Random Thoughts on the UND Goalie Position

In hockey, the most popular player on a hockey team is the backup goalie.

This season, the University of North Dakota's goalie position has been the subject of much discussion on X and fan message boards. Everyone has an opinion on the matter. It's been an interesting season, and the UND hockey team has faced their fair share of adversity. 

"This has been a tumultuous first half," head coach Brad Berry said. "Up and down, inconsistent. Every season is different, but my biggest positive is that we're going the right way. We still have a long way to go, and the second half is coming up. We have to keep our foot on the gas and know what we've built here. We've got to continue to build and grow."

I keep reading that UND sophomore goalie Hobie Hedquist needs to play, or he'll enter the transfer portal. First, anyone familiar with UND head coach Brad Berry knows he's a team-first coach, meaning no player is more important than the program. Why isn't Hedquist playing more? There could be a variety of reasons. 

My random thoughts on the UND goalie position: has anyone ever considered that T.J. Semptimphelter might be the better goaltender? It's something to think about. Hobie has occasionally let in some weak goals. The goal in game two against Cornell to open the third period comes to mind. I am not saying Hedquist is a bad goalie, not at all. Currently, Semptimphelter may be the better goalie for UND hockey. Based on how the season has gone, there's very little room to experiment with a goalie rotation, especially now that the first half has passed; the coaches need to put together the best lineup to win. If the coaching staff decides to ride a hot goalie, they may do that. 

What happens if he enters the portal? The coaching staff will recruit more goalies; there will be many available goalies, and the CHL players will be eligible to play NCAA hockey.

Since the 2021-22 season, UND has utilized the transfer portal to recruit a starting goalie.

Post UND's starting goalie, Adam Scheel, here's how the goalie position has played out. UND has used four goalies in four consecutive seasons who weren't initially recruited by UND but finished their college careers at UND. That's the nature of the transfer portal. Here's the list of Portal goalies UND has used since the 2021-22 season. I added Scheel for comparison purposes. 

2018-21; Adam Scheel  (52-18-5 (.726), 1.95 GAA and .915 Save Percentage)

2021-22; Zach Driscoll (22-11-1 (.642), 2.34 GAA, .908 Save Percentage)

2022-23; Drew DeRidder (13-9-4 (.576), 2.53, .899 Save Percentage )

2023-24; Ludvig Persson (22-11-2 (.657), 2.52 GAA, .904 Save Percentage)

2024-25; T.J. Semptimphelter (10-5-1 (.656), 2.56 GAA, .903 Save Percentage)

UND Hockey: Dirty Play to End Friday's Game May Have Inspired Team Saturday

Late in Friday's game, at the 15:48 mark of the third period, Huskies forward Gavyn Thoreson cut across in front of the UND net and tried to dislodge the puck frozen in T.J. Semptimphelter's glove. In the process, he blatantly ran over the UND goalie, making contact with his head. It was a dirty play; there is no justification for that play other than an intent to injure a goalie currently holding a shutout. There was no defending that play. Video by Brad E. Schlossman.

Here's the hit on T.J. Semptimphelter that irked UND coach Brad Berry tonight. pic.twitter.com/sXhGpKKQag

— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 14, 2024

For his troubles, Thoreson should have been assessed a five-minute major and game misconduct. It wasn't an accident but a deliberate play. Yes, the officials have a lot of leeway in this instance and have decided not to call a major penalty. 

In the post-game press conference, UND head coach Brad Berry was visibly upset with the play and exchanged pleasantries with SCSU head coach Brent Larson on the player's bench at the end of the game. 

"I'm not happy right now," Berry said. "I'm not going to get myself into trouble here, but that wasn't a great hockey play by them. For it to be a two-minute minor, that's a five-minute major and a game misconduct." 

In the game's waning seconds, UND defenseman Caleb MacDonald viciously cross-checked Thoreson in the back. We can only speculate about the move, but it appears MacDonald was sticking up for his teammate. Yes, yes, yes, I know; Husky fans will say that MacDonald's cross-check wasn't necessary and a dirty play. Maybe, but a message was sent to the Huskies that our team won't be pushed around. 

Caleb MacDonald's retaliation cross-checks on Gavyn Thoreson. Appears MacDonald also said something to Thoreson. pic.twitter.com/zgmhDsJw05

— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 14, 2024

Following UND's 4-3 OT win tonight, in the post-game press conference, one of the television media members asked Berry what was said on the bench between the two coaches. 

