DDC's Top 10 Moments of 2015-16 -- No. 2 -- The Best Hockey Play He's Ever Seen

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. (Photo credit: Associated Press)

Thanks again for checking back in to DDC's Top 10 moments of the 2015-16 season for the EIGHT-time NCAA hockey national champion, UND men's hockey team.

Nearly a month later and that still feels so good to say.

National. Champion.

*Deep breath* *Smile*

Soak it in, once again.

Ok, so back to it. We're down to the final two and this particular play, DDC has no shame in saying it, is the best single hockey play he has ever seen.

In a season full of memories and history, this play will be the one that fans of the Green and White talk about for generations to come.

This play is the first play that DDC will show baby Emma and all future DDC babies when telling them how special this 2015-16 squad was.

No. 2A -- The Tic-Tic-Tic-Tac-Toe Goal -- UND vs. Miami, Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D., November 13, 2015.

Sports fans all have those plays that will forever be etched into their minds. The beauty of sports often provides unforgettable ones that will span the test of time. Those plays that will be shown on highlight reels for all time. The plays that cause that "remember where you were, when..." feeling.

Being raised a New York professional sports fan, DDC's lean heavily to the east. Yankee captain Derek Jeter's dive into the stands to make a catch against the Red Sox. David Tyree's sticky-helmet catch in Super Bowl XLII against the Patriots. Stephane Matteau's double OT goal in Game 7 of the Eastern Conference Finals against the Devils. These are the pro clips he will show his children. DDC remembers where he was for all of these plays.

For his beloved UND hockey team, DDC's most memorable plays elicit the same feelings. Evan Trupp's diving game-winning goal against the Gophers. Robbie Bina's full-sheet goal, also against Minnesota. Chris Porter's regional-winning overtime tally... again... against the Gophers. These are the UND version of the "remember where you were, when..." goals.

Simply put, this goal passes all. DDC thinks you remember this one very well.

Remember this one? Yeah, DDC isn't surprised. He watched this goal on a 26" TV at one of his best friend's new house, while standing up as he had yet to bring chairs downstairs. DDC remembers giggling as he ran into the other room to explain the goal while he worked on his newly-bought home. It will be a moment DDC never forgets. It's the appropriate feeling for a play like this.

Schmaltz to Boeser to Caggiula to Stecher to Boeser to Schmaltz. Tic-tic-tic-tic-tac-toe.

Watching it again for the possibly millionth time, DDC starts to giggle when Boeser taps it to Stecher. By the time Schmaltz finishes the play, DDC's smile is a big as humanly possible and the laugh is now emanating from his belly. 

The buzz this goal created was unreal.

"I don't think I've been in a play with so many passes tic-tac-toe on the tape," Nick Schmaltz said in the postgame presser.

“In the moment, you didn’t think it was as cool as everyone was saying,” Boeser added. “But the bench just kept saying “wow’.”

“Those are special,” head coach Brad Berry said. “Those are things you like to see.”

From Bleacher Report to Twitter to TSN, this play reached college hockey legend. 

Another incredible moment from the CBS line. What a joy. Thank you, men, for giving us a play for the ages.

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

UND Fr. F, Shane Gersich celebrates his goal giving the Green and White a 1-0 lead in the first period
of their 5-1 win over Quinnipiac in the national championship game. (Photo: David Samson, The Forum)

Thanks for heading back to the blog as DDC continues his countdown of his top 10 moments of UND's banner year, 2015-16.

So far, we’ve had a new coach, the birth of a now legendary line, battles with the Pios setting up a later moment, earning back-to- back banners and all goalie questions becoming goalie afterthoughts.

It’s been a fun first five moments, but now, we’re getting into the big stuff.

If No. 10 through No. 6 were big, DDC will go as far as to say that No. 5 through No. 1 are the moments that UND fans will be talking about forever. These are the moments of history. These five moments are the ones that when everyone looks into the rafters of the REA at green banner No. 8, they will remember first and foremost. These are the stuff of legend.

So, without further fanfare, let’s get back into it.

