Friday Gameday: A Petty Pick at Pecknold

North Dakota takes on Quinnipiac this weekend, the team the Green and White romped 5-1
en route to the 2016 National Championship. Photo Credit: Grand Forks Herald

DDC has built up a bit of disdain for the Quinnipiac Bobcats over the past decade or so. But, why?

There's not a big rivalry with UND. There's certainly no connection in terms of region. Connecticut is a beautiful state and it's super fun to say 'Connecticut.' The Green and White have never lost to the Bobcats, twice beating them in the NCAA tournament including, of course, the 2016 title game. 

So, what's the reason? Frankly, it's pretty simple.

Rand Pecknold.  

Whether it's whining about Scheels Arena not being a neutral site (he's right, but still, such a lame whine) and playing around with Sam Anas' injury status ("not even close to playing" -- he played) in the 2015 West Regional or downplaying how good the CBS line was before the 2016 National Championship game or his annoying feuds with coaches on eastern teams, DDC just doesn't like the Bobcats' head coach. While certainly petty, DDC is looking forward to this weekend as our No. 6 Fighting Hawks (3-1-0) take on the No. 7 Bobcats (2-0-1) in Hamden, Conn., with Pecknold behind the bench for QU.

Sorry for being out a couple weeks, but such is life for DDC. Let's take a deeper look at this important non-conference series. 

Who?

Players to Watch

Quinnipiac University Bobcats

Sr. F., Michael Lombardi, 2 goals, 2 assists -- 4 points; Jr. F., Skyler Brind'Amour, 1g, 2a -- 3 pts; So. F., Ty Smilanic, 1g, 1a -- 2 pts; So. G., Yaniv Perets, 1-0-1, .947 save percentage, .96 goals against average; Sr. G., Dylan St. Cyr, 1-0-0; 14-save shutout last weekend against Vermont.

University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks

Jr. F., Ashton Calder, 4g, 2a -- 6 pts; So. F., Riese Gaber, 2g, 4a -- 6 pts; Fr. F., Jake Schmaltz, 3g, 2a -- 5 pts; So. D., Jake Sanderson -- 2g, 2a -- 4 pts; Sr. G., Zach Driscoll, 3-1-0; 2.26 GAA, .898 SV%

What?

Standout Stats and Notes

Quinnipiac

The Bobcats have yet to score a power play goal this year, but have also not allowed a goal when on the penalty kill through their three games.

Their 54% faceoff win percentage slots the Bobcats at 15th nationally.

Quinnipiac is 0-4-0 all-time against UND including a 4-1 loss in the 2015 West Regional in Fargo and a 5-1 loss in the 2016 National Championship game.

UND

The Fighting Hawks penalty kill comes into the weekend at 93.3%, good for 11th in the NCAA.

North Dakota is third in the nation with a 14.7% shooting percentage.

Senior defenseman Chris Jandric's +7 rating is tied for fifth best in the nation.

How?

How'd they get here?

Quinnipiac is 2-0-1 on the season, winning last Saturday's game against Vermont 2-0. Notre Dame transfer goalie Dylan St. Cyr notched a shutout for the Bobcats in his fist action with his new squad.

The Fighting Hawks (3-1-0) split a home-and-home series with Bemidji State, winning 4-3 in Bemidji on Friday and dropping a 4-3 decision in overtime at home on Saturday. The loss was UND's first in a non-conference clash at home since 2018, a span of 17 games.

The Pick

The last time these two teams played, it ended up alright for UND. DDC believes
it won't be as fun this time, as a split is likely at hand. Photo credit: GF Herald

Ugh, it's tough to be a homer in this one because DDC really, really dislikes Mr. Pecker... sorry... Pecknold (See Ghostbusters reference). With that said, what UND has shown so far this season, much like DDC expected and predicted, has been a little bit of inconsistency. With 14 new faces, most understood this would take a little bit of time to grow into a fantastic hockey team. The new pieces have been great -- Jake Schmaltz has looked like a goal scorer as a freshman, Ashton Calder leads the team in goals, Zach Driscoll has been steady -- but the mesh just isn't fully there. UND is getting closer and closer to full health with forward Brendan Budy inching towards a comeback and defenseman Brady Ferner doing the same, but until then, the Hawks may still see some ups and downs as they look to gel. 

All of this said, DDC has seen some pretty great stretches in the first four games and he expects this to vault the team to a solid weekend against a solid opponent in a very important non-conference series. QU looks to be starting off strong, tying then No. 6 Boston College, beating No. 18 Northeastern and Vermont, and there's plenty of historical motivation for Mr. Pecknold to fire his team up with. 

Ugh... DDC just can't pick a sweep. 

DDC thinks the Green and White will come out hard on Friday and get a win, but the Bobcats even it up on Saturday.

UND TAKES THE 5-2 WIN ON FRIDAY, BUT MR. PECKNOLD'S BOYS EVEN IT UP WITH A 4-2 VICTORY ON SATURDAY

As always, thanks for the read and check back early next week to see what DDC thought of this series.

DDC's Top 10 Moments of 2015-16, Part II

UND Sr. F Drake Caggiula celebrates one of his two goals in the Green and White's 5-1 win over Quinnipiac in the
national championship game. Caggiula earned Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player honors. (Photo: Melissa Wade, USCHO.com)

DDC had a fun recollection today.

Just in case you've forgotten...  the UND men's hockey team is national champions. Just thought you all needed a reminder :).

Anyway, thanks for coming back for Part II of DDC's Top 10 Moments of the 2015-16. In this edition of the countdown, you'll see moments No. 8 through No. 6. All three aren't necessarily single moments, but all were incredibly important in the run to national title No. 8, the Green and White's first since 2000.

Let's get it started again, shall we?

No. 8 -- Battles with the Pios -- December 4-5, 2015, Grand Forks, N.D. and February 12-13, 2016, Denver, Colo.

The NCHC is a very young conference, but it in no way lacks tradition. Outside of the battles that the conference's eight teams have developed in the first three years, the NCHC is chocked full of rivalries that have spanned decades.

UND vs. St. Cloud State, UND vs. Minnesota Duluth, Colorado College vs. Denver all have seen huge games in big time spots.

But one truly stands alone and the 2015-16 season showed why UND vs. Denver is the best rivalry in the NCHC.

In December, the Pioneers traveled to Grand Forks with both teams on a significant roll. Two dominating performances by UND later in 5-1, 4-0 fashion, Denver headed back home as their head coach Jim Montgomery heralded the Green and White as the best team in the country. The CBS line put up 10 points and were a +15. DDC noted it was possibly the most dominating performance he'd seen out of any UND team over an entire weekend.

