UND watches as it's 2021 NCHC championship banner was raised at the Ralph before the Fighting Hawks' 2-1 exhibition win over BSU. Photo credit: Russel Hons.
Alright, folks, it's Roses and Thorns time! For those of who are new to the blog, and since it's been a bit since DDC has done one, let's explain how this little thing goes. So, DDC will recap this past weekend ... the things DDC believes went well, stood out, were solid, they get a rose. The things, events, situations that DDC believes went poorly get a thorn. Let's be honest, this is a game where everything is made up and the points don't matter.
Let's get after it!
The University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks had an exhibition this past Saturday that was not your normal exhibition. Normally, the Green and White takes on Canadian college team the Manitoba Bisons, but since everything is still kind of stupid, the NCAA allowed teams to schedule exhibitions against Division I opponents. Scheduling a game against the Bemidji State Beavers was an incredibly smart move for both teams. Instead of coasting through a match up against an inferior opponent just to get the legs warm, both of these squads were able to check out real, top-notch opposition. In fact, this game served as a scouting session for both teams as the two will play a home-and-home series in two weeks.
For the first two periods, this one looked like an exhibition -- sloppy play, turnovers, lack of offensive flow -- and the score was tied at 1. Then, like North Dakota fans are hoping to see all season, perhaps college hockey's premier defenseman (no, sorry Owen Power), did what he does. Sophomore defenseman Jake Sanderson gathered a loose puck to the left of the UND goal, blazed coast-to-coast and fired a quick shot to beat BSU netminder Gavin Enright at 11:02 of the third to give the Hawks the 2-1 lead which they never relinquished.
Here's what stood out to DDC.
Roses:
1) The Ralph is Back
Take a listen to the building when Sanderson buried his goal. Starts at about 2:40 into the clip:
God, that was missed. Cheers to full buildings in 2021-22.
2) Transfers, Rookies Look Solid
UND Goalie Zach Driscoll stopped 16 of 17 shots
With 14 new faces (9 freshmen, 5 transfer additions) on this year's squad, a lot of anticipation was built around how these players would fit into UND's mold. As was pointed out by the GF Herald's Brad Schlossman, the Fighting Hawks saw all of their transfer players look like they belonged, basically because, well, they've played college hockey before. Forwards Connor Ford and Ashton Calder played well with Calder showing great speed and quickness. Defensemen Chris Jandric and Brady Ferner both had solid showings. DDC was impressed by Jandric's vision and structure. Lastly, goaltender Zach Driscoll was incredibly steady against his former BSU brethren stopping 16 of 17 shots including a clutch save on a clean breakaway with seven minutes to go. As for the rookies, the Green and White faithful saw a consistent performance by Jake Schmaltz, wearing his cousin Nick's former No. 8 jersey and settling in to a second-line winger spot. Nick Portz played a tremendous defensive game, slotting in on the second penalty kill and center Mateo Constantini went 5-for-6 in the faceoff dot. Great starts all around for UND's new faces.
3) The Straw Stirs the Drink
As noted in his 2021-22 season preview, DDC believes Sanderson will be the key-est of all keys for UND this season and the alternate captain immediately started to stir that proverbial drink for his team. Sanderson looked every bit of his status, potting the game-winner and adding an assist in the exhibition. Going back to the clip of his goal, his speed is just flat out game changing. Watch as he sees the defenseman continue to give him space. He hits the blue line and just goes. Quick shot, boom. Goal. Enjoy him, boys and girls. He's a special, special player.
It was also nice to see sophomore forward Riese Gaber didn't forget how to shoot. Going back to the highlights, check out this rocket at around 1:10 into the clip. No doubter. That top powerplay unit of Gaber, Sanderson, Calder, Ford and Judd Caulfield could end up being really fun to watch.
Thorns:
1) The Need to Gel
Pointing out all the good this game had to offer is important, but it'll be important to note that UND did not have a lot of grade A opportunities in this one. Facing a solid opponent in Bemidji State, which DDC thinks will fare very, very well in the reincarnated CCHA (RIP WCHA 😞), showed that the Green and White may take some time before they develop consistent offensive prowess. With last season's team, the Fighting Hawks had three solid lines that could chip in on any night, but simply put, they didn't have that on Saturday. With 14 new faces, this team will need to rely on structure, goaltending, and solid defense to get some of these rookies up to speed and for new lines to develop. The pieces however are, without a doubt, there.
