Friday Gameday: Baby, It's Time for the Playoffs

NCHC Tournament -- First Round Pairings:

No. 1 Denver vs. No. 8 Colorado College;
No. 2 Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 7 Miami
No. 3 Western Michigan vs. No. 6 Omaha
No. 4 North Dakota vs. No. 5 St. Cloud State

It's been awhile since DDC has brought you his Friday Gameday and for good reason. This blogger is happy to announce to the college hockey world that DDC baby No. 2, a happy and healthy, 8 lb, 6 oz boy, was born on March 1st.

DDC has had the opportunity over the past week to reflect on the roller coaster ride that has been this march to baby No. 2 and as he always does, he's found a way to compare it to his beloved UND men's hockey team.

Baby DDC No. 1's emergence into the world feels much like last year's NCAA championship run -- smooth sailing. Mrs. DDC had an easy pregnancy with a few minor hiccups (think last year's Frozen Faceoff), but ultimately, but the ride was a fairly easy one.

Baby DDC No. 2, much like this year's version of the Green and White, has been a bit more unpredictable. It started with a happy start and finding out that this baby was a boy (think UND's 5-0 start). Then came the morning sickness, food aversions and much less comfortable sleeping for Mrs. DDC than with baby No. 1 (think the Green and White's injuries, inconsistent play, games they dominated, but still lost).

With all of this considered, Baby No. 2 came into the world a happy camper and his first week in the world has found him on the right track. Seamlessly, with a sweep last week at Miami, much like DDC Baby No. 2, UND is right where they wanted to be at the start of the year (or their life), at home for the first round of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoffs with control of their own destiny to make the NCAA tournament for the 15th-straight year.

North Dakota, the No. 4 seed in the NCHC tournament, hosts St. Cloud State this weekend in a pivotal best 2-of-3 series that with a win will advance them to the Frozen Faceoff next weekend in Minneapolis and should see UND make the national tournament. However, a series loss may burst the Green and White's bubble. For SCSU, it's do-or-die, as well. They'll need a big run in the NCHC tournament to make the dance.

So, what'll it be for UND? Lots of spit up and no sleep and a long summer at home or a happy tummy and restful nights en route to the tournament? Wait, sorry, baby confusion... actually, that analogy seems to work, so let's go with that.

Here's what to watch for in DDC's "Who? What? How?" breakdown of a crucial first-round NCHC series in Grand Forks with a trip to the Target Center on the line.

Who?

Players to Watch

St. Cloud State:

SCSU So. F, Mikey Eyssimont
leads the Huskies with 29 points.

So. F, Mikey Eyssimont, 14 goals, 15 assists -- 29 points; Jr. F, Blake Winiecki, 12g, 11a -- 23 pts; So. F, Patrick Newell, 3g, 20a -- 23 pts; Fr. D, Jack Ahcan, 5g, 16a -- 21 pts; So. F, Jacob Benson, 10g, 10a -- 20 pts;  So. G, Jeff Smith, 10-11-0, 2.58 goals against average, .910 save percentage.

UND:

So. F, Shane Gersich, 19g, 15a -- 34 pts; Fr. F, Tyson Jost, 14g, 15a -- 29 pts; So. F, Brock Boeser, 13g, 15a -- 28 pts; Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 7g, 21a -- 28 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 9g, 12a -- 21 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 17-11-3, 2.34 GAA, .905 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

St. Cloud State:

The Huskies are tied for 31st in both scoring and goals allowed with 2.88 goals per game for and 2.88 goals per game against.

St. Cloud State commits the least amount of penalty minutes per game in the NCAA, averaging just 9.1 and are 21st in the country in penalty kill at 83.9%.

Sophomore forward Jacob Benson and Freshman defenseman Jon Lizotte are Grand Forks natives.

UND:

UND is 23rd in the NCAA in goals per game (3.11) and 19th in goals allowed (2.54).

The Green and White lead the NCHC in penalty kill and are 15th nationally, killing 84.6% of the opposition's power plays.

Freshman forward Tyson Jost is 6th in the NCAA in rookie scoring, notching 1.04 points per game and is tied for 5th in rookie goals (14).

Jost was named to the NCHC all-rookie team and Junior defensman Tucker Poolman was named all-NCHC first team. Sophomore forward Shane Gersich was tabbed as an honorable mention.

How?

How’d they get here?

No. 20 SCSU (PWR: 18, 16-17-1; 10-13-1 – 31 points, 5th Seed for NCHC tournament) split at home against Colorado College, winning 5-2 on Friday and losing 201 on Saturday. The Huskies have lost 3 of their last 4.

No. 14 UND (PWR: 12, 18-14-3; 11-12-1-1 – 35 points, 4th Seed for NCHC tournament) swept Miami last weekend in Oxford, Ohio, 3-2 and 5-2 . The sweep clinched home ice for the first round of the conference tournament for the 15th-straight season for the Green and White.

