Showing posts with label NCHC Hockey. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NCHC Hockey. Show all posts

Saturday, December 13, 2025

Rivalry Game? UND Runs Over Omaha, 4-1


They say that winning can be contagious. After last year's team struggled throughout the season, the 2025-26 UND hockey team has played like it has something to prove. Head coach Dane Jackson was hired to turn the program around, and the team has improved significantly so far. UND has been tenacious, hard to play against, and solid in all three zones.  

On Friday night, the UND hockey team beat the Omaha Mavericks 4-1 to improve to 13-4-0 (.764). NoDak improves to 7-2-0 in NCHC play. UND currently sits in second place in the NCHC standings. Compared with last season, UND didn't win its 13th game until February 1, 2025. 

UND has won 9 of its last 10 games and has won five in a row. They've won 11 of 13 games (.846) by four or more goals. 

UND is fifth in the nation in scoring, and their leading scorer, Ben Strinden (11g-8a--19pts), is ranked 27th nationally. Their second leading scorer, Cole Reschny (2g-16a--18pts), is ranked 34th nationally. What's even more impressive, UND's power play ranks third nationally, scoring on 30.8 percent of its power plays. You see where this is going? UND is doing it while getting balanced scoring throughout the lineup. If one line gets shut down, another forward line steps up to fill the void. 

In Jan We Trust 

On Friday night, a freshman goaltender, Jan Spunar, won his ninth game of the season to improve his record to (9-0-0, 1.67 GAA and .934 SV%). On Friday, Spunar broke the UND record for the most consecutive wins to begin a career. You might ask: Who were the goaltenders tied for the old-school record? They are Eddie Belfor and Jordan Parise. Yes, that Eddie Belfor. Spunar is in good company. 

Spunar’s teammates have been impressed by their rookie goaltender's play, who has broken the school record for wins to start a career.

”It's incredible to come in as a freshman like that and be such a rock for us,” Ben Strinden said. “We're so happy for him. He's obviously a great goaltender, but he's an even better person off the ice, and it makes you want to root for a guy. We are very happy for him.”

He's been unbelievable, Ellis Rickwood said. “Just really steady, really good at keeping rebounds out, and just a rock back there. We play hard for him. He plays hard for us, and that's amazing. You don't see records broken like that too often. So congrats to him.”

“Just an incredible run, head coach Dane Jackson said. “So consistently solid and then at times spectacular, so proud of him and so impressive to see, kind of the length of time he's been able to carry that high level of play.”

Is Omaha a Rival?

Earlier today, the Omaha Mavericks hockey account tweeted this on X. This was the discussion on X today. If you were to ask me, I'd say no. Rivalry or not. The players don't like each other. There was an actual fight in the closing minutes of the third period. Andrew Strathmann and Sean Tschigerl were given five-minute majors and game disqualification penalties, meaning they will be watching from the stands on Saturday night. 

UND's coach Jackson wasn't happy with the incident at the end of the game. 

“Yeah, it was disappointing,” Jackson said. “Obviously, we’re short numbers, and they did the same thing down in Omaha. So it's disappointing that our guys are kind of standing up for themselves after they're instigating.”
 

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Friday, December 05, 2025

I picked Will Zellers Scoring the OT Winner; Are Winning Lottery Tickets Next?

 


Last Saturday night, history repeated itself; for the eighth series in a row, the University of North Dakota hockey team went to overtime in one of their games against the Bemidji State Beavers. Let's set the stage. It was game two in Grand Forks, ND. As the regulation ended, the two teams were tied 1-1. 

Lightning had struck again. We got another overtime period of free hockey.  

Typically, while attending a UND hockey game, I am flanked by my good friend Virg Foss. On this particular weekend, Foss wasn't feeling well and had stayed home. He sent me a DM and asked me, "Who's your pick for the winning goal? Either team." I replied, "Zellers." Virg said, "Kernan for us and Vig for them." My reply, "We are winning this game, Virg." 

