Friday Gameday: The Best College Hockey Has to Give

UND and Minnesota renew pleasantries this weekend in Grand Forks for the first time since 2013. (Photo: UND sports)

DDC has done the superlatives before.

It's memories of Matt Frattin steamrolling Kevin Wehrs. It's Blake Wheeler with an improbable diving goal for a Final Five Gophers victory. It's Chris Porter potting an overtime winner one week later to send the Fighting Sioux to the Frozen Four. It's Robbie Bina's 180-foot bouncing puck for a goal in Mariucci. It's 0.6.

It's in-game and postgame scrums. It's intensity. It's passion. It's the best college hockey has to give.

It's UND vs. Minnesota and simply put, it's The Rivalry.

No. 4 North Dakota and No. 7 Minnesota faceoff this weekend and for the first time since 2013, the Gophers travel up to Grand Forks to take on UND. Frankly, there's really not much else that needs to be said about it as all who read this know what this series is all about.

Strap it on, boys and girls. This one will be fun.

Here's what to watch for in DDC's weekly "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to Watch

Fr. F. Casey Mittelstadt
was the 8th-overall pick
in the 2017 NHL Draft
of the Buffalo Sabres.

Minnesota Golden Gophers:

Jr. F, Tommy Novak, 1 goal, 3 assists -- 4 points; So. F, Rem Pitlick, 1g, 3a -- 4 pts; Fr. F, Brannon McManus, 3g, 0a -- 3 pts; Fr. F, Casey Mittelstadt, 2g, 1a -- 3 pts; Jr. F, Tyler Sheehy and Fr. F. Scott Reedy both likely out this weekend due to injury; Jr. G, Eric Shierhorn, 2-2-0, 2.50 goals against average, .918 save percentage.

University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks:

Jr. F, Rhett Gardner, 1g, 2a -- 3 pts; Jr. D, Christian Wolanin, 1g, 2a -- 3 pts; Jr. F, Joel Janautinen, 0g, 3a -- 3 pts; Jr. F, Shane Gersich, 1g, 1a -- 2 pts; Fr. F, Collin Adams, 2g, 0a -- 2 pts; Fr. F, Grant Mismash, 1g, 1a -- 2 pts; Sr. G, Cam Johnson, 3-0-1, 1.23 GAA, .938 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Minnesota:

The Gophers are averaging 19 penalty minutes per game, tied for 4th-most nationally.

Minnesota is tied for 13th in the nation in team scoring with a 3.00 goals per game average.

The Gophers have allowed six power play goals in 18 chances this season. The 66.7% penalty kill is tied for 50th out of 54 teams.

UND:

UND is tied for 4th in team defense, nationally allowing just 1.25 goals per game and are 7th in Penalty Kill at 93.8%.

Senior netminder Cam Johnson is tied for 8th nationally with a 1.23 goals against average.

The Fighting Hawks are allowing just 20.25 shots on goals per game, the best mark in the NCAA.

How?

How’d they get here?

No. 7 Minnesota (2-2-0; 1-1-0 BTHC) split at home against Penn State last weekend, losing 3-1 on Friday and winning 6-3 on Sunday. Freshman Brannon McManus notched his first three career goals for his first collegiate hat trick in Sunday's win.

No. 4 UND (3-0-1) swept St. Lawrence last weekend at home, 2-1 and 6-1. The Green and White had six different scorers in Saturday night's win. Senior goalie Cam Johnson and Freshman forward Grant Mismash were tabbed as NCHC goaltender and rookie of the week with their performances against St. Lawrence.

Ranked 4th and 7th respectively, this will be UND and Minnesota's first meeting since January 18-19, 2013 in which the two teams faceoff as Top 10 teams in the polls. That was the last time the Gophers took on UND in Grand Forks. 

The Pick

Gross.

DDC has so many memories of this beloved and historic rivalry. 

 

It started in his youth with players like Jay and Jeff Panzer rolling over Minnesota in the old REA. Through high school, DDC watched players like Grant Potulny, Thomas Vanek and Phil Kessel rip his heart out with crushing losses.

 

Moving into college, DDC experienced blowout wins behind the vaunted DOT and Pony Express lines and pure jubilation on the backs of Fighting Sioux sweeps in Mariucci and Chris Porter's OT winner in the 2007 West Regional final with a dozen of his closest friends.