The Green and White won 3-of-4 against the Huskies this season, sweeping SCSU in St. Cloud in November and splitting in Grand Forks in February.

The Pick

UND Fr. F, Tyson Jost (center) has been the Green and White's most consistent
player in the second half of the season. Jost looks to lead North Dakota this
weekend against SCSU in a first-round NCHC tournament series at home.
Photo credit: North Dakota men's hockey/UND Sports

So much on the line. After all the ups-and-downs this season has brought, UND fully controls its destiny this weekend in Grand Forks. The same can be said for the Huskies, however. They can certainly find their way into the NCAA tournament and that run starts at the Ralph Engelstad Arena for them, as well.

For long stretches of this season, North Dakota has been inconsistent. In the same weekend, on many occasions, they've shown the ability to be a true contender in their pursuit of a back-to-back title run and then the next night, shown up as a team that wouldn't make the tournament.

After a dominant weekend in Oxford that saw UND sweep and hold Miami to just 27 shots on the weekend (including a season-low allowed 11 on Saturday), the Green and White have put themselves into position to make a run. Which team shows up this weekend?

UND had a couple of key injuries to note from last weekend as sophomore Brock Boeser did not play in the series and junior Austin Poganski exited Saturday's game. While Poganski is expected to play this weekend, Boeser, arguably North Dakota's best player, is questionable. St. Cloud State will be without sophomore defenseman Will Borgen for two games after an incident with an official last weekend and senior defenseman Niklas Nevalainen is also a question mark due to injury.

Much like Baby DDC No. 2's run into the world, DDC sees this weekend as roller coaster for UND. All things considered, the Green and White are a little bit better than the Huskies and ultimately, DDC thinks UND will prevail. However, SCSU has a lot to play for, too and certainly won't go quietly.

Tyson Jost needs to keep being the dynamic rookie he's been all season and UND desperately needs their third and fourth lines to keep scoring like they have of late. Junior Trevor Olson netted both game-winning goals at Miami last weekend and sophomore Chris Wilkie scored his first of the year on Saturday. If Boeser is back in the lineup, the top line of Boeser, Jost and Gersich have shown a streak of dominance. With that line in tact, secondary scoring would be massive.

Expect this one to go three and UND fans around the world have to sweat it out on Sunday, but see their team march on to Minneapolis and the Frozen Faceoff.

UND WINS IN THREE, WINNING 4-2 ON FRIDAY, FALLING 3-2 ON SATURDAY AND MOVING ON TO THE TARGET CENTER WITH A 5-2 WIN ON SUNDAY.

There you have it, hockey fans. Hopefully DDC will bring you good news after this weekend. Thanks for reading and enjoy the series!

Friday Gameday: UND Looks to Make 2017 Great... Again?

UND forward Brock Boeser (16) celebrates a goal in last Friday's 9-1 win over UNO in Omaha. Boeser returned
from wrist surgery, netting two goals in his first action since November 19th. Photo: Megan Farmer/The World-Herald.

It's 2017 and change is abound.

DDC is no longer a 20-something, the United States is about to inaugurate a new president, baby DDC No. 2 is less than two months away from entering this crazy world and after an up-and-down start of the season, the UND men's hockey team seems to be turning the corner.

After a New Years Eve 3-1 victory over Union in Upstate New York, North Dakota traveled to Omaha and brought two big guns with them. UND got back Brock Boeser from wrist surgery and Tyson Jost from a silver medal performance for Team Canada in the World Junior Championship tournament and their impacts were felt immediately. Boeser scored twice on Friday and then netted another and assisted twice on Saturday for a five-point weekend. Jost on Friday, having almost no sleep on the heels the gold medal game in the WJC in Montreal the night before, scored and added an assist. Then on Saturday, playing his fourth game in four days and fifth in six days, potted two goals for a crazy, four point weekend.

UND Fr. F, Tyson Jost
had a four-point weekend
at UNO (3 goals, 1 assist).

Think about this for a second ... UND rolled the Mavericks, a Team Under Consideration in the PairWise rankings and a conference foe in Omaha with two blowout victories (9-1, 7-3), potting 16 goals, their most on a weekend since the 2010-11 season. North Dakota has now won three-in-a-row and five of their last six games.

As the college hockey world saw these developments, a loud "uh oh" could be plainly heard. The Green and White may have found their mojo.

With their lineup back to form, No. 7 UND welcomes the Miami RedHawks to the Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend for an important National Collegiate Hockey Conference series that sees Miami also on the uptick.

After a rough 0-7-2 streak, the RedHawks have heated up, winning four straight games and going unbeaten in their last five. That includes a sweep at home against SCSU, 3-2 (OT) and 4-1 last weekend.

After their huge sweep on the road, UND is now third in the NCHC and looking to cement their place as the second half gets rolling. Miami is 6th and a good showing in Grand Forks would certainly vault them into 2017.

Who will continue their New Year hot start?

