Some NCHC Stats

Here's a look at some of the NCHC statistics that I broke down for a post that was originally posted on the Hockey Writers. 

NCHC Goaltending Save Percentage Leaders (all games) – min 10 games.

1   Sam Brittain, DU, .935
Tie Lukas Hafner, WMU, .935
3    Ryan McKay, MU, .921
4    Zane Gothberg, UND, .916
5    Ryan Faragher, SCSU, .912

NCHC goaltending goals against average (all games) – min 10 games.

1    Lukas Hafner, WMU, 1.61
2    Sam Brittain, DU, 2.04
3    Zane Gothberg, UND, 2.20
4    Ryan Faragher, SCSU, 2.42
5    Ryan McKay, MU, 2.50

NCHC scoring offense (conference games)

1    St. Cloud State, 3.25 GPG
2    Western Michigan, 3.17 GPG
3    Nebraska-Omaha, 3.00 GPG
4    North Dakota, 2.92 GPG
5    Minnesota Duluth, 2.83 GPG>
6    Denver, 2.58 GPG
7    Miami, 2.42 GPG
8    Colorado College, 2.08 GPG

Scoring Defense NCHC games (goals against)

1    Denver, 2.33
Tie St. Cloud State, 2.33
3    Nebraska-Omaha, 2.42
4    Western Michigan, 2.83
5    Minnesota Duluth, 3.00
6    Miami, 3.08
Tie North Dakota, 3.08
8    Colorado College, 3.17

NCHC Rankings scoring offense (National)

7    St. Cloud State, 3.50
18  Miami, 3.14
22  Nebraska-Omaha 3.00
28  North Dakota, 2.86
31  Minnesota Duluth, 2.75
34  Western Michigan 2.71
38  Denver, 2.59
58  Colorado College, 1.77

NCHC Rankings scoring defense (National)

5    Denver, 2.12
14    St. Cloud State, 2.35
16   Western Michigan, 2.38
31   North Dakota, 2.73
32   Minnesota Duluth, 2.75
33   Miami, 2.77
45   Nebraska Omaha, 3.18
49   Colorado College,  3.36

NCHC  College Hockey Stats Net (College Hockey Stats)
NCHC Statistics (nchchockey.com)
National Statistics NCAA Division I (National Statistics)

Related articles

• NCHC Hockey: No Second Thoughts or Regrets (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCHC Hockey: Breaking Down the Numbers at the Half Way Point (thehockeywriters.com)
• UND Hockey: The Weekend in Review (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCAA Hockey: There Has to Be a Better Way (thehockeywriters.com)
• NCHC Hockey: Breaking Down the Numbers Half Way Point (thehockeywriters.com)

USCHO POLL: UND 18TH

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Related articles

• UND Hockey: The Weekend in Review (thehockeywriters.com)

UND vs BSU game one

UND Forward Lines

21 Brendan O’Donnell–16 Mark MacMillan–15 Michael Parks (A)
28 Stephane Pattyn (A)–13 Connor Gaarder–11 Derek Rodwell

9 Drake Caggiula–19 Rocco Grimaldi–27 Luke Johnson
29 Bryn Chyzyk–17 Colten St. Clair–Wade Murphy

UND Defense Pairings

18 Dillon Simpson ©–24 Jordan Schmaltz
5 Nick Mattson–6 Paul LaDue

20 Gage Ausmus –  2 Troy Stecher

UND Goalies

31 Zane Gothberg
33 Clarke Saunders

Scratches: 4 – Keaton Thompson, 22 – Andrew Panzarella, 25 – Mitch MacMillan, 26 - Coltyn Sanderson, 30 – Matt Hrynkiw.

Bemidji State Beavers Forward Lines

23 Markus Gerbrandt–13 Cory Ward –28 Brendan Harms

18 Radoslav Illo–12 Jeff Jubinville –16 Danny Mattson
29 Phil Brewer–27 Mitch Cain–22 Charlie O’Connor
9 Phillip Marinccio –6 Nate Arentz – 26 Bob Kinne

Tigers Defense Parings

14 D.J Joes –4 Sam Windle
25 Ruslan Pedan –7 Matt Prapavessis ©

3 James Hansen–11Graeme McCormack

Beaver Goalies

30 Andrew Walsh
33 Reid Mimmack

On-Ice Officials: 14 – Brad Albers, 27 – Rodney Tocco Lines: 70 – Andy Dokken 79 – Matt Ulwilling.

