FBS Football Playoffs Proves NCAA Playoffs at the Higher Seed's Stadium Can work -- Looking at You NCAA Hockey

If you watched the first round of the FBS playoffs this afternoon, you noticed that the teams were playing at the home stadium of the higher seed. While perusing X.com this afternoon, hockey journalist Ryan Stieg retweeted Mike Eidelbes's excellent tweet. Grand Forks Herald hockey scribe Brad E. Schlossman followed suit. Sounds like a great idea. Let's get this done soon. 

Went to IU-ND football yesterday. Probably the best sporting event I’ve attended in terms of atmosphere and electricity.

Having it on campus made it a billion times greater. Hint hint hockey …

— Mike Eidelbes (@INCH) December 21, 2024

Home hockey regionals would be electric. https://t.co/iVNbUKeZjp

— Brad Elliott Schlossman (@SchlossmanGF) December 21, 2024

Yes, it's well past time to revisit this subject again. We've beaten it to death, but we're not going away. Of course, you'll get some pushback from the same old soles, media members, coaches, and schools that want to play in quiet, empty, listless mausoleums masquerading as neutral-site hockey arenas. SMH! These arenas will be in exciting locations like Allen Town, Pennsylvania, or some arena that doesn't usually host hockey games. What could go wrong, right? You have to ask yourself what these people are afraid of? To be the best, you have to beat the best. It shouldn't matter if you have to play in an energy-filled arena. The Frozen Four isn't played in listless arenas. 

Last February, DU head hockey coach David Carle appeared on a podcast from Inside Hockey with Editor Adam Wodon and shared his perspective on the matter. Coach Carle was receptive to the idea. 

For the record, Adam Wodon of College Hockey News favors maintaining the status quo and does not support home-site regionals. 

Here are some points from that podcast. I included Carle's comments because he sees the whole picture and has a realistic opinion. 

"We are in a small minority of sports that do it this way, Carle said. College football is also neutral, but even the behemoth that it is, next year, expanding to 12. They are going to campus sites."

"We are vastly in the minority of not using home site top seeds hosting in any capacity," Carle said. "For the record, I'm against North Dakota being a one-seed this year and having three teams enter their building. That's worse than what we currently do—the top four seats hosting, you know, all the teams to four sites. It's worse when you talk about atmosphere, excitement, and the fan experience. I would get we all host games all the time, right? The top eight would host the bottom eight."

Let's get it done. It's well past time. Last season, I asked UND head coach Brad Berry if he favored playing regional games at home sites. 

Would Coach Berry’s team rather play in Minnesota or Duluth than in an empty arena in Bridgeport? Of course, he would.

“A hundred percent, Berry said. “That goes into the part of earning it. If we’re a lower seed and we have to go into a building. We already do that. We go into environments like that during the regular season; it shouldn’t be different in the playoffs. You have to win a game on the road. It’s going to provide a better atmosphere and a better experience for the college student-athletes.”

SCSU Assistant Coach R.J. Enga Airs Grievances Following Series with UND

SCSU Player Talks to the Refs During a Break in the Action

When I was a freshman at Upper Iowa University, our football coach told our team, following a painful loss, that we won class and we lost with class. Apparently, St. Cloud assistant coach R.J. Enga hasn't heard those words of advice. 

AUDIO: The Brett Larson Show from last night (12/16) from the @GreenMill

With Huskies assistant coach RJ Enga.

Next show will be Jan. 13. Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays and Happy New Year to all Huskies fans. https://t.co/MtmN5P0Dcf

— Jim Erickson (@SCSU_hockey_pbp) December 17, 2024

 

Coach Enga filled in for head coach Brent Larson on the Brent Larson Show with Huskies play-by-play radio announcer Jim Erickson. (You can listen to the whole show, linked in the tweet above.)  If you haven't heard it, check it out. It's interesting. 

Larson wasn't available because he had already left town to be an assistant coach with Team USA for the U20 World Junior Tourney. It was an interesting 40+ minutes. Enga aired his grievances about this past weekend's series. He attacked the linesmen, saying they dropped the pucks closer to the UND centermen, giving them an unfair advantage. The faceoff numbers were tied on Friday night 29-29; on Saturday, UND had the advantage 36-29. 

