Last night, the University of North Dakota pounded the Michigan Tech Huskies 6-1 in the first game of an important two game WCHA series. This is the last game of 2012 before UND goes on a three week hiatus during the Christmas break.
I don’t know what I am going to do with a three week break from UND hockey, especially with the NHL Lockout which looks like it’s far from over.
A win tonight would be a good way to end the first half of 2012-13 season. UND will not return to the ice until they play Holy Cross in a two game series at the REA on January 4-5, 2013. I know right now, some are giggling when thinking forward to our next opponent. I did wonder myself if we’re going to see any UND fans sporting the Holy Cross Jersey’s in the stands during the first weekend in January. A few games back, one of my friends was actually wearing a Holy Cross jersey.
But I digress.
Like someone said on Twitter last night, the win against Tech was really nice especially after the moronic column by Brandon Veale, Sports Editor of the Mining Gazette. I really hope that UND beats them even more handedly tonight again. In my opinion, that article was unneeded and what was the point.
I get the fact that there are a lot of people that are upset about the impending college hockey realignment and the effects that it might have on the teams left in the WCHA going forward, but the fans didn’t have any say in the matter and I think some of that anger is misdirected. I have had a few people make comments to me about the NCHC on Twitter. Don’t blame me I am just a fan like the rest of you.
To be honest with you, I am kind of excited about the NCHC going forward – the prospects of playing teams like Miami and Western Michigan do intrigue me – I am also going to miss the traditional WCHA matchups as well – these are the games against Mankato, Michigan Tech, Bemidji – these are some of my favorites opponents. I would imagine that the UND coaching staff will continue to play these teams; I know the BSU matchup is going to happen as early as next season with UND and BSU playing in a home and home series.
If UND can sweep the Huskies tonight, it will put them in good position going into the second half of the season. UND is two points out of first place with two games in hand on the teams ahead of them in the standings; DU, MSU-M and SCSU.
This year’s version of UND hockey hasn’t lost during the month of December and has a record of 3-0-1 during that time period and has outshot their opponents in 192/135 in the last five games.
During the month of December, UND has scored 17 goals during that same time frame and only give up 8 goals.
Senior forward Corban Knight has been smoking hot as of late; he also has (7g-14a—21pts) in the 16 games this season and he is currently on a 12 game point streak. Knight also leads the team in points and is also a team leading +9. It would appear that Knight’s final crescendo is going to be a masterpiece.
Senior defenseman Joe Gleason has also been on fire and has scored (1g-4a—5pts) in the last six periods of hockey that he has played in. Since being a healthy scratch on November 17, 2012 Gleason has been solid on the blue line (2g-4a—6pts).