Ok, that's better.

Post college, the historic tilts continued. The Timeout game in the WCHA Final Five semis. The Gopher win a week later at the X to send Minny to the Frozen Four. Then, of course, 0.6. 

Year after year, game after game, this Rivalry has brought out the best in both teams and DDC ultimately expects this weekend to be no different.

With this weekend continuing a 7-year run of these two teams facing off each year, will another name be added to UND vs. Minnesota legend? Paging Shane Gersich. Austin Poganski. Paging Casey Mittelstadt. Rem Pitlick. Rivalry legends Chris Porter, Matt Frattin, Justin Holl and Blake Wheeler are waiting to hear from you.

Let's. Frickin'. Go.

Both teams have started fairly well, with each ranked in the Top 10 in the country. While trends of Minnesota starting cold in special teams play and UND lacking scoring punch from expected team leaders in Shane Gersich and Austin Poganski have arisen, throw that out the window. Big players play big in big games. 

DDC fully expects to get Minnesota's best this weekend and the Gophers know the Ralph Engelstad Arena will be bedlam, this weekend. 

With how early this season is, DDC could just as well play it safe and pick a split between two good teams in a huge rivalry, but that wouldn't be DDC's style, would it?

This weekend, it comes down to not only who's on the ice, but who's in the stands. With junior captain Tyler Sheehy and dynamic freshman Scott Reedy out this weekend, UND has a bit of an advantage in depth. Couple that with about 12,000 rabid fans getting to watch The Rivalry at home for the first time since 2013, DDC sees the stands as a big difference maker. 

 

UND SWEEPS THE GOPHERS WITH A LITTLE BIT OF HOME COOKIN', 3-2, 4-3. 

 

It's gonna be fun. Check back next week to see how it all went down and as always, thanks for reading!


 

Friday Gameday: 8 > 0.6

April 10, 2014.

It's a date that DDC, and many fans of the UND men's hockey team and the Minnesota Gophers, will never forget -- albeit for opposite reasons.

If that date doesn't ring a bell, this probably will:

0.6.

Remember? Sorry. DDC just threw up in his mouth a little bit. Ok, he's better.

It has been over two years since the Green and White and the Maroon and Gold have met on the ice, but for fans and players alike, that sure won't diminish the hostility as No. 3 UND and No. 13 Minnesota faceoff in a non-conference series from Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis Friday and Saturday.

While the programs and fanbases sure know each other well, the two teams really do not. Just two players from the epic Frozen Four semifinal game in 2014 remain on UND's 2016-17 squad -- Seniors Gage Ausmus and Matt Hrynkiw -- and neither played in that matchup. On the other side of the ice, just four on the Gophers were there -- Justin Kloos, Taylor Cammarata, Vinni Lettieri and Connor Reilly. None of those four registered a point or penalty.

Unfamiliarity aside, there's no doubt this rivalry survives a couple years without playing. Make no mistake, these two teams want to win these games for multiple reasons, bragging rights included.

"It's on our walls all over the rink, UND head coach Brad Berry said to the media on Wednesday. "We haven't played them in a few years, but the history and the tradition resonate through this building and out program."

In a testament to that tradition, former Fighting Sioux greats and teammates T.J. Oshie and Taylor Chorney and current teammates of the Washington Capitals, drove six hours round trip to Grand Forks to speak to the Green and White about the importance of this rivalry during a day off in preparation for a game against the Winnipeg Jets.

Read about that story from the Grand Forks Herald's Brad Schlossman here:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/4150871-no-und-players-have-ever-played-against-minnesota-they-are-reminded

This week's Through These Doors also includes comments from Chorney and Oshie, talking about this UND program and touches on the rivalry renewed.

While Minnesota's heart-wrenching goal was a true moment in this rivalry, UND has the chip that ultimately holds most importance -- the national title. For two programs that pride themselves on winning and tradition, this truly matters most.

Sorry, Gopher fans. As we've said for the longest time and now have added to it, 8 > 5. Taking it one step further, 8 really is > than 0.6. Don't deny it.

All rivalry gusto aside, these are two games that both of these squads want to win. UND got spanked last weekend in Duluth and needs to get back on track. Minnesota has started off the season well and wants a sweep against their bitter rival before they head into Big 10 play. As it always is, this weekend will be a fun one to watch.