"Just like we talked about our team in the locker room, I think I'd rather not say," Berry said. He continued. "You find out a lot of things about a lot of people, and you try to take the high road and keep moving on to the next year."

You have to commend Berry for taking the high road. If you follow the hockey code, what's said on the ice stays on the ice. Looking from the outside in, last night's game probably hardened the UND hockey team and helped inspire tonight's gutsy come-from-behind win. The Huskies took the lead three times only to have UND tie the game. UND never gave up. 

Earlier in the season, UND had trouble closing out close games. Over the past two weekends, UND has been tied or behind in two games entering the third period and has found ways to win. That's progress in the right direction. In the final period, UND wore down the Huskies and outshot them 14-9. UND found a way to win in the OT. 

The Hawks close out the first half of the season with an 11-7-1 record. UND has won four in a row and are 6-1-1 in the last eight games. Currently, UND is sitting in second place in the NCHC standings, two points out of first place, with 17 points. 

UND Hockey: Yes, It’s Been a Rough Season

It wouldn't be a lie if I said that the start of the UND hockey team's 2024-25 season has been rocky. After 15 games, the team's overall record is 7-7-1 (.500), 2-2-0 NCHC. UND is 26th in the all-important Pairwise Rankings. The UND fanbase is getting antsy, and they want blood. Perusing the comments on X and a popular fan message board, some in the UND fanbase would like a change at the top. Yes, it's been a rough season. 

 Wait, what? 

Yes, you heard that right. With roughly 20 games remaining in the season, a vocal group of UND hockey fans wants the University of North Dakota to fire Brad Berry. Personally, this writer doesn't feel those sentiments, and for that, I was accused of being a toady for the UND hockey team. Let this season play out before kick dirt on the UND hockey team. No, the UND fanbase is known for being patient. This team is close to breaking out and could go on a second-half run. 

 The Berry File 

You have a coach who has amassed an impressive 213-111-34 (.642) record. His teams have won four of the last five NCHC regular season titles. In their first season with coach Berry, he helped guide UND to their first NCAA title since 2000. A feat former head coach Dave Hakstol couldn't do in 11 seasons with UND. That's neither a slam nor a slight; it's just a fact. 

 Our fans also wanted Hakstol fired, too. In April 2015, UND fans were unhappy with head coach Dave Hakstol; while still a member of the Hockey Writers, I wrote this. 

It must be the offseason; a vocal minority of North Dakota hockey fans are once again calling for the ouster of head coach Dave Hakstol. This time, some of those same fans want Hakstol to take the whole coaching staff with him. (Link) 

None of that matters anymore. Hakstol was hired as the Philadelphia Flyers head coach, and UND hired Berry to replace Hakstol. Fans are now channeling their anger towards the current head coach. I was reminded that Berry's teams have stumbled in the NCAA playoffs all summer, winning a single game since the magical season of 2015-16. According to the naysayers, conference titles are fine, but that's not UND hockey; winning NCAA titles is the standard. 

During hockey media day back in September, coach Berry was very frank. 

"There’s a focus in the locker room on hanging a ninth green banner. “North Dakota is not for everybody, head coach Brad Berry said. “There’s a lot of pressure here, and within that, you have to make sure that you invest in yourself every day and earn the opportunity to bring it. That’s what I like about our group; they’re buying into how we do things here and are humble, respectful, and hardworking.” 

On getting that ninth green banner: “We’ve done a good job getting to a certain point,” Berry said. “We got to get past that point. That’s on us as coaches and players, working together and building the physical and mental side that can take you to that level. We’ve done a few things to discuss and work on, and we will continue to do that.” 

UND Bitten by the Injury Bug 

This season, UND has been bitten by the injury bug. The Hawks have been without Kaleb Johnson (indefinitely), Bennett Zmolek (indefinitely), Tanner Komzak (Returned against RMU), Cameron Berg (week-to-week), Louis Jammernik V (week-to-week), Andrew Strathmann (Returned this past weekend), Cody Croal (Returned last Saturday night). Wait, hold the phone. Saturday night, at various points of the game, two more players went down to injury. Ben Strinden and Caleb MacDonald both left the game and didn't return. 

Injuries aside, UND's back end is pretty green. Last Saturday, UND dressed four freshmen and two sophomores. The upperclassman from the D-Core, Bennett Zmolek, is out due to injury. 

 Nobody from the UND hockey team is making excuses. Friday, after UND's 2-1 loss to BSU, coach Berry's post-game comments on the radio broadcast were very brief and to the point. The Hawks aren't scoring five-on-five, and it's showing in the box scores. 