UND Fr. F, Brock Boeser pots a goal during the Green and White's 4-0 win for
a sweep over Denver in Grand Forks on December 5th. (Photo: Unheralded.Fish)

Denver would get it's revenge in February when UND traveled west to Colorado. Much like the CBS line had dominated in Grand Forks, the Pacific Rim line of Trevor Moore, Danton Heinen and Dylan Gambrell rolled North Dakota with 18 points in a 6-4, 4-1 sweep. Friday's game was one of the most exciting he's ever seen as the two traded blows in an intense and high-paced game.

Two teams played a fifth game in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff third place game, but it was the first four that truly set the stage for the legendary national semifinal game in Tampa. We'll get back to that later.

All things considered, these two series showed again why this rivalry is one of the best in college hockey.

No. 7 -- Back-to-back Banners -- March 4, 2016 -- Grand Forks, N.D.

Heading into the weekend of February 25-26, the race for the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions was as tight as it could be.

UND and St. Cloud State we're tied atop the standings with just two weekends to go.

The Green and White got a huge sweep of Nebraska Omaha on the road and saw St. Cloud State go down in a stunning home sweep at the hands of Minnesota Duluth, leaving UND with just one point left for an outright Penrose Cup title for the second year in a row.

After clinching a share of the title against Omaha, the Green and White made it clear they had no intentions of "sharing that thing" and crushed Western Michigan 8-1 to take the Cup outright.

While it was just another step towards their ultimate goal, it's certainly no small feat to win in this conference and the Green and White enjoyed their celebration the next night after sweeping the Broncos with a 5-4 win.

No. 6 -- A Question Mark Becomes an Exclamation Point

UND Jr. G, Matt Hyrnkiw

Outside of the UND having to replace longtime head coach Dave Hakstol with Brad Berry, the biggest question mark coming into the 2015-16 season was between the pipes.

Who would replace all-world goaltender Zane McIntyre, the 2014-15 Mike Richter Award winner who left following his junior season for the professional ranks?

Coming into the season, UND had one goaltender who had played any time in a Green and White sweater -- sophomore Cam Johnson. The Michigan native had played just 21 minutes in his college career, getting chased from the net after allowing three goals against Lake Superior State on just 12 shots.

Other than Johnson, UND sported freshman Matej Tomek, a third-round pick of the Philadelphia Flyers and walk-on Matt Hyrnkiw who also had never played a minute of college hockey.

The murky situation got even more complex as Tomek suffered an injury in preseason and Johnson left with a leg injury against BSU just three games into the season.

In stepped Hyrnkiw and the walk on exploded onto the scene. The junior rolled off a stunning 8-1 record. Johnson returned in a blowout loss at St. Cloud State, relieving Hyrnkiw in the third period.

Huge props to Mr. Hyrnkiw during this incredible run, but the rest of the way, it was Cam's net.

UND So. G, Cam Johnson was a key cog in the Green and White's run to No. 8.
The Michigan native's scoreless streak of 298:25 from December 5th to January 2nd
is the second best mark in college hockey history. (Photo: UNDsports.com)

Johnson was incredible after returning from injury and was a key cog in UND's run to No. 8.

In a stretch from December 5th to January 2nd, Cam shutout four consecutive opponents, not allowing a goal until late in the second period of a 4-1 win over Alabama-Huntsville, a span of nearly 300 minutes of game time. The 298:25 scoreless streak slated Johnson with the second-best mark in NCAA history. His four-straight shutouts is also second best all time.

298:25. What a run.

From question mark, to exclamation point, the UND goaltending situation marks another historic run in a season full of historic moments.

That's it for Part II. Come back later this week for moments No. 5 and No. 4. A preview -- Caggiula dangles for a game winner and one of DDC's favorite movies of all time becomes incredibly applicable.

Thanks for reading.

A Banner Year: DDC's Top 10 Moments of 2015-16

UND captain Gage Ausmus is presented the national championship trophy as the Green and White celebrate
their first title since 2000 after beating Quinnipiac 5-1. (Photo: Shawna Noel Schill, UNDsports.com)

It's been 12 days since the UND men's hockey team rolled Quinnipiac 5-1 in the national championship game to earn title No. 8.

What a 12 days it has been.

DDC's 12 days have been chocked full of celebrations, memories, boasting, smack talking and ultimately, the glory of his team being a top the college hockey mountain, once again.

In these 12 days, we've had some good news with freshman phenom Brock Boeser announcing his intentions to stay for his sophomore year. We've also seen some not so good news, at least for the sake of the Green and White with junior d-men Troy Stecher and Keaton Thompson signing pro contracts. It's sad to see these two men move on, but DDC joins the many UND fans in a heartfelt thank you.

A couple days back, DDC was reminiscing about the amazing year this team had. So, before we talk anymore about who's coming and who's going, let's all take one last look back at a truly banner year for this program.

DDC presents to you over the next handful of posts, his Top 10 moments of the 2015-16 season.

No. 10 -- Hakstol departs, Berry takes over -- May 18, 2015 -- Grand Forks, N.D.

Brad Berry became UND's
16th head coach in team
history on May 18, 2015.

Let's start at the very beginning. May 18th was quite the day.

Just over a month after UND fell in the national semifinals for the second year in a row, the headlines broke early in the day -- longtime head coach Dave Hakstol signed to become the next head coach of the Philadelphia Flyers in the National Hockey League.

Questions immediately stirred up a nervous fan base who had seen great success over Hakstol's tenure: What does this mean for our recruits? How long will the team be without a coach? And ultimately the biggest question -- Who's next?

Those questions found very quick answers and by the end of the day, UND announced Brad Berry would be promoted from his assistant role and take over as the Green and White's 16th head coach in team history.

A whole new crop of questions came from the hiring. Will UND adopt a new system? Can Berry do the job having never been a head coach? What kind of leader will he be?

Well, the rest, as they say, is truly history.

No. 9 -- The CBS is born -- October 17, 2015, UND vs. BSU, Grand Forks, N.D.

After winning the IceBreaker Invitational in Maine to open the season, the Green and White came home to open their Ralph Engelstad Arena schedule against Bemidji State.

After a 4-4 tie on Friday night, Brad Berry juggled his lines, grouping highly-touted freshman and first-round NHL draft pick Brock Boeser with another first rounder in sophomore Nick Schmaltz and senior alternate captain Drake Caggiula.

And again, the rest, as they say, is history.

Four goals, including a hat trick by Boeser, his first three goals in a UND sweater, five assists and a 5-2 win later and the CBS line was born. Caggiula netted the Green and White's first goal and had two assists. Schmaltz chipped in with two assists.

Oof, that shot (12 seconds in). Boeser showed off his nasty scoring touch in this game and it catapulted this line into college hockey stardom. While this game set the table, it was merely an appetizer for UND fans as this trio became the best line in the country.

Man, DDC is going to miss this line. Don't worry. We'll see plenty more of this now legendary trio later in the countdown.

There's your first installment of DDC's Top 10 moments from the 2015-16 season. Check back soon for moments No. 8 through No. 6 in the countdown. Up next... two sweeps that set the stage for a Frozen Four semifinal, UND's goalie troubles become an afterthought and the Green and White earn back-to-back banners.

