It's Valentine's Day weekend for all the lovebirds around the world, but if he had to guess, DDC knows there won't be much love shown this weekend at Ralph Engelstad Arena.
The No. 2 UND men's hockey team welcomes National Collegiate Hockey Conference and longtime foe, No. 9 Denver to Grand Forks with huge Penrose Cup points on the line.
North Dakota trails Omaha by just one point entering the weekend while the Pioneers are fighting for home ice. DU sits in 5th just one point back of Minnesota Duluth for that coveted fourth spot and home ice for the NCHC tournament.
DDC fancies himself a bit of an innovator and brings a new Friday format to his gameday preview this week.
Here's the Who, What and How of this heated rivalry renewed.
Who?
Players to watch
Denver:
Fr. F, Danton Heinen, 10 goals, 19 assists – 29 points
So. F, Trevor Moore, 13g, 13a – 26 pts
Sr. D, Joey LaLeggia, 9g, 15a – 24 pts
So. F, Trevor Moore, 13g, 13a – 26 pts
Sr. D, Joey LaLeggia, 9g, 15a – 24 pts
Fr. G, Tanner Jaillet, started last 6-out-of-9 games
including a 30-save 3-0 shutout win vs. Colorado College last Friday, 30 Saves;
9-4-0, 1.97 gaa, .927 sv pct
So. G, Evan Cowley, got win in split versus UND in November, 7-5-1, 2.05, .927
So. G, Evan Cowley, got win in split versus UND in November, 7-5-1, 2.05, .927
UND:
Jr. F, Drake Caggiula, 11 goals, 16 assists – 27 points
Sr. F, Michael Parks, 9g, 18a – 27 pts
Sr. F, Mark MacMillan, 15g, 8a – 23 pts
Sr. F, Michael Parks, 9g, 18a – 27 pts
Sr. F, Mark MacMillan, 15g, 8a – 23 pts
Jr. G, Zane McInyre, 19-6-2, 1.96 goals against average (11th
in NCAA), .931 save percentage (10th in NCAA). 19 wins T-2 in NCAA.
What?
Standout stats
Denver:
3.00 Goals per game, 2.15 goals allowed per game (T-9
in NCAA), 22.5% Power Play (6th in NCAA), 87.6% Penalty Kill (9th
in NCAA)
UND:
3.44 GPG (9th in NCAA), 2.14 GAG (8 in NCAA), 20.9% PP, 84.8%
PK
DU 4-5-1 on the road, 4-7-1 when giving up first goal.
Milestone Mac?
With three points this weekend, senior forward Mark
MacMillan would top the 100 point total for his career.
How?
How’d they get here?
Denver:
No. 9 PWR, No. 9 USCHO, 16-9-1 overall, 9-7-0, 27 points,
5th in NCHC.
Beat CC 3-0 last Friday.
UND:
No. 2 PWR, No. 2 USCHO, 19-6-2 overall, 10-5-1, 31 pts,
2nd in NCHC.
Didn’t play last week.
Last meeting: Split, Denver 3-1, UND 4-1, December 12 and
13th in Denver
The Pick
It’s been almost exactly seven years since the Green and White swept the
Pioneers. Way back on Feb. 15 and 16, 2008, UND rallied from a 4-1 deficit on
Friday night on the heels of an Andrew Kozek hat trick for a 5-4 win and got
the sweep with a 4-1 on Saturday. DDC remembers Kozek’s performance very
vividly as the forward launched his patented laser wrister twice and buried a
rebound to complete the comeback. Not many times has the REA rocked that loud. Here's Koz's second and third goals:
UND could need a performance like Kozek’s to pull off the
sweep this weekend as both teams are playing well and points are huge with just
eight games to go in the race for the league title.
In the What? section of this preview a big stat stands out
to DDC. Denver is just 4-5-1 on the road this season. UND was off last week and
DDC thinks the Green and White play at an elite this weekend and the road woes
continue for the Pios. Expect to see a heck of a series this weekend. Shutting
down the high-paced defensive corps and vaunted power play will be key for UND.