Here's what to watch for as Miami faces off with the Green and White in DDC's first "Who? What? How?" series preview of 2017.

Who?

Players to Watch

Miami:

Miami Fr. F, Carson Meyer
is sixth in the NCAA
in Rookie points per
game with 1.06.

Sr. F, Anthony Louis, 11 goals, 14 assists -- 25 points; So. F, Kiefer Sherwood, 10g, 13a -- 23 pts; So. F, Josh Melnick, 6g, 11a -- 17 pts; Fr. F, Carson Meyer, 5g, 12a -- 17 pts; Jr. D, Louie Belpedio, 3g, 6a -- 9 pts;  Fr. G, Ryan Larkin, 6-6-5, 2.48 goals against average, .914 save percentage.

UND:

So. F, Shane Gersich, 15g, 13a -- 28 pts (3rd in the NCAA in goals); Fr. F, Tyson Jost, 10g, 12a -- 22 pts (T-2 in NCAA in rookie goals and 6th in rookie points/game); So. F, Brock Boeser, 10g, 11a -- 21 pts; Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 4g, 14a -- 18 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 7g, 10a -- 17 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 12-6-3, 2.08 GAA, .916 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Miami:

The Redhawks lead the NCHC on the penalty kill and is 13th in the nation with a 85.3% mark.

Miami has struggled offensively, at times, this season, averaging just 2.6 goals per game which is T-40th in the NCAA. However, they've scored at a 3.4 goals per game clip during their current five-game unbeaten streak.

Freshman forward Carson Meyer ranks sixth in the NCAA in rookie points per game at 1.06 (5 goals, 12 assists in 16 games).

UND:

UND is 9th in the country in goals against, allowing just 2.19 goals per game and are T-9 in goals scored with a 3.52 per game average.

The Green and White's 16-goal outburst last weekend in Omaha was their most in a series since they scored 17 to close out the 2010-11 season at Michigan Tech.

Sophomore forward Shane Gersich is tied with Omaha's Austin Ortega for the NCHC goal lead with 15 and is tied for 3rd nationally.

Freshman forward Tyson Jost leads the NCHC and is sixth nationally with a 63% faceoff win mark.

How?

How’d they get here?

Miami (PWR: 28, 7-8-5; 3-4-3-1 – 13 points, 5th in NCHC) swept SCSU at home 3-2 in OT and 4-1. The Redhawks are unbeaten in their last five games (4-0-1).

No. 7 UND (PWR: 7, 12-6-3; 5-4-1-1 – 17 points, 3rd in NCHC) swept UNO last weekend in Omaha, drubbing the Mavericks 9-1 and 7-3. The Green and White have won five of their past six.

The Pick

The last time Miami traveled to Grand Forks, the REA faithful were treated to one of the most memorable goals ever scored in UND history.

It will forever be known by DDC and many others as "The Tic-Tic-Tic-Tac-Toe" goal.

This will be a goal that all UND fans will remember as the seminal play of the Green and White's 8th national champion season in 2015-16. 

While this goal means nothing in terms of this weekend, DDC just had to bring it up. Sorry, Miami fans.

Ok, so with that, on to The Pick. 

Both teams are playing much better of late, but DDC can't shake off what he saw last weekend as UND destroyed Omaha. While 16 goals will more than likely not be repeated, that series showed the college hockey world that the Green and White are ready for a serious run at defending their crown. 

The return of Boeser and Jost to the lineup has given UND a huge shot in the arm and has evened out their scoring attack. Shane Gersich is having a monster year and leads the NCHC in goals and is third in the NCAA with 15. With Jost and Boeser on separate lines, UND is 4-0, outscoring their opponents  by a ridiculous 23-4 margin while going an equally ridiculous 9-for-20 on the power play. 

Couple these points with a defense allowing just 2.19 goals per game, the 9th-best mark in the NCAA, UND is turning up their performance. 

DDC sees the Green and White sweeping the RedHawks to keep their 2017 going in the right direction.

UND SWEEPS AND OFFICIALLY RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR, 5-2, 4-3.

There's The Pick. Check back next week to see if North Dakota kept it rolling. Thanks for reading!

Friday Gameday: A 20-Something Sweep, Not a Dirty 30 Geritol, Please?

DDC turns 30 on Saturday and is
feeling spry with no supplements needed.

This is DDC's last post as a 20-Something as he turns 30 on Saturday and he'd love a birthday present from his beloved UND men's hockey team and he's not asking for medication for any elderly ailment.

Much like DDC's 29 years on this wonderful earth, it's been an up-and-down first half for the defending national champions. (Pretty much kidding with DDC's up-and-down life 😀)

The UND men's hockey team started their title defense 5-0 then went on a six-game winless streak, the Green and White's longest since the 2002-03 season. UND followed that up with an impressive sweep in St. Cloud for the first time since 1998 and then slipped again the next weekend as North Dakota lost and tied Michigan State, who entered that weekend near the bottom of the PairWise rankings. Last weekend, the upswing came back as UND topped rival Boston College 4-3 in the College Hockey Showdown game from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

So, in short, DDC really has no idea what the heck is going to happen as the No. 18 Western Michigan Broncos travel to Grand Forks to take on the No. 8 Green and White.