Thanks for reading! DDC will be back later this week as UND starts its regular season schedule with an important non-conference series with the Niagara University Purple Eagles Friday and Saturday at the Ralph.
It was No. 1 Denver versus No. 3 UND this past weekend from Magness Arena in Denver and what a series it was.
Storylines galore in this match up.
Friday night, the Fighting Hawks were stunned out of the gates and trailed the Pioneers 3-0 midway through the second when UND head coach Brad Berry took his team's timeout.
From there, it was pretty much a Green and White avalanche (see what DDC did there? Avalanche... Denver... NHL... get it? :D) as the Hawks stormed to a 5-4 comeback win.
On Saturday, DU got the split in a 4-1 win on the back of three power play goals. 'Nuff said about that, right? Na. We'll get to that later.
Bear with DDC, but this is a wee bit longer than normal, but he swears, there's some entertainment involved.
Check out what stood out to DDC in his Roses and Thorns review of the Pios and UND.
Roses
No. 1 -- Passing the Test
Coming into this weekend, DDC opined that while UND has been impressive in may ways so far this season, this series against DU would be a true test that would show the college hockey landscape, largely, who the Fighting Hawks really are. Indeed, the Pioneers proved they are the real deal (albeit with some chinks in the armor) but the Green and White took one from No. 1 in stunning fashion at Magness Arena on Friday and if it weren't for some.... well... DDC will touch on this later... we'll say... interesting calls...., had a chance for the sweep despite a 4-1 loss on Saturday. The college hockey season is indeed a marathon, not a sprint, but UND staked its claim as a team that is going to continue to make noise as a contender the calendar turns to 2018.
No. 2 -- Testicular Fortitude
DDC is going to share a bit of a secret that his droves (😉) of fans may not know about him. DDC is proud to say he's a wrestling fan. He understands that no, it's not real, but indeed, it is scripted. You know what, he'll say it... IT'S STILL REAL TO HIM, DAMMNIT! Annnnyway, DDC is going to steal a phrase from WWE legend Mick Foley (sorry for this, David Larson) and say one thing about this UND hockey team. They've got testicular fortitude.
Ok, so this video is talking about Bill Simmons getting fired from ESPN for this, phrase, but it's all DDC could find... but the point still stands.
At one point in the first period, the Hawks were being out shot 21-2 on the road against the No. 1 team in the country and after a second period shorthanded goal, UND trailed 3-0. But man, did this team show the guts and fight of a team that did not want to lose and rallied back for a ridiculous 5-4 victory, outshooting DU 34-13 after their horrendous start. This will be an important win for the Green and White to look back and know that in whatever situation they are in from here on out, they have the fight to get back and win hockey games.
Testicular fortitude for days, ladies and gentlemen.
No. 3 -- Depth
It's been said several times this year, but UND is truly a product of its depth. In Friday night's stunning comeback, the Green and White saw 13 players tally points and got goals from Zach Yon and Joel Janatuinen, both of which was their first of the season and Johnny Simonson's game-winner with 2:31 left was just his second on the year. On Saturday, freshman Matt Kierstad, inserted into the lineup after an injury to Casey Johnson on Friday, opened the scoring with his first of the year. While the Hawks may lack a bit of top end scoring (DDC will touch on this later), the depth of this team to be able to roll four lines against any team and get scoring from all over the lineup is this team's identity at this point of the season. Couple that with a defense that is playing incredibly well, UND has the pieces in place to stay with anyone in the NCAA.
Thorns
No. 1 -- Lack of True Top-End Scoring
DDC does believe that depth is a good thing and that definitely helped UND on Friday, its lack of top-end scoring is something this team lacked. The Fighting Hawks have just three players with double-digit points on the season as junior Nick Jones leads the team with five goals. In contrast, the top trio of Denver, Henrik Borgstrom, Troy Terry and Dylan Gambrell showed this weekend what top-end scoring looks like. The trio combined for 11 points on the weekend with Borgstrom and Terry both notching five-point weekends. Terry was particularly impressive, making plays all over the ice all weekend against UND. The Green and White need players who've shown scoring ability throughout their careers (ie. Shane Gersich and Austin Poganski) to step up and tally some points for UND to take the next step.