"We had a ton of them (Grade A chances)," Berry said. "Then one goes off a guy's leg. You have to get a few more of those. You have to try to keep getting pucks to the net with traffic. There weren't many power plays tonight. Each team had two power plays, so you got to create five-on-five." 

On Friday's 2-1 Loss to BSU. "It was a step in the right direction; I think there's still more to give," Berry said. "We have to keep playing at a high level, and we need a scoring rebound tomorrow night. We're home at the Ralph and must win that game."

Finally, UND has 20 games left in the regular season; maybe we should all take a breath and relax. Cut the guys some slack; they've faced a lot of adversity in 15 games. Some of this adversity is a valuable lesson that will help them adjust to the rigors of the college hockey season. 

UND Hockey: Time to Step off of the Ledge, They're Fine

The University of North Dakota hockey team had a statement game Friday, winning 7-2 over Hockey East Powerhouse Boston University. UND came out of the gate like gangbusters. Ultimately, it wasn't even close in the end, as they scored five goals on 11 shots in the first period. For those who are mathematically challenged, that's a .454 save percentage. I said it last year, and I'll repeat it: Mathieu Caron has looked shaky every time he's played against UND.

I told someone this was one of my top-10 UND hockey games ever. 

What a difference a week makes. After last weekend's split with the Minnesota State Mavericks, some fans were again suggested that UND fire Brad Berry. Three games into the season, and they want Berry gone already. So, after the first period, I tweeted this to X. 

 

It’s 5-0, so do the fans on Sioux Sports still want to fire 🔥 the head coach? 😆🤣

— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) October 26, 2024

Let's at least wait till the end of the season to start the Fire Berry thread. He's not going anywhere, anyway. I've already predicted that the Hawks are going to the Frozen Four this year. 

I mean, seriously, I am kidding, not really. Last night's victory was a dismantling of the Boston University Terriers. It was a beatdown. UND came out determined and looked pissed off. They got in the shooting lanes and gave the Terriers nothing. When the Terriers got an odd-man rush, they recovered, breaking up the opportunities. UND forward Jake Schmaltz on the Hawks's quick start in the first period. 

 "After we got the lead, we didn't get too high, didn't get too low, just kind of machine-like mindset, and that kind of carried in the third but thought we we're ready to play, and we're going to have that same effort tomorrow," Schmaltz said.  

Boston University's Head Coach Said What?

Entering Friday’s game, the Terriers had the 62nd youngest team in college hockey. However, it wasn’t the younger players that Boston University head coach Jay Pandolfo was upset with. His veteran players didn’t answer the call.

“We certainly have a young group,” Pandolfo said. “A lot of these guys are playing in this environment for the first time, but I’m not putting it on the young guys. We have guys who are veteran players for us, who have been in tough environments and have experience, and they did not lead the way for us. Getting some of our young guys the first opportunity to play in this type of game, so I’m not putting it on them, but we had some older guys that have been around that did not help our group.”

What else can you say when you lose 7-2 in the opening game of a series?

“It makes it tough when you don’t win battles and compete all over the ice,” Pandolfo said. “It makes it difficult. That was the issue all night.

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. 

  

The Penrose Cup Returns to Grand Forks; UND sweeps WMU with a 3-0 Win

When I walked into Ralph Engelstad Arena on hockey media day back in September, I could feel the energy and a buzz in the building. I picked up a vibe as I interviewed some new players. I had a feeling. As I started watching this team play, they started racking up wins. I told Virg Foss that this team had a chance to do good things. I even compared them to the 2016 team. As the final horn sounded on Saturday's game, UND won 3-0. The Hawks clinched the series against the Broncos and the Penrose Cup outright. 

Even more impressive is that this is UND's fourth Penrose Cup in the last five seasons and UND's sixth in the previous 11 seasons. This is one goal on the list of things that UND wants to do. UND is looking to check more boxes. 

"We have a winning culture," Hunter Johannes said. "We're going to get back to work; we want to bring this town, these fans, and our families what we deserve. We're going to come in and work every day for it."

Defensively, it was a solid team effort. UND goalie Ludvig Persson was solid in net, stopping 35 of 35 shots. When Persson wasn't making saves, the players in front of him blocked 26 shots. For the weekend, UND blocked 52 shots. Persson was named the game's number-one star. The Hindås, Sweden native, appears to have found another gear. 