Here's what to watch for as The Rivalry renews in DDC's "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to Watch

Sr. F, Justin Kloos
captains the No. 13 ranked
Minnesota Gophers

Minnesota

So. F, Tyler Sheehy, 3 goals, 5 assists -- 8 points; Jr. F, Leon Bristedt, 3g, 4a -- 7 pts; Sr. D, Jake Bischoff, 2g, 4a -- 6 pts; Sr. F, Justin Kloos, 2g, 3a -- 5 pts; Jr. F, Mike Szmatula 3g, 3a -- 6 pts; So. G, Eric Schierhorn, 3-2-1, 2.78 goals against average, .890 save percentage.

UND

So. F, Brock Boeser, 6g (T-6th in NCAA), 6a -- 12 pts (T-5th in NCAA); So. F, Shane Gersich, 4g, 6a -- 10 pts; Fr. F, Tyson Jost -- 2g, 5a -- 7 pts; Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 1g, 5a -- 6 pts; So. F, Joel Janatuinen, 3g, 2a -- 5 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 2g, 2a -- 4 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 5-2-0, 2.31 GAA, .894 SV PCT.

What?

Standout Stats

Minnesota

The Gophers come into this weekend's series 12th in the NCAA in power play (20.8%)  but are just 43rd in penalty kill (80.6%).

Minnesota is No. 5 in the country in goals score per game with 4.17 and tied for 23rd in goals allowed at 2.83 goals per game.

Gophers Head Coach Don Lucia is one win away from his 700th career win. He would become just the seventh coach in NCAA history to reach that mark.

UND

The Green and White have struggled on special teams this year, slotting themselves tied for 32nd on the penalty kill (83.3%) and 40th in power play (13.5%) in the NCAA.

Despite giving up 63 shots on goal last weekend to Minnesota Duluth, UND still leads the NCAA in lowest shots on goal allowed with 21.71 shots per game and is eighth in putting shots on goal at 34.71.

UND sits at 3.57 goals per game and 2.43 goals allowed, which puts them tied for 16th and tied for 19th respectively.

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 1 UND (5-2-0) got swept for just the third time in 88 regular-season series last weekend in Duluth. The Bulldogs swept the Green and White for the first time since 1995 and first time since 1992 in Duluth.

UND is 3-6-1 in the last 10 against Minnesota after going 6-2-2 in the previous 10. UND hasn't beat Minnesota since the "Timeout" game in the WCHA Final Five Semifinals on March 16, 2012. Just in case you don't remember that one...

No. 13 Minnesota (3-2-1) got a win and a tie in two overtime contests out east. The Gophers trailed Clarkson 3-0 on Friday night, but stormed back and won in OT 4-3. On Saturday, Mike Szmatula scored with just 23 seconds left to lead Minnesota to a 2-2 tie.

The Pick

This rivalry produced DDC's favorite college hockey picture
of all time -- Matt Frattin's demolition of Kevin Wehrs in 2010.
(Photo: The great John Stennes, Grand Forks Herald)

Boy, this one is hard. Everything in DDC's homer blood wants to pick a sweep, expecting the Green and White to roll into Mariucci with a chip on its shoulder and dominate Minnesota. However, UND is coming off a weekend in Duluth in which they were beaten handily and it looked like they weren't ready for a big stage. And simply put, this is a very, very big stage. 

DDC had a conversation on Thursday with his father, Papa DDC, and the thought came up -- "Which team in Green and White will show up in Minneapolis?" Is it the team that played tenacious defense and held its opponents to very few shots and only a few Grade A chances per game in a 5-0 start or the team that got wholly blown out of AmsOil Arena and showed its youth in front of a hostile crowd last weekend in Duluth?

Much like UND, Minnesota has game-breaking skill in players like Justin Kloos and Tyler Sheehy. Also like UND, the Gophers seem to be a little leaky on the blue line and prefer to play an up-tempo game that features their skill and speed while doing their best to not let their opponent grind out games. 

One difference hasn't been expressed, thus far and that's the Olympic-sized ice sheet in Mariucci Arena. Minnesota has always been terrific using this extra space on the power play and they are going pretty strong with the extra man, so far. Slowing Minnesota's chances with the extra man, being responsible in the zone and clearing rebounds, will go a long way for UND taking points in Minneapolis. 