No. 2 -- Officiating
Ugh, DDC really does hate being "this guy", but the referee crew in Denver certainly made a difference this weekend. He's going to do his best to make this quick, but it can't go without saying that officiating played a part all weekend long. On Friday night, the NCHC crew made it a point toss players from the faceoff circle in a torrid fashion. Ok, DDC gets, they were trying to prove a point about faceoff infractions, but this was ridiculous. At one point, DDC counted five-consecutive faceoff tosses. It's just too much. Then on Saturday, the officiating crew literally changed the game. With UND sporting a 1-0 lead in the first, Cole Smith was issued a five-minute major and was tossed from the game for a penalty that lead to an injury to DU defenseman Adam Plant. While the play was certainly interference, DDC believes the call to make it a major was, and he's being nice here, a stretch. Take a look at the hit in question (Credit to the Goonie!). DU tied the game at 1 on a Borgstrom goal. You make your call, but that hit, to DDC, wasn't malicious, high, nor did it come at high speed.
The big calls kept coming and after a Pioneers goal to make it 2-1 early in the third, UND appeared to tie it on a nifty passing play on a 2-1 rush when freshman Collin Adams fed fellow rookie Jordan Kawaguchi beating Tanner Jaillet. Just before the faceoff, however, the refs got together after some, shall we call it, "protesting" from Denver head coach Jim Montgomery. After review, the officials ruled Adams made enough contact with Jaillet to overturn the goal on goaltender interference. Check it out... the play in question starts at 2:42 in the clip:
Even further, here's a still shot of Adam's stick touching Jaillet's pad, but the point here, the pass to Kawaguchi has already been made.
In short, did that contact prevent Jaillet from making the play? DDC's take? Absolutely not. The shot comes an instant later... Jaillet is already beaten. How was this play even sent for review? That may be even the bigger mystery here. Montgomery told local media after the game he challenged the play, which would have put DU's timeout on the line. If that's the case, why did the crew stand around to talk about it for several minutes? It was also reported that the officials told the UND bench that the linesman called the interference. Is this the case? If indeed it was, that may the the first time DDC has ever heard of a linesman making that kind of call. This case was echoed by other media. And if it were the linesman, again, why was there a discussion before the review? It seemed to DDC that this play wasn't going to be reviewed until Denver made a case for it. Simply bizarre.
DU then went on to score two more goals, both on the power play, to pace a 4-1 win and a split.
The power play goals are the biggest note here. Remember the major penalty to tie the game at 1-1? Well, that was only the start. The final tally of penalties called on Saturday night? Denver -- 1 penalty for 2 minutes (UND had :33 seconds of power play time). UND -- 8 penalties for 27 minutes (per Brad Schlossman of the Grand Forks Herald, DU had 13:41 of power play time). That is absolutely ridiculous. The Hawks were certainly guilty of some poorly-times penalties in this game and warranted a big chunk of those calls, but are you meaning to tell DDC that DU did not commit a single penalty after the first period? Not a single stick in the skates? No hook around the waist? No interference? Nothing?
It was a sad state of affairs on Saturday that really overshadowed a wonderful weekend of hockey with No. 1 taking on No. 3, but what can you do?
Holy smokes, so much for keeping that short, eh?
Moving on. Thanks for reading and come back later for DDC's take on UND vs. Union in a Turkey Day weekend tussle from the Ralph.
UND freshmen Matt Kierstad and Grant Mismash (16) celebrate a goal on Saturday from the Ralph Engelstad Arena
in Grand Forks. All six rookie skaters notched at least one point as the Fighting Hawks rolled
the Manitoba Bisons 6-2. (photo: GF Herald)
It'd been six months since we saw our boys in Green and White on the ice for competitive hockey and after a 6-2 exhibition drubbing of the Manitoba Bisons, the game was less about the score and more about who did the scoring for the Fighting Hawks.
UND got at least one point from all six of its rookie skaters, including a goal and an assist from second-round pick Grant Mismash and two assists from Collin Adams while the entire group looked like the college game would suit them fine.
Not to be undersold, the Hawks got a big performance from a returning skater in Ludvig Hoff who, centering the top line for the first time in his career, potted two goals leading the top group with Shane Gersich and Austin Poganski to a +6 performance.
Depth was the story before the start of the season and that held through in the exhibition as all four foward lines and two of three defensive pairings notched points against the Bisons.
It was a good start for the Green and White and here's what stood out to DDC in 2017-18's first installment of Roses and Thorns.
Roses
So. F, Ludvig Hoff
netted two goals
against Manitoba
No. 1 -- New Man in the Middle?