Here's why I didn't go with a pick for the Beavers: this year's UND hockey team has a killer instinct and is getting better with each week. While last year's team didn't have the mental makeup to finish games, this team thrives on adversity. On this particular night, I was lucky. Yes, I did buy a Powerball ticket this week. 

I have another prediction: Zellers is only going to get better in the second half of the season. He's got a deadly shot and is tied for the lead in goals with Ben Strinden, with nine goals. The Boston Bruins must be happy they drafted him. 

So it happened. 

   This week, Foss talked about our exchange in his Hawk-Eye Talk article.   

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Sunday, November 16, 2025

UND's Red Hot Ben Strinden Takes Flight

 


Entering the 2025-26 season, UND senior forward Ben Strinden had never scored more than 16 points in a season. This season, Strinden has played like a player with something to prove. 

Strinden is on a heater. 

Before this season, Strinden had played in 99 games; he scored (17g-20a--37pts), and he was also a plus-17. This season, something clicked for him. After his career-high four-point game against Minnesota-Duluth, he said his late father, who passed this way this past summer, gave him inspiration.

"I really felt him with me tonight," an emotional Strinden said. "I don't think I've ever gotten four assists at any level of hockey. I think that was my dad, for sure. It was special. It's hard to put into words. I miss him every day."  

Strinden followed up that four-point effort with a three-point effort against the Omaha Mavericks. He's scored (6g-5a-11pts) in his last six games. He has four multi-point games on the season, a career-high. The next point he records will equal his career high in points from last year. Strinden leads UND with (7g-8a--15pts), and he's a plus-eight, which is second on the team in plus/minus.

Strinden's second goal against ASU was a thing of beauty. Unfortunately, UND would lose the game to the Sun Devils 4-2, but Strinden's second goal gave the team some life. 

Strinden's play has caught the eye of the UND coaching staff. 

"He's such a powerful player," head coach Dane Jackson said. He plays with confidence; he's a driver. He's always going to the net. We're trying to get him out for some extra shifts because he's feeling it, and he's a dangerous player right now."

After his four-point night against the Bulldogs, his teammate Abram Wiebe was complimentary of Strinden's play. 

"He was dominant," Wiebe said. "He was everywhere on the ice. He did a good job coming into their zone and being a support option for the defenseman. He was flying all night, making plays, finding guys, and it was showing. I am really happy for him."

From what we have seen so far, Strinden has a very high ceiling. 

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Saturday, November 15, 2025

Forks Down, UND Blasts ASU, 5-2

 


Friday, UND looked to even the score against Arizona State. The Sun Devils were making their first visit to Ralph Engelstad Arena. Through the first three games, ASU had gotten the better of UND, winning two out of three games. 

On Friday night, things started great for UND. NoDak got off to a fast start and took a 2-0 lead into the first intermission, with goals from Ben Strinden and Will Zellers. 

In the second period, UND faced some adversity. With UND clinging to a 2-0 lead, the Sun Devils gained momentum, scoring a power play goal by Kyle Smolen and an even-strength goal from Lucius Cruz. The second period would end in a 2-2 tie. 

What a difference a year makes. Last year's team would have found a way to lose after the Sun Devils tied the game. That didn't happen. UND came out in the third period with a purpose. 

The game wouldn't stay tied very long. At the 1:04 mark of the third period, freshman forward Will Zellers would score his second goal of the game. For those keeping track, Zellers now leads the Hawks in goal scoring. 

Before Brian Rivers could finish announcing the Zellers' goal, senior forward Tyler Young would score his first goal of his UND career. Young would also get an assist on UND's final goal, as sophomore forward Cody Croal scored to ice the game.  

With the injury to freshman forward Jack Kernan, Young was penciled into the lineup with Mac Swanson and Ellis Rickwood. In the post-game, Young was gracious and happy to get the opportunity. This brings new meaning to the next man up. Young made the most of his opportunity. 

"This is the most special locker room I've been in," Young said. "No one's treated differently, whether you're in or you're out. You're treated the same way. You're always ready."

How did UND end recruiting the senior forward Young? 