So, what's the game breaker this weekend? Minnesota isn't as solid defensively as Minnesota Duluth was last weekend and the Green and White must take advantage of this. Brock Boeser was held without a point last weekend and with the extra space on the Olympic ice and playing against a defense who isn't as strong, Boeser needs to produce. This extends to the blue line, as well. DDC foresees Tucker Poolman and Christian Wolanin, UND's best two playmaking defenseman, having opportunities to make plays. If big-bodied players like Rhett Gardner and Austin Poganski can take away the eyes of Minnesota's solid netminder, Eric Shierhorn, Poolman and Wolanin can go to work.

While these two teams don't know each other very well, the programs do. UND and Minnesota are very aware of what this series means to their fanbases and this will be a fun series to watch. DDC was in the house for UND's destruction of Minnesota in a 5-3, 7-3 sweep in 2007 featuring one of DDC's favorite all-time plays in "The Rivalry" -- Robbie Bina's full-length goal. Just for funsies, let's see that one again. 

Sorry, not sorry. DDC had to.

This was the last time UND swept Minnesota in Mariucci Arena. Again, everything in DDC's homer body wants to pick a sweep, but it's just too hard to do with last week looming over UND's head. However, with this adversity, you can take a bit of the homer out of the DDC, but you certainly cannot take all of it. The Green and White, after learning how to play in big stage last week in Duluth, doesn't lose in Mariucci, this weekend. DDC will be in the house on Friday, so he goes with a win there.

UND GETS A WIN AND A TIE, SHOWING THAT 8 IS TRULY > THAN 0.6, 5-2, 3-3

There it is. It's exciting to this blogger that The Rivalry is back starting this weekend for the next seven year. This is a series that college hockey world needs to see every year and DDC is pumped that it's back. Check back later to see how it all went down. 

Just because he can, here's some of DDC's favorite moments from the best rivalry in college hockey. Hopefully this gets you all in the mood for some great hockey.

Thanks for reading!

DDC's Top 10 Moments in the UND/Minnesota Rivalry -- No. 2 -- Frattin Destroys Wehrs -- Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D., WCHA Playoffs, March 14, 2010.

Thanks again for visiting Daddy Dump and Chase to tune in to his Top 10 moments in the UND/Minnesota rivalry.

We are just two days away from renewing hostilities and if No. 2 doesn't get the mojo going, I'm not sure what will. Maybe No. 1, but, let's give this one a try.

Poor Kevin Wehrs. Keep your head up, buddy.

No. 2 -- Frattin Destroys Wehrs -- Ralph Engelstad Arena, Grand Forks, N.D., WCHA playoffs, March 14, 2010.

Let DDC set up the scene a bit. UND had dominated the Gophers in the Game 1 of this WCHA playoff tilt with a 6-0 victory, but Minnesota battled back for a 4-2 win in Game 2. The Sioux took a 2-1 lead before this play, but were visibly slowing as the Gophers tried to battle back. Then...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bsxyzGkmAgg

Wow.

Again, the sound of this behemoth hit is what DDC remembers. Note the bang Brad Malone gives a Gopher player just 15 seconds before the hit on Wehrs. That was a good one. Matt Frattin's hit is that much heavier.

Frattin was called for a five-minute major for charging. He clearly left his feet, but it's DDC's take that Wehrs had his head down and caught Frattin coming at the last moment, dipped his head, thus causing a lot of the problem.

This moment isn't about the penalty. It's been debated for too long on message boards and the like. This hit got the Ralph rocking, the Sioux killed off the five-minute penalty and UND cruised to a 4-1 victory, ending the Gopher's season.

This moment also generated the coolest, single hockey photo that DDC has ever seen.

DDC's former colleague and Grand Forks Herald resident photog extraordinaire John Stennes gave the world this piece of history that, DDC's sure, is still plastered on many a laptop and Twitter background to this day.

 “I decided to try to get the boys going — big hit, a costly five minutes,” Frattin said of his hit on Wehrs. “But it was great PK for our team. That was a huge momentum swing for us and we didn’t look back after that.”

Call it what you will, but it was for sure one thing and that's memorable.

For some extra fun... check out wrestling announcing royalty Jim Ross' call on the Frattin destruction

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75my9p7eI4c