Before coming to UND, Persson had been on Miami teams that were cellar dwellers at the bottom of the NCHC standings. During Persson's prior three seasons, the RedHawks had never won more than eight games. If you add up all three season's wins, the RedHawks won 20 games; this season, UND is 24-8-2. Saturday, Persson recorded his fifth shutout of the season. In three previous seasons, he had a combined total of five shutouts. Persson is (21-8-2, 2.44 GAA and a .908 save percentage). 

On February 16-17, 2024, the Colorado College Tigers swept UND by a combined score of 13-3. Since that weekend, UND has rebounded, going 4-0, outscoring the opposition 18-5, and recording two shutouts. UND goalie Ludvig Persson played a big part in that. This past weekend, Persson stopped 69-of-72 shots for the weekend. That's a .958 save percentage.

What went through Persson's mind as he was handed the Penrose Cup? 

"Lots of thoughts going through your mind," Persson said. "It's been a journey to get there. A lot of emotions. It's a long journey to get here. I'm going to take it all in. Just enjoy the moment. I am just happy."

Jackson Blake is on a five-game point streak and scored (2g-9a-11pts) during that streak. Last night, he scored his 19th goal and 50th point of the season. He's now tied with Brock Boeser and Bobby Brink for the NCHC record for most conference points in a season. Blake is the first UND player since Brock Boeser to score 50 or more points. 

Currently, Blake is tied for third place in the national scoring race behind Boston College's Will Smith (17g-37a-54pts), Cutter Gauthier (31g-20a-51pts), Gabe Perreault (15g-35a-50pts), Blake (19g-31a-50pts), Boston University Macklin Celebrini (26g-22a-48pts), and Denver University's Jack Devine (24g-25-49pts).  (Link to National Scoring Stats) 

 

Goon's Takeaways: UND Inches Closer to Another Penrose Cup with 5-3 Victory over WMU

Friday night's theme: "Our goalie really bailed us out."

Sometimes wins don't come easy. Friday, the University of North Dakota was badly outshot 37-17 but still prevailed with a hard-fought 5-3 win. Senior goalie Ludvig Persson was rock solid in net, stopping 33 of 37 shots (.918); many were grade-A shots. Fighting Hawks blocked 26 shots led by defenseman Bennett Zmolek and Dylan James with five blocked shots each. It was a gritty team effort.

"I gotta give a shout-out to Luddy (Ludvig Persson)," Carson Albrecht said. "He stood on his head, and I don't think we would have won without him."

UND received balanced scoring. Five players scored goals for UND: Owen McLaughlin, Jackson Kunz, Louis Jamernik V, Carson Albrecht, and Cameron Berg. 

Last night, Blake continued his torrid pace with (0g-2a-2pts). Blake sits in fourth place in the national scoring race behind Boston College's Will Smith (17g-37a-54pts), Cutter Gauthier (31g-20a-51pts), Gabe Perreault (15g-35a-50pts), Blake (18g-31a-49pts), Boston University Macklin Celebrini (26g-22a-48pts), and Denver University's Jack Devine (22g-26-48pts). Can we say Hobey Baker? (Link to National Scoring Stats) According to Brad Schlossman, with Blake's two assists, he's within one point of the NCHC record for most league points in a season (35). The record is held by former UND forward Brock Boeser (2015-16) and former Denver Pioneer Bobby Brink (2021-22). (Yeah, that Brink.) 

There's a lot on the line on Saturday night. 

"There's a ton of motivation tomorrow to know you can do it on the second last series of the year, at home, on senior night, which is always emotional, Berry said. "(In the past) our guys have done a good job on senior night, they know what's coming, but they block it out till the end of the game. They know the task at hand. That's going to be a salty team coming in tomorrow. They probably thought they deserved a better fate. At the end of the day, that's hockey."

With the 5-3 victory, the UND hockey team inched closer to winning their fourth Penrose Cup in the last five years and their sixth in the previous 11 years. With a win against Western Michigan on Saturday night, UND would clinch at least a share of the Penrose Cup. If UND wins and Denver sweeps SCSU, UND will win the Penrose outright. There are numerous other scenarios still out there. 

"We control our destiny, Jamernik V said. "If we play the right way, everybody will bring it tomorrow because it's senior night. We have to stay focused on the task at hand."

Former UND forward Matteo Costantini returned to the Ralph Engelstad Arena and recorded (1g-1a-2pts). A change of scenery has done Costantini well; he now has (8g-18a-26pts) and is also a plus-20.