Whatever.

Enga attacked T.J. Semptimphelter, saying that he showed the ref up for taking his helmet off after being elbowed in the head on Friday night and taking off his helmet during Saturday's game after being elbowed in the head. Granted, the SCSU player was cross-checked into the UND goalie. He also attacked the ref for not making the right call. It sounds like sour grapes. 

After Friday's game, head coach Brad Berry got into a heated conversation with Larson. The video replay showed both coaches shouting obscenities at each other (you could read both men's lips). In the post-game press conference, coach Berry wasn't very pleased with what had transpired on the ice. 

"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." 

Here's Enga's quote from the show, referring to Friday's dirty play that 

"If you watch the video, the young man that plays goalie for them, he threw his helmet off, tapping his head and stuff," Enga said on the radio show. "I'm not really sure what was going on with the guy. But when you watch it, it's like a split second, and I thought maybe a skate came up. We've seen some terrible incidents. I thought maybe that was the way he reacted. And then when I kind of saw it, definitely when I saw the video, I'm like, 'What is going on?'

"To me, don't make a mockery of the referees. Don't put them in those situations. Just play an honest, hard game and let's see who comes out on top. That's my opinion."

As I heard Enga's comment, I wondered; are you kidding me? Do we need to review the play in question again? Without beating a dead horse, It was a dirty play by Gavyn Thoreson. How did he expect the UND hockey team to react to Thoreson's antics? 

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

Finally, Enga made a snide comment about Brad Schlossman, who referenced Thoreson's style of play when he was in the USHL. His remarks show that Enga had read Schlossman's Friday Gamer. 

"Thoreson was known as a skilled player and agitator T.J. Semptimphelter the United States Hockey League last year, where he had 87 penalty minutes for the Waterloo Black Hawks, " Schlossman wrote.

I don't see anything wrong with bringing that point up. For those keeping track at home, Thoreson had 103 PIMs in 85 USHL games. It's not out of line to bring that up, especially after he had just run over the opposition's goalie in an attempt to rally his team or take out their goalie. If you don't like it, don't read the opposition's beat writer's analysis. 

Finally, the league could come down on Enga. He could get suspended for making comments about the on-ice officials; he attacked their credibility and integrity. However, it's unlikely based on who the commissioner is. The two teams play in St. Cloud on January 31 and February 1, 2025. This could be an interesting rematch. 

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.

Jackson Blake Scores His First NHL Goal -- Coach Berry Weighs In

On Tuesday night, another former UND hockey player scored his first NHL goal. Caroline Hurricanes forward Jackson Blakes's goal helped the Hurricanes defeat the New Jersey 4-2. At the 10:16 mark of the third period, Blake scored the game-winning goal. It didn't take Blake long to score his first NHL goal in his third career game, and 106:18 into his second season. 

Here's what his former coach had to say about his first NHL goal. 

"I gotta be honest; reading what was going on, I don't think they were giving him a great chance to make that Carolina hurricane team, UND head coach Brad Berry said. "I think he was pegged to be in the minors right away and work his way up. That tells you what Jackson Blake is as far as what he did for a body of work here, being relentless, being a guy that was one of our best, if not our best player, every day, coming on the ice and for me as a coach, then it's worth it.

"When you leave North Dakota, which has a lot of things going on here, you want to make sure they have an opportunity for themselves to make the big club instead of toiling in the minors for years. For Jackson Blake, he got there. He has to stay there. He has to continue to earn it to be that everyday NHL player; many of our guys have done that just because they know their humility and what it takes to earn it every day."

Here's what his teammates had to say. 

"Every day I think I just get more comfortable," Blake said after the game during the post-game media scrum. "I'm realizing that I think I belong here in this league, and I've got to show it every night. I think every day is a tryout. I felt comfortable tonight and I think I'm just going to continue to feel that."

"It's awesome. Everyone's going to remember your first goal. Like Roddy said, we might not remember this game, but Blaker will for the rest of his life," Shayne Gostisbehere said. "For him and his family, it's all the hard work everyone put in to help get him to that point. Getting the game-winning goal is pretty cool, too."