GR8NESS -- Grand Forks is Titletown

The Skate for Eight is complete. For the first time since 2000 and eighth time in team history, the UND men's hockey team is
national champions, once again. The Green and White beat Quinnipiac 5-1 to earn the title. (Photo: Grand Forks Herald)

Flashback to Thursday night.

A centering pass from the sideboards deflects off of Gage Ausmus' stick and through Cam Johnson's five-hole to the back of the net with just over nine minutes left to go in the third period. Game tied, 2-2.

Remember that feeling? DDC sure does and will never forget it.

Move forward to Saturday night.

Austin Poganski slaps home a rebound in the slot over the left shoulder of Quinnipiac goaltender Michael Garteig, giving UND a commanding 5-1 lead with just over nine minutes to go in the third period.

Quite the difference in feelings almost exactly 48 hours apart, huh? Remember that feeling? DDC sure does and will never forget it.

Sixteen years of frustration. Sixteen years of heartache. Sixteen years of pain.

Well worth it.

For the first time since 2000, the University of North Dakota men's hockey team stands above all as national champions, topping Quinnipiac 5-1. How sweet it is. Eight was worth the wait.

Big-Time Players

UND Fr. F, Brock Boeser celebrates his short-handed goal to give the
Green and White a 2-0 lead in the first period. (Photo: Grand Forks Herald)

In the postgame press conference following sophomore forward Nick Schmaltz scoring North Dakota's biggest goal in over a decade to give UND a Frozen Four semifinal win, head coach Brad Berry noted that big-time players, like Schmaltz, score big-time goals in big-time spots.  

Well, it doesn't get any more big time than the national title game and once again, UND's big-time players, the now legendary CBS line, showed why they truly fit the definition.

With UND up 1-0 with just under six minutes left in the first, Brock Boeser raced Garteig to a loose puck in the slot. Garteig won the race, but Boeser knocked down Garteig's clearing attempt and calmly buried a short-handed goal giving the Green and White a 2-0 lead.

UND Sr. F, Drake Caggiula
earned tournament Most
Outstanding Player honors.

QU made it 2-1 late in the first on a 5-on-3 power play and the two teams played an even second. In the third, UND's big-time players went to work.

With just 1:20 gone in the third, Schmaltz picked a loose puck off the end boards, skated to the circle at the right of the net and rifled a perfect, cross-ice pass, through two defenders to a cutting Drake Caggiula in the slot. The senior did the rest, beating Garteig to give UND a 3-1 lead. Then, just over two minutes later, Paul LaDue hit a streaking Brock Boeser with a ridiculous 100-foot stretch pass. Boeser carried in, spun and fed Caggiula again who buried UND's fourth goal.

Big-time players making big-time plays in big-time spots. The CBS... seven points (3 goals, 4 assists), a combined +8, Boeser and Caggiula all-tournament team, Caggiula, Most Outstanding Player. What an incredible finish for this line as they become UND legends.

The Celebration

Again, what a difference in feelings between 48 hours. From stress and heartache to elation and celebration.

The seconds ticked down. The anticipation grew. The memories filled DDC's mind.

The tic-tic-tic-tac-toe. Pogo's go-to move. Hrynkiw relieves Cam. Cam returns and shuts out four-straight opponents. Caggiula's windmill. Domination in Cincinnati. Schmaltz's game winner.

Then ...

Celebration. (This is the full game, but 1 hour 54 minutes in, the party starts)

As Caggiula skated through the handshake line, his eyes welled up, ESPN caught a candid moment from the senior playing in his last game, with albeit some choice language.

UND Jr. D, Paul LaDue kisses the national title. (Photo: Grand Forks Herald)

"Oh my God. Four (censored) years for this."

What a year. What a team. What a way to finish.

UND believed it. UND earned it. And once again, for the eighth time in program history, the Green and White raised it.

Thank you, gentlemen, for an absolutely incredible ride. 

Thank you all for reading.

The Pick(s) -- Frozen Four Semifinals

Frozen Four National Semifinals, Amalie Arena, Tampa Bay, FL:
Both games on ESPN 2.

Semifinal No. 1 -- Boston College vs. Quinnipiac, 4 p.m.
Semifinal No. 2 -- Denver vs. North Dakota, 7:30 p.m.

The ice is fresh, the teams are rested and the hype is high.

It's win or go home.

Boston College versus Quinnipiac. Denver versus North Dakota.

It's time for the Frozen Four from Amalie Arena in Tampa.

In semifinal No. 1, the top seeded Bobcats are looking to permanently stamp their names on the college hockey landscape. The Eagles are trying to continue their decade plus of dominance and advance to the title game for the seventh time since 2001.

In semifinal No. 2, legendary rivals Denver and UND faceoff for the sixth time on the year. Thursday's contest is by far the biggest. Can the Green and White snap out of their national semifinal funk and head to the title game? Can the Pioneers upend their NCHC foe and advance to the championship for the first time since 2005?

DDC has delved into both Thursday semifinals and is ready to give you his picks as to who will move on to Saturday's national championship game.

The Pick(s)

Semifinal No. 1 -- Boston College vs. Quinnipiac

To say these two teams are evenly matched statistically is nothing short of an understatement.

Both are in the top 5 in scoring offense and top 7 in scoring defense. Both sport top 9 power plays and top 5 penalty kills. Both have game-breaking goaltenders that are near the top of the stats pile. Both are undefeated on the season when leading after two periods.

While QU Michael Garteig is certainly a solid netminder, Boston College goaltender Thatcher Demko is a Hobey Baker Hat Trick and Mike Richter finalist and with his huge size and excellent mobility, is an absolute force. Demko has a ridiculous 10 shutouts on the year and gives the Eagles the slight edge in the nets. He will need to keep that going against the Bobcats if BC plans on playing on Saturday night.

So, where does the advantage lie?

As it often does come playoff time, DDC sees this game won with special teams as it's all but a toss up 5-on-5 and one stat stood out most to DDC when looking at this matchup -- BC is fifth in the country in penalty minutes, averaging 14.4 per game.

Despite that high number of PIMs, the Eagles are fourth in the NCAA in penalty kill. On the other side, Quinnipiac has the fourth-best power play.

Quinnipiac So. F, Sam Anas
is DDC's pick for semifinal
No. 1's game breaker.

This is where DDC thinks the Bobcats capitalize.

QU junior forward Sam Anas and senior forward Travis St. Denis have been game changers this season with the extra man as the pair is tied for second nationally with 10 power play goals a piece.

DDC sees one of these two potting a big-time extra man goal in a big-time spot to move the Bobcats on to Saturday.

Semifinal No. 1's game breaker: Quinnipaic forward, Sam Anas. Look for the dynamic forward to net the game winner on the power play late.

QUINNIPIAC EDGES BOSTON COLLEGE, 4-3.

