Goon's World

Monday, November 23, 2015

USCHO.com Division I Men's Poll

November 23, 2015

	Team	(First Place Votes)	Record	Points	Last Poll
1	Providence	(36)	8- 0-3	983	1
2	Boston College	( 9)	10- 1-0	936	2
3	Quinnipiac	( 5)	11- 0-2	901	3
4	Massachusetts-Lowell		9- 1-3	816	5
5	North Dakota		10- 2-2	795	4
6	Nebraska-Omaha		9- 2-1	745	6
7	St. Cloud State		9- 3-0	716	7
8	Harvard		4- 1-1	640	8
9	Denver		7- 3-2	565	9
10	Yale		5- 1-2	516	11
11	Boston University		6- 4-2	474	10
12	Michigan		6- 2-1	468	12
13	Merrimack		6- 1-4	402	13
14	St. Lawrence		8- 3-2	378	14
15	Bowling Green		7- 3-3	272	15
16	Cornell		6- 1-1	222	18
17	Minnesota-Duluth		5- 5-3	191	17
18	Notre Dame		5- 3-4	163	16
19	Michigan Tech		7- 4-1	146	19
20	Penn State		7- 2-3	69	NR
Others receiving votes: Rensselaer 27, Massachusetts 22, Robert Morris 21, Clarkson 14, Minnesota State 11, Miami 4, Alaska-Anchorage 2, Michigan State 1.

After splitting their weekend series with the St. Cloud State Huskies, UND is not ranked 5^th in the nation. Again, it’s still early and teams are still finding their identity.

Sunday, November 22, 2015

Inforum Weighs in on Fighting Hawks

Check it out.

Inforum.com -- It’s all over but the squawking, which will go on for years among mulish fans of the retired University of North Dakota nickname. “Squawking” is somehow appropriate because the new nickname, as selected last week by 57 percent of 27,378 votes cast out of a potential voting pool of more than 82,000 alums and others, is “Fighting Hawks,” and one of the noises a hawk makes is a kind of squawk!

So, Fighting Hawks it will be. It’s a peculiar choice in some ways, not the least of which is that hawks, as fierce as they look, don’t fight much in the wild. They might scrap among themselves over territory, ornithologists say, but they don’t go about “fighting” other creatures. Their most noteworthy aggression is to kill small animals for food.

Saturday, November 21, 2015

(Video) Fighting Hawks fly Past Huskies 4-3

On Friday night, the University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks slipped past the SCSU Huskies 4-3. After going three years without a nickname, it’s hard to get used to.

Second, wrap your fingers around this. UND went 2-for-3 on the power play tonight. UND also held SCSU to 1-for-5 on the power play.

I don't want to get ahead of ourselves, but in their last five games against SCSU and Charlie Lindgren, UND is 4-1 and have outscored the Huskies 15-10.

Freshman forward Rhett Gardner has scored (3g-1a-4--pts) in his last three games. Gardner also had his first multi-point game of his college career (1g-1a--2pts).

Thursday, November 19, 2015

Jason Zucker slashed by Matt Beleskey

I suppose, this is what we will remember when it's all said and done. Boston Bruins forward Matt Beleskey's game-ending slash on Minnesota Wild forward Jason Zucker. When you watch it, the slash looks kind of innocuous. It doesn't look like much. I suppose Belesky caught Zucker in a nerve or something.

UND Hockey: Where to Watch this Weekend

For UND fans, one of the complaints about the National Collegiate Hockey Conference has been the amount of UND's hockey games that have been available on National TV.

Between the initial agreement with CBSSN and Midco not allowing UND's hockey more than five games to be available on Fox College Sports, UND has had very few games on TV outside the regional area.

I have a feeling in the future this will change. UND not having their home games on Fox College Sports is unacceptable. There are many UND hockey fans that live outside the regional area that's covered by Midco Sports.

There is some good news, this weekend, if you live out the North Dakota/Minnesota region and you have DirecTV, you will be able to Friday's game against the Huskies on channel 668. You will need to have the sports pack.

Saturday's game between SCSU and UND is being picked up by Midco Sports. So, more of the same. Fans that live outside the area will have to watch Saturday's game on NCHC.TV.

Per the Women's Hockey game notes, you will be able to watch Women's hockey this weekend. Friday’s game will be televised by Midco Sports Net and will also be aired live on Fox College Sports Pacific. Also, you can watch both of the women's games on the web by purchasing the videos at UND Insider.

Go Hawks.

