two victories to reach 200. A sweep of the Gophers this weekend at the Ralph would get him to that milestone.

North Dakota is 8-2-1 since being swept by the Gophers in early November.

Asked if the No. 5-rated Gophers are for real this week, Hakstol said, "I an not really worried about them. I care about the guys in our locker room and the steps they are taking. We will be ready to play Friday."

Uh-oh.

UND is coming off a 3-1 victory over Clarkson on Saturday in Winnipeg, Canada. Forward Carter Rowney had two goals in that game. He has 12 points (five goals, seven assists) in the last 11 games since they played at Mariucci.

Also hot for North Dakota is defenseman Dillon Simpson with 10 assists in 10 games.

* One of the key players hurt is first-line wing Corban Knight, who suffered a lower-body injury three games ago. He has missed the past two games.

Actually UND is 9-3-1 since they were swept by the Gophers, Minnesota on the other hand is 6-6-1 since the UND series.

Related articles

• WCHA Power Rankings - January 8 (insidehockey.com)