No. 5 – Drake’s Windmill – UND vs. Alabama Huntsville, Ralph Engelstad Arena, January 2, 2016.

Up to the point of DDC’s No. 5 moment, the weekend in question as a whole had been kind of a quiet one.

UND was playing a non-conference game against a UAH team that had like 3 wins in a 50 year span (just kidding, but they were really bad) the students were still away on Christmas break, the Green and White had squeaked by with a 1-0 the night before with two-thirds of the CBS line out due to the World Junior Championship and were tied 1-1 with the Chargers in the middle of the second period while on the penalty kill.

Then, Caggiula decided to take the game into his own hands.

What DDC remembers most about this goal is the crowd.

Eight seconds in, dull roar, the shorthanded chance develops. Eleven seconds in, gasp! louder roar, Drake goes over the top, leaves the puck behind the defender. Twelve seconds in, Drake gathers the puck, louder gasp! LOUD ROAR! Thirteen seconds in, Drake dekes, undresses the goalie, buries, bye, bye REA roof.

A special player yet again making a special play. The hands, the creativity and the finishing ability. A truly dynamic triple threat.

Just for the heck of it, here's a really great video of some of Drake's career highlights with a lot of 2015-16 flavor. We've enjoyed your time here, Mr. Caggiula. You will be missed. Enjoy.

No. 4 -- "This Happens Like Once Every 10 Years" -- UND vs. UMD, Ralph Engelstad Arena, February 19, 2016

Those closest to DDC know very well that one of his favorite movies of all time is the horribly underrated Adam Sandler movie Big Daddy.

In DDC's second favorite scene (first is the McDonald's scene), Julian (or Frankenstein as he prefers to be called), Sonny's "adopted" child, wakes up from his nap in the midst of a New York Rangers game that has gone to overtime. During said overtime, the Rangers have been awarded a penalty shot. Julian wakes up and per his tradition, wants to watch "The Kangaroo Song". Sonny then explains to young Julian the importance of the upcoming penalty shot and notes "this happens like once every 10 years." Hilarity ensues. Please watch ... DDC promises it sets up his No. 4 moment (1:38 in). Watch the whole clip if you want to remember how flippin' amazing this movie is.

"ALLLLRIIIIIIIGHHHHT! GOD, you were normal yesterday!"

So great. Now... onto how it relates to the 2015-16 UND men's hockey team.

With the Green and White reeling after being swept for the first time on the road since 2011 a week earlier at the hands of Denver, UND was desperate for a home win against Minnesota Duluth. DDC was informed midway through the third period that Big Daddy just so happened to be on Comedy Central. "Good. I'll watch it after we win," DDC said to himself.

In overtime, Austin Poganski was hauled down on a partial breakway and was awarded a penalty shot.

The last time the Green and White won a game in overtime with a penalty shot? 2004 (Drew Stafford cashes in on Jimmy Howard at Maine called by the legendary Doc Emrick who calls Stafford "Dave") .... for the purposes of DDC's story... "this happens like once every 10 years."

In a seemingly Godly turn of fate, Sonny's words rang true. Pogo went to his "go-to move", beat Bulldog goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo with a backhander giving UND an incredible moment in a 2-1 win.

DDC then remembered Big Daddy was on and all was officially right with the world. Magical.

There's No. 4 and 5. Come back soon for moment No. 3 ... A CBS liner flips the narrative.

Thanks for reading.

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.

It's Time to Write History -- Men's Hockey National Championship

UND fans again showed why they're the best in the college hockey world
and they were treated to an epic finish on Thursday. (Photo: GF Herald)

It came in a split second and it resonated in the pit of DDC's stomach.

It's a feeling that he and the rest of the Green and White faithful have become all too familiar with.

A centering pass from the sideboards deflected off of UND junior captain Gage Ausmus' stick and bled through netminder Cam Johnson's five hole and to the back of the net.

Sixteen years of heart-wrenching memories popped to the forefront of DDC's mind. A collective uneasiness could be felt from Tampa, to the Twin Cities, to Grand Forks and back.