For the past two seasons before the start of 2017-18, UND's top line featured a dynamic, game-breaking name that centered the Green and White's clear best group. With Nick Schmaltz and Tyson Jost, both now in the NHL, UND has to find someone new to find that role. With two goals, including laser from the spot to open the scoring for the Fighting Hawks, sophomore Ludvig Hoff has firmly planted his name on the line chart, to start this year. Centering Shane Gersich and Austin Poganski, Hoff looked very much in control as the trio notched four points and were a combined +6.
No. 2 -- Newbies Step Right In
As DDC mentioned in his previous of this season, UND's season could come down to its depth and having a contributions from the crop of new faces would be a big development. Well, at least for this night, this rang true as all six rookie skaters notched a point. Standing out from that group were Grant Mismash with a goal and an assist. Mismash looked like he belonged with heady vision and a couple fantastic moves with his hands. Jordan Kawaguchi also scored a nice goal off a terrific pass from fellow freshman Josh Rieger from cross ice. This will be a group that is tremendously important to UND this season and the exhibition was a great start.
No. 3 -- Top Players Start Quick
Jr. D, Christian Wolanin
recorded a goal and an assist
Not to be forgotten during the underclassmen bonanza, the Green and White got great performances from a few established stalwarts. Junior Shane Gersich looked incredible, skating and creating chances all night while adding and assist while fellow Junior Christian Wolanin netted a goal and an assist. Arguably UND's two best pure playmakers, Gersich and Wolanin looked ready to start the season on a high note as both saw significant special team's time, as well. Wolanin quarterbacked the Power Play and looked calm and collected in doing so. Not to be left out, senior netminder Cam Johnson played well, too. While he let up two goals, one was on a clean breakaway after a turnover and the other on a bit of an off bounce. Johnson made a couple of key saves early in the second, as well. Good performance from some of UND's key players in this one.
Thorns
No. 1 -- Bad Turnovers
Turnovers were a bit of a problem last year and unfortunately, this hasn't wholly changed following the exhibition. Whether it's trying to go too quickly out of transition or completely missing open sticks on passes, UND had couple bad lapses against the Bisons. Sure, this can be attributed to knocking off a bit of rust, but it's a trend that has roots from 2016-17. Here's to hoping that's left behind before the Hawks travel up to Alaska.
Thanks for reading and check back later this week as DDC previews the Green and White traveling to Anchorage to face off with the Seawolves.
UND and Minnesota Duluth scuffle after UMD's Neal Pionk (4) ran over North Dakota goaltender Cam Johnson (33) in the first period of the Bulldogs' 4-3 win over the Green and White in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship game from the Target Center in Minneapolis on Saturday. Pionk was issued a five-minute penalty for the play. (Photo: Eric Hylden, GF Herald)
This must be said ...
DDC isn't "that guy" to criticize officiating. He's truly not. Refereeing sports is incredibly hard, having it done it at the high school level, DDC knows it's a no-win job.
This must also be said ...
DDC has never been one to question a team's leadership and/or integrity (other than maybe the Gophers ;) ).
With those things said, there were some ... we'll call it... questionable ... calls and some ... questionable ... penalties committed this Saturday night when the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs topped the UND men's hockey team 4-3 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference's Frozen Faceoff championship game from the Target Center in Minneapolis.
The Green and White used a 5-on-3 power play goal to tie the game with just under three minutes to go in the third period. However, UMD would have the last laugh, netting their own 5-on-3 goal with under a minute left in regulation to take the Frozen Faceoff tournament title.
1:15 -- Neal Pionk takes out Cam Johnson; 2:00 Commentary on Previous Hit; 4:00 -- Kyle Osterberg Falls After Clear Penalty by Johnny Simonson; 4:20 -- Willie Raskob Falls After Scuffle with Hayden Shaw; 5:10 -- Dom Toninato Reacts to Call; 7:00 -- Hunter Miska Falls Down; 7:45 -- Dan Molenaar Falls Down -- Note Commentary After Fall.
With all of that said, while the Green and White aren't back in Grand Forks with a new piece of hardware, they come back with a lot of reasons to be happy.
UND topped Denver 1-0 on Friday night, holding Denver to just 21 shots on goal, a season-low total for the Pioneers, and broke a 0-3 skid in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals. The win mathematically clinched North Dakota a spot in the NCAA tournament for the 15th-straight season.
However, DDC Baby No. 2's magic ran out on Saturday night, as Duluth took the NCHC's autobid.
But hey, 5-1 ain't so bad.
Here's what stood out to DDC in his Frozen Faceoff edition of his Roses and Thorns column.