Enjoy that first @NHL goal feeling, Jackson Blake!! pic.twitter.com/TdnYdN8xH0

— Carolina Hurricanes (@Canes) October 16, 2024

UND Hockey Recruit Dalton Andrew's Filthy Shootout Goal

Last week, the University of North Dakota hockey team picked up a commitment from the Manitoba Junior Hockey League. The recruit in question is Winkler Flyers' leading scorer, Dalton Andrew. The Brandon, Manitoba native, has committed to UND for the 2024-25 season. Looking back, there haven't been many UND players to come out of the MJHL; recently, Riese Gaber Dauphin Kings, the Steinbach Pistons, and Cole Smith Steinbach Pistons are two that come to mind. However, if you look at their All-Time Scoring Leaders, there are some familiar names. 

This past season, Andrew scored (43g-39a-82) points in 54 games. Yes, that led the MJHL. It will be interesting to see how he fits into the 2024-25 version of the Fighting Hawks. 

Andrew's team, the Flyers, are currently playing in the Centennial Cup. According to the Flyers page, Andrew scored four goals against the Sioux Lookout Bombers to lead the Winkler Flyers to a 4-2 win.

The snipe from @winklerflyers forward and @UNDmhockey commit, Dalton Andrew 👀🚨 pic.twitter.com/L8za89b1ki

— MJHL (@mjhlhockey) May 9, 2024

   

Monday, May 13, 7:30 PM EDT
Oakville Blades (Host) @ Winkler Flyers

Tuesday, May 14, 7:30 PM EDT
Winkler Flyers @ MHL (Miramichi Timberwolves)

“Dalton has shown a high level of growth not only this season but yearly throughout his entire three years in Winkler.  He continually shows commitment to his off ice and on ice training during all parts of the year, especially during Christmas breaks to ensure his game would continue to rise throughout the season.   He has been receptive to the coaching and teaching that would help develop his individual game and prepare him as a person and player for the high level of hockey coming next season.  DA has worked extremely hard, and with the help and support of his teammates, family, billet family, trainers, and the rest of the coaching staff, is very deserving of this next opportunity at the University of North Dakota.  Congratulations to Dalton and his family.” GM & Head Coach Justin Falk and the hockey operations staff could not be more thrilled for the Andrew family.

Andrew gave his thoughts on being a Winkler Flyer “I think being a Winkler Flyer showed me how to be a professional, every day is a chance to get better. Having three ex NHL coaches was awesome, they really showed me how to take my game to the next level, from the extra work at the end of practices to the different tools and knowledge they provided me with, along with my work ethic. This all helped me get better over my three years here which led me to success.” He added that his thoughts on the organization “I have nothing but great things to say about the Flyers organization. From the coaching staff to the trainers, our marketing guy all the people behind the scenes, Including board members and volunteers. They really make it easy on us as players and allow us to focus on just playing the game which I think helped a lot." (Link to story)

Check out this shootout goal by Andrew. 

 

Dalton Andrew got that DOG in him ☝🏼

The @UNDmhockey commit is off to a hot start at the #CentennialCup, scoring five goals in regulation while adding this snipe in shootout 🚨 pic.twitter.com/uMUYyOTvbu

— MJHL (@mjhlhockey) May 11, 2024

Michigan Ends North Dakota Season, 4-3. What Now?

 

Good morning from cloudy Grand Forks, ND. Another UND hockey season has come to an end, and the team has fallen short of the goal of winning an NCAA title. On Friday night, UND was on the wrong end of a 4-3 loss to the Michigan Wolverines. Another year, another first-round exit in the NCAA playoffs. 

What now? 

I am not a negative person; I am puzzled by some of the fans' burn-it-to-the-ground mentality. After missing the NCAA playoffs the year before, UND rebounded during the 2023-24 season, winning the Penrose Trophy and finishing the season with a 26-12-2 record. That tied for the most wins since the 2019-20 season. I know, I know. At UND, we only care about National Championships. 

I am checking in with X this morning; none of that matters. UND is about winning a natty. Winning the conference is nice, but that's not the standard. 