Nathan Gerbe. Shawn Hunwick. 0.6.  Jack Eichel.

"Not again," DDC mumbled to himself under his breath.

With nine minutes left to go in the national semifinals, UND was on the ropes as Denver knotted the game at 2-2.

While the narrative of the past 16 years of disappointments flooded the minds of the fans, first-year head coach Brad Berry never lost faith in his team. The sentiment was clear. Not this year. Not this team. They've come too far, fought too hard. It's time for history to change. It's time for the narrative to change.

Denver continued to jump. Johnson continued to come up large in the UND net.

Then, in less than four seconds, the haunting narrative died.

Exactly one minute to go with a faceoff in the Denver zone. Brock Boeser won the draw. Drake Caggiula fired the puck that hit traffic in the slot. Boeser gathered the bounce and fired a backhander towards the net. Nick Schmaltz snagged the shot, stayed on his backhand --- and buried it.

The sophomore forward not only buried the puck to the back of the net ... he buried the narrative.

UND So. F, Nick Schmaltz buried the game-winning goal with 57 seconds left in the third period on Thursday. The Green
and White topped Denver 4-2 to advance to the National Championship game on Saturday. (Photo: Eric Hylden, GF Herald)

An empty netter later, UND was moving on to the national championship game with a 4-2 and the heart-wrenching feeling from Tampa, to the Twin Cities, to Grand Forks and back had been replaced with elation.

With the 16-year run of Frozen Four heartaches shattered, in the post-game press conference, the Green and White had already turned the page.

When asked about his feeling of getting the proverbial national semifinal monkey off their back, the senior Caggiula noted that their job is not over.

"When you first step on the University of North Dakota campus, the first thing you talk about is winning a national championship. For the first three years, we came up short and as a senior class we want to leave this program with a national championship. We're one step closer, there. We're going to get ready for Saturday and hopefully win the national championship we've been working four years for."

UND has their shot.

The Final Box to Check

Two teams are left. Quinnipiac, the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA tournament, is waiting.

With a 3-2 victory over perennial power Boston College in the first semifinal, the Bobcats are looking to write a narrative of their own.

Quinnipiac is a relative infant to the Frozen Four stage, having made the national championship final just one other time, losing to Yale in 2013, but the Bobcats are looking to make their permanent mark on men's college hockey.

The ECAC champion Bobcats have been at or near the top of the national ranking all season, having lost just three times.

They, like North Dakota, have big aspirations on Saturday night.

Who will be the team to check that final box of season-long goals and hoist the national championship?

The Pick

National Championship game:

North Dakota vs. Quinnipiac -- 7 p.m.
ESPN 2.

Will it be No. 1 for Quinnipiac to cap off a dominant season or will it be No. 8, the long-awaited green banner to hang from the Ralph Engelstad Arena rafters for North Dakota?

Let's get one thing straight. Saturday's title game is featuring the two best college hockey teams in the land. This isn't because they are in the title game, it's because these two teams have shown all season that they belong on this stage. After multiple years of dazzling runs by relative underdog teams like Minnesota Duluth, Yale, Union and Providence, these two teams are the best of the best.

Quinnipiac is dynamic, fast, incredibly structured and very talented in net. Again, this team hasn't just magically lost just three games all season. The Bobcats were relentless against BC in the semifinals and created their goals by flat out outworking the Eagles.

Those superlatives are a mirror image of UND. Each team has the ability to shut their opponent down and bury big-time, clutch goals.

Both teams look to have a key junior forward either out or slowed on Saturday night.

QU junior Hobey Baker finalist Sam Anas battled off a shoulder injury in the ECAC tournament and played through the regionals, but came off the ice in the first period against BC and only came back in a limited role the rest of the way. While he appears ready to play, Anas is nowhere near 100%.

UND Jr. F, Luke Johnson
will likely miss Saturday's
title game after a lower-body
injury forced him out of
Thursday's semifinal victory.

On the other bench, UND junior Luke Johnson collided with a teammate early on in the game on Thursday and never returned to action. He is most likely out for the title game.

For both QU and UND, it's next man up.