"You have to give GM (Bryn) Chyzyk credit for that," UND head coach Dane Jackson said.

For those wondering at home, Young is the son of the former NHL player Scott Young, yes, that one, the two-time Stanley Cup winner with the Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. 

When you look at this UND team, all four lines are contributing. Eleven players recorded points in Friday's game. Seventeen players have scored a goal for UND this season. 

Here are the highlights from Friday's 5-2 win. 

        

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Sunday, November 09, 2025

UND Sweeps Omaha in Omaha, a Night of Firsts


How sweep it is. Here are my thoughts from this past weekend. UND traveled to Omaha for its first National Collegiate Hockey Conference road series of the season. 

Mission accomplished. UND returned home with six conference points. 

What a difference a year makes. On Saturday night, after Omaha scored the goal to make it 2-1, last year's team might have crumbled and lost the game. The 2025-26 UND hockey team has a much better mental makeup. They seem to thrive on adversity. Nodak would score two more goals to give UND the win and an impressive (7-2 W, 4-1 W) sweep of Omaha. 

Not that it matters, but UND is sitting atop the NCHC standings after two weekends of conference play. Obviously, it's early, and there are 22 more conference games to go. UND has improved, but still has a lot of work to do. 


I posted this on Sioux Sports: I don't know about y'all, but I never felt that UND was going to lose last night's game. Was it a tight game? Of course. UND frustrated the Mavericks throughout the weekend. There is definitely a difference in talent level between UND and Omaha. I saw many things this past weekend that gave me hope. This team is one of the younger ones in college hockey, and they're making great strides. I have been impressed with the CHL kids, as well as the freshmen, such as Kernan and Zellers. Are there things that need to be cleaned up? Yes, 100 percent. Mac Swanson is starting to excel and make plays. 

Two-Headed Goalie Rotation

If UND has a two-headed monster in the net, that would be a good thing, too. We should find out over the next month what UND has in net. Okay, I am guilty, after I saw the lineup was posted for Saturday's game, I tweeted this. Okay, maybe it didn't age well. 

Gibson Homer has appeared in seven games and is (4-3-0, 2.74 GAA, and a .890 save percentage). Looking at his career numbers, this is by far his worst in his three-year career. Counting this year, he has two years of eligibility left, but the word is that he's going to turn pro after the season is over. His victory on Saturday broke a three-game losing streak. 

Jan Spunar has appeared in three games (3-0-0, 1.01 GAA, and a .951 save percentage). Spunar has let in three goals in 178.09 minutes of play. That's impressive. 

Night of Firsts

Yes, it was a night of firsts. Freshman forward Jack Kernan scores the first goal of his collegiate career. It will be the first of many to come.   

Entering the season, I expected more from Anthony Menghini, the junior forward from Baxter, Minnesota. I was also excited that he was signed by UND. First, he entered the season having scored 20 goals in 72 games. This year, my excitement had faded. Through the first eight games, he's been almost invisible until Saturday night, when he scored his first goal of his UND hockey career in his ninth game. That was also his first career point with UND. Hopefully, this is the first of many for Gino.  

CHL Alumni Take Center Stage 

We've heard a lot about the CHL players being eligible to play in NCAA hockey. Now, all of a sudden, the NHL media has spent more time taking a look at NCAA hockey. Albeit, they have foamed and slobbered all over Penn State and Gavin McKenna. What the writers are discovering is that Division 1 college hockey is challenging. There are no nights off. 

When Friday’s game was over, he’d scored what would stand as Penn State’s lone goal of the weekend, finished plus-1, registered a game-high seven shots (nearly a third of the 25 his team registered) and played a game-high 23:57.

And yet the gathering collection of scouts and hockey folks weren’t kind to him leaving the rink, with multiple NHL scouts commenting to The Athletic over the course of the weekend on his work rate off the puck, a number of backchecks he appeared to give up on, pucks he didn’t stop on and an ongoing desire for more effort. (Link) 

With development of CHL players getting to play in college hockey, this has also changed how teams in the NCAA have recruited. This season, UND has four players who have come over from the WHL; these players are making an impact. After 10 games, forward Cole Reschny has scored (2g-8a--10pts), and he's also a minus-one. He's averaging 16:48 minutes a game.