 

Dylan James Leads UND Past UMD, 4-2

What a difference a week makes. After dropping two games to the Colorado College Tigers, the University of North Dakota hockey team was looking to rebound against the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. After giving up 13 games last weekend, UND tightened up on defense and protected their goalie, Ludvig Perrson, who had a bounce-back weekend, stopping 43 of 45 shots for a .955 save percentage. UND swept the season series against UMD for the first time since the 2015-16 season. We all remember what happened that season. 

When the final horn sounded, and after the game-ending scrum had ended, UND had put 10 goals behind the UMD goaltenders and only gave up two goals against. Sophomore forward Dylan James led UND with two goals, his first two-goal game of the year and the second of his career. Jackson Blake finished the weekend with seven points (1g-6a-7pts). It was an impressive effort all the way around. 

UND also kept UMD's leading scorer, Ben Steeves, off of the score sheet. More impressive UND held Steeves to a single point, an assist in four games this season. 

"It was a very productive weekend," head coach Brad Berry said. "It's what we needed. It's what we had to have after losing two to CC. The guys did a good job. It was the tale of two different games. Last night was sharp, and special teams were a big part. We scored some power play goals, and tonight we scratched and clawed and found a way to win." 

 On defense, sophomore defenseman Bennett Zmolek blocked 10 shots on the weekend. What's impressive is that Zmolek spent 12 minutes in the penalty box after getting a two-minute roughing penalty and a 10-minute misconduct penalty in the second period. 

"When somebody enters the portal, there's not much time to pull the trigger," Berry said. "He didn't play last year. He was out with hip surgery, and his body of work was talked about through phone conversations. We didn't have a lot of current video to watch on him. We called former coaches and people in his circle to see what kind of player, what kind of person he is. The biggest thing for me was him playing against his brother in Bemidji for four years and his other brother in Mankato for four years. If he's anything like those two guys. I'll take him in a heartbeat."

Garrett Pyke transferred from the University of Alaska and has never played for a conference title or played in the NCAA tourney. In his senior season, finally, he's getting that chance.

"It was exciting last year; my team went on a run for hopefully the tournament, so I'm looking at it the same way," Pyke said. "We're looking at the Penrose and to make a deep run, so it's a lot of fun." 

 

Goon's Takeaways: UND Shuts Out UMD, 6-0

A week after getting swept in Colorado Springs, the University of North Dakota Hockey team was back at it; this time, the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs stood in the way. 

After scoring three goals the entire weekend against the CC Tigers, UND wasted no time getting on the board. Sixty-five seconds into the game, Jackson Blake scored his 18th goal of the season. UND never relinquished the lead; they scored three in the first period, two in the second, and one more in the third. When the final horn sounded, UND had blown the Bulldogs out 6-0. 

Blake would have a five-point night, a career-high. He was the first UND player to record five points since March 12, 2021, when Collin Adams scored (2g-3a-5pts) against the Miami RedHawks in the first round of the NCHC playoffs. 

Hobey Blaker: Blake should now be in the conversation for the Hobey Baker Memorial award with his (18g-27a-45pts) if he hasn't been previously. He sits in fourth place behind Boston College's Gabe Perreault (15g-35a-50pts), Will Smith (16g-33a-49pts), Boston University Macklin Celebrini (25g-22a-47pts), Denver University Jack Devine (21g-24a-45pts), Boston College Cutter Gauthier (28g-17a-45pts).

With the win, UND improves (21-8-2 and 12-6-1 NCHC). UND is 156-89-11(.617) all-time against the Bulldogs, including an 85-39-3 (.681) record against the Bulldogs in Grand Forks, ND. The Hawks have won six of the last eight games between the two teams, including three straight games. UND has also shutout UMD in two of the previous three games. 

Shortly, UND could have three players with 20 or more goals. Blake has 18 goals, Cameron Berg has 18 goals, and Riese Gaber has 16 goals. 

Junior forward Cameron Berg had his first three-point game of the season. Berg also has eight multi-point games on the season. Berg's two-goal game was the fourth time he had scored two goals. 

Top points getters for UND in game one: Jake Livanavage (0g-2a-2pts), Riese Gaber (1g-1a-2pts), Cameron Berg (2g-1a-3pts), Jackson Blake (1g-4a-5pts). 

UND finished the game with 16 blocked shots, including six by defenseman Bennett Zmolek, who led all players. 

According to UND SID, Alec Johnson, with his two points, UND freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage moved into a tie for second place with former UND defenseman Paul Ladue for most points by a rookie defenseman at UND since the 1999-00 season with 21.

Here are the updated standings after Friday's games. Four teams remain in the hunt for the Penrose Cup. 