UND Hockey: Add your Caption

Good to see @SchlossmanGF and @gfherald are up to their old tricks again! pic.twitter.com/TxPGebAnhb
— Brendan O'Donnell (@bodonnell21) January 12, 2014

Ha! I think this picture is a good one for add you caption.

Related articles

• UND Hockey: Adam Tambellini Leaves UND for the WHL (thehockeywriters.com)

Current NCHC Standings

Current standings:

	Conference									Overall
Team	Pts	GP	W	L	T	SW	Win%	GF	GA	GP	W	L	T	Win%	GF	GA
St. Cloud State	22	10	7	2	1	0	0.750	33	21	18	12	3	3	0.750	64	40
North Dakota	21	12	7	5	0	0	0.583	35	37	20	11	7	2	0.600	58	57
Denver	17	10	5	4	1	1	0.550	26	24	22	11	7	4	0.591	58	47
Nebraska Omaha	17	10	5	4	1	1	0.550	29	26	20	8	11	1	0.425	59	67
Minnesota Duluth	15	10	5	5	0	0	0.500	30	31	18	9	8	1	0.528	51	50
Western Michigan	15	10	5	5	0	0	0.500	31	28	22	11	8	3	0.568	58	51
Colorado College	10	12	2	7	3	1	0.292	25	38	20	2	15	3	0.175	35	65
Miami	9	10	3	7	0	0	0.300	26	30	20	9	9	2	0.500	66	54

After being the pre-season favorite, Miami sits in the bottom of the NCHC Standings. If I had to be a betting man, I think that C.C. will finish in the bottom of the NCHC Standings. Miami is 13 points out of first place. UND and C.C. have played 12 games and the rest of the league has played 10 games.

UND Hockey: Looking at the Numbers

Who’s Hot for UND

UND forward Rocco Grimaldi has seven-game points streak (3g-5a—8pts). Michael Parks has four-game points streak (2g-3a—5pts). UND forward Luke Johnson has scored points in 5-of-6 games (3g-4a—7pts). In the last six games, UND defenseman Jordan Schmaltz has (0g-7a—7pts). In the last five weekend series, UND forward Connor Gaarder has at least a point each weekend (2g-5a—7pts). During the seven-game win streak, UND goalie Zane Gothberg 7-0-0, 1.86 GAA, and a .926 save percentage. Bryn Chyzyk returned from a month suspension and scored (1g-2a—3pts) last weekend.

With the Sweep this weekend, Coach Hakstol now has a 146-56-22 record after Christmas break.

 

Second Half Team

Year	Before Xmas	After Xmas
2004-05	13-7-2 (.636)	12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06	12-7-1 (.625)	17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07	7-10-1 (.417)	17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08	8-6-1 (.567)	20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09	9-8-1 (.528)	15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10	9-6-3 (.583)	16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11	13-5-2 (.700)	19-4-1 (.813)
2011-12	9-8-1 (.528)	17-5-2 (.750)
2012-13	10-5-3 (.639)	12-7-4 (.609)
2013-14	9-7-2 (.555)	2-0-0 (1.00)
TOTAL	100-69-17 (.583)	146-56-22 (.700)

UND the Second Half Team

UND is known for being a second half team. Will there be a second half run again this season? UND is currently in a six-game winning streak and hasn't won six games in a row during the regular season since the 2009-10 season when UND won seven games in a row. UND also won 11 games during the 2010-11 season (counting the playoffs and the regular season).