By the numbers 2-7 in the first round of the Frozen Faceoff. That's bound to change with the NCHC tourney going completely to campus during the 2025-26 season. UND has had one NCAA win since 2016, and the win was against AIC. Bruce Ciskie said it best, hockey is about getting the right bounce and having a little luck. Recently, luck has yet to be on UND's side. 

Yes, crazy ass "Fire Berry" bandwagoners, I'm talking to you.

This tournament is luck. Draws, matchups, travel, ice conditions, health, puck luck, officiating, you name it.

The job is to get there, then hope to hell the hockey gods smile on you enough to keep going. https://t.co/j6WLpCRdOs

— Bruce Ciskie (@BruceCiskie) March 30, 2024

UND entered this game with questions. One of their best defensemen, Garrett Pyke, was injured, and there are questions about UND's mental toughness. Last weekend, I told a friend that I thought UND's mental game was a bit soft this season. I saw it against CC and Omaha. They could have handled the adversity better. This season was also a bridge year to the future. But there's hope on the horizon. UND's defense corps will be bolstered next season by adding promising talents of incoming freshmen E.J. Emery and Andrew Strathmann. Add forwards Mac Swanson and Sacha Boisvert, and the future looks bright. 

Yes. There are some questions heading into the offseason. March was an up-and-down month for the green and white; they went 4-4-0 and finished the season losing in the St. Louis Regional.  

During the second half of the season, UND was 12-7-1. Six losses were to Omaha (4) and CC (2). Of course, Michigan was the final loss. 

"It's tough to think about that right now," a somber head coach Brad Berry said in the post-game press conference. Knowing our season has ended, it's spending time with the guys here. But once we get back, we'll have conversations to see what goes on. I know the majority of our guys will be coming back, and we'll carry on with another year."

It's more fun covering a team when they're winning. For me, I look for the silver lining. I've been covering the UND hockey team since the 2011-12 season—for the mathematically challenged like me, that's 12 years. I've seen many players come and go, and I've seen many seasons end in the NCHC playoffs, Frozen Faceoff, or the NCAA tourney. This season's team was a lot of fun to cover. UND replaced eight defensemen and a starting goalie. They added two new forwards and some exciting freshmen. This is an excellent group of young men.

Finally, good luck to outgoing seniors/grad students: Carson Albrecht, Logan Britt, Riese Gaber, Hunter Johannes, Keaton Pehrson,  Ludvig Persson, Garrett Pyke, and Griffin Ness; you all left a mark on the program and wore the UND uniform proudly and smartly. 

UND Crushes Miami, 7-1. Advances to the Frozen Faceoff

There's an old hockey cliche: It's very hard to end a team's season. On Saturday night, the UND hockey team looked like a determined team. They were determined not to play game three. It was pretty straightforward: Lose to the lowly RedHawks, and they'd be back on the ice on Sunday night. Mission accomplished: When the final horn sounded, the Hawks left no doubt as they crushed the Miami RedHawks 7-1 and sent them home looking for answers. 

Seven different players scored goals for UND - at the 13:17 mark of the first period, Riese Gaber scored his 18th goal of the season to give UND a 1-0 lead. Gaber is two short of 20 goals, and if he can reach 20 goals, it will be the first time since the 2005-06 season that three UND players have had 20 or more goals: Drew Stafford, 24; Jonathan Towes, 22; and T.J. Oshie, 24.

The Hawks scored another in the second and five in the third period to blow the game open. It was an impressive win against a bad hockey team. 

In one of the nice stories of the year, graduate forward Hunter Johannes scored the first UND goal of the season at Ralph and the last goal of the season at Ralph. This was a player that wanted to play at UND but didn't get the opportunity. After playing three seasons at AIC, he transferred to Lindenwood College. Due to COVID-19, he benefited from having a fifth year and transferred to UND—his dream school. He's made the most of his opportunity. 

The three stars of the game were 1st star Jackson Blake (1g-2a-3pts), 2nd Star Jackson Kunz (1g-2a-3pts), and third star of the game Hobie Hedquist 28 saves. It was the second multipoint game of Kunz's career and the first three-point game of his career. Kunz has (5g-6a-11pts) in his last 13 games. When asked about having his first three-point game of his career, Kunz was pretty low-key.