It's hard to believe that Keaton Verhoeff is 17 years old. The freshman defenseman from Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta has scored (4g-2a--6pts) and is plus-two. He's scored one goal on the power play and is probably going to be a top-five draft pick. 

While everyone is ranting and raving aobut Gavin McKenna, there are other players in college hockey that should be grabbing everyones attention. The aforementioned Reschny has 10 points in 10 games, McKenna has played two more games and is only four points ahead (4g-10a--14pts).  

Last weekend, Ollie Josephson (2g-4a--6pts), had a breakthrough weekend, scoring (2g-2a--4pts), Friday night, he added an assist to his points total. Unfortunatley, his three-game points streak came to an end on Saturday night.  Nodak has won four straight over Omaha and four straight at Baxter Arena, and they have won five of the last six games they've played against the Mavericks. Nodak is 6-4-0 in he last 10 games they've played against Omaha.  

Finally, freshman Josh Zakreski was having a good season, until he suffered a serious lower-body injury. Until his injury, the Portland Winterhawks Alum was playing a significant role.  In six games, the Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native scored (1g-2a--3pts). He's listed as month-to-month. Hope he can return before the season is over.       



Senior Forward Dylan James 

During his collegiate career, senior forward Dylan James has scored 37 goals, nine (.243) of them have come against Omaha. Three of them were scored this past weekend.

Omaha goalie Simon Latkoczy has now played UND 14 times in his 5-9 and has lost four out of the last five games against UND. One final stat, as we mentioned earlier James has scored goals agianst Omaha, six of his nine goals have come against Latkoczy. 
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Tuesday, November 04, 2025

Despite the Naysayers, Ollie Josephson Making an Impact, Earns Rookie of the Week Honors



This past weekend, I wrote this: One player who has stood out for me is UND freshman forward Ollie Josephson. The Victoriaville, B.C. native scored his first goal of the UND career on Friday night and added an assist to lead the team in scoring. He followed up his solid Friday performance with another goal and an assist on Saturday night. 

After scoring just a single assist in his first six games, he had a solid weekend against UMD.  His play on the ice is turning heads. Just for the record, he's only 19 years, 3 months, and 11 days old. He's a big, strong player who is good in all three zones on the ice. He's also an excellent skater. 

For his efforts, Josephson earned NCHC Rookie of the Week Honors.

After last Friday's game, Josephson gave his thoughts on the college hockey game. 

"It's a really good league," Josephson said. "Definitely a step up from junior. So, yeah, just trying to get better every day and consistently improve my game has been big."

Doesn't sound like Josephson is having any regrets about leaving the WHL for college hockey. Through eight games, Josephson has scored (2g-3a--5pts), and he's also a plus-four. 

With the NCAA opening up to players from the CHL, some individuals may not understand or appreciate college hockey. First, both the CHL and the NCAA are great routes to the NHL. With the rule change, players who have aged out of the CHL may still have the opportunity to play college hockey if they choose to do so. There are late bloomers who develop later in college hockey and get a chance to play at the next level.    

Today, while I was browsing X.com, I came across a few tweets that are at best clueless and shortsighted. I tweeted this. I had to respond; it was one of the more clueless things that I had read today. 
Brad Schlossman also responded to a clueless tweet, too. Another fan who thinks the CHL is better than college hockey. Schloss from the top of the ropes, times two.   Where do they come up with this people? Yes, the CHL is a good league, but it's not the only route to the NHL. Michigan is a B1G program backed by a lot of money. I am sure they can come up with the resources.

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Saturday, October 18, 2025

Linkarama: Minnesota vs North Dakota Click Away

 

Last night, college hockey fans witnessed the revival of one of the greatest rivalries in college hockey. Minnesota vs. North Dakota — or, as some would say, Gophers versus Sioux. 

