Friday Gameday: It's Hard to End Somebody's Season

It’s hard to believe these words are about to be uttered:

It’s playoff time.

While this weekend’s best two-out-of-three first round National Collegiate Hockey Conference tournament series between No. 1 seeded UND and No. 8 seeded Colorado College is certainly big for both teams with a berth in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff on the line, for the visiting Tigers, it’s do-or-die. It’s win or go golfing.

North Dakota clinched the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions outright this past Friday in Oxford, Ohio against Miami and comes into this series a lock for the NCAA tournament in two weeks with the No. 1 ranking in the polls and PairWise. For UND’s seven seniors, it’s the last time they will play in front of the Ralph Engelstad faithful.

For CC, simply put, there’s no other option left but to keep on winning. The Tigers are well out of the NCAA tournament picture and must win this weekend to keep their season alive. 

Enough of the fluff. Let’s get to the preview of this weekend’s series in Grand Forks.

Who?

Players to watch

Colorado College:

Jr. F, Cody Bradley, 10 goals, 19 assists – 29 points

Sr. F, Scott Wamsganz, 8g, 11a – 19 pts

Jr. F, Hunter Fejes, 5g, 13a – 18 pts

So. G, Tyler Marble, 5-16-2, .899 save percentage, 3.39 goals against average (7^th in NCAA), started last 13 games. 27 save shutout against WMU on 2/28. 0-4, 5.95 GAA, .850 against UND this season

Fr. G, Chase Perry, 1-8-1, .873 save percentage, 4.05 goals against average

UND:

Jr. F, Drake Caggiula, 16 goals, 17 assists  – 33 points

Sr. F, Michael Parks, 12g, 19a – 31 pts

Jr. D, Jordan Schmaltz, 3g, 23a – 26 pts

Jr. G, Zane McInyre, 25-7-3, 1.99 goals against average (13^th in NCAA), .931 save percentage (7^th in NCAA). 25 wins tied for lead in NCAA.

16 players with at least 10 points.

UND gathers with the Penrose Cup this past Friday after clinching the NCHC regular season
title outright with a 2-1 win against Miami in Oxford, Ohio. (Photo Credit: UNDsports.com)

What?

Standout stats

CC:

2.15 goals per game (49^th in NCAA), 3.88 goals allowed per game (56^th in NCAA), 21.0% power play (11^th in NCAA), 77.5% penalty kill (51^st in NCAA)

1-15-2 away from home, 0-14-1 when giving up first goal

UND:

3.34 GPG (10^th in NCAA), 2.17 GAG (8th in NCAA), 20.5% PP, 83.6% PK

14-3-3 at home, 18-1-3 when scoring first, 14-0-1 when leading after 1, 21-0-2 when leading after 2.

13^th-straight year hosting first round of conference tournament.

How?

How’d they get here?

CC:

No. 50 PWR, NR USCHO, 6-24-3 overall, 2-19-3, 10 points, Final Rankings: 8th in NCHC.

Last weekend:

2-2 T (SO win), 4-2 L @ Omaha.

UND:

No. 1 PWR, No. 1 USCHO, 25-7-3 overall, 16-6-2, 50 pts, Won Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions.

Last weekend:

2-1 W, 6-3 L @ Miami.

Last meeting:

UND swept CC, 2-1, 5-3 in Grand Forks Jan. 23-24. Swept CC in Colorado 3-1, 7-2 on Oct. 17-18.

Fab 5

UND Jr. G, Zane McIntyre

UND lands five on NCHC all-conference teams

First Team
- Sr. F, Mark MacMillan

- Jr. G, Zane McIntyre

Second Team
- Jr. F, Drake Caggiula,

- Jr. D, Jordan Schmaltz

UND Jr. F, Drake Caggiula

Rookie Team

- Fr. F, Nick Schmaltz

The Pick

UND has handled the Tigers this season, sweeping the series 4-0 while outscoring CC 17-7. On paper, this looks like a mismatch.

Statistically, North Dakota is near the top in goals per game and goals against while Colorado College is near the bottom.

That being said, the old adage rings true “it’s hard to end somebody’s season.”

This was evident last season as the Tigers took the Green and White to three games in the first round of the NCHC tournament.

But, as hard it is to put a team away, these two squads are where they are in the standings for a reason. While CC will no doubt be playing with nothing to lose this weekend in Grand Forks, UND has earned its billing as one of the nation’s best teams.

CC has certainly come a long way this season in terms of their play, but UND will not take this challenge lightly. North Dakota plays a tenacious, end-to-end defensive style that relies on depth and hard work. This will be the difference this weekend.

Colorado College brings the nation’s 11^th best power play into this series and it will be important for North Dakota to stay out of the box as the clear edge goes to UND in 5-on-5 play.

With the season on the line for the Tigers, it’s tempting to call this series to go three games, but again, these two teams are where they are for a reason. The Green and White get it done in two and head to Minneapolis.

It’s absolutely hard to close a team’s season, but it’s the end of the line for Colorado College.

UND SWEEPS 5-1, 3-1

Friday Gameday: It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year

First day of Summer.

Birthday.

Christmas.

Start of college hockey.

Today is the day that the fans love the most.  Forget Christmas. THIS is the most wonderful time of the year. Let’s drop the puck.

The 2014-15 season kicks off tonight for the UND men’s hockey team as they share a home-and-home series with former WCHA rival, the Bemidji State University Beavers. 