 

Year 9Before Xmas After Xmas

2004-05 13-7-2 (.636) 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06 12-7-1 (.625)  17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07 7-10-1 (.417) 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08 8-6-1 (.567)  20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09 9-8-1 (.528) 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10 9-6-3 (.583) 16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11 13-5-2 (.700) 19-4-1 (.813)
2011-12 9-8-1 (.528) 17-5-2 (.750)
2012-13 10-5-3 (.639) 12-7-4 (.609)
2013-14 9-7-2 (.555) 1-0-0 (1.00)

TOTAL 99-69-17 (.581) 145-56-22 (.698)

UND Hockey: The Weekend Ahead (01/10 – 1/11)

This weekend, the University of North Dakota entertains the Colorado College Tigers in an important two-game conference series at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. Last weekend, UND played two exhibition games in Burnaby, B.C., where they split (2-3 L, 4-3 W). This is the first series for the University of North Dakota in 2014.

Matchup: North Dakota (9-7-2, 5-5-0 NCHC) versus Colorado College (3-13-3, 2-5-3 NCHC).
Date: January 10-11, 2014.

Time: 7:38 p.m. Central Friday / Saturday 7:07 p.m. Central

Radio: UND 96.1 (KQHT-FM)  The Fox

Webcast: undsports.com (UND Insider)

TV:  Friday: CBS Sports Network (221 DirecTV) Saturday: Midco Sports Network

All-Time Series History

Record: All time, UND leads 139-79-10 (.632). In Grand Forks, ND, UND leads the series 83-20-6 (.789). Against the Tigers in Colorado Springs, CO UND trails 48-57-4 (.459). At Neutral sites UND leads the series 8-2-0 (.800). Under Hakstol UND leads the series 16-12-1 (.569 ) Last 10 games UND leads 6-4-0 (.600). Last season, UND went 1-2 against the Tigers, losing in the quarterfinals to C.C. 3-4.

Players to watch

North Dakota: Forwards: Rocco Grimaldi (6g-11—17pts), Drake Caggiula (5g-6a—11pts), Luke Johnson (4g-7a—11pts), Michael Parks (3g-8a—11pts), Stephane Pattyn (3g-4a—7pts), Connor Gaarder (2g-4a—6pts). Defense:  Dillon Simpson (3g-7a—10pts), Jordan Schmaltz (2g-8a—10pts), Paul Ladue (3g-5a—8pts), Nick Mattson (1g-5a—6pts), Troy Stecher (1g-5a—6pts),  Goaltenders: Clarke Saunders 2-2-0, GAA 3.60 and .900 save percentage, Zane Gothberg 7-5-2, 2.36 GAA and .917 save percentage.
Colorado College: Forwards Alexander Krushelnyski (4g-7a—11pts), Sam Rothstein (4g-4a—8pts), Alex Roos (4g-4a—8pts), Jeff Collett (3g-4a—7pts). Defense: Jacob Slavin (1g-8a—9pts), Gustov Olofsson (2g-2a—4pts), Eamonn McDermott (0g-2a—2pts). Goaltender: Josh Thorimbert 2-13-3, 3.08 GAA, .899 save percentage.

Who’s Hot for UND

UND forward Rocco Grimaldi has five-game points streak (2g-3a—5pts). In the last four games, UND forward Luke Johnson has scored (1g-3a—4pts). In the last four games, UND defenseman Jordan Schmaltz has (0g-6a—6pts). In the last four weekend series, UND forward Connor Gaarder has at least a point each weekend (2g-3a—5pts). In the last four weekend series, forward Stephane Pattyn has a least a point in each weekend (2g-2a—4pts).

Second Half Team

Year Before Xmas After Xmas
2004-05 13-7-2 (.636) 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06 12-7-1 (.625) 17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07 7-10-1 (.417) 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08 8-6-1 (.567) 20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09 9-8-1 (.528) 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10 9-6-3 (.583) 16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11 13-5-2 (.700) 19-4-1 (.813)
2011-12 9-8-1 (.528) 17-5-2 (.750)
2012-13 10-5-3 (.639) 12-7-4 (.609)
2013-14 9-7-2 (.555) —
Totals 98-69-17 (.579) 144-56-22 (.698)

UND Official Web Page.
Colorado College Tigers Official Web Page.

UND Hockey: Paisley Nails it.

Joe Paisley from the Colorado Springs Gazette has an interesting post in his blog this week. Check it out.  Stay tuned for our previously scheduled meltdown.