This is DDC's last "He's in his 20s, he wears it well and still doesn't need any Little Blue Pill or Geritol" series preview. Here's what to watch for as DDC brings back his "Who? What? How?" look of this last National Collegiate Hockey Conference tussle of 2016.

Who?

Players to Watch

WMU So. Matheson Iacopelli
leads the NCHC with 13 goals.

Western Michigan:

So. F, Matheson Iacopelli, 13 goals, 4 assists -- 17 points; Sr. D, Taylor Fleming, 0g, 13a -- 13 pts; So. F, Griffen Molino, 4g, 7a -- 11 pts; Fr. F, Wade Allison, 7g, 3a -- 10 pts; Sr. F, Sheldon Dries, 4g, 6a -- 10 pts;  So. G, Trevor Grouch, 4-3-2, 3.07 goals against average, .894 save percentage.

UND:

So. F, Shane Gersich, 11g, 11a -- 22 pts; Fr. F, Tyson Jost, 7g, 10a -- 17 pts; So. F, Brock Boeser, 7g, 9a -- 16 pts (likely out this weekend); Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 4g, 10a -- 14 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 3g, 7a -- 10 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 8-5-3, 2.24 GAA, .907 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Western Michigan:

The Broncos are 9th in the NCAA in goals per game with a 3.64 average and are 11th in power play at 22.1%.

Sophomore Matheson Iacopelli leads the NCHC with 13 goals for the year after scoring just once in his freshman season in 27 games played.

WMU has just one win in their last five games (1-2-2).

UND:

UND is 11th in the country in goals against, allowing just 2.31 goals per game and are 26th in goals scored with a 3.06 per game average.

UND is 15-1-0 all time against WMU, with their lone loss coming in 2013-14, costing UND a Penrose Cup title in the NCHC's first season. The Green and White won all four games between the two teams last season. Netminder Cam Johnson won all four of those games with a sterling 1.56 goals against average and .948 save percentage.

Sophomore forward Shane Gersich is tied with Omaha's Austin Ortega for the NCHC scoring lead with 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists).

Freshman forward has six points in his last five games (4 goals, 2 assists) including a pair of goals in two separate games (last week against Boston College and Nov. 25 at home against Michigan State).

How?

How’d they get here?

No. 18 WMU (PWR: 11, 7-4-3; 3-4-1 – 11 points, 3^rd in NCHC) fell 3-0 at home against St. Cloud State on Friday and tied 5-5, but won in a shootout to gain the extra conference point on Saturday.

No. 8 UND (PWR: 7, 8-5-3; 2-3-1 – 8 points, 6^th in NCHC) topped No. 3 Boston College 4-3 in the College Hockey Showdown game from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Pick

UND Fr. F, Tyson Jost celebrates one of his two goals in the Green and
White's 4-3 win over Boston College last Saturday from Madison Square
Garden in New York City. (Photo credit: Russell Hons/UND Athletics)

This is a different looking Western Michigan squad from their recent incarnations as they can score goals (9th in the NCAA in scoring) and have beaten three ranked teams, including Denver. 

On the other side of the ice, like DDC previously mentioned, UND has been wholly an up-and-down team. They've looked dominant at times and completely lost and uninspired at others. 

The Green and White took to a big stage last weekend in NYC and outplayed the No. 3 BC Eagles, particularly when 5-on-5, and got scoring from their top-end players as well as third and fourth liners. This development will be huge for UND, going forward. 

With Brock Boeser likely out for another weekend as he nurses an arm injury, Tyson Jost and Shane Gersich will need to continue to lead the way in the scoring department. Where UND gets tough to beat is when players like Trevor Olson, who scored his first goal in 57 games, the game winner against BC, find the back of the net. 

Again, this isn't the plodding and overly physical WMU team that UND has seen in recent years and the Green and White will need to slow a Broncos squad that is scoring plenty of goals, this season. 

UND must stay out of the penalty box as they have played very well when 5-on-5 this season but are a lowly 79.7% on the penalty kill and WMU is clicking with a 11th-best in the NCAA power play (22.1%). If the Green and White can stay out of the box and give open viewing lanes to Cam Johnson in net, UND has shown the ability to score enough goals and deny chances and win games.

UND GIVES DDC A "20-SOMETHING" FRIDAY WIN AND "DIRTY 30" VICTORY FOR A BIRTHDAY SWEEP, 4-2, 4-3.

There you have it. Thanks for reading and for all birthday gifts, feel free to comment and DDC will send you his address. Cheers!

Friday Gameday: A Tussle at the Top

For a series in late October, it really doesn't get any better than this.