Semifinal No. 2 --  Denver vs. North Dakota

Hold on one second. DDC needs a Xanax. Ok, thanks. Let's make a pick.

DDC noted in his preview of this game that the rivalry is a mere side note, but the familiarity of these two teams, particularly in 2015-16, is very important. Denver knows UND is loaded offensively and sports a dynamic D-corps that is capable of taking over a game. The Green and White knows the Pioneers are tremendous on the rush and have a top line that can score with anyone in the country.

So, much like in the first semifinal between QU and BC, where does the advantage lie?

DDC believes it's in the line matchups.

North Dakota has the advantage of the last change being the higher seed and this has proved incredibly important for the Green and White down the stretch.

Throwing out the Frozen Faceoff 1-1 tie, in the other four contests between the two this season, the team with the last change got home sweeps.

When UND swept Denver in Grand Forks in December, the Green and White were able to pair their top 4 defensemen against DU's top line. Then, when the Pioneers got their sweep of UND in Colorado in February, the newly minted Pacific Rim line of Danton Heinen, Dylan Gambrell and Trevor Moore got good matchups and took advantage.

With the last change on Thursday, UND will have the opportunity to group their top D-men and their "Heavy Line" of Luke Johnson, Rhett Gardner and Austin Poganski against DU's top line. The Heavy Line was the difference in the Midwest Regional as the trio went to work with a monster forecheck against Northeastern's top forwards and the vaunted CCM Line of Michigan that denied time and space.

UND Sr. F, Drake Caggiula
is DDC's pick for semifinal
No. 2's game breaker.

With the Heavy Line occupying the time of DU's Pacific Rim, UND's CBS line of Drake Caggiula, Brock Boeser and Nick Schmaltz should have more opportunities to create and pace the North Dakota attack.

If UND can lock it down defensively and get solid netminding from Cam Johnson like they did in Cincinnati, they should have plenty enough scoring to move on.

Semifinal No. 2's game breaker: UND forward, Drake Caggiula. The senior has had a penchant for big goals in his career and DDC sees Caggiula netting the Green and White's fourth goal to put away the Pioneers.

NORTH DAKOTA SHAKES OFF THEIR NATIONAL SEMIFINAL STRUGGLES AND BEATS DU, 5-2.

Exhale.

There you have it. Who will be left standing after the semis? Check back later to see who's moving on and who's going home. Thanks for reading.

Frozen Four Semifinal No. 2 -- The Rivalry That Doesn't Matter

Frozen Four National Semifinals -- Thursday, ESPN 2:

Semifinal No. 1 -- Boston College vs. Quinnipiac -- 4 p.m.
Semifinal No. 1 -- Denver vs. North Dakota -- 7:30 p.m.

The rivalry between UND and Denver spans 66 years and 275 games.

It's a rivalry of conference tussles, head coaching antics, controversial injuries and NCAA tournament and Frozen Four battles.

And in the 2015-16 season, the Green and White and the Pioneers have done nothing to settle their legendary rivalry, battling to a 2-2-1 record, with each team sweeping the other on home ice and slugging out a tie in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff third place game.

With all of that said, the rivalry between UND and Denver is nothing more than a side note on Thursday night. This game is all about one matter -- making it to Saturday's national championship game.

For the 276th time and the sixth this season, it's North Dakota versus Denver. Who will move on and who will see their season end?

Here's a look at Frozen Four semifinal No. 2 from Amalie Arena in Tampa with a trip to the national title game on the line in DDC's "Who? What? How?" breakdown.

Who?

Players to watch

Denver Pioneers

DU So. F, Danton Heinen
leads the Pioneers with
48 points (20g, 28a).

So. F, Danton Heinen, 20 goals, 28 assists -- 48 points; Fr. F, Dylan Gambrell, 17g, 30a -- 47 pts (3rd in NCAA in rookie points per game, 1.18); Jr. F, Trevor Moore, 11g, 33a (7th in NCAA in assists per game, .85) -- 44 pts; Jr. D, Will Butcher, 8g, 23a -- 31 pts; Sr. F, Quentin Shore, 13g, 15a -- 28 pts; So. G, Tanner Jaillet, 17-4-5, 2.25 goals against average, .923 save percentage.

University of North Dakota

Fr. F, Brock Boeser, 26g (2nd in NCAA in rookie goals, 4th overall in NCAA), 28a -- 54 pts (2nd in NCAA in rookie scoring, T-5th overall); Sr. F, Drake Caggiula, 21g (T-3rd in NCAA in game-winning goals with 7), 25a -- 46 pts; So. F, Nick Schmaltz, 10g, 34a (T-3rd in NCAA in assists per game with .97) -- 42 pts; Jr. D, Troy Stecher, 8g, 20a -- 28 pts; So. G, Cam Johnson (Mike Richter Award finalist), 22-4-2 (2nd in NCAA in win percentage), 1.67 GAA (2nd in NCAA), .934 SV PCT (T-6 in NCAA).

What?

Standout Stats

Denver 

The Pioneers are 11th in the NCAA in scoring offense, netting 3.30 goals per game and are 13th in the nation in scoring defense, allowing 2.30.

Denver's special team play is around average in the country. The Pioneers are 23rd in power play at 19% and 31st in penalty kill at 82%.

DU's Pacific Rim Line of Danton Heinen, Dylan Gambrell and Trevor Moore have notched 48 goals on the season, accounting for 36.4% of the team's goals.

The Pios are undefeated on the year when leading after two periods (21-0-2), but have not won a game (0-6-2) when trailing heading into the final frame.

UND

The Green and White are 7th in the NCAA in scoring offense with a 3.64 goals per game average and are 2nd in the NCAA in scoring defense, allowing just 1.86 goals per game.

North Dakota is 21st in the NCAA in power play, converting 19.5%, but are much better on the penalty kill, stopping 86.4% of opponent's power plays which is T-6 in the nation.

UND leads the NCAA in plus/minus with a +64. The CBS line of Drake Caggiula (+41), Brock Boeser (+38) and Nick Schmaltz (+39) are slated 1st, 3rd and 2nd nationally.

Just like the rest of the remaining teams in the Frozen Four, UND is undefeated when leading after two periods (25-0-3) this season. The Green and White have not lost a game in 74 chances when taking a lead into the third period.

How?

How'd they get here?

UND So. G, Cam Johnson

Denver (25-9-6) dispatched Boston University 7-2 and Ferris State 6-3 in the West Regional in St. Paul. The Pioneers have lost just twice in 24 games since the Christmas break.

UND (32-6-4) punched their ticket to the Frozen Four for the third-straight season with a 6-2 win over Northeastern and a 5-2 victory over Michigan in the Midwest Regional in Cincinnati. So. G, Cam Johnson took home tournament MVP honors. The Green and White are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games.

There's your look at the second semifinal. Check back tomorrow for DDC's picks of both Frozen Four semifinals. Thanks for reading.