1. North Dakota's decline unfounded

If it's the holidays, it must be time for concerned North Dakota fans to air their angst on message broads and article comments through the upper Midwest. The red flags are waving a bit with North Dakota (9-7-2, 5-5 NCHC) entering this league series unranked and coming off a 1-1 weekend after two road exhibition games.

"They are really exaggerated," said CBS Sports Network analyst Dave Starman, who has worked several UND games this season. "The injury factor to (senior forward Mark) MacMillan and (junior Brendan) O'Donnell is a big deal and the fact that they have so many freshman defensemen. It took a while for those guys to assimilate to college hockey and learning what playing college hockey in North Dakota is all about."

Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

Here we are the first weekend of play in 2014.  The first half of the season seems to have flown by.

NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

St. Cloud St……………….6-1-1…………...19
Nebraska-Omaha…………5-2-1…………..17
North Dakota………………5-5-0……….….15
Denver…………………..…4-3-1…………..14
Colorado College……….. 2-5-3…….….….10
Miami………………………3-5-0….…….….9
Minnesota-Duluth…………2-2-0……….….6
Western Michigan………..2-2-0…………...6 

Non-Conference Games

Brown (5-6-1) @ #17 Denver (10-6-2)

The Bears are 1-5-0 away from home, which is Providence, R.I., if you’re wondering. The Pioneers are 7-3-0 at home in Magness Arena this season.  I think the Pioneers will catch the Bears hibernating this weekend.  Pioneers Win.

Brown (5-6-1) @ Colorado College (2-12-3)

With the Pioneers waking the sleeping Bears, I say the Tigers will feel their rude awaking anger.  Bears Win.

#19 Nebraska-Omaha (8-7-1) @ New Hampshire (10-10-1)

The Mavericks are 3-2-1 on the road this season and the Wildcats are 3-4-1 at home at the Whittemore Center in Durham.  SPLIT

Exhibition Games

North Dakota vs British Columbia (Fri.) vs Simon Fraser (Sat.)

Last action for NoDak was the sweep of the NMU Wildcats in Grand Forks. It has been two years since NoDak has played in great country of Canada.

UND is riding a 5 game winning streak and, well, this won’t officially effect it, since these are exhibition games.  But here to starting the New Year off right, NoDak wins both games.

US U-18 TEAM @ Minnesota-Duluth

Since it is an exhibition game, it is hard to say who wins… I’m sure UMD will use the game to get everyone back on the ice and playing at game speed.  TIE.

US U-18 TEAM @ #4 St. Cloud St.

Same as above, except SCSU wins.

BYE

#12  Miami

Western Michigan

Lambert on the NCHC....

This is what Ryan Lambert of Puck Daddy fame had to say about the NCHC on CHN. It would be interesting to see how many college hockey games that he has actually watched this season?

NCHC

Colorado College: This would have to be one hell of a “second-half surge.”
Denver: Yeah, 5-3 sounds just about right for a Denver win at UMass. I very much buy that as a reasonable result.

Miami: Riley Barber as captain of the US World Junior team seems like a no-brainer. One of the few returners, and he's very, very good. Given the amount of ice time he's been eating up for the RedHawks this year, he might never come off the ice in Sweden.

Minnesota-Duluth: The reason Justin Crandall isn't a goalie, and instead is the best forward on UMD this season, is that after his brother Aaron and his dad Jeff both played that position, his mom said he couldn't.

Nebraska-Omaha: I guess that yes, it is fair to say Jake Guentzel and Josh Arbcibald have been "key contributors" for the Mavs this season, given that the latter is a point-a-game player and the former is third on the team in assists as a freshman.

North Dakota: Oh a kid from Grand Forks committed to UND? Seems like that was a slam dunk. They've only been recruiting him his whole life.

St. Cloud: The St. Cloud Times gives the Huskies an “A” for the first half, which they say is “grading on a curve.” No need for a curve, they're just one of the best teams in the country.

Western Michigan: Lawson Arena got a scoreboard upgrade over the summer because NCHC rules mandated it, but apparently any talk about a new arena any time soon is just wishful thinking. “Lawson looks very nice,” said WMU athletic director Kathy Beauregard, stretching things a little.