If you're a UND hockey fan, you're smiling from ear to ear today. If you're a Gophers fan, you're probably not as happy. 

This morning, the theme I am hearing today, Gopher Nation is complaining about the officiating. Some things never change. Four of the Gophers' minor penalties were for stick fouls. The NCHC officials will make that call every time. Don't worry, NCHC fans aren't going to show you any empathy; we've already addressed the NCHC's on-ice officials. Multiple times. 

Whine or not, UND went 1-7 (.142) on the man advantage last night. To make things work, UND held the Gophers to 6 shots over the final two periods. That's not a missprint. 


Here's the GPL Gamer from last night's game. Hey, it's a rivalry —not everyone is going to be happy with how things unfolded. Gophers coach Bob Motzko thought some of the calls weren't penalties. (Gophers Drop Opener in Grand Forks)


Here's Brad Schlossman's gamer: UND delivers rivalry win over Minnesota for a raucous crowd. 

"I don't know if I'll experience something like this again — pro hockey or wherever hockey takes me," Dylan James told the press following the game. "I don't think there's a crowd or a fan base that has more passion for their players. I'm grateful to be here and score in front of them."

Here's another stat from Brad Schlossman: UND is now 8-3 in the last 11 rivalry games against Minnesota, and 20-3-4 in the last 27 against college hockey teams from the state of Minnesota. I didn't realize that UND has owned the teams from the state of hockey in recent years.  


Alex Faber: Dylan James’ latest shorthanded goal is the dagger in rivalry win

Here's my post-game post from Inside Hockey: The Roar is Back; UND beats UMN, 5-2

Let's say it was loud in the Ralph last night. I had to turn my hearing aid down because my head was ringing. One of the new players that has stuck out for me this season is Ellis Rickwood, the transfer portal pickup. He’s been a pleasant surprise. While the young kids and high draft choices get a lot of press, this guy is a solid two-way player. Through three games, Rickwood is UND’s leading scorer with (1g–4a–5pts). He’s an excellent pickup.  

Here's a stat that many of us weren't aware of.

I also took some pictures during the first period of last night's game: UMN vs. UND in Pictures. 

If you're one of the few people who didn't watch last night's game, here are the highlights from last night. Finally, remember it's just a game, have fun, enjoy the game, and make some good memories.

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Friday, September 05, 2025

CBS Sports Net Will No Longer Showcase NCHC Hockey Games; Positive or a Negative?

 

It was announced last August that the NCHC would not renew a deal with the network ahead of the 2025-26 season. Upon reviewing this announcement, it's neither positive nor negative. Yes, it's not ideal that there won't be any NCHC hockey games on the network anymore. 

However, looking at it from a fan's perspective, they really didn't have that many games on anyway. Each NCHC team had at a minimum one game on the network and at most three games. 

Negative: It sucks that we won't have Alex Heinert doing play-by-play and Dave Starman as analyst. Let's not forget that Shireen Saski did a great job as a rinkside reporter. Someone could bring them in for a few games. 

Positive: Looking at it from a UND hockey fan's perspective, that's a win; Heinert should be back in the booth for most, if not all, of UND's hockey games. Winning! 

Positive: In speaking with fans and reading some of the comments, it's clear that many people don't have access to CBSSN. I took it for granted because it's included in my DirecTV stream package. I've had CBSSN since I switched from cable to DirecTV.  Having all of the games on NCHC.TV fans will be able to watch all their favorite teams' games on the streaming service if they have a subscription. 

Negative for some: In the past, I've been critical of the NCHC.TV. Primarily, because there are a few schools with poor broadcasts. The quality is not very good, making it difficult to watch those games. 

Positive: For UND fans, Midco Sports does a good job of producing UND hockey games and UND sports in general. They've set the bar very high for the rest of the NCHC. 

Eventually, I'd like to see Midco Sports take over the production of the NCHC.TV, like they did with the CCHA's streaming service. 

Is it hockey season yet? 


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Saturday, April 05, 2025

Redwing77's Take: New Coach... Direction?