Goon's Takeaway: Not Their Weekend, UND Swept 7-1, and 6-2

On Saturday, the UND hockey team looked to avenge their 7-1 loss from the previous night. UND came out, pushed the pace, and took a 2-1 lead into the first intermission with goals from Abram Wiebe and Cameron Berg. In the first period, UND played well, but Kaiden Mberko stood tall in the net and was almost impenetrable. UND also benefited from a five-minute major penalty and a 5-on-3 power play opportunity. In the end, the Hawks could only score once on the power play, failing to put the Tigers away when they had the chance. The Tigers tied the game in the second period with a goal from Evan Werner. 

The game got away from the Hawks in the third period. They gave up four goals in eight minutes and 41 seconds with goals from Logan Will, Gleb Veremyev (X2), and Noah Laba. We all know the end result, a 6-2 loss.

Waking up on Sunday morning, some in the NoDak Nation hockey fanbase are unhappy. Some are questioning the coaching staff and player's efforts. Some appear to be in panic mode. While the wins were not there this past weekend, not all is lost. Despite two resounding defeats, UND is "still" sitting third in the Pairwise Rankings and leading the NCHC by one point. What they do from here on out is up to them. 

When the ink dries on the UND hockey team's 2023-24 season, the final line and box scores will read. UND was swept (7-1 L, 6-2 L) by the Colorado College Tigers. Will this be a defining moment for UND's season? Will it be a blip on the radar? During the 2015-16 season, UND traveled to Denver on February 12-13, 2016, and was swept (4-1 L, 6-4 L). UND would return home, go 12-1-1, and win a national title. Looking at the schedule and the record, it's eerily similar. Is this the same kind of team as the 2015-16 team? I don't know. UND has a team to make a run. I wonder if they have the mental makeup to do it. They have the talent. 

The goaltending has to be better, but it's not all Ludvig Persson's fault; I thought his d-corp left him out to dry a few times. He also needs a better save percentage than .899, which isn't good enough for the NCAA playoffs. 

The post-game comments from the team are subdued, but they know what they have to do. 

"There was a little desperation trying to get that next goal," Berry said. "We played a pretty good game. That kid at the other end made 43 saves and had a career-high in saves to win a game, and I thought he was the difference tonight." 

The Players echoed their coach's sentiments. 

"I thought we had breakdowns; honestly, when we had those breakdowns, it ended up in our net," Jake Schmaltz said. "We had a lot of looks -- we had a lot of shots, but they weren't going in. It's just frustrating. We got to protect Ludvig a little better." 

 "We got a few things to work on, Garrett Pyke said. "Friday night, we didn't come out, we didn't have our legs, and we didn't execute like we wanted to. Today was a better game, but we will watch the film and learn from a few things. We're going to keep on growing." 

"Our program has high expectations," Berry said. "Our players expect a lot. Our fans expect a lot. We got to stay positive and work on the things we need to work on to get better, which we will do this week. There's no room for negativity in our group. We've done a lot of good things with a body of work together with positive attitudes, and the guys are working extremely hard. The main thing is the 25 guys in that locker room staying together and believing in each other."

Goon's Takeaways: Not Their Night, CC 7 UND 1

On Friday, the University of North Dakota hockey team had their record-tying regulation unbeaten streak end. It wasn't pretty; UND looked slow, rattle, and disjointed. The Hawks had no answer for the Tigers. Both UND goalies were left to fend for themselves as the Hawks players were pedestrian watching the Tigers make plays. 

When the UND players got a shot on the Tigers net, the puck would hit the iron, or CC's All-Conference goalie Kaidan Mbereko (stopped 23-of-24 shots) was there to make the save. It wasn't a good night for UND. You'd have a hard time finding any positives from UND's 7-1 loss to the Tigers. Someone tweeted on X that it's better to get this out of the way now than have it happen in March or April. There's a lot of truth to that. There's no need to panic. 

There is a positive; even with Friday's stumble, UND is still sitting at No. 2 in the all-important Pairwise rankings. 

After being the conference doormat for many seasons, it was a historic night for the CC. Entering the 2023-24 season, the Tigers were 90-227-30 (.302) since the inception of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. This season, the resurgent Tigers (17-9-1, 11-6-0 NCHC) are suddenly in third place in the NCHC standings. 

Friday's loss was a beating UND hadn't seen since the mid-1990s. The six-goal margin of victory was the biggest over UND since October 30, 1994. Moreover, the Tigers last won three straight games over UND in 1995. Granted, if you play a team long enough, you're going to lose. It's the law of averages. Nonetheless, the 7-1 loss still stings. 