So, we are to  believe that the National Collegiate Hockey Conference was built on entitlement, I find that statement interesting. So, only the Big Ten Hockey Conference was allowed to forward their interests. All others had to stand fast. Actually, if anything, the re-alignment allowed a team (UAH) to find a conference and this will allow for future expansion. I am not convinced that we're done moving teams around, just yet.

This seems not to have stopped the NCHC from trying to make itself more impressive, which is apparently the kind of thing we should have come to expect from a league built on entitlement more than anything else. When the Big Ten was announced, all the “prestige” programs, or whatever you want to call them, that were being left behind in the CCHA and WCHA simply decided that they couldn't be bothered slumming it against these other, lesser programs which were beneath their status and probably contempt, and thus was born the “National” Collegiate Hockey Conference, which is a curious name considering that on a geographical basis it ignores all the parts of the nation not between Ohio and Colorado.

That there was a fan vote to name the finals of the conference tournament is all good and well, and settling on the Frozen Faceoff (perhaps by design not more than a little evocative of “Frozen Four”) earlier this month, which beat out the NCHC Championship, is a little icky but not in the end that big of a deal.

Nook version of the "SCSU Hockey's 2012-13 Shooting Star Season"

Nook version of the "SCSU Hockey's 2012-13 Shooting Star Season" is available from Barnes & Noble #scsuhockey http://t.co/Y6GzU7a8ht
— Mick Hatten (@MickHatten) December 23, 2013

SCSU Husky fans you can get this eBook at the Barnes and Noble webpage for only $6.99, I just bought mine. Maybe I will review it and give my take on the book.

UND Hockey: Tonight’s Game NMU vs. UND

Tonight, the University of North Dakota plays Northern Michigan University Wildcats in  game two of an important non-conference series.

Last night, the University of North Dakota beat the Northern Michigan Wildcats 4-1.  Tonight, North Dakota will go for their second consecutive series sweep. North Dakota has won four games in a row and is 6-3-1 in their last 10-games.

This is the last series for the University of North Dakota, until after the New Year.

Matchup: North Dakota (8-7-2, 5-5-0 NCHC) versus Northern Michigan (6-9-2, 4-5-1 WCHA).

Date: December 14, 2013.

Time: Saturday 7:07 p.m. Central

Radio: UND 96.1 (KQHT-FM)  The Fox

Webcast: undsports.com

TV:  Midco Sports Network

All-Time Series History

UND leads the all-time series 27-23-3 (.538). In Grand Forks, UND leads the series 19-8-1 (.696). In Marquette, Northern Michigan leads the series 14-6-2 6-14-2 (.682). At Neutral sites: UND leads the series 2-1-0 (.667). UND has never played Northern Michigan under head coach Dave Hakstol: First meetings. Last 10 games, UND leads the series 8-2-0 (.800).

North Dakota: Forwards: Rocco Grimaldi (6g-10a—14pts), Drake Caggiula (4g-6a—10pts), Luke Johnson (4g-6a—10pts), Michael Parks (3g-7a—10pts), Stephane Pattyn (3g-3a—6pts), Brendan O’Donnell (3g-2—5pts), Connor Gaarder (2g-4a—6pts). Defense:  Dillon Simpson (3g-7a—10pts), Jordan Schmaltz (2g-7a—9pts), Paul Ladue (3g-4a—7pts), Nick Mattson (1g-5a—6pts), Troy Stecher (1g-5a—6pts),  Goaltenders: Clarke Saunders 2-2-0, GAA 3.60 and .900 save percentage, Zane Gothberg 6-5-2, 2.47 GAA and .917 save percentage.

UND injuries: Brendan O’Donnell (Out).

Northern Western Michigan: Forwards Stephan Vigier (10g-5a—15pts), Ryan Daugherty (2g-7a—9pts), Reed Seckel (5g-2a—7pts).  Defense:  CJ Ludwing  (5g-7a—12pts), Mitch Jones (0g-9a—9pts), Luke Eibler (1g-6a—7pts).  Goaltenders Mathias Dahlstrom 5-7-2, 2.26 GAA, .924 save percentage, Michael Doan 1-2-0, 3.86 GAA, .863% save percentage.

NMU Injuries: CJ Ludwing (out for the year).

