Friday Gameday: "We Don't Wanna Share That Thing"

With a 4-2, 4-1 sweep last weekend in Omaha and a subsequent sweep by UMD over St. Cloud State, the UND men's hockey team clinched a share of the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular season champions.

For the Green and White, simply put, that isn't enough.

Senior Bryn Chyzyk made that point very clear in this interview for "Through These Doors" after the Saturday win over the Mavericks.

As Chyzyk said, "We don't wanna share that thing."

Chyzyk and his three senior classmates, Drake Caggiula, Colten St. Clair and Coltyn Sanderson, will play their last regular season series in the Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend as Western Michigan comes to town.

With 1 point this weekend, UND will win the Penrose outright, but with the playoffs just one week away, the Green and White cannot let off the gas.

Here's what to watch for as North Dakota and WMU set to faceoff in DDC's weekly "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to watch

Western Michigan

WMU Fr. F, Griffen Molino

Fr. F, Griffen Molino, 10 goals, 11 assists -- 21 points; Jr. F, Sheldon Dries, 10g, 7a -- 17 pts; Sr. F, Nolan LaPorte, 7g, 7a -- 14 pts; So. F, Frederik Tiffels, 6g, 7a -- 13 pts; Fr. F, Colt Conrad, 5g, 8a -- 13 pts; Sr. G., Lukas Hafner, 5-16-3, 3.59 goals against average, .897 save percentage.

UND

Fr. F, Brock Boeser, 22g (2nd in NCAA in rookie goals, T-4 overall in NCAA), 15a -- 37 pts (5th in NCAA in rookie scoring); Sr. F, Drake Caggiula, 17g, 19a -- 36 pts; So. F, Nick Schmaltz, 4g, 26a (5th in NCAA in assists per game with .93) -- 30 pts; Jr. D, Troy Stecher, 6g, 16a -- 22 pts; So. F, Austin Poganski, 8g, 13a -- 21 pts; So. G, Cam Johnson, 17-3-1 (2nd in NCAA in win percentage), 1.54 GAA (2nd in NCAA), .940 SV PCT (2nd in NCAA), 5 shutouts (T-5 in NCAA).

What?

Standout Stats

UND Fr. F, Brock Boeser
leads the NCHC in goals
(17) and points (29) in
conference games.

UND is allowing just 1.82 goals per game which slates them second in the NCAA.

The Green and White are 10th in the NCAA in goals per game with a 3.35 average. Western Michigan is 51st in the country at 2.19.

UND freshman Brock Boeser leads the NCHC in both goals (17) and points (29) in conference games. No North Dakota freshman has ever finished the season a top the conference scoring charts in either category.

North Dakota has the country's 6th-best penalty kill at 87.6% and since December 1st, the Green and White leads the NCAA with a 95.5% mark including 12 straight kills in their last four games.

The Green and White are 20-0-2 when leading after 2 periods this season and has not lost when leading after two in more than two years.

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 2 UND (No. 2 in PWR, 26-5-3, 17-4-1-1 -- 53 points, clinched at least a share of NCHC regular season title) swept Nebraska Omaha in Omaha 4-2, 4-1.

Western Michigan (8-21-3, 5-16-1-1 -- 17 pts, 7th in NCHC) was swept at home against Denver, 5-1, 4-1.

North Dakota swept the Broncos 2-0, 2-1 in Kalamazoo on January 29-30.

The Pick

DDC had to think hard last weekend, for a variety of reasons, to pick a sweep against Nebraska Omaha.

While the thought of a letdown after a convincing sweep that clinched UND's 17th conference title, the most in college hockey history, has crossed DDC's mind, this blogger just doesn't see it happening.

It's senior weekend at the Ralph and the four men leaving this program at season's end won't let the Green and White take a step back.

UND clinched at least a share of the Penrose Cup with a sweep last weekend
in Omaha. Will the Green and White skate away from their series
against the Western Michigan Broncos as outright champions?

WMU plays an aggressive and physical style of play, evidenced by two tight-checking games in Kalamazoo. UND grinded out a sweep 2-0, 2-1 in January and the Broncos will look to bring the same type of game to the Ralph

One point separates UND from outright possession of the Penrose Cup and DDC expects the Green and White to come out firing on Friday night to earn that. 

The Green and White are more talented in every facet than this WMU squad and with the conference tournament one week away, it's time for UND to flex its muscles.

UND SWEEPS ON SENIOR WEEKEND, 5-1, 3-0.

Thanks for reading. Check back early next week to see if UND didn't have to share the Penrose.

Friday Gameday: A Shot at the Top

Hockey fans, we coming down the stretch.