 

Whoo boy.  Here we go!

I recently posted my thoughts on the next coach of UND hockey.  So much weight is put on whom it was who takes the reins that it often goes hand in hand with the rumors of how and why we got into this situation in the first place.  I had no issues with Brad Berry.  I've only talked to him once, and that was briefly over the phone.  Most who blog or follow UND hockey closely within the media know him far better than I ever will.

That being said, I have no qualms about saying that I was surprised by Berry's firing.  However, it happened and everyone asked:  What next?  What direction would UND take?  The answer was the same direction, it appears, that UND took when Blais left.  This poses an interesting bit of reading when it comes to what the fanbase thought.  After Jackson's hiring, I joking told Goon that perhaps we should start up X threads and UND hockey message board threads about when to fire Jackson.  This direction was not what the angry UND fan mob wanted to go.  They all seemed to want Hakstol or other untouchable coaches (like Fershweiler from WMU or even David Carle from DU).  

Regardless of "spin," I believe that hiring Dane Jackson was the safe, if not predictable move by Chaves.  Jackson has been around UND hockey for 19 years as a coach and almost 25 years all together.  His dedication is hardly arguable.  But image weighs a lot to the fans outside of the inner circles.   If memory serves, Jackson was a Blais or Hakstol hire whom Berry promoted to associate when Hakstol departed.  Therefore it's not a stretch to claim that Jackson is simply a younger variant of Hakstol and Berry.  He inherits a team in turmoil amidst NCAA college sports in its own turmoil.  NIL and CHL (and USports by extension) is now a thing for NCAA DI college hockey.  This, in itself, is a topic for another day. Jackson inherits a challenge and I hope he's up to it.  We'll find out either way.

I watched the press conference and there were a few things that jumped out at me:

1.  Modernize the program.  It's perhaps a not so challenging argument to be made that the program had sort of stagnated.  We were still getting decent recruits, but times were changing and it was thought, imo, that UND was falling behind the curve.  Having a recruiting/portal/GM coordinator as an assistant is a pretty decent idea of changing that complacency... assuming that UND and the 1883 Collective can compete against big money programs like those found in the Big 10 Hockey Conference.  Right now, it's not out of control, but it's rocketing towards that direction; following in the wake of college football and perhaps college basketball.

2.   Jackson's Staff.  Coach Jackson hasn't said much about who he will be hiring other than the fact that UND will hire an assistant coach/GM/recruiting guy.  This seems to scream Bryn Chyzyk.  I think this job redesign is essential but it's also going to be a severely time consuming and stressful job to do it well.

3.  Building a program of no excuses filled with 3-4 year players is all well and good but in the day of NIL and player selfishness, one has to wonder what kind of players we'll end up with?  UND fans aren't really patient and sometimes lose sight of everything short of the Frozen Four.  To me, it's an ideal situation but in reality it would put us in the same tier as UNO.  They go after high-character and hard-working guys.  However, if they are in fact top tier hockey talent, they're invariably going to transfer out to a program with money like Jayden Perron did for UND to Michigan or Tanner Ludtke of UNO transferring to Minnesota.  Top tier players now see DI hockey as more of an academic CHL with the added bonus of having control over where you play.  Don't like what it's like here?  Transfer there.  UND fans might not like what type of program that would display.  But then again I'm a skeptic and a cynic.  

4.  The NIL.  Jackson talked about the role of the 1883 Collective in the future of UND.   I think that the 1883 Collective will quickly, if it isn't already, become the most important off ice factor in bringing championships to UND.  And that's a problem considering UND doesn't have the financial clout that most of the teams in the Big 10 Hockey Conference does as well as teams like ASU and, perhaps, some teams out East.   

Coach Jackson has to address the remainder of his staff.  He has two openings to fill.  One will be the GM he spoke about, but the other will be the Associate Head Coach if he doesn't name Simpson to that role.  I wonder whom it will be?  Will it be a former UND player like Matt Smaby or Colten St. Clair?  Or will he go off the board?  Maybe someone from the CHL or the pro minor leagues?  Who knows outside of him.  