Second Half Team

Year Before Xmas After Xmas
2004-05 13-7-2 (.636) 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06 12-7-1 (.625) 17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07 7-10-1 (.417) 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08 8-6-1 (.567) 20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09 9-8-1 (.528) 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10 9-6-3 (.583) 16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11 13-5-2 (.700) 19-4-1 (.813)
2011-12 9-8-1 (.528) 17-5-2 (.750)
2012-13 10-5-3 (.639) 12-7-4 (.609)
2013-14 8-7-2 (.529) —-

Totals 99-69-17 (.581) 144-56-22 (.698)

Traditionally, since Dave Hakstol has been the head coach, UND has been known for its second half surges. Here’s a breakdown of those numbers.

UND official Web Page

Northern Michigan University Web Page

Game Day Stats: UND Hockey

I have been pursuing the Saturday game notes that Jayson Hajdu sent me, and here are a few stats of interest.  

 

Record by month

October 2-1-1

November 3-6-1

December 1-0-0

UND is 2-1-1 the last four games.

Last 8 games 4-3-1

Last 10 games 4-5-1

 

UND’s record when they…

Score on the power play 5-4-2

When UND scores more than one PP goal 3-0-0

UND leads after first period 3-1-1

UND leads are the second period 5-1-0

Opposition leads are the second period 0-5-0

Tied after the second period 1-1-2

Home record 3-4-1

Away record 3-3-1

NCHC home record 1-3-0

NCHC way record 3-2-0

 

Players of note…

 

North Dakota: Forwards: Rocco Grimaldi (5g-8a—12pts), Michael Parks (3g-6a—9pts), Drake Caggiula (4g-5a—9pts), Luke Johnson (3g-4a—7pts), Stephane Pattyn (3g-3a—6pts), Brendan O’Donnell (3g-2—5pts). Defense:  Dillon Simpson (1g-7a—8pts), Nick Mattson (1g-5a—6pts), Troy Stecher (1g-4a—5pts), Paul Ladue (1g-4a—5pts), Jordan Schmaltz (2g-2a—4pts).  Goaltenders: Clarke Saunders 2-2-0, GAA 3.60 and .900 save percentage, Zane Gothberg 4-5-2, 2.67 GAA and .913 save percentage.

Webcast note: Tonight’s game is available via webcast to UND Insider subscribers at no extra cost. Because it is a standard definition broadcast, it will not be available on iPhone or Android to UND Sports premium app users.

NCHC Hockey: Updated standing

Here's the updated NCHC Standings. UND has a 4-5-0 record in the NCHC play. Breaking the conference record down further, that's 1-3-0 at home and 3-2-0 on the road.  Overall, UND is 2-2-2 in non-conference play. That's, 2-1-1 at home in non-conference play and 0-1-1 away from the REA in non-conference play.

Saturday Morning Post: UND Hockey Moving on up

Good Morning… Last night, the University of North Dakota (6-7-2, 4-5-0 NCHC) Hockey team beat the Western Michigan University Broncos (6-6-3, 2-3 NCHC) 3-2 in a grind out hockey game in Kalamazoo, Michigan.

If I had to describe last night’s game, I would also use the words penalty feast. Both teams beat a path to the penalty box. I was thinking they might have to oil the doors on both penalty boxes at Lawson Ice Arena, this is due to all of the use that they got last night.

It’s ridiculous.

Don Cherry of Hockey Night in Canada once said, “Fans don’t come to the game to watch the officials call a game, the fans come to the game to watch the players play a hockey game.”

There seems to be a correlation between the number of penalties called, and head of officials Don Adam attending a NCHC hockey game. Last weekend, Don Adam was in the Ralph Engelstad Arena press box and there were a high number of penalties called last weekend as well.

Western Michigan took nine minor penalties for 18-minutes and North Dakota took 10 minor penalties for 20-minutes.  UND was 2/7 on the power-play and Western Michigan was 0/7. To date, Western Michigan has yet to score a power-play goal in league play. The Broncos are 0/24 on the power-play in NCHC play. UND on the other hand is 8/38 (21.1).