Tonight’s tilt in Grand Forks and tomorrow’s in Bemidji features teams with much different expectations coming into the season.

UND comes into the matchup ranked No. 2 in the country and is expected to contend for a national championship, while BSU is trying to find its way back into the tournament for the first time since 2010.

Seeking Scoring

Bemidji State should be solid defensively as they return the entire defensive corps from last year’s 10-21-7 squad, including all-WCHA third teamer in senior Matt Prapavessis. The Beavers struggled to score last season, netting just 2.42 goals per game, but returns a large portion of their production from last season, including their top-four point getters in junior forwards Cory Ward and Markus Gerbrandt,  Prapavessis and sophomore forward Brendan Harms.

In the nets, senior Andrew Walsh and freshman and Moorhead native, Michael Bitzer will battle for starts with sophomore Jesse Wilkins out with injury until December. Walsh led the Beavers with 7 wins to Wilkins 3, but Wilkins topped Walsh in save percentage and goals against average last year.

Who’s Going to Step Up?

For North Dakota, scoring also looks to be the focus as defense should be strong for potentially one of the best d-corps in the country. Junior Jordan Schmaltz, senior Nick Mattson and sophomore Paul LaDue lead the way. Schmaltz is poised for a breakout season after a 24-point campaign, notching three points (1G, 2A) in UND’s 4-0 exhibition win over Manitoba this past Sunday.

Junior netminder Zane McIntyre is the backbone of this dynamic blue line. McIntyre comes into the year as the media’s pick for all-NCHC first team goaltending honors after a stalwart 2014-15 season that saw him carry the fifth best GAA (1.99) in country.

Up front, North Dakota returns three key cogs in senior assistant captains Michael Parks and Mark MacMillian alongside junior Drake Caggiula. Parks (12G, 18A), MacMillian (10G,16A) and Caggiula (11G,13A) were UNDs second, third and fourth leading scorers last season.

But, the real question is, who will step up and lead the way?

UND saw the potential of the playmaking touch of freshman Nick Schmaltz in their exhibition win as the NHL first round pick was electric, notching two assists and surrounding the net with chances all game. Schmaltz looks to replace the production of Rocco Grimaldi, who turned pro after last season after leading UND in goals, assists and points.

The Pick

Slow starts have become a punchline for North Dakota during head coach Dave Hakstol’s tenure. Should UND fans expect the same? DDC isn’t worried about it this week. Next week’s series with Providence coming to Grand Forks is a different animal. Nick Schmaltz was absolutely electric this past weekend and DDC looks for the forward to start an impressive season with a couple points this weekend. Nick’s brother, Jordan, is DDC’s pick as preseason player of the year in the NCHC and will show why. UND sweeps, 5-1, 2-0.

Time to Hit the Ice: DDC's 2014-15 NCHC Predictions

College hockey is back and so is the DDC.

As the schedule begins in earnest this week after a round of exhibitions for the NCHC, DDC takes a look at the league and at what to expect in the second year of the conference.

DDC’s Preseason Rankings

1) UND

2) Miami

3) Minnesota-Duluth

4) St. Cloud State

5) Denver

6) Western Michigan

7) Nebraska-Omaha

8) Colorado College

UND was tabbed by the NCHC media to take the Penrose Cup as the league’s champion this year, and for DDC, rightfully so. North Dakota is deep in the d-corps and Zane McIntyre could very well be the best goaltender in college hockey. Losing dynamic and diminutive Rocco Grimaldi leaves a void for the Green and White up front, but NHL first-round pick and Nick Schmaltz’s (2A) performance in a 4-0 exhibition win this past Sunday gave UND fans someone to look to for that lost production.

Miami returns a deep and skillful offense with Riley Barber, Sean Kuraly and Austin Czarnik leading the way. Last year’s preseason favorite struggled all year but turned it around late but missed the NCAA’s after falling to Denver in the inaugural NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship game. Defense will be the key to this team as scoring doesn’t look to be the problem.

DDC’s preseason darling is the UMD Bulldogs. Justin Crandall, Kyle Osterberg, Alex Iafallo and Tony Cameranesi lead a young and dynamic forward group. If the Dogs can find a netminder in a pair of juniors Matt McNeely and Alex Fons, this could be Penrose darkhorse.

St. Cloud State returns 40 point scorers Jonny Brodzinski and Kalle Kossila  but lose stalwart goaltender Ryan Faragher. If the Huskies find a man in the pipes, they will be a tough out this season 

The ones to watch

F – Jonny Brodzinski, St. Cloud State

F – Austin Czarnik, Miami

F – Riley Barber, Miami

D – Jordan Schmaltz, UND

D – Joey LaLeggia, DU

G – Zane McIntyre, UND

Honorable Mentions: F – Michael Parks, UND; F – Cameranesi, UMD; D – Jacob Slavin, Colorado College; D – Paul LaDue, UND.

Player of the Year: D – Schmaltz, UND

Schmaltz was left off the media's NCHC preseason favorites, however, DDC thinks big things are in store for the junior defenseman. Schmaltz was arguably the best player down the stretch for a North Dakota team that fell in the NCAA semifinals last season. The 6’2” blue liner has all the skills and his 3-point night (1G, 2A) in UND’s exhibition win puts the rest of the NCHC on notice.

So, that’s it. Time will tell. Let’s hit the ice.