While UND celebrated a whiteout on Saturday night, the whole weekend was blizzard-like conditions. Yes, it's the dog days of winter. The final stretch run. There are 10 NCHC conference games remaining in the 2025-26 season, and the UND Hockey team is sitting in first place of the NCHC standings, five points clear of Denver.
How did we get here?
Friday night, NODAK took it to the Pioneers, shutting them out 5-0. The game wasn't as close as the scoreboard; UND manhandled the Pioneers. UND held DU to 18 shots on goal, and Jan Špunar recorded his third shutout of the season. It could've been 7-0 or 8-0, if not for the Denver goalie Quentin Miller.
Three players had multi-point games: Cole Reschny (1g-1a–2pts), Anthony Menghini (2g-0a–2pts), Tyler Young (0g-2a–2pts).
On Saturday night, it was a little different story. At the 14:09 mark of the first period, the Pioneers took an early 1-0 lead with a goal from Kristian Epperson. Three and a half minutes later, Dylan James tied the game with his 13th goal of the season.
In the second period, Jake Livanavage scored his fourth goal of the season to give UND a brief 2-1 lead. Four minutes and 10 seconds later, Eric Pohlkamp scored a beautiful goal from the point. Spunar never had a chance because a Denver forward was screening him. After his goal, I tweeted this: The San Jose Sharks are drooling after seeing that goal by Denver D-Man Eric Pohlkamp, game tied. 2-2.
At the 11:19 mark of the third period, Denver would score the game-winning goal on the power play with a goal from James Reeder. UND pushed late but couldn't get another shot past the DU goalie Miller.
While fans will wonder what could've been if UND had gotten the series sweep, UND is 18-5-0, and last season, didn't win their 18th game till March 1, 2025. That team missed the NCAA playoffs; this season, UND sits at three in the NPI Rankings, barring a total nuclear meltdown, will be in the NCAA playoffs.
On Friday night, there was a buzz in the arena. The place was hopping, and people seemed legitimately excited about this hockey team. Yes, I believe there is ground for optimism. I think this team could end up in Vegas. On a side note, I was shooting photos and got hit by a Keaton Verhoeff puck that was deflected into the stands. My first game puck.
Who’s Hot
Anthony Menghini is starting to heat up. He has seven points (3g-4a—7pts) in the last 10 games.
“We knew that he could score,” head coach Dane Jackson said. “He's got an elite shot, and we saw him score against other teams and us in the NCHC last year.”
Through 14 games, freshman goalie Jan Špunar is (12-2-0 1.64 GAA, .927 SV%) and has three shutouts.
Freshman Cole Reschny is now the UND team leader in points, in 20 games, he’s scored (4g-18a—22 pts). He missed four games while playing for Team Canada at the World Juniors. This past weekend against Denver, he scored (1g-3a—4pts).
Since missing five games due to an injury, senior forward Ellis Rickwood has scored (4g-8a—12pts) in the last nine games. He also has five multi-point games this season. Rickwood has been lights out in the faceoff dot; he's won 60.8 percent of his faceoffs.