Links of Interest

Some Saturday morning tidbits on the @UNDMHockey travel blog 

Grand Forks Herald: UND grinds out 3-2 victory over Western Michigan

WMU hockey team unable to finish scoring chances in 3-2loss to North Dakota

Johnson emergence a good sign for UND

UND Hockey: The Weekend Ahead (12/6 -12/7

This weekend, the University of North Dakota travels to Kalamazoo, Michigan to play Western Michigan Broncos in an important two-game NCHC series. Last weekend, UND split their non-conference series with St. Lawrence Saints of the ECAC (2-5 L, 3-2) at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Matchup: North Dakota (5-7-2, 3-5-0 NCHC) versus Western Michigan (6-5-2, 2-2-0 NCHC).

Date: December 6-7, 2013.

Time: 6:36 p.m. Central Friday / Saturday 6:05 p.m. Central

Radio: UND 96.1 (KQHT-FM)  The Fox

Radio: WMU Friday's game will be broadcast on the Bronco Radio Network: 96.5 FM; Saturday's game will be on 590 AM WKZO.

Webcast: undsports.com

TV:  CBS Sports Network, Friday (DirecTV 221, Dish Network 152)

All-Time Series History

UND leads the All-time series 5-0-0 (1.000). In Grand Forks, ND, UND leads the series 2-0-0 (1.000). In Kalamazoo, Michigan, UND leads the seris 2-0-0 (1.000). Neutral sites, UND lead the series 1-0-0 (1.000). Under coach Dave Hakstol: UND leads the series 1-0-0 (1.000).

Players to watch

North Dakota: Forwards: Rocco Grimaldi (5g-7a—12pts), Michael Parks (3g-6a—9pts), Drake Caggiula (4g-5a—9pts), Luke Johnson (1g-4a—5pts), Brendan O’Donnell (3g-2—5pts). Defense:  Dillon Simpson (1g-5a—6pts), Nick Mattson (1g-5a—6pts), Troy Stecher (1g-4a—5pts), Paul Ladue (1g-4a—5pts), Jordan Schmaltz (2g-2a—4pts).  Goaltenders: Clarke Saunders 2-2-0, GAA 3.60 and .900 save percentage, Zane Gothberg 3-5-2, 2.75 GAA and .908 save percentage.

UND injuries: Colten St. Clair (Out), Mark MacMillan (Questionable)

Western Michigan: Forwards: Shane Berschbach (7g-12a—19pts), Justin Kovacs, (5g-9a—14pts), Josh Pitt (3g-6a—9pts), Chase Balisy, (1g-8a—9pts). Defense: Jordan Oesterle (2g-5a—7pts), Dennis Brown (2g-3—5pts). Goaltenders Frank Slubowsk 5-4-3, 2.23 GAA, .925 save percentage, Lukas Hafner 1-1-0, 0.50 GAA, .978 save percentage.

UND official Web Page

Western Michigan Web Page

Weekend Match-Ups (by Donn)

I’m a little late posting my predictions this week, I’ve been way too busy, so it will be short and sweet.

Of note, this is the first full weekend of NCHC games in league history!

 

NCHC STANDINGS 2013-2014

Team………………………W-L-T………Points

Nebraska-Omaha…………5-1-0…………..15
St. Cloud St……………….4-1-1…………...13
Denver…………………..…3-2-1…………..11
North Dakota………………3-5-0……….….9
Minnesota-Duluth…………2-2-0……….….6
Western Michigan………..2-2-0…………...6 
Miami……………………….2-4-0……….….6
Colorado College………...1-5-2…….….….6
 

NCHC Games

#16 Nebraska-Omaha @ Colorado College
Last weekend the Tigers were swept (6-2, 3-0) by the UNH Wildcats in Colorado Springs and the Mavericks were enjoy a holiday weekend of rest.

SPLIT – UNO wins Friday and CC wins Saturday

 

Denver @ #12 Miami

Last weekend the RedHawks took 3-pts (4-4ot, 6-3) from the Beavers in Bemidji and Pioneers were resting up in the mile high city.

RedHawks Sweep

 

#2 St. Cloud St. @ #20 Minnesota-Duluth

Last weekend the Bulldogs split the Gophers in Minneapolis and the Huskies had a bye weekend to gobble up the turkey.