Roses
No. 1 -- Breaking the Target Center Curse
Finally, UND faithful left the Target Center in Minneapolis on Friday with smiles on their faces and not gonna lie, that felt pretty darn good. After three years of lethargic play and bad bounces, the Green and White played with pace and passion against Denver and got a bounce off those lovely, springy end boards and got a win in the Frozen Faceoff semifinals. Fans in the Target Center saw a team that was hungry and their defensive effort was tremendous on Friday night. It was a good win against arguably the best team in the country. Coupled with another great effort the next night against UMD, the Green and White showed they can hang with (and outplay) anyone in the upcoming NCAA tournament.
UND Jr. F, Austin Poganski and Shane Gersich celebrate Poganski's goal in the third period
of the Green and White's 1-0 win over Denver on Friday (Photo: Eric Hylden, GF Herald)
No. 2 -- Offensive Creativity
While this weekend wasn't a dynamite offensive effort, it was a very good one. What's more important in the eyes of DDC were the chances UND created, particularly on the power play. Outshooting the No. 1 and No. 2 teams in the PairWise on a particular weekend isn't a small feat, particularly since both Denver and UMD are among the defensive teams in the nation. In a game that was largely played with special teams on Saturday night, the Green and White scored all three of their goals on the power play. Sure, they had 10 chances, but even when they didn't score, UND moved the puck well and broke the Bulldog PK box with sharp passing and created loads of chances. The top power play unit has started to become something special with Boeser, Jost and Gersich consistently finding each other in soft spots for scoring chances. Outside of the power play, Jost and Boeser paired together at times and are showing once again why they are NHL first rounders. When UND gets this kind of effort from its top forwards, the bottom six becomes that harder to handle and those lines have been creating a lot, too (see: Trevor Olson). For the Green and White, it's all about effort and speed. They brought that game to the Target Center this weekend and it turned out two great performances.
No. 3 -- Defensive Effort
UND Fr. D, Colton Poolman
What would you have said if DDC told you UND would shutout Denver, the best offense in the nation since January 1st, on Friday? What would you have said if DDC told you the Green and White would lose the NCHC Defensive Defenseman of the Year in Tucker Poolman to injury in the first period on Saturday and that UND would hold Minnesota Duluth down for large chunks of the game and nearly win? Crazy on both accounts, right? Well, not this weekend. As mentioned previously, North Dakota's game is all about speed and effort right now and that is showing up. On Friday, the Green and White held DU to just 21 shots, a season low for the Pioneers. On Saturday, it took a goal off a teammate's skate during a 5-on-3 penalty kill to beat netminder Cam Johnson for the game winner. The D-corps' physicality was tremendous. Colton Poolman and Hayden Shaw played with an edge this blogger has rarely seen. While Tucker's injury looms large, UND's young blue line took a big step this weekend in Minneapolis.
Thorns
No. 1 -- 27 Penalties and Four 5-on-3s
Simply put, this shouldn't happen. Like mentioned previously, DDC is going to take the high road and not overly criticize, but no way should a tournament championship be decided on a 5-on-3 power play. Nor should the game end up tied with less than 3 minutes to go on a 5-on-3 power play. The fact that the stripes reviewed Neal Pionk's contact with Cam Johnson and gave him a five minute penalty without tossing the sophomore defenseman is what, in DDC's opinion, let this game get away in terms of penalties. This was too good of a weekend for it to be hijacked by penalties. A bit of a shame, to say the least.
No. 2 -- An Injury and a Big One
Jr. D, Tucker Poolman left Saturday's NCHC Championship game in the first period due to injury and did not return
Tucker Poolman is a NHL defenseman. He has the frame, the offensive skill, the skating and the defensive prowess to be playing for the Winnipeg Jets, his draft team, as we speak. So, when he went down in the first period on Saturday against Duluth and did not return to action, a collective groan could be heard across NoDak nation. Head coach Brad Berry brought fans a little solace in the postgame presser, saying that Tucker is the toughest player in the NCHC and expects him to play on Friday when the NCAA tournament starts. It goes without saying that Tucker is invaluable to UND. Cheers to him hopefully being ready to go.
There you have it, hockey fans. Welp, the conference tournaments are over, the field is set and the NCAA Tournament starts in four days. UND will be in Fargo in a pretty eyebrow raising regional, considering history and this past weekend's event.
Check back on Friday as DDC previews the West Regional from Scheels Arena in Fargo -- Minnesota Duluth ( 😁 ) versus Ohio State and North Dakota vs. Boston University.