NCAA Tournament -- MW Regional: From The Queen City to Tampa

Midwest Regional at U.S. Bank Arena in Cincinnati, Ohio
Game times and TV information:

Regional Semifinals, Friday:
No. 1 UND vs. No. 4 Northeastern, 1 p.m. CT, ESPNU;
No. 2 Michigan vs. No. 3 Notre Dame, 4:30 p.m. CT, ESPNU.

Regional Final, Saturday, 5 p.m. CT, ESPN2

It's time for "one and done" and "win or go home".

It's time for "season's over" and "survive and advance".

For the 16 teams left across the men's hockey landscape, including the four in Cincinnati's Midwest Regional, it's time for the Big Dance and for each team's chance at the one prize all 60 teams vie for at the beginning of the season -- a national championship.

Take a deep breath. It's time for the NCAA tournament.

It's UND vs. Northeastern and Michigan vs. Notre Dame in the first round. The two winners advance to the regional title game for a chance to skate to Amalie Arena in Tampa for the Frozen Four.

The Green and White are the only team from last year's tournament that are playing this weekend in Cincinnati. UND has advanced to back-to-back Frozen Fours, but are looking to break through with a national championship for the first time since 2000.

The Green and White are familiar with U.S. Bank Arena, winning the Midwest Regional there in 2014.

Here's DDC's "Who? What? How?" breakdown of what will be a terrific weekend in The Queen City. Who will punch their ticket to Tampa?

Who?

Players to watch

NU Sr. F, Kevin Roy

Northeastern University Huskies

Jr. F, Zach Aston-Reese, 14 goals, 29 assists -- 43 points; So. F, Nolan Stevens, 19g, 22a -- 41 pts; Sr. F, Kevin Roy, 10g, 15a -- 25 pts; So. D, Garret Cockerill, 8g, 13a -- 21 pts; Fr. G., Ryan Ruck, 20-10-4, 2.26 goals against average, .912 save percentage.

UND

Fr. F, Brock Boeser, 25g (2nd in NCAA in rookie goals, 4th overall in NCAA), 26a -- 51 pts (2nd in NCAA in rookie scoring, 8th overall); Sr. F, Drake Caggiula, 19g (T-3rd in NCAA in game-winning goals with 7), 25a -- 44 pts; So. F, Nick Schmaltz, 10g, 32a (3rd in NCAA in assists per game with .97) -- 42 pts; Jr. D, Troy Stecher, 8g, 19a -- 27 pts; Mike Richter Award Finalist So. G, Cam Johnson, 20-4-2 (2nd in NCAA in win percentage), 1.64 GAA (2nd in NCAA), .935 SV PCT (T-3 in NCAA).

Notre Dame Fighting Irish

So. F, Anders Bjork, 11g, 22a -- 33 points; So. F, Jake Evans, 8g, 25a -- 33 pts; Sr. F, Thomas DiPauli, 13g, 18a -- 31 pts; Sr. F, Mario Lucia, 12g, 12a -- 24 pts; So. D, Jordan Gross, 9g, 22a -- 31 pts; So. G., Cal Petersen, 19-10-7, 2.19 GAA, .928 SV PCT.

Michigan Fr. F, Kyle Connor

Michigan Wolverines

Fr. F, Kyle Connor, 35g, 34a -- 69 pts; (Hobey Baker Finalist, No. 1 in NCAA in goals, points, 2nd in power play goals (10) and 4th in assists), Jr. F, JT Compher, 14g, 46a -- 60 pts (Hobey Baker Finalist, No. 1 in NCAA in assists, 2nd in points); Jr. F, Tyler Motte, 31g, 23a -- 54 pts (Hobey Baker Finalist, 2nd in NCAA in goals); So. D, Zach Werenski, 10g, 24a -- 34 pts; Sr. G, Steve Racine, 19-5-3, 2.89 GAA, .913 SV PCT.

What?

Standout Stats

UND

The Green and White own the NCAA's third-best scoring defense allowing just 1.85 goals per game and has the NCAA's eighth-best scoring attack with a 3.55 goals per game average.

Drake Caggiula leads the country with a +39 while linemates Nick Schmaltz and Brock Boeser are tied for fourth at +35. Caggiula is tied for third in the NCAA with seven game-winning goals.

North Dakota is 23-0-3 when leading after two periods and has not lost a game when leading after two in an astounding 70 straight games.

Northeastern

The Huskies are 12th in the NCAA with 3.30 goals per game and 20th in goals allowed at 2.48.

Northeastern's power play is 7th in the NCAA, converting 23.5% of their opportunities while their penalty kill has struggled, stopping just 79.4% of opponents chances, which is tied for 46th in the country.

The Huskies are a stalwart 19-2-0 when leading after two periods on the year, but are a paltry 1-10-4 when trailing after two.

Notre Dame

The Fighting Irish are 15th in the NCAA in goals per game (2.31), 14th in goals against (2.31), 10th in power play (21.3%) and 20th in penalty kill (83.7%).

Notre Dame has lost five of their last six games and scored just 11 goals in those six.

The Irish are 18-4-5 when scoring first, but just 1-6-2 when allowing the game's first goal.
 

Michigan

Michigan's explosive offense leads the NCAA in goals per game (4.89) and power play (31.8%). However, they are a below average defensive team, allowing 3.00 goals per game (30th in NCAA) and killing just 79.8% of their opponents power plays (45th in NCAA).

The Wolverine's vaunted trio of Hobey Baker Finalists, the CCM line of Kyle Connor, JT Compher and Tyler Motte are first, second and fourth nationally in points.

Michigan is a +50 in the third period this season and are 17-1-0 when leading after two periods.

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 3 UND (30-6-4) lost to Minnesota Duluth 4-2 and tied Denver 1-1 in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. The Green and White are 8-1-1 in their last 10 games. The Green and White are in the NCAA tournament for the 14th-straight season, the best current mark and second best streak all time.

No. 9 Northeastern (22-13-5) won the Hockey East Championship with wins over UMass-Lowell and Boston College. In the NCAA tournament for the first time since 2009, the Huskies are 20-1-2 in their last 23 games after starting the season 1-11-2.

No. 13 Notre Dame (19-10-7) were swept by Northeastern 3-1, 6-4 in the Hockey East quarterfinals. The Fighting Irish have lost 5 out of their last 6 games. The Fighting Irish are back in the NCAA tournament after missing last season for the first time since 2012.

No. 5 Michigan (24-7-5) beat Penn State 7-2 and Minnesota 5-3 to win the Big 10 tournament. The Wolverines have won four-in-a-row after dropping three straight. The Wolverines are back in the NCAA's for the first time since 2012. Before then, Michigan had made 22 straight tournaments, most all time.

The Pick(s)

So now that you're all caught up on the ins and outs of these four teams, let's get right to it.

North Dakota vs. Northeastern

UND So. G, Cam Johnson
leads a Green and White
defensive attack that is third
best in the NCAA allowing
a 1.85 goals per game mark.