For comparison's sake, CC won the special teams play. The Tigers went 4-for-5 on the power play. UND was 1-for-4. UND will have to be better in game two if they want to bring home some points. Friday was the first time UND allowed four power play goals in a game since February 11, 2012, at Minnesota Duluth, when UND lost 5-4 to the Bulldogs. 

"They're sour, and I'm sour," head coach Brad Berry said. "Not many times can I remember North Dakota giving up seven goals. There's pride in that locker room, and there's going to be a push tomorrow. It was a big wake-up call tonight that we got to be better. Everybody's got to bring it tomorrow, not just a few guys. Our PK has to be better."

"It starts with urgency," Captain Riese Gaber said. "We got outworked. It doesn't matter how good of a team you are. It all comes down to puck battles - puck races. In that department, we got beat pretty bad tonight."

"They just outworked us," Louis Jamernik said. "We got into trouble with the penalties. They did a great job on their power play and capitalized on our mistakes. It came down to will and they had more will than us. It's disappointing, but this is the same feeling we felt when we lost in OT. We want to win every single game. It doesn't matter whether it's regulation or not. We had a good chat with the leadership speaking out, and we know what we need to do tomorrow."

Friday night, a couple of point streaks ended. Sophomore forward Jackson Blake saw his 10-game point streak come to an end. That was the second-longest streak of his two-year career. Junior forward Cameron Berg was held without a point for the first time in seven games.

The highlight for the Tigers was freshman forward Zaccharya Wisdom, who scored (4g-1a-5pts), pushing his season point total to (10g-4a-14). On a positive note, Tigers forward Noah Laba was held goalless. The sophomore forward has scored seven goals in the last eight games. 

If you must, I embedded the highlights below. 

 

NCHC.TV: Good Enough Isn't Good Enough

The National Collegiate Hockey Conference began its inaugural season in October 2013. The NCHC was formed in response to the formation of the Big Ten Hockey Conference. After the announcement in the summer of 2011, the term " like-minded " was often thrown around. It became a buzzword that made some people ill, as was the phrase " fan experience." 

As we move to the next decade of the NCHC, some of the same tedious issues remain from the first 10 seasons. In year 11, a handful of member schools still can't produce what we consider a watchable webcast. It's not too much to ask schools to create a product worthy of paying a nominal yearly fee.  

This past weekend, UND traveled to Oxford, Miami, to take on the Miami University RedHawks in a pivotal two-game conference series. Miami has traditionally struggled with its webcasts, which are virtually impossible to watch without becoming nauseous or frustrated. This past weekend, they didn't disappoint. That's not a compliment. I tweeted this out.

Third period and we’ve gone 4 minutes without play-by-ply. Absolute gong show @MiamiOH_Hockey and @TheNCHC https://t.co/xqN6aEf2ES

— Eric J. Burton (@goon48) February 4, 2024

Biddco Tweeted out: you sure love discussing the broadcast this year. They're not all UND.

you sure love discussing the broadcast this year. They're not all UND

— Biddy 📐 🐶 (@Biddco) February 4, 2024

What is considered an acceptable standard? Are fans being unreasonable in expecting a decent product for which we play a significant amount of money? The league is making good money off of its streaming services. Where's the accountability from the league office? 

Is it unreasonable for us to expect the schools with substandard webcasts to up their game? I don't think it is. Having a decent streaming service is part of the "fan experience."

I am not the only one who complains about the quality. This past weekend on X, fans took to the platform to display their frustration with the Miami NCHC TV webcasts. Here's a great clip from the Lets Go DU fan blog posted in the summer of 2023. It hits on all of the arguments many of us are making. We're at the mercy of the member schools. 

Just like NCHC.TV production for SLN broadcasts will be the responsibility of each home institution and may include a digital-only telecast or the use of an institution's local TV partner (i.e., Altitude TV in Denver) production equipment/personnel. The issue here, much like NCHC.tv for hockey, will be the inconsistent production quality from program to program across the conference. (Link)

This blog post was a response to the Summit League Conference announcing a new streaming service this past fall, but the point remains. Fans value the products that their leagues put out. Fans want to see their favorite teams play when they're on the road. Streaming services are the reality in the post-COVID world. I have every streaming service under the sun and NCHC.TV is by far the worst product I have purchased. I am serious. I am considering moving from the DirecTV stream platform to Midco based on the number of UND hockey games they cover. 