UND Jr. F, Trevor Olson tips in the game-winning goal past SCSU netminder Jeff Smith for a wild 6-5 overtime win on
Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena in Grand Forks. Olson netted the series-clinching goal and now has game-winning
goals in three of the last four games for UND. Photo Credit: Jesse Trelstad, Grand Forks Herald.
As mentioned in DDC's preview of the first round National Collegiate Hockey Conference series between the UND men's hockey team and St. Cloud State, DDC Baby No. 2 was born March 1st.
Since that wonderful day in DDC's life, the Green and White has seen two new heroes come to the forefront -- junior forward Trevor Olson and DDC Baby No. 2.
Following a 5-2 win on Friday, Olson netted the game-winning goal at 7:38 of the OT period in a wild and memorable game at Ralph Engelstad Arena as UND swept the Huskies to advance the Green and White to the Frozen Faceoff in Minneapolis this coming weekend. Since DDC Baby No. 2's birth, UND was won four-straight games and Olson has the deciding tally in three of those games.
North Dakota handled St. Cloud fairly handily on Friday, but the old adage "it's hard to end a team's season" held true on Saturday as the Huskies brought a tremendous effort.
The game was tied 1-1, 2-2, 3-3, 4-4 and 5-5 before Olson potted the winner in OT. After a Shane Gersich goal made it 4-3 halfway through the third period, St. Cloud State continued to come at UND, tying the game just 1:02 later and took the lead just 1:44 after that.
But, the Green and White had the magic of Baby DDC No. 2 in their pocket as Christian Wolanin knotted the game at five with 4:02 to go.
During the intermission before the overtime period, fans at the REA were treated to bonus coverage of the UND men's basketball team's overtime winning effort in the Big Sky tournament finals that punched the Green and White's first-ever ticket to the NCAA tournament over Weber State, sending the fans into a frenzy that continued with Olson's winner in OT.
Baby DDC No. 2's magic was too strong for the Huskies and Weber State, for that matter.
Here's what stood out to DDC as UND notched wins No. 19 and 20 and moved one step closer to the NCAA tournament.
Roses
NCHC Playoffs First Round Results:
No. 1 Denver sweeps CC, 4-1, 4-0; No. 2 UMD sweeps Miami, 5-4 (OT), 5-3; No. 3 WMU in three over UNO, 2-1 (OT) UNO, 5-2 WMU, 2-1 (OT) WMU; No. 4 UND sweeps SCSU, 5-2, 6-5 (OT)
Frozen Faceoff semifinals -- Friday, times TBD:
No. 1 Denver vs. No. 4 UND No. 2 UMD vs. No. 3 WMU
No. 1 -- Big Players Playing Big
While UND's depth has been a huge part of their last handful of games where they've won five-of-six, come playoff time, teams that compete for NCAA titles need to have their best players be their best players, each night. This was definitely the case this weekend for the Green and White. UND's top five point producers, Shane Gersich, Brock Boeser, Tyson Jost, Austin Poganski and Tucker Poolman all had multiple point weekends. Boeser returned to the lineup after missing the previous weekend in Miami and scored in both games. Gersich and Poganski also both scored in both. With the development of depth players increasing each game, having these five players rolling will prove large for UND as the look to continue to advance.
No. 2 -- Depth Goals Coming Up Large
As just mentioned, UND's depth players are turning dividends for the Green and White, of late. Along with Olson's game winner, junior Johnny Simonson and freshman Cole Smith both assisted on the game-tying goal by Christian Wolanin and did the same on Olson's series-clinching goal. Simonson fired the puck from the side boards toward the net and Olson got his stick on it to get the winner. The line of Smith, Simonson and Olson had a tremendous weekend, playing with edge and pace that St. Cloud had trouble containing. UND will be a tough out the rest of the way if this trend continues.
No. 3 -- A Memorable Day for UND Sports
DDC Baby No. 2's magic is pretty evident to this blogger. A wee bit biased, you say? No. You're wrong. DDC Baby No. 2 is clearly a UND sports Godsend.
Here's an awesome video of the ovation the REA crowd gave the UND men's basketball team's victory in the Big Sky Conference:
You'll need a Facebook account to get to it and the video is about halfway down the page. Big props to the UND men's basketball team.