SPLIT – SCSU wins Friday and UMD wins Saturday

 

North Dakota @ Western Michigan  

Last weekend NoDak split with the SLU Saints (5-2L, 3-2W) and the Broncos tied Northeastern 1-1 and beat Huntsville 1-0 in the Shillelagh Tournament.

SPLIT –UND wins Friday and WMU wins Saturday

Mike Chambers: Rules against fighting in NCAA hockey don't deter cheap shots

Nice article by Mike Chambers of the Denver Post. I agree with a lot of what is said here. I have been watching college hockey for a very long time, and some of the dirtiest acts of violence, I have seen,  have happened on the ice during college hockey games.

I don’t know how many times I have seen a play where I have said, "I guarantee that guy doesn’t do that in a league where there’s fighting." Do we want to see bench clearing brawls in college hockey? Nope! Not saying that at all.  

Mike Chambers, Denver Post – If that player came from the NCAA ranks, he's more likely to be a loose cannon, because college hockey has such stiff penalties for fighting, which draws a game misconduct and ensuing one-game suspension. The NCAA also mandates full facial protection with a mask. While that might seemingly make the NCAA game safer, Mitchell said what it does is encourage more cheap shots, because players don't fear retaliation.

"If you take fighting out of the game, you're going to have guys taking liberties on your top players, and trust me, that thought is in the back of their minds: 'Hey, if I'm going to go out there and do something stupid, I might have to answer the bell. Someone is going to be come looking for me,' " Mitchell said. "So if (fighting is) out of the game, they have no worries."

The semi-pro Canadian Hockey League (major junior) mimics the NHL regarding its rules, including fighting, and offers a choice of cages or visors. NCAA hockey is often dubbed "gladiators on ice," with players less fearful of opponents because of the severe fighting penalties and added facial protection. Cross checks to the face mask are delivered instead of punches to the face.

Since fighting is not part of the college game, the majority of concussions hockey players suffer are a result of contact to the head from a shoulder or elbow or having a head smashed against the boards or glass. Moreover, NCAA players often get away with landing glove punches, but just because it's not a bare fist connecting with a open face doesn't mean it isn't damaging to the head.

I had an ex-college hockey player once tell me. “I can go up and smart off to the biggest guy on the ice, because I know I don’t have to fight.”

Looking ahead: UND vs WMU

Western Michigan (6-5-3, 2-2-0 NCHC) vs North Dakota (5-7-2, 3-5-0 NCHC)

December 6-7, 2013 6:05 p.m. central

Location: Kalamazoo, Michigan Lawson Ice Arena
TV: CBSSN (Friday), Webcast (Saturday)
Last 10: WMU 5-3-2, UND 3-6-1



National Rankings 

Goals for                WMU 46 – UND 35

Goals against        WMU 8   – UND  45  

Penalty Minutes     WMU 5  – UND 20

Power Play             WMU 49 (13.9) – UND 33 (17.9)

Penalty Kill             WMU 9 (85.9)  –  UND 25 (83.3)

 

Rocco Grimaldi (5g-7a-12pts) Michael Parks (3g-6a-9pts) Drake Caggiula (4g-5a-9pts) Dillon Simpson (1g-6a-7pts) Nick Mattson (1g-5a-6pts)

Shane Berschbach (7g-12a-19pts) Justin Kovacs (5g-9a-14pts) Chase Balisy (1g-8a-9pts) Josh Pitt (3g-6a-9pts) Colton Hargrove (3g-5a-8pts)

 

Zane Gothberg 3-5-2 2.75 Clake Saunders 2-2-0 3.60

Lukas Hafner 1-1-0 0.50 Frank Slubowski 5-4-3 2.23

 

Notes of interest

WMU has not scored a power play goal in conference play their (0/17).

This weekend, UND will face WMU junior goalie the “big” Frank Slubowsk 5-4-2, 2.23 GAA and .919 save percentage.

UND goalie Zane Gothberg is ranked 55th nationally for winning percentage.

UND goalies Zane Gothberg and Clarke Saunders are ranked 10th and 12th in the NCHC in save percentage.

UND goalies Zane Gothberg and Clarke Saunders are ranked 11^th and 18^th in the NCHC for goals against average.