With these two teams as about even as can possibly be, what will be the difference?

Both teams are dominant in both zones. QU has the better power play, but UND has the better penalty kill. Both teams have Mike Richter finalist goaltenders.

The media has echoed the difference, in DDC's mind. The X-Factor looks to be talent. Before the average reader fills my comment board, please bear with DDC, here. QU has loads of talent, but the Green and White have just a little bit more.

All season long, UND fans have been treated to a team that has that "It-Factor." That extra special, dynamic, game-breaking, cold-blooded piece that DDC has talked about from the start of the season that separates them from the rest of the pack.

It's the tic-tic-tic-tac-toe goal against Miami.

It's Nick Schmaltz and Brock Boeser (:50 in) toe drags.

It's Drake Caggiula's windmill game winner.

It's Austin Poganski's go-to move.

UND Fr. F, Brock Boeser
is DDC's pick National Title
game-breaker pick.

The "It-Factor".

And for the first time in 16 years, that will make the difference as North Dakota takes home the title.

The National Championship game-breaker: Freshman Forward, Brock Boeser. This kid has been special. And as he has so many times this year, Boeser will do it again, scoring UND's eventual national championship-winning goal in the third period.

UND RAISES IT -- THEIR FIRST NATIONAL CHAMPIONSHIP SINCE 2000, 4-2.

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.

Roses and Thorns: Two Boxes Left to Check

UND celebrates their 5-2 win over Michigan in the Midwest
Regional final on Saturday. Coupled with their 6-2 victory over
Northeastern on Friday, the Green and White punched their ticket
to the Frozen Four for the third-straight season. (Photo: GF Herald)

When UND men's hockey coach Brad Berry took over the 2015-16 squad from the NHL-departing Dave Hakstol, he immediately met with the team and made sure they knew that expectations weren't changing.

The Green and White had finished their past two seasons in the national semifinals and Berry made it clear in his first meeting as bench boss that the team had two boxes left to check -- get to the national title game and bring home green banner No. 8 to the REA rafters.

After two convincing wins in the NCAA tournament's Midwest Regional in Cincinnati, North Dakota, once again, has just two boxes left to check.

The Green and White took the crown in the Queen City, overwhelming red-hot Northeastern 6-2 and shutting down Michigan and the vaunted CCM line, 5-2 and punched their ticket to Tampa and the Frozen Four for the third-straight season.

It was an impressive weekend for UND and here's what stood to DDC is his Roses and Thorns column, NCAA tournament style.

Roses

No. 1 -- Relentless Defense

UND head coach Brad Berry
after the 5-2 win over Michigan:

"I truly believe we have a special group
in our locker room," Berry said.
"They do the right things on and off
the ice. It's a team culture. It's a team-first
mentality. We've got a lot of high-end
players in that locker room.
They check their egos at the door.
It's team first and I think you witnessed
that this weekend."

The lead storyline coming into the Midwest Regional, outside of Northeastern's second-half success, was the offenses. The Huskies had the 12th-best scoring offense in the NCAA and the 7th-best power play, UND's was 8th led by the vaunted CBS line and the Wolverines, headlined by a trio of Hobey Baker Finalists, the CCM line, carried the best scoring offense and best power play. Who was going to score the most goals and head to Tampa? Well, simply put, it was the tenacious effort by the UND defense that stole the show and led UND to another Frozen Four. All weekend, the Green and White did not let either the Huskies nor the Wolverines time and space to create. They were incredible in the neutral zone. After dispatching NU in the first round, UND kept the CCM line of JT Compher, Kyle Connor and Tyler Motte at bay and made them do something that no other team had all season -- play dump and chase hockey. The CCM was a combined -7 on Saturday. This allowed the Green and White to control play and let their offense go to work. UND outshot their opponents by a 75-53 margin, allowing Michigan just 27 in the title game.  It was an amazing effort of sticks in lanes, board battle wins and net front efforts that led North Dakota. Goaltender Cam Johnson was solid, allowing just 2 goals per game to earn regional MVP honors. What a weekend from this defense against two tremendous offenses.