It's a showdown of the No. 1 UND men's hockey team and the No. 2 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs from AmsOil Arena in Duluth, the first regular-season tussle between the nation's top two teams since 2008.

The Green and White come in undefeated, but a bit untested as they've beaten three teams, Canisius, RPI and Bemdiji State, with a combined seven wins. On the other side of that spectrum, the Bulldogs have proven their mettle against some of the NCAA's best, Michigan Tech, UMass-Lowell and Notre Dame, going 3-1-2.

It's the first National Collegiate Hockey Conference series for both teams and the points on the line aren't just for the polls as both are looking to start off on the right NCHC foot.

It's going to be a fun weekend against teams who know each other very well and here's what to watch for in DDC's "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to Watch

UMD So. D, Neal Pionk
leads all NCHC defensemen
with seven points (3g, 4a).

Minnesota Duluth

So. F, Adam Johnson, 4 goals, 3 assists -- 7 points; So. D, Neal Pionk, 3g, 4a -- 7 pts; Fr. F, Joey Anderson, 0g, 6a -- 6 pts; Sr. F, Kyle Osterberg, 3g, 2a -- 5 pts; Sr. F, Alex Iafallo, 2g, 2a -- 4 pts; So. G, Nick Deary, 1-0-2, 1.54 goals against average (6th in NCAA), .934 save percentage (T-10th in NCAA); Fr. G, Hunter Miska, 2-0-0, 2.73 GAA, .877 SV PCT.

UND

So. F, Brock Boeser, 6g (T-2nd in NCAA), 6a -- 12 pts (2nd in NCAA); So. F, Shane Gersich, 3g, 5a -- 8 pts; Fr. F, Tyson Jost -- 2g, 5a -- 7 pts; Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 1g, 5a -- 6 pts; So. F, Joel Janatuinen, 3g, 2a -- 5 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 2g, 2a -- 4 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 5-0-0, 1.81 GAA, .899 SV PCT.

What?

Standout Stats

UND

The Green and White are allowing just 17.8 shots on goal per game, the best in NCAA by over three shots per game and are third in the country in shots on goal with 37.4 per game.

North Dakota is 6-1 all time at AmsOil Arena outscoring UMD 27-8 in those seven games including a pair of 3-0 shutouts last season. In fact, the Bulldogs haven't scored a goal against UND in 166 minutes and 23 seconds in AmsOil, the last coming in 2014.

With Zach Yon's goal in last Saturday's 5-4 win against Bemidji State, all five UND freshman forwards have scored a goal.

Minnesota Duluth

The Bulldogs haven't won a series against UND since 2008 and haven't swept the Green and White -- home or away -- since 1995.

Sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk's seven points (3g, 4a) leads all NCHC defenseman and Freshman goaltender Nick Deary is 6th in the NCAA with a 1.54 goals against average and 10th in the NCAA with a .934 save percentage. 

This weekend's series will be UMD's fourth consecutive playing a team ranked in the USCHO.com poll at the time they played their opponent. So far this season, the Bulldogs have played No. 17 Michigan Tech, No. 8 UMass-Lowell and No. 5 Notre Dame. 

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 1 UND (5-0-0) swept Bemidji State in Grand Forks, 3-2, 5-4, coming from behind from early deficits in each game. Going back to last Thanksgiving, the Green and White have lost just four times in their last 35 games (29-4-2).

No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (3-1-2) lost an exhibition affair against the USA U-18 team 2-1, while playing all three goaltenders one period and outshooting Team USA 33-18. UMD split a home series against Notre Dame on October 14-15 winning 4-3 on Friday and falling 3-1 on Saturday.

The Pick

UND has been dominant against Minnesota Duluth in AmsOil Arena since its opening in 2010, posting a 6-1 record
in the Bulldogs' home rink. The Green and White spoiled the opening in December 2010, rolling UMD 5-0. UND hasn't
allowed the Bulldogs a goal against in AmsOil in 166 minutes, 23 seconds, not scoring since 2014.

This series is an interesting one in many aspects. On one side of the ice, you have UND who is undefeated, but not having seen the quality of UMD and on the other, the Bulldogs have played top competition all season and are still No. 2 in the country.

The Green and White have had UMD's number of late in the regular season, including two sweeps last year, but Duluth knocked off UND in the Frozen Faceoff.

UND's Brock Boeser went absolutely nutty last weekend against BSU, netting his second-career hat trick on Friday and adding two more goals on Saturday and is kicking off his Hobey Baker campaign in style. The Green and White's top line of Boeser, sophomore Shane Gersich and freshman Tyson Jost have lit up the score sheet so far and are looking to cement themselves as one of the nation's top lines against a freshman goaltender in Nick Deary who came in highly touted and has brought that talent to the NCAA ice.

Will the Green and White continue its dominant play in AmsOil Arena? The Bulldogs are definitely aware of what UND has done to them in Duluth and overall in recent years and they will come out firing. UMD presents UND its first huge challenge of the year and despite going 5-0, the Green and White have had some big-time defensive lapses that have led to goals against. With a lineup chocked full of veteran scoring, the Green and White will need to tighten up defensively.