Thorns
No. 1 -- Last Game at REA for 2016-17
While it was done in victorious fashion, it's always a sad moment each season to know that the Palace on the Prairie will be closed for games until October. While UND struggled at times at home this season, The Ralph is always a true home advantage for the Green and White. Senior Gage Ausmus and Matt Hrynkiw as well as any underclassmen that leave after the season, helped send the REA faithful happy one more time. Here's to hoping there's another ceremony at The Ralph in about three weeks.
Thanks for reading and check back later this week as DDC previews the Frozen Faceoff at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
In a battle of No. 1 and No. 2 in the NCAA, the UMD Bulldogs took it to No. 1 UND, sweeping the Green and White, 5-2, 3-0, for the Bulldogs' first home sweep over UND since 1992. (Photo: Duluth News Tribune)
For sanity's sake, we're going to keep this short and to the point.
In a showdown of No. 1 vs. No. 2 in the NCAA, No. 2 flat out put it on No. 1.
The UND men's hockey team traveled to Duluth and AmsOil Arena to take on the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, in a city where they hadn't been swept since 1992. Two losses later, 5-2 on Friday and 3-0 on Saturday, the Green and White left Duluth with their first two losses on the season.
With the Presidential Election now just a week away, let's put this in prespective.
The last time UMD swept UND in Duluth, George H.W. Bush was the current president and Bill Clinton had just been elected as the next.
It was hard for DDC to find things he would consider Roses and Thorns were a plenty. So, DDC is going to keep it short. Flat out, UMD took it to the Green and White this weekend.
Roses
No. 1 -- Saturday's Strong Start
Yes, UND gave up the first goal for the sixth-straight game, but it came after a very solid start for the Green and White. UMD did not register a shot on UND goaltender Cam Johnson until 13 minutes into the game and had just three in the first 25. However, the Bulldogs scored 11:24 into the second period on a shorthanded goal, added a power play tally just over four minutes later and rounded out the third with another shorty, with under a minute left, in the second stanza to pace a 3-0 victory. A promising start didn't lead UND to victory, but showing some early spark is the only real bright spot for the Green and White on the weekend.
Thorns
No. 1 -- Not-so-Special Teams
UND went a paltry 1-for-13 with the extra man against the Bulldogs, including a 0-for-7 mark on Saturday that included two minute-plus long 5-on-3 power plays. To make things worse, UMD netted two shorthanded goals on Saturday. Through seven games, the Green and White are just 5-for-37 (13.5%) on the power play and are 30-for-36 (83.3%) on the penalty kill, ranking them 40th and T-32 in the NCAA, respectively. Yuck. Simply put, this has to improve. UND came to play on Saturday after a wholly disappointing performance on Friday, but lost the special teams battle and that lead to the sweep. Time for the Green and White to become special on special teams if they want to get the results they are looking for.
No. 2 -- Looking Young
UMD Jr. F, Alex Iafallo notched a five-point weekend against UND, including a hat trick on Friday night.
Last year's national championship team certainly had its share of young players, but also carried a core of upperclassmen, like Drake Caggiula, Paul LaDue, Troy Stecher and others that really knew how to handle big-time situations. In Duluth this past weekend, UMD showed that kind of veteran presence and handled the big stage much better than UND. The Bulldogs got five of their eight goals in the series from upperclassmen, including a hat trick from junior Alex Iaffalo on Friday. Yes, UND's best player, Brock Boeser, is a sophomore and to attest to the looking young point, Boeser was held without a point in the series. As the season goes along, the freshmen and sophomores will continue to improve, but to go to the next level, the Green and White needs to lean on their upperclassmen who have been there before, particularly on the blue line.
Well, there you have it. Not much good came out of this weekend, but maybe this weekend's rough performance will lead UND to bigger and better things.
For just the third time in 88 series, the Green and White were swept. That's a pretty remarkable run.
Up Next? The Rivalry Returns
Can the Green and White shake off this performance? Well, we'll find out and it's coming at an interesting time as UND travels to Minneapolis this coming Friday and Saturday to take on their bitter rival Minnesota Gophers in a regular season series for the first time since UND left for the NCHC and the Gophers to the Big 10.
Yes, DDC fans, it's UND/Minnesota week. It's time to turn the page. Bring on the Gophers.
Check back later this week for the breakdown of the best rivalry in college hockey back at it from Mariucci Arena. Thanks for reading.
St. Cloud State became the third team to capture the NCHC
Championship Trophy in three seasons of the event, topping
Minnesota Duluth 3-1 in the Frozen Faceoff championship
on Saturday at the Target Center in Minneapolis.