Wednesday, November 18, 2015

Nino Niederreiter's hit on Olli Maatta

Here's the video of Minnesota Wild forward Nino Niederreiter's hit on Pittsburgh Penguins defenseman Olli Maatta. Make no mistake about it, this is a dangerous, reckless hit. That being said, Niederreiter is not a dirty player, not by any stretch of the imagination.

I included the hit by Penguins defenseman Ben Lovejoy on Niederreiter. This play happened right before Nino's hit on Maata. This is a push check, right or wrong, it happens in the game all of the time. Both hits should have been a penalty, but were not.

I have seen fans calling for a suspension on Niederreiter. Personally, this is a hit that needs to be removed from the game of hockey. I don't have a problem with the NHL suspending Niederreiter for this hit, but they won't. Not this time.

Confirmed: No suspension for Nino Niederreiter #mnwild #penguins
— Michael Russo (@Russostrib) November 18, 2015

“It’s unfortunate the whole situation,” Niederreiter told the media following last night's game. “I pushed him and went for a change and I think he toe-picked the same time and the door was open. You never want to see anything like that. Obviously I feel bad.”

UND Votes: Fighting Hawks it Is.

First, I can say, not everyone is going to be happy. For a nickname that received a lot of votes, there are still a lot of unhappy people.

Also, I am not sure why we had to wait for two more days after the vote was over

But I digress.

Finally, After not having a nickname for three years, and after three nickname votes...In my humble opinion, the last one was unnecessary. After having a bunch of nickname meetings and committees, UND has a new nickname. I think this was the best choice of five bad nickname choices. I think eventually we will just be the Hawks.

Here's the link to theshort video announcement:

Total votes: 27,378

Fighting Hawks: 15,670 votes (57.24 percent)
Roughriders: 11,708 votes (42.76 percent)

Welcome to the flock @UNDmhockey. #HawksFlyTogether
— The Brotherhood (@MiamiOH_Hockey) November 18, 2015

New slogan idea? #SiouxForever pic.twitter.com/MEU88kLmtA
— Coltyn Sanderson (@coltynsanderson) November 18, 2015

No because I was honored and I'm still honored to be a part of the tradition. Give your head a shake dumby https://t.co/VqaCZ8CAlm
— Drake Caggiula (@drakecaggiula) November 18, 2015

Look, I'm just happy to have something other than 'UND' to write on a second reference.
— Matthew Semisch (@matthewsemisch) November 18, 2015

Hakstol said the nickname change at ND ... "Should have left it as North Dakota"
— Tim Panaccio (@tpanotchCSN) November 18, 2015

Monday, November 16, 2015

WHKY: North Dakota splits with the Buckeyes

Grand Forks, N.D. -- North Dakota wanted to sweep Ohio State this weekend, however, it skated away with a split Sunday afternoon.

Saturday afternoon UND threw everything and the kitchen sink at OSU's goaltender, Alex Lamere in the first period. By the end of the first, UND had 20 shots on goal, but only one goal to show for it.

The lone first-period goal came at the 12:04 mark from Jordan Hampton with an assist from Samantha Hanson. It was Hampton's first career goal for North Dakota. There were several opportunities for UND to capitalize during the first, but they were unable to complete.

In the second, OSU picked up the pace and wouldn't trail again after potting their first goal which came after a couple of shifts that had North Dakota on its heels.

Early in the third UND's Amy Menke helped take a 2-1 advantage. Menke tallied three goals on on the weekend. A little over a minute later Kendall Curtis scored for the Buckeyes. Followed by another OSU goal from Maddy Field.

That was enough to seal the game for Ohio State after their 2-7-0 record heading into the Ralph on the weekend.

Sunday afternoon shifted North Dakota where they were able to capitalize on their opportunities in the first scoring twice with goals from Kryzaniak and Menke.

Freshman forward, Vilma Tanskanen scored her second goal of the season at the 6:45 mark of the second period.

The Buckeye's Maddy Field was able to break through in the third period for OSU's singular goal of the game, but it was not enough to overcome the deficit. Before the game ended, Menke potted her second goal.

Over the weekend, Menke had three goals and registered eight shots on goal. North Dakota skated away with a spilt.

This Friday (7:07 p.m.) evening and Saturday afternoon (4:07 p.m.) UND will face WCHA conference opponent, Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The Bulldogs are 2-6 in conference.

(Video) Jonathan Toews vs David Backes

Former Fighting Sioux All-American forward Jonathan Toews has been in a grand total of five NHL fights. Two of them have been against the same player, former Minnesota State Maverick David Backes. While fighting isn't Toews' role, he's fought twice already this season.