Another stat that could loom large is that UND has given up the first goal in 4-of-5 games this year. While they've come back to win in all four, falling behind against a UMD team that is getting solid netminding and features a defense with top D-men Neal Pionk and Willie Raskob, the Green and White need quick starts to get wins in Duluth.

With all of that said, DDC likes UND's depth so far as they have gotten scoring from all over the lineup. If they can get a couple goals from their bottom two lines, the top line of Boeser, Gersich and Jost could make up the difference. Until DDC sees UND falter, he's not going to pick against them.

UND SWEEPS AND CONTINUES TO MAKE AMSOIL ARENA ITS "REA EAST", 4-3, 3-1.

Thanks for reading and head back early next week to see who prevailed in the matchup of No. 1 versus No. 2. It should be a heckuva weekend.

DDC's 2016-17 Season Preview -- UND's Top 3 Storylines, NCAA Top 20, NCHC picks and A Peek at the Bisons

The UND men's hockey team were presented with their National Title
rings earlier this week. Their season kicks off tonight against Manitoba.

We've made it. It's hockey season.

The defending national champions, the University of North Dakota men's hockey team, kicks off its repeat bid as they take on the University of Manitoba Bisons in exhibition fashion tonight at 7 pm from the Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Let's say that once more, shall we?

The defending national champions, the University of North Dakota men's hockey team. Man, that feels good.

UND has already gotten its rings and green banner No. 8 will be hoisted into the REA rafters tonight and the memory of last season's incredible run has DDC thinking, will the Green and White do this again next year and potentially raise No. 9?

Well, we shall see, but these three storylines are going to go a long way to decide if UND can celebrate in Chicago in April.

1) Can the 'D' do it Again?

The 2015-16 UND squad was simply loaded. They were a special team that could score in bunches, but also completely shutdown an opponent defensively. While the Green and White return four defensemen that played heavy minutes last season in now two-time Captain Gage Ausmus, dynamic offensive defenseman Tucker Poolman, Christian Wolanin and Hayden Shaw, outside of that top four, the final two spots will needed to be figured out quickly.

UND carried the second-best scoring defense in the NCAA last season, allowing just 1.84 goals a game. Losing Troy Stecher, Paul LaDue and Keaton Thompson to professional contracts doesn't just leave a hole in UND's 'D', it leaves a chasm. The Green and White still sport Mike Richter Finalist Cam Johnson between the pipes, but will need to figure out the last two spots on the backend to make a deep run this season.

2) CBS 2.0?

Can freshman Tyson Jost
jump into a key role for
the Green and White?

The CBS line of Drake Caggiula, Brock Boeser and Nick Schmaltz is no more. While Boeser remains and is a legitimate Hobey Baker preseason front runner, the loss of Caggiula and Schmaltz to the NHL ranks means UND needs to figure out how to replace a combined 97 points. That's a lot of scoring. The CBS line was a special blend of speed, power, defense and scoring touch. Can the Green and White find a duo to pair with Boeser on the top line? What about the rest of the lineup? Who is going to step up to produce? 

Austin Poganksi, Shane Gersich, Rhett Gardner and Chris Wilkie could go a long way to help shore up the top 6 forward group. Can highly-touted freshman Tyson Jost turn into the playmaker Schmaltz was last year? He certainly appears to have the talent. DDC believes we may see Jost and Boeser paired together and he'd be surprised to see Gardner and Poganski split up because they spent so much time playing together last year. Can the speedy Gersich step into Cagguila's game-breaking, goal-scoring role? We shall see.

3) Battle Between the Pipes

Can Matej Tomek push
Cam Johnson for the
starting role in net?

Coming into last season, UND was looking to replace an all-world goaltender in Zane McIntyre with three netminders who had barely seen the ice in their college careers. Well, with all those questions, Cam Johnson became as much as a sure thing as UND has ever seen, becoming a Mike Richter Finalist with a tremendous year. Matt Hrynkiw proved he was a solid backup, too, going on a great, early season run with Johnson shelved with an injury. What about NHL draft pick Matej Tomek? Highly regarded coming into the 2015-16 season, an early injury hindered Tomek's chances of seeing any ice time. 

So, once a huge question mark, the goaltender spot for UND is now a strong point and we could very well see a battle for playing time between these three. DDC believes Tomek will get his shot, this season. NHL teams don't draft goalies early in the draft for a player that isn't incredibly talented. As we start the season, Johnson deserves to be the starter. But, was Cam's year a product of an incredibly special defenseman group? DDC thinks it helped, but Johnson certainly held his own. However, this will definitely be a battle for time this season. 