It's pretty crazy to think that a team who has lost just six times all season has been lauded by many as an underdog coming into the NCAA tournament. While UND spent the season piling up wins, going 30-6-4 on the year, they are surely not nearly as hot as the Huskies coming into this weekend.

If you're at all plugged into the college hockey world, you've no doubt heard all about Northeastern's incredible stretch run. After starting the season 1-11-2, the Huskies have rolled, going 21-2-3 the rest of the way, including an active 13-game winning streak and a Hockey East tournament championship.

Stripping all the hype away from this one, this game should be a fantastic start to the tournament. These two teams play with pace and are both explosive offensively. However, this isn't the regular season, the Frozen Faceoff, nor the HEA championship. This is the NCAA tournament and defense usually decides these games.

DDC has heard all the stats from the NU side about how great they are offensively, but the consistent thought has surrounded the Huskies defensive corps. All season long, UND's back end has been nothing short of tough to beat. Sure, they've had their ups and downs, but defensively, the Green and White are as good as anyone in the NCAA.

This is where UND makes its hay. Sophomore goaltender Cam Johnson does it again, slows the hottest team in the country and moves the Green and White to the regional finals.

UND TOPS NORTHEASTERN, 5-2.

Notre Dame vs. Michigan

The Fighting Irish are arguably the coldest team entering the NCAA tournament, dropping five of their last six games after being swept by Northeastern in the first round of the Hockey East tournament two weekends ago.

This is a bad development for Notre Dame as they face the nation's best offensive team in Michigan, who are led by the Hobey Baker Trio CCM line of Kyle Connor, JT Compher and Tyler Motte.

The Wolverines are not a good defensive team, but they score too much to be slowed against an only decent Irish defense.

Michigan rolls into Saturday night.

MICHIGAN BEATS THE IRISH, 6-3.

Midwest Regional Final -- UND vs. Michigan

UND Fr. F, Brock Boeser's
25 goals is second among NCAA
rookies, behind only Michigan's
Kyle Connor in freshman goals.

The college hockey world is salivating.

It's Big Blue vs. the Green and White. It's nine national titles vs. seven. It's the CCM line vs. the CBS line. It's North Dakota vs. Michigan for the chance to advance to the Frozen Four.

These two teams can light it up and the pace in this game will be tremendous. However, Michigan's defense is a huge chink in this team's armor.

The Wolverines are allowing 3.00 goals per game on the season and UND has lost only twice this season when scoring at least three.

Simply put, Michigan has not seen a team this season that can play shutdown defense and despite their eye-popping numbers, they have yet to play a team like North Dakota that can score with them and play tough defense.

DDC expects a huge effort from the Green and White as they slow the CCM line, while the CBS line finds time and space to bury chances against a below average defense. Watch Brock Boeser in this one. His electric shot will devastate Michigan goaltender Steve Racine.

For the third-straight season, the Green and White move on to the Frozen Four.

UND TAKES DOWN THE WOLVERINES, 6-3.

It's time to exhale. Check back later to see if UND can keep it's season alive in their run for green banner No. 8.

 

Roses and Thorns: Moving on to Minneapolis

NCHC playoffs first-round results:

No. 1 UND sweeps No. 8 CC, 7-1, 5-1;
No. 2 SCSU sweeps No. 7 WMU, 4-3 (OT), 4-2;
No. 3 Denver sweeps No. 6 Omaha, 5-2, 4-3 (2 OT);
No. 4 UMD sweeps No. 5 Miami, 5-4, 3-1.

DDC noted in his "Who? What? Where?" preview of UND and Colorado College's National Collegiate Hockey Conference first-round playoff series that it's tough to end somebody's season.

The Green and White evidently didn't agree.

With a 7-1 drubbing on Friday followed by a 5-1 shellacking on Saturday, the UND men's hockey team put the Tigers out of their misery in front of a lively Ralph Engelstad Arena crowd and punched their ticket to the Frozen Faceoff at the Target Center in Minneapolis.

For the 14th-straight season, the Green and White earned a berth in the conference postseason tournament with the last three in the NCHC.

North Dakota pounced on CC both nights with an aggressive pace and scoring punch that saw them pot six goals combined in the two first periods (two Friday, four Saturday).

It was a dominant weekend for UND as they turn their focus to the Frozen Faceoff that hasn't been very kind to the Green and White. North Dakota is just 1-3 in their two trips to the Target Center including two embarrassing losses last season.

Here's what stood out to DDC in this week's Roses and Thorns.

Roses

No. 1 -- Killer Instinct

Another cliche: Let a sleeping dog lie.

Well, Colorado College was just that having lost nine-straight games coming into the series and UND didn't give the Tigers a chance to wake up. The six goals combined in the two first periods buried CC before they even got a chance to get going. UND smelled blood from the drop of the puck on Friday night and never let the Tigers off the mat.

UND's Joel Janatuinen celebrates a goal on Saturday night. The Green and White
were dominant in every facet in the 7-1, 5-1 NCHC playoff sweep of CC, the team's
14th-straight first round playoff series win. (Photo credit: Jesse Trelstad, Grand Forks Herald)

One telling segment for DDC was the first period on Saturday. With Colorado College netminder Jacob Nehama laboring with an obvious injury, UND stepped on the Tiger's throat, dominating the play and peppering the CC net with 14 shots and four goals. North Dakota outshot CC 62-33 on the weekend. This killer instinct is huge for the Green and White. While there will be ebbs and flows in each game left, being able to put away a team when the momentum is clearly in their favor will be extremely important. CC was an inferior opponent this weekend and while games going forward will likely be much more tight, having this killer instinct to bury chances when their opposition is on the ropes could prove vital.

No. 2 -- Extra Man Eruption

UND Fr. D, Hayden Shaw
netted his first two career
goals against the Tigers.

UND has been an average power play team this season despite owning a Top 10 scoring offense. On Friday night, the Green and White exploded for four goals with the extra man. Luke Johnson netted a power play goal just four plus minutes into the game while Joel Janatuinen, Nick Schmaltz and Hayden Shaw added three more. Shaw's goal in the third period was the first in his career. UND looked comfortable with the extra man setting up their attack with precision passing and finishing their chances from all over the zone. The Green and White have shown the ability to dominate while 5-on-5 and with the rest of the season being one-and-done games, adding a significant power play could very well decide games. UND's penalty kill has been one of the best, if not the best, in the NCAA since the start of 2016 and pairing that with the type of power play they showed against CC will be a huge development.

No. 3 -- 'D' Does it's Job

UND allowed just 33 shots and Cam Johnson held the Tigers to two goals on the weekend as the Green and White flexed their muscles defensively. With captain and arguably the team's best stay-at-home defenseman Gage Ausmus out for the weekend due to injury, UND did not miss a beat. Hayden Shaw was great in this series, playing responsible defensively and adding his first two career goals. If Ausmus can't go this coming weekend at the Frozen Faceoff, UND knows it has a reliable substitution in either Shaw or Christian Wolanin. North Dakota sports the third-best goals allowed mark in the NCAA with a 1.86 average and as playoff games tighten up defensively, UND will lean on their blue line. The kind of effort they showed against CC will continue to be absolutely necessary.