It will be interesting to see what happens.  It will definitely be an interesting ride.

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Friday, April 04, 2025

UND Head Coach Dane Jackson Introduced as 17th Head Coach; Messages Were Sent


A few people asked me what I thought about the Dane Jackson introductory press conference. I was going to get to it earlier, but I have been busy being a Just for Kix Dance Dad, attending band concerts, and taking care of other personal things that need to be taken care of in the off-season. This afternoon, I listened to yesterday's press conference again. 

Wow! Messages have been sent. It's a new dawn, a new day, a new direction. 

First, I would like to recognize former UND head coach Brad Berry. He always had time to sit down with the media and give you his thoughts on the team and college hockey. Good luck in the future, coach. He will be remembered for leading UND to its eighth NCAA title. Coach Jackson mentions Berry in his opening statement.

"Our staff wants to acknowledge and thank the recent leaders of our program: Brad Berry, Dave Hakstol, Hacks, and Gino Gasparini," Jackson said. 

Coach Jackson sent quite a few messages during the brief press conference. It was obvious who he was pointing his comments at. If you missed that, you should watch the video again (embedded below). 

"Gino (Gaspirini) taught us about toughness, competing, selflessness, Jackson said. "His passion and fire were inspiring. He talked about the logo on the front being more important than the name on the back."

There's more. 

"These leaders (Gaspirini, Blais, Hakstol) taught us about humility and respect, how to work and compete, and that everything is earned," Jackson said. "We are a selfless team, first being part of something bigger than yourselves."

You can already see where this is going. UND will commit to hard work and won't put up with entitled passengers. Draft status will not matter to the new staff moving forward. Every player will earn it every day. The UND hockey team will give 100 percent. That means on the ice in games. They will outwork their opponents for every game. UND will train hard in every drill in practice and in the weight room. The players will earn every inch, every day, and work hard. They will bring pride back to the UND brand and hockey jersey. The coaching staff is committed to getting UND hockey back to where it belongs. No excuses. 

Our staff's plan: "North Dakota has always been built differently. We've been built on the man -- the character -- the toughness -- the grit, Jackson said. "(We want) the guys that rise up in big moments. That's what our coaches have picked for years. We will get back to that. We have done that a lot, and we will ensure that's our core identity. Our core identity is to get the right players, for the right reasons, who want to play at UND, win championships, and develop as players and people."

Interpretation: There is a new sheriff in town, and things will change. Jackson and the staff will be ready for the new year with a new attitude. If you don't want to be here, pack your bags, we don't want you. 

"We need to modernize our program in this fast-changing college landscape," Jackson said. We need to adapt. We're going to hire a person who's a GM/recruiting coach dedicated to recruiting, roster management, and portal management. Having said that, we'll ensure we get back to a sustainable model of recruiting and developing three and four-year players (who) are tied to UND and love the program." 

Boom!

There are about six months until the 2025-26 season begins. There is a lot of work to be done, but you will see a new UND hockey team when the puck drops on the 2025-26 season. 

 

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Sunday, March 30, 2025

Dane Jackson Is UND Hockey's 17th Head Coach, Now What?

Grand Forks, ND—What a week it's been. Last Sunday, around 6:20 pm, the University of North Dakota announced that it had fired Brad Berry and named Associate Head Coach Dane Jackson interim head coach. UND also announced that a national search would start immediately and close at Midnight on Wednesday.

Fast-forward to Saturday evening, around 9:30 pm, when UND announced that it had promoted Dane Jackson to head coach. Apparently, after conversations with current and former players and others, UND decided they didn't need to look outside the organization.


Now what? From this day forward, UND head coach Dave Jackson's chair will immediately be hot. If you think I am kidding, I am not. All you have to do is peruse social media and our favorite fan messageboard. Some from this group wanted Dave Hakstol fired after he didn't win an NCAA title after numerous trips to the Frozen Four. 


Again,  we've come full circle. 