DDC's Preseason Top 20

1) UND
2) Boston University
3) Denver
4) UMass-Lowell
5) Quinnipiac
6) Providence
7) Northeastern
8) Boston College
9) Notre Dame
10) Minnesota Duluth
11) Harvard
12) Minnesota
13) Bowling Green
14) Michigan
15) Wisconsin
16) St. Lawrence
17) Michigan Tech
18) St. Cloud State
19) MSU-Mankato
20) Air Force

DDC's NCAA Take

Despite losing a lot to graduation and professional contracts, UND is still well suited to make a deep run with key players in each position group. So, until they get topped, DDC has the Green and White on top.

Boston University brings in one of the most dynamic freshmen groups in recent history, with NHL first-round picks Clayton Keller, Dante Fabbro and Keifer Bellows while returning fellow first-rounder Charlie McAvoy. Can all that young talent produce big results? Denver lost a lot, but brings back all-NCHC picks Dylan Gambrell and Will Butcher in front of veteran netminder Tanner Jalliet. BU vs. DU in early October will be a true test for both teams.

Can a budding team like Bowling Green or Wisconsin get all their pieces in place to make a run? It'll sure be fun to watch and find out.

NCHC Picks

Sophomore Brock Boeser is the clear-cut favorite as NCHC
Preseason Player of the Year. Can he improve on his dynamic
2015-16 season as UND looks to repeat in 2016-17?

1) UND
2) Denver
3) Minnesota Duluth
4) St. Cloud State
5) Omaha
6) Miami
7) Colorado College
8) Western Michigan

DDC's All-NCHC Team

F -- Brock Boeser, UND

F -- Dylan Gambrell, DU

F -- Tyson Jost, UND

D -- Will Butcher, DU

D -- Neal Pionk, UMD

G -- Cam Johnson, UND

Can Omaha's Austin Ortega
take an all-NCHC spot?

Player of the Year: Boeser

Defenseman of the Year: Butcher

Goaltender of the Year: Johnson

Rookie of the Year: Jost

DDC's NCHC Take

Call DDC a homer. He's fine with it. Like he said before, until someone takes down the defending national champs, UND is tops of the league. Jost looks like a generational-type player and while players like Austin Ortega from Omaha and UMD's Tony Camoranesi may have something to say about that final forward spot, DDC leans Green and White. UND has the most pieces in place right now and the rest of the teams seem to have a few more question marks.

UND is 12-0 all time against the Manitoba Bisons

Bring on the Bisons

UND is 12-0 all-time against Manitoba, outscoring the Bisons 72-21 in those 12 games. Tonight isn't about wins and losses, but more about taking a look at some new pieces. Who will group with Boeser on the top line? Will Jost show of his Top 10 NHL draft pick talent? How about Tomek? How much time does he get in an effort to earn time between the pipes? 

Last season, the Green and White rolled to a 8-3 victory and tipped off the REA faithful that something fun was brewing in Grand Forks. DDC thinks this happens again. 

Jost gets his first and adds an assist, Johnson and Tomek start their battle and slow a hyped-up Manitoba squad and Boeser shows while he'll be a Hobey front-runner this year with a pair of goals. 

UND RAISES THE BANNER IN STYLE, 6-2

It's here, hockey fans. It's time to RAISE 8 and start the run to No. 9.

Come back next week to see how it went down. Thanks for reading!

It's Time to Reload -- DDC's Look at the 2016-17 Squad

For the first time in 16 years, it's been a celebratory offseason.

It's been 172 days since we saw the UND men's hockey team skate around Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL with the National Championship trophy. Before DDC takes a look ahead, let's all reminisce, one more time, shall we?

One last time ... what a team.

While the pressure of once a seemingly unending, unbearable streak of frustration is over, the goal for the 2016-17 version of the Green and White remains the same as all previous incarnations of UND hockey -- to win a national championship.

The 2015-16 team was special. A squad stuffed with scoring, defense and tenacity, they finally cashed in on their all-time UND legacy. While many of those special players are gone, many remain and the expectations are still as high as ever in Grand Forks. Losing players like Troy Stecher, Drake Caggiula, Nick Schmaltz and Paul LaDue, all key cogs in the run to No. 8, will force the 2016-17 squad to look for answers as to who will step up into key roles.

However, let DDC make one thing clear -- UND doesn't rebuild. We reload.

Here's a look at what remains and who will be there to restock the talent load lost from the tremendous 2015-16 squad.

Who's Left?

UND's Top Returning Players

 Sophomore Forward, Brock Boeser

Without a doubt, Boeser is the most important and dynamic returning player for the 2016-17 Green and White. The first-round NHL draft pick was arguably the best forward in the country last year, ending last season as the nation's third-leading scorer with an impressive 27 goal, 33 assist -- 60 point season. Boeser was pegged by USCHO as the top returning forward for the 2016-17 season, and for good reason. If you need a refresher as to why, here you go:

Boeser's unique blend of effort, power, speed and scoring touch led to one of the best freshman campaigns in UND history. Last year's NCHC Rookie of the Year is a Hobey Baker candidate and will wear an 'A' for the Green and White as they look to repeat. 