No. 2 -- Luke Johnson and the "Heavy Line"

The Junior forward has often been maligned by UND fans for his play in his career due to some ill-timed penalties and inconsistent play. But, Johnson has been nothing short of impressive in the NCAA tournament. Grouped on the newly dubbed "Heavy Line" with Rhett Gardner and Austin Poganski, Johnson notched a goal in each game this weekend and earned all-regional first team honors. The Grand Forks native has now scored a goal in five-straight NCAA tournament games, netting the eventual game winner on Friday and adding a crucial goal on Saturday with just 45 seconds left in the second period to give UND a 2-1 lead. Johnson and the Heavy Line's impact wasn't just offensive. The trio had a major part in shutting down the CCM line on Saturday with a terrific forecheck. Hats off to this trio, lead by Johnson.

UND's Rhett Gardner and the newly coined "Heavy Line" with Austin Poganski
and Luke Johnson had a tremendous weekend, notching 3 of UND's 11 goals and
leading a staunch defensive charge allowing just four goals in two games.
(Photo credit: Jesse Trelstad, Grand Forks Herald)

No. 3 -- UND's Depth

UND So. F, Johnny Simonson
scored a huge goal on Friday
with the Green and White trailing
1-0. It was Simonson's first goal
since October. The forward tallied
one of eight non-CBS line goals
on the weekend for UND.

For much of the season, a consistent storyline for the Green and White was their ability, or inability, of players outside of the top-flight CBS line to score goals. Once again, this is clearly in the rear-view mirror. The CBS did their part as both Brock Boeser and Drake Caggiula scored on Friday while Caggiula netted UND's first goal on Saturday, but the rest of the team did the heavy lifting on the weekend. The Green and White scored 11 goals on the weekend and the effort was from all over the lineup. Johnny Simonson scored UND's first goal on Friday, with the team trailing 1-0 in the first, his first since October. Then, Tucker Poolman, Luke Johnson and Bryn Chyzyk tallied the next three to put Northeastern away. On Saturday, it was more of the same. Caggiula opened the scoring for UND, but with the game tied 2-2, the Green and White depth took over with goals by Rhett Gardner and Coltyn Sanderson just 1:14 apart in the third period to send the Green and White to Tampa. Paul LaDue added an empty-netter to round out the 5-2 win. Scoring 11 goals in a regional is impressive. Even more impressive when just three of those came from UND's best forward line. This is a huge statement for the Green and White. This squad is absolutely not a one-line team.

Thorns

No. 1 -- John Siminson, Cam Jansen, UND's CCM line and the TV Announcers

Woof. DDC knows this is silly, but it's worth mentioning -- who were these guys calling the games at the Midwest Regional? Ok, ok .... yes, this doesn't matter, but it certainly was annoying listening to the color man mention how many times he was the MVP of the regional when he played for Boston University while butchering simple names for UND. He certainly knew the names of the CCM, except when he called the CBS line the CCM. The Green and White dominated both teams in the regional, but somehow, the game always seemed close with this duo's constant love for non-existent consistent offensive pressure. Thank you for the coverage of this tournament, ESPN, but c'mon, let's get these guys to do a little pregame prep, eh? *Deep breath* ok... rant over.

No. 2 -- The Ref Check Heard 'Round the World

Ok, so this might be a bit of a rose, as it was hilarious, but where in the heck did that ref come from that delivered a huge check behind the net after Caggiula's goal on Saturday? If you haven't yet seen it, check out this bomb of a hit.

Cag was just about to go for a big celly, but this ref wasn't having it. DENIED! UND has done more celebrations this season than in years past with a more relaxed team style, so maybe former head coach Dave Hakstol got in this guy's ear to not allow this anymore. Great form. DDC is dying to know what Caggiula said to the man in stripes, but Troy Stecher did a good job to keep this laughable. Good stuff.

For fans of the Green and White, we've been here before. Up next, it's UND vs. Denver in the national semifinals in Tampa. Check back this week for more as North Dakota's chase for No. 8 continues. Thanks for reading!

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.