No. 4 -- Depth Does it Again

UND Fr. F, Joel Janatuinen
had a three-point weekend,
with 2 goals and 1 assist.

The CBS line of Drake Caggiula (1 goal, 2 assists) , Brock Boeser (5a) and Nick Schmaltz (3g, 3a) were great this weekend tallying 14 points, but for the second weekend in a row, the depth of UND also stepped up with a huge series. The rest of the Green and White notched 22 points on the weekend, including two goals from Shaw, two assists from Paul LaDue and a three point weekend (2g, 1 a) by Janatuinen. As the CBS goes, so goes UND, but if the Green and White can see this kind of consistent depth scoring, they will be very tough to beat going forward.

Thorns

No. 1 -- A Farewell to the Ralph

There's no more pure home-ice advantage for UND.

The Green and White turned out the lights on the Ralph Engelstad Arena for the 2015-16 season with another successful weekend and rounded out a tremendous home record. UND went 16-2-1 in front of the REA faithful this year and for the 14th-straight season, it ended in style with a first-round conference playoffs series win. For the four seniors, Caggiula, Coltyn Sanderson, Colten St. Clair and Bryn Chyzyk and any player potentially leaving for pro contracts, it was their last game at "The Palace on the Prairie." It's always tough to know that UND won't play again in Grand Forks until October, but hopefully, the next time the lights go on at the Ralph, an eighth green banner will join the 16th white one in the rafters.

So that's it. Check back later this week for DDC's preview of the NCHC tournament as UND travels down I-94 to Minneapolis for the Frozen Faceoff from the Target Center. Thanks again for reading.

Roses and Thorns: No Need to Share

NCHC Playoffs First Round Matchups
Best-of-three series, at high seed:

No. 1 UND vs. No. 8 Colorado College;
No. 2 SCSU vs. No. 7 Western Mighigan;
No. 3 Denver vs. No. 6 Nebraska Omaha;
No. 4 Minnesota Duluth vs. No. 5 Miami.

The UND men's hockey team clinched a share of the Penrose Cup with a sweep of Nebraska Omaha last weekend, but after the series, the team made it very clear that a share wasn't enough.

Needing just one point against Western Michigan to become National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions outright, the Green and White wasted no time at the Ralph this past weekend.

UND rolled the Broncos for the entire 60 minute affair, winning in 8-1 fashion on Friday to clinch the Penrose all alone, for the second straight season. The Green and White paraded the Cup around the Ralph in celebration.

With the trophy in hand, UND struggled a bit on Saturday to find the same scoring touch, but battled back from a 3-1 deficit in the first period to a 5-4 win and a sweep in their last regular season series of the season, their 11th sweep of the year.

The CBS line ripped the Broncos on the weekend, tallying 13 points in the series. Brock Boeser's six-point weekend (3 goals, 3 assists) led the freshman to the NCHC scoring title, the first for a rookie in UND history.

Here's what stood out to DDC in UND's sweep of WMU in his last regular season Roses and Thorns column of the season.

Roses

No. 1 -- Brock Boeser and The CBS

As the regular season closed, the CBS regained its form against Western Michigan. The line of Drake Caggiula, Nick Schmaltz and Brock Boeser were incredible this weekend. Schmaltz's highlight reel goal that made it to No. 3 on SportsCenter's Top 10 was the lead, but the CBS didn't stop there. Boeser flashed his scoring touch here at :10 and at :55. Senior Caggiula also chipped in during his final regular season game for UND at 4:21 in this video, this time sniping the game-winner on Saturday to pace a dominant weekend for UND's top line. Boeser took the NCHC scoring title with a tremendous weekend, the first for a UND freshman. This line stirs the drink for the Green and White and with the playoffs kicking off this coming weekend, UND looks for more of the same as the skate for No. 8 starts.

No. 2 -- Sweet Send-Off for the Seniors

"That's tough," Chyzyk said after
UND's 5-4 win,  holding back tears.
"That's tough. Just thinking about
four years going through
your head. . . special place."

Senior night started off a bit rocky as WMU scored three goals on their first four shots of the game leading to starting goaltender Cam Johnson getting pulled in favor of Matt Hyrnkiw, stunning the REA crowd. Trailing 3-1 after the first period, Bryn Chyzyk entered the locker room and let the team know that it wasn't going to end like this. "Screw senior night," alternate captain Chyzyk told his teammates. "We need to win." In the second with Hyrnkiw in the net, Chyzyk responded accordingly, netting a short-handed goal to spark the comeback 5-4 win. Caggiula scored the game winner early in the third. It was a great weekend for the four as Sanderson chipped in two goals on Friday and St. Clair entered the lineup on Saturday after sitting out the night before. After the Saturday night win, the group watched their tribute video and emotions ran high. "Extremely emotional," Caggiula said of his final regular season home game. "It just exceeded everything I thought it could be. Even during the game, there were lots of ups and downs. Then, obviously, with it being senior night. . . it's pretty emotional seeing my mom cry before the game, so I've got to put a little on her. It's emotional but it's a special one." The group of seniors get one more go of it at the REA, in the first round of the NCHC playoffs this weekend against Colorado College.

No. 3 -- Offensive Explosion

UND netted 13 goals on the weekend, including eight on Friday in their highest output of the season. While the CBS line certainly did their part, the Green and White got plenty of secondary scoring against the Broncos. UND's fourth line scored four times on Friday, two each by Sanderson and freshman Chris Wilkie. Chyzyk, freshman Shane Gersich and juniors Paul LaDue and Troy Stecher rounded out the secondary scoring on Saturday. Eight goals from non-CBS players is a big deal for this team. Wilkie looked sharp on Friday and getting goals from the freshman who tied for the lead the USHL scoring title last year, is huge for UND going into the playoffs.

UND gathered with the Penrose Cup after a 8-1 win on Friday night that clinched the NCHC regular season title outright.

While the Penrose win is an important one for the Green and White, the team wants to accomplish much more. "There's other stuff out there for us," UND senior Coltyn Sanderson said after the win. "It's obviously a huge accomplishment, especially with the league we play in. At the same time, this program hasn't won a national championship in a long time. That's on our minds. I know it has been on mine for four years. It is now (on our minds) with the opportunity and skill within our room. That's the only thing we'll be satisfied with this year." (Photo Credit: Eric Hylden, Grand Forks Herald)

Thorns

No. 1 -- Injuries

*Sigh*.... Oh the lovely injury bug makes another appearance in the Thorns section. After a dynamite, four-point night (1g, 3a) on Friday, freshman Nick Schmaltz did not play on Saturday despite skating in warm ups. Schmaltz, who was nicked up in the third on Friday, left the ice and was replaced by Joel Janatuinen, who UND head coach Brad Berry had to call from the dorms to hurry into the lineup. Also adding to the injury frustration, captain Gage Ausmus left in the third on Saturday after taking a slapshot to the foot. The junior defenseman rejoined the sqaud for senior send-off, but the injury is still a concerning one for UND. Schmaltz and Ausmus are two key cogs for the Green and White and their status will be something to watch as UND prepares for the NCHC playoffs.