On Saturday, I finally broke down yesterday and bought the Midco Sports Plus to watch the Summit League basketball game between NDSU and UND. The quality was excellent. The picture was clear; the webcast didn't make me nauseous. All for a yearly price tag of $79. For comparison's sake, an annual subscription to NCHC.TV is $116. Yes, I know, the game was produced by Midco Sports. So are North Dakota State, South Dakota, and South Dakota State's broadcasts. Should the NCHC fall under the Summit League? I am not there yet, but you could convince me and other fans that this might be a viable option. 

Poor streaming webcasts are a direct reflection of the school that produces them. Seriously, the biggest schools in the NCHC have the worst webcasts. These are MAC schools that have FBS football. 

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. 

Goon's Takeaways: UND Rallies, Wins 5-4 in OT

Good teams find ways to win games. On Friday night, it was an adventure that didn't lack excitement. Entering this weekend's series against the RedHawks, some probably thought this series was an easy six points. As we've discovered over the years, you can't take any NCHC team for granted. Any team can win on any given night. That's why UND head coach Brad Berry has called this league the gauntlet. On Friday night, the UND Hockey team flirted with defeat. 

The UND hockey team didn't have their A-game in the first period. They came out a step slow and let the opposition forwards roam in the UND D-zone. The two teams traded goals, by Miami's Thomas Daskas and UND's Jake Livanavage. Lucky for NoDak, the score was only 1-1 after one period of play.  

In the second period, the RedHawks outscored the Fighting Hawks 3-1 and took a 4-2 lead into the third period. 

In the final 20 minutes, UND went to work. They chipped away and fought back, scoring two goals by Logan Britt and Riese Gaber in the final 10.33 to tie the game with just under a minute remaining in regulation. 

At the 1:24 mark of the 3-on-3 overtime, Jackson Blake completed the comeback with his third game-winning overtime goal of the season. That leads UND. 

 

With the win, UND head coach Brad Berry is one win away from his 200th win and its 20th win of the season. Berry's teams have won 20 or more games five times in his nine seasons as the UND head coach.  All-time, Berry is 199-98-33 (.653).

With the comeback win in overtime, UND extended its impressive run without a regulation loss in 20 games, one game shy of tying the program record.

When UND play-by-play announcer Tim Hennesy brought it up during the post-game radio interview, Berry played it off. Rightfully so, Berry is more focused on team goals than personal success. 

With the win, UND improves to 28-8-1 all-time against Miami and 11-4-2 in Oxford, OH.

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 Takes 4 of 6 Points From SCSU With 3-3 Tie

On Saturday, the University of North Dakota hockey team took four of six points against St. Cloud State to vault them to the top of the NCHC standings. In the upcoming weeks, UND has an excellent opportunity to solidify its spot at the top of the NCHC standings. It starts this weekend against the Denver Pioneers. 

UND is on an impressive run; this was another weekend without a regulation loss. UND hasn't lost in regulation since November 3, 2023, at Boston University. That's a 17-game streak. Yes, UND is 2-4-2 in overtime, but the team is working on getting better in the 3-on-3 overtime. Last night, UND possessed the puck for most of the five-minute 3-on-3 overtime. 

"We're the only NCHC team that hasn't lost in regulation," UND head coach Brad Berry said. "We haven't lost in regulation since early November. That tells me a lot." 

 It's still a work in progress, but UND is focused on closing out games in regulation. 

"We've got to do a better job of closing the game in 60 minutes to win games," Berry said. "When we're trailing in games, we find a way to get points. That's a huge deal, coming out of here with the series win, knowing we don't play them again until the playoffs. It's the resiliency of our group." 

A few weeks ago, I told Virg foss that freshman forward Jayden Perron is about to break out. After making this bold prediction, Perron went pointless in four games. Perron ended his four-game pointless streak on Saturday by recording two assists for his first-ever multi-point game. 

Saturday, SCSU outshot UND 35-27; this was the first time this season that UND has been outshot in both games in a series. Speaking of shots. Against the Huskies, UND goalie Ludvig Persson was on top of his game. In both games combined, he stopped 66 of 72 shots for a .916 save percentage. On Saturday, Persson finished with 32 saves and improved his record to 13-6-2 (2.40 GAA and a .905 save percentage).  

What can we say about sophomore forward Jackson Blake? He continued his magical season with another solid weekend and extended his point streak to six games with his goal in the first period. He's scored (4g-4a--8pts) during that six-game streak. Blake has (15g-15a--30pts) for the season, and he's a plus-four.