Exhibit A: UND Hockey: Making the Case for Dave Hakstol

Exhibit B: Fire Coach Hakstol, Not Likely


For the record, I am not a burn it to the ground fire everybody kind of guy. Did we need to make a change? I don't know. Something had to change. The loudest fire Brad Berry fans got their wish. We now have a new head coach. I don't know if UND got better. Only time will tell. It is what it is, that's the nature of the business. College sports are now a professional minor league. 


As I tweeted on X today, checking the responses to this announcement, it would appear that it's about 40/60 or 50/50 on the @UNDmhockey team's new head coach.


My question is, how long of a honeymoon does Jackson get? How long before the fans start calling for his head, too? Some people are never happy. I guess time will tell. It will be interesting to see how the 2025-26 UND hockey team responds. There will be a lot of background noise, especially if they stumble out of the gate. 


Also, if Jackson wins a title in his first year, will fans say, "Well, he did it all with Brad Berry's recruits?" 


Also, should we be concerned that the players chose Berry's replacement? Is everyone comfortable with this? This is 2025, not your daddy's UND Fighting Sioux team or a 1990s version of college sports. Everything has changed. In the old days, if you were unhappy with your playing time, you'd talk to the coach, and he'd tell you to practice harder and play better. Now, players go somewhere else. The unhappy players take their sticks and leave. It's just a different time. 


After Jackson was hired, Dylan James and Jake Livanavage announced their return. That's excellent news for the UND hockey team. We should see more personnel announcements as the week moves forward. 


I recommend that you listen to the "Live in Five" podcast. It's interesting. It features former UND hockey players Gage Ausmus and Jordan Schmaltz from the 2016 NCAA title-winning team. Obviously, Ausmus is dialed in to the college hockey NIL.  


Here are a few things that stood out for me from the podcast. 

"The fans think they have the answers: We can go out and get whoever we want, or replacing Bubs is the better option," Ausmus said. "Are we sure we'll find a better coach than Bubs? Are you sure about that? You don't know. I don't know, either. Who knows if it's the right call?" 

 "The college landscape has changed, Jordo," Ausmus said. "The Gopher's first line this year cost them 225k or something like that, that's a rumor that I heard. Our first line cost 12k, and some free Deeks pizza on Saturday nights. What are we ranking right now in NIL money compared to these other schools? It ain't near the top 10 or 15. There might be like 10 to 15 teams spending more money than us. Do we expect to be better than them? I know we got a huge tradition and culture at North Dakota, and it's a great place to play, but at the end of the day, we've got to figure that out."

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Sunday, March 23, 2025

UND Hockey: Brad Berry Is Out as Head Coach

The University of North Dakota men's hockey team has decided to part ways with head coach Brad Berry after 10 seasons with the Fighting Hawks. Per a release from UND: Berry guided North Dakota to 10 winning seasons, amassing a 227-119-35 overall record to rank fourth all-time in program history in wins. He also captured five NCHC Penrose Cups, one NCHC Frozen Faceoff crown, and five NCAA Tournament appearances. He became the first and only head coach in NCAA Division I men's hockey history to win a national title in his first season in 2015-16.

"Coach Berry has had a tremendous decade run at his alma mater," UND Athletic Director Bill Chaves said. "Not many coaches win a national title, and he's one of a very few. His time will be cherished, but today was the right time to move in a new direction for UND hockey."

UND will immediately seek a replacement. AD Chaves also announced that Dane Jackson will serve as interim head coach. 

Pursuing social media and our favorite fan message board, I see fans wanting a Dave Hakstol 2.0. That would be fine, but I doubt he's interested in coaching college hockey again. I imagine he'd like to coach in the NHL again. Finally, I also want to remind these people you were the same people who wanted him fired after he didn't win an NCAA title. We come full circle. 

Exhibit A: UND Hockey: Making the Case for Dave Hakstol

Exhibit B: Fire Coach Hakstol, Not Likely

There will be more on this subject later this week. 

The Hockey World Responds to Berry's Firing.


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