It's hard to believe, but there are just five regular season series left for the UND men's hockey team and this weekend is huge one in the chase for the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions.

The Green and White sit just three points behind first place St. Cloud State coming into this weekend. With the Huskies playing in the North Star College Cup, a four-point series against Western Michigan would put UND all alone a top the conference.

Just like last weekend against Colorado College, the Green and White will be without some vitally important scorers against the Broncos. UND has ruled out Drake Caggiula, Nick Schmaltz and Chris Wilkie for this series and again, it will be up to the depth of North Dakota to be successful.

Here's what DDC is watching for from Lawson Arena in Kalamazoo, Michigan in this week's "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to watch

WMU Sr. G, Lukas Hafner

Western Michigan

Fr. F, Griffen Molino, 7 goals, 11 assists -- 18 points; Jr. F, Sheldon Dries, 10g, 4a -- 14 pts; Fr. F, Colt Conrad, 5g, 8a -- 13 pts; Sr. F, Nolan LaPorte, 5g, 6a -- 11 pts. Likely to return this weekend after missing the last three games due to injury; Sr. G., Lukas Hafner, 5-9-3, 3.49 goals against average, .901 save percentage.

UND

Sr. F, Drake Caggiula, 15 (T-10th in NCAA), 15a -- 30 pts (T-11th in NCAA) Out this weekend due to injury; So. F, Nick Schmaltz, 3g, 24a (3rd in NCAA) -- 27 pts. Out this weekend due to injury; Fr. F, Brock Boeser, 15g (2nd in NCAA in rookie goals, T-10 overall in NCAA), 12a -- 27 pts (4th in NCAA in rookie scoring); Jr. D, Troy Stecher, 5g, 14a -- 19 pts; Sr. F, Bryn Chyzyk, 9g, 7a -- 16 pts; So. G, Cam Johnson, 11-1-1 (1st in NCAA in win percentage), 1.42 GAA (1st in NCAA), .942 SV PCT (T-2 in NCAA).

What?

UND Jr. G, Cam Johnson

Standout Stats

UND goalie Cam Johnson continues to be near the atop or near the top in the country in all three major statistical categories, .885 win percentage (T-1st), 1.42 goals against average (1st) and .942 save percentage (T-2).

UND is allowing just 1.77 goals per game which is third in the NCAA. Western Michigan is 59th out of 60 in goals allowed with a 3.96 mark.

WMU is last in the country in penalty kill, stopping just 68.8% of their opponents power plays.

The Green and White are 11-0-2 when leading after the first period this season and 17-0-2 when leading after 2. The Broncos are 4-1-0 when leading after 1 and 6-0-0 after 2. 

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 2 UND (20-3-3, 11-2-1-1 -- 35 points, 2nd in NCHC) tied 5-5 and won the shootout for the extra NCHC point on Friday and won 5-1 on Saturday at home against Colorado College. With St. Cloud State playing two non-conference games this weekend, UND has an opportunity to move into first alone with at least four points, against WMU.

Western Michigan (7-14-3, 4-9-1 -- 13 pts, 7th in NCHC) got swept at the hands of St. Cloud State 8-2 and 7-3 in St. Cloud. After sweeping CC in early December, the Broncos have skidded to a 1-4-2 record in their last seven games.

The Pick

While it's again a tall task for UND to be without its top two scorers, the Green and White showed last weekend that it certainly has the ability to score goals. Adding to the lineup frustration, reigning NCHC rookie of the week and the team's third-leading goal scorer, Rhett Gardner is questionable for the series due to illness.

With injuries gripping the UND lineup, Fr. F, Brock Boeser will look to pace
the Green and White offensive attack. (Photo credit: Grand Forks Herald)

Despite the injuries, North Dakota netted 10 goals against Colordo College, en route to a five-point weekend as their defense played sharp on Saturday, allowing just 19 shots against the Tigers. Against a Broncos squad that has had trouble finding the back of the for large portions of the season, the Green and White have a definitive edge in the 'D'-zone.

Sophomore goaltender Cam Johnson had a bit of a rocky weekend against CC, getting pulled in the second period on Friday night, but bounced back admirably on Saturday, while still not looking as crisp as he has throughout the 2015-16 campaign. If Johnson can get back to form and the Green and White continue to play as they have defensively all year, UND has plenty of offense to off-set the losses in the forward group. Look for Troy Stecher and Tucker Poolman to be very active from the blue line against a WMU team that has been leaky for much of this season.

UND SWEEPS IN "THE ZOO" AND VAULTS INTO THE NCHC DRIVER'S SEAT, 4-1, 4-2

Check back early in the week to see how it all went down. Thanks for reading.