"I don't like talking about myself too much," Kunz said. "You're playing with good players, making one pass, and you don't know what they will do with it. I'm lucky to be able to be out there with the guys we have."

It didn't matter what the RedHawks game plan was; the Fighting Hawks had an answer for everything they tried. When a shot got through, the defense either blocked it, or freshman goalie Hobie Hedquist saved it. 

"We had the puck on our stick," Miami head coach Chris Bergeron said. "(We) don't do what we're asking them to do; we turn the puck over to the wrong guy, and it's one zero." 

This past weekend, UND's starting goalie was out with an undisclosed issue (injury or illness). During Saturday's post-game press conference, Brad Schlossman asked UND head coach Brad Berry for an update on his starting goalie. It was Mum's the word. 

"We're not going to divulge very much information because it's the playoffs," Berry said. "As the week progresses, we'll share more information, but right now, it's undisclosed." 

No matter what the issue was, UND didn't need Persson. The rookie phenom stopped 51 of 53 shots (.962). During the first period of Saturday's game, Hedquist was tested early and made quite a few difficult stops. 

Hedquist's play caught the eye of the Miami coach.

"For a guy who hasn't played much, he hasn't lost yet; he's 5-0 over 90 save percentage," Bergeron said. "They don't have bad players here. Whether he's played a bunch or not that much, he's proven he's a good player."

During the post-game press conference, I asked Coach Berry if he was tempted to ride a hot goalie and start him on Friday at the Frozen Faceoff. 

"Yeah, everything's on the table, Berry said. "You've known us long enough that we will put a lineup together that gives us a chance to win. We have two very good goaltenders. Hobie proved himself now, and Ludvig proved himself in the past. We will go through the week here. We'll keep moving forward. It's nice to know guys get to come in and contribute."

UND Races Past Miami, 5-1

The UND hockey team moved within one game of advancing to the 2024 NCHC Frozen Faceoff with an impressive 5-1 win over the last-place Miami RedHawks. After the first period, the game wasn't close. After taking a 1-0 lead into the first intermission, UND scored two in the second and two in the third to race past the hapless RedHawks. 

Miami's season has been miserable. The RedHawks last won a game 63 days ago, on January 13, 2024. UND is looking to end Miami's season on Saturday at 6:07 p.m. 

It was a night of surprises. UND senior goalie Ludvig Persson was a last-minute scratch, due to an unknown reason. Freshman goalie Hobie Hedquist took the net and stopped 23 of 24 shots for a .958 save percentage. Hedquist is 4-0-0, 2.28 GAA and .906 save percentage. In the post-game press conference, UND head coach Brad Berry was asked if Hedquist would be starting on Saturday. 

"I don't know," Berry said. "I'll let you guys know tomorrow when you get to the rink." 

On Friday night, UND junior forward Jake Schmaltz scored his first goal of the season—his first in 33 games. Schmaltz last scored on March 12, 2023. His goalless streak lasted one year and three days. Schmaltz was all smiles after the game. 

 

"I figured I was due for one, and now we are just trying to keep building on it," Schmaltz said. "Hopefully, they keep falling for me. 

With UND's win, UND improves to 25-10-2 and 15-8-1 NCHC. With the loss, Miami drops to 7-25-3 and 1-21-2 NCHC. The Hawks improve to 30-8-1 all-time against the RedHawks. UND is 14-3-2 against Miami in Grand Forks. 

Another record was tied. With his goal and assist, freshman defenseman Jake Livanavage tied former defenseman Brian Lee for the most points by a rookie defenseman at UND since the 1999-00 season. When asked about tying Brian Lee's record, Livanavage brushed his accomplishment off. 

"(I am) not focused on that right now," Livanavage said. "We've got a lot of season ahead of us. That's what I'm focused on. I don't care about the individual awards. I care about the team aspect." 

UND's high-octane offense. UND now has two 20-goal scorers. On Friday, Jackson Blake scored his 20th goal of the season, becoming the second player to hit 20 goals. Blake and Cameron Berg are the first two players to score 20 goals since the 2015-16 season when Brock Boeser and Drake Caggiula accomplished that feat. Riese Gaber scored his 17th goal of the season, giving UND the possibility of having three players score 20 or more goals.

 

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."