What a weekend. It's time to strap in, folks. The playoffs are here. Come back later this week as DDC previews the first round of the NCHC playoffs.

Thanks for reading.

Roses and Thorns: Back-to-Back Banners

NCHC Standings:
1) UND (clinched share of league title) 17-4-1-1 -- 53 points;
T-2) Denver, 15-5-2 -- 47 pts; T-2) SCSU, 15-6-1-1 -- 47 pts;
T-4) UMD, 9-10-3-1 -- 31 pts; T-4) Miami, 9-11-2-2 -- 31 pts;
6) Omaha, 8-13-1 -- 25 pts; 7) WMU, 5-16-1-1 -- 17 pts;
8) Colorado College, 4-17-1 -- 13 pts.

UND, DU and SCSU have all clinched home ice
for the first round of the conference playoffs.

Click here for a breakdown of all NCHC scenarios
from the Grand Forks Herald's Brad Schlossman.

 

The UND men's hockey team came into Baxter Arena in Omaha tied for first place atop the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings with St. Cloud State with just two weekends to go in the regular season.

The Green and White were facing an angry Nebraska Omaha squad coming off a rough sweep at the hands of the Huskies while SCSU was at home against a UMD team that got swept in a frustrating series against UND.

Sounds like a recipe for the Penrose Cup to be settled in the last weekend, right?

A pair of sweeps later, one by UND in dominant fashion over Omaha and another in shocking fashion for Minnesota Duluth over St. Cloud, the Green and White return to Grand Forks for the last weekend of the year as Penrose Cup champions for a second straight season. UND can finish no lower than in a tie for first, but will, at worst, share the league title.

It turned out to be a banner weekend for UND (25-5-3). With the 4-2, 4-1 sweep and subsequent UMD sweep over St. Cloud, the Green and White clinched their 17th conference title, the most in college hockey history.

Here's what stood out to DDC in this weekend's Roses and Thorns recap with Omaha and UND.

Roses

No. 1 -- Defensive Dominance

Two weekends ago, UND played arguably their worst defensive weekend as the Green and White were swept in Denver. North Dakota allowed 10 goals in the series while the Pioneers top line exposed UND, finding gaping holes in the slot and in front of the net while DU raced to a sweep. The Green and White got a bit of their defensive mojo back the next week in a sweep of Duluth and carried that momentum through to Omaha. UND was fantastic in the series, filling passing lanes with sticks, winning puck battles and clearing out the net front for goaltender Cam Johnson for a 4-2, 4-1 sweep. North Dakota was flying all series with a terrific team effort on the back check even without their best defenseman Troy Stecher, who served a one-game suspension on Friday night for a checking from behind penalty the Saturday before against UMD. Simply put, if the Green and White play defense like this the rest of the way, they will make a deep run in the NCAA tournament.

No. 2 -- CBS is Must-See-TV, Once Again

UND Sr. F, Drake Caggiula
netted both game-winning
goals this weekend in the
4-2, 4-1 sweep at Omaha.

Injuries and a week of inconsistent play had mired the vaunted CBS line of Drake Caggiula, Brock Boeser and Nick Schmaltz in a bit of a slump over the last handful of weekends. However, against Omaha, the CBS line looks like they are getting back to form at the most important time of the season. Caggiula netted both game winners and added an assist on Saturday, Boeser added a pair of goals, his 21st and 22nd of the season and Schmaltz tallied an assist on Saturday to give the line six points on the weekend. Boeser leads the NCHC in goals, is second nationally in rookie goal scoring and is tied for fourth overall. A bonus rose goes to Caggiula specifically as the senior was all over the ice this weekend on both ends. The Ontario native brought all the bit of the Hobey Baker candidate play he'd shown for large parts of the season, forechecking, winning puck battles and creating scoring chances. UND fans saw what this team can be like during much of this year when this line is at its best and the CBS delivered that against Omaha.

No. 3 -- UND Shows Depth

A consistent storyline for the Green and White this season has been lack of scoring outside of the CBS line. Against the Mavericks, UND showed that they are absolutely more than a one line team. Forward Luke Johnson and defenseman Tucker Poolman netted goals on Friday, then, defenseman Keaton Thompson and forward Bryn Chyzyk added markers on Saturday, as the Green and White delivered the sweep. Austin Poganski added three assists, Johnny Simonson added a pair of helpers, while Poolman and Chyzyk also added assists, for a successful team statistical weekend.  The line of Johnson, Poganski and Rhett Gardner were terrific on Saturday, adding a physical element to the UND attack.

UND Jr. D, Keaton Thompson celebrates his second goal of the season on Saturday.
Thompson scored one of four non-CBS line goals in the series as UND swept
Nebraska Omaha 4-2, 4-1 in Omaha to clinch a share of the NCHC title.
(Photo Credit: Chris Machian, Omaha World-Herald)

Honorable Mention -- TRF Skates to State

One special shoutout to DDC's hometown Thief River Falls Prowlers as they topped defending Class A State champion East Grand Forks 3-1 in the Section 8A championship game to advance to the Minnesota State Tournament. Hopefully the Green and White brass are talking a good, hard look at TRF senior Ethan Johnson. The forward netted two goals in the title game, his 44th and 45th of the season. Johnson had seven goals in the section tournament and his 45 goals on the year is fourth-best in the state. DDC coached several of these young men in youth baseball during his high school days. Big props to DDC's hometown Prowlers.

Thief River Falls’ Brendan Bushy (66) and Wyatt Ortloff pile on top of teammate Ethan Johnson
after Johnson scored an empty-net goal to seal the Prowlers’ win over East Grand Forks on Thursday
in the Minnesota Section 8A championship game. (Photo Credit: Eric Hylden, Grand Forks Herald)

Thorns

No. 1 -- One Weekend Left

It's hard to believe, but there is only one weekend left in the regular season. UND's series against Western Michigan this weekend brings senior weekend, which will certainly be an emotional one for the four seniors, Bryn Chyzyk, Coltyn Sanderson, Colten St. Clair and Drake Caggiula. With the Penrose Cup likely in the house, UND needs just one point to take the conference title outright. It would be a fitting end for this group of four to skate with the "Penne Rosa" on their senior night. Here's to hoping the Green and White can make that happen. 

Thanks for reading. Come back later this week as DDC takes a look at UND's last regular season series of the season, as they take on the Western Michigan Broncos at the Ralph.