Junior Forward, Austin Poganski

The big-bodied power forward really came into his own last year as a part of UND's Heavy Line with Rhett Gardner and Luke Johnson. Poganski was a force in the middle of the ice, owning the front of the net and anchoring a line that was matched with opponent's top lines down the stretch. The St. Cloud, Minn., native notched 10 goals and added 15 assists last season. This year, Poganski has been named an Assistant Captain and will greatly factor again into UND's success. Another step forward for the St. Louis Blues draft pick will be an important piece in the Green and White's run to No. 9, this season.

Jr. D, Tucker Poolman
named an Assistant Captain
for the 2016-17 season.

Junior Defenseman, Tucker Poolman

Much like Poganski, Tucker Poolman took another big step in his development as one of UND's most important defensemen last year on a squad chocked full of important defensemen. Poolman was fifth in the NCHC in defenseman scoring and notched career highs in assists (19) and points (24). The East Grand Forks, Minn., product will wear an 'A' for the 2016-17 team. Armed with a lethal slap shot from the point, Poolman is also incredibly steady on the back end and will anchor a great returning corps of D-men along with two-time Captain Gage Ausmus and sophomores Christian Wolanin and Hayden Shaw. Defense was the backbone of the 2015-16 title team and with Poolman on the back end once again, UND should be stellar, once again.

Who's New?

UND's Top Newcomers

 Freshman Forward, Tyson Jost

As DDC noted earlier, UND doesn't rebuild ... it reloads. Bringing in the talent the likes of freshman forward Tyson Jost, the Green and White will look to do just that. The St. Albert, Alberta native was selected No. 10 overall in this year's NHL draft by the Colorado Avalanche, becoming UND's second forward Top 10 pick of all time with the legendary Jonathan Toews. The comparisons to the former Fighting Sioux superstar isn't just due to his high draft status. DDC was recently told by a local media member that Jost reminds him very much of Toews in that he just simply does everything right. Last season with Penticton, Jost was named the BCHL MVP, the CJHL National Player of the Year, MVP and forward of the year with an eye-popping 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 48 games. He has been tabbed as ISS Hockey's Top Incoming Freshman. Take a look at UND's new prized blue chipper:

Oof. Anyone else licking their chops? Looks like a special player. Hands, playmaking ability, vision and scoring touch, anyone? With Nick Schmaltz and Drake Caggiula gone, look for Mr. Jost to make an immediate impact.

Freshman Forward, Ludvig Hoff

The Oslo, Norway native had a stalwart career with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, posting 57 points last season. Hoff was eighth in the league in points and fifth in assists (37) and was named a USHL Third-Team All-star. Hoff, UND's first Norwegian-born product, twice captained Norway's World Junior Championship team. Hoff will certainly have his chance at Top 6 minutes in UND's effort to reload.

Fr. D, Casey Johnson adds
to UND's local talent pool.

Freshman Defenseman, Casey Johnson

Johnson, a Grand Forks native and former Central High Knight, continues a trend of local flavor that has spotted the Green and White over the last handful of years. The defenseman spent the 2015-16 season with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints and tallied nine goals and 13 assists, helping Dubuque to the Clark Cup Final. A solid defenseman, Johnson will have the opportunity for minutes as UND looks to find a pair to join a returning corps.

Poised for a Breakout?

DDC's Breakout Player for 2016-17

So. F, Shane Gersich
is DDC's pick for UND's
Breakout Player of 2016-17.

Sophomore Forward, Shane Gersich

Losing the likes of Schmaltz, Caggiula, Stecher and LaDue, who will be the man to take the biggest step for the 2016-17 Green and White? Along with the previously mentioned Austin Poganski and Rhett Gardner, Shane Gersich showed flashes of greatness last year for UND. Gersich scored 9 goals and added two assists last season and scored the Green and White's first goal in their 5-1 National Title winning victory against Quinnipiac. The Chaska, Minn., product has tremendous top-end speed and a noticeable scoring touch in space. With that speed and touch, Gersich could very well have the opportunity to play on the top line with Boeser and potentially Jost, setting up a group that's loaded with a dynamic scoring knack. With opponents having to contend with Boeser and with what looks to be elite-level playmaking ability in Jost, Gersich should have time and space and DDC thinks big things are in store. DDC sees Gersich jumping up into the 30 point range and becoming a huge factor for the Green and white.

It's good to be back, folks. Thanks again for reading and keep coming back for DDC's takes on UND hockey all season.

Later this week, visit DDC as he looks at UND's biggest storylines for 2016-17, delves into his NCHC and NCAA preseason rankings and predictions and previews the season-opening exhibition against the Manitoba Bisons.

We're just three days away from the glory of another banner raising as the Green and White hoist Green Banner No. 8 into the Ralph Engelstad Arena rafters on October 3 to kick off the 2016-17 season. 

Cheers and Fight On, Green and White!