DDC did it again. It was UND vs. Denver and St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota Duluth on Saturday at the Frozen Faceoff.
Nailed it!
Wait... so you're telling me DDC went 0-3-1 this weekend in his picks?
Damn you, Target Center.
Much to UND and the DDC's chagrin, the Green and White again struggled at the NCHC Frozen Faceoff in Minneapolis dropping a 4-2 decision to UMD on Friday afternoon and playing to a 1-1 tie on Saturday against Denver, moving to 1-4-1 in three years of the tournament.
St. Cloud State topped Denver 4-2 in the other semifinal on Friday and capitalized on their chances in the Finals en route to a 3-1 win over the Bulldogs despite being outshot 34-18.
The two sets of Dogs had their days as SCSU won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship Trophy and UMD, despite the loss in the final, punched a ticket to the NCAA tournament.
Here's what stood to the DDC in the Frozen Faceoff version of Roses and Thorns.
Roses
No. 1 -- The CBS Connects
UND So. F, Nick Schmaltz
scored two of three Green
and White goals this weekend.
The winger has goals in five
straight games for UND.
It's hard to be rosy when talking about UND's play this weekend as the Green and White didn't do much all weekend to keep the partisan Green clad crowd happy. However, it certainly started well. Just 49 seconds into Friday's game, the CBS flashed its scoring touch, as Nick Schmaltz buried a one-time feed on a nice drop pass from Drake Caggiula. It was a hot start for UND's electric line and this bodes well going forward. While the results didn't continue, it was good to see this line get a big goal early. Schmaltz scored two of three UND goals on the weekend and now has a five-game goal scoring streak heading into the national tournament. Harnessing that kind of play will be absolutely essential for the Green and White in the NCAAs.
No. 2 -- A Green and White Gathering
DDC had the pleasure of attending the Frozen Faceoff with Mrs. DDC and several of his closest friends and despite the results, he genuinely enjoyed his time this weekend. The Pourhouse again hosted a fun and raucous UND gathering and that energy moved across the street to the Target Center. For the 14th-straight season, North Dakota fans ascended on the Twin Cities and brought their passion and lively attitude and it made the Frozen Faceoff an amazing weekend, once again. Cheers to the fans. The NCHC, the city of Minneapolis and surrounding establishments, DDC is sure, also gives you all thanks.
Despite the results across the street at the Target Center, the Green and White faithful again turned out in droves to Minneapolis. For the 14th-straight season, UND fans made the Twin Cities their second home for a conference postseason tourney. Cheers to you, UND fans. Well done, once again. (Photo Credit: Logan Werlinger, GF Herald)
Thorns
No. 1 -- What Could Have Been
UND head coach Brad Berry
decided not to challenge a
potential goal late in the
first period on Friday, believing
the play was inconclusive.
Up 1-0 with the seconds ticking down in the first period on Friday's game against Minnesota Duluth, UND missed out on an apparent goal late in the period when officials decided not to review a shot by Tucker Poolman that may have been stopped by UMD netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo behind the goal line. UND bench boss Brad Berry explained that he decided not to challenge the call for fear of losing his timeout early in the game. “We tossed it around a little bit,” Berry said. “From our side, it
looked like the pad got stuck out. We looked at it after the period and
it looked pretty inconclusive to me. When you only have one timeout, you
have to be very selective of when you use it. Asking all of the coaches
on the bench, we decided not to take it. I thought it was
inconclusive.” This could have made a big difference as Duluth took over in the second, but we will never know.
No. 2 -- Missed Opportunities
In both games, UND squandered leads and in both nights, the Green and White had their chances to extended leads, but failed to do so. Whether it was the decision to not challenge Poolman's close attempt against Minnesota Duluth or hitting several pipes and missing open nets against Denver, UND will need to remedy these missed opportunities immediately as it's one-and-done time starting on Friday in the NCAA tournament. Fans of the Green and White can take solace that their team had chances to make plays in the Frozen Faceoff, but these cannot be misses anymore. Duluth did a tremendous job on Friday in limiting UND's time and space. This cannot happen starting on Friday. The players must bear down and bury. Simple as that.
No. 3 -- Moving On Away from the Target Center
Another Frozen Faceoff, another disappointing weekend for UND.
UND Jr. D, Troy Stecher.
Whatever the reasons, the Green and White are mired in a paltry 1-4-1 record at the Target Center with the loss and tie this weekend. However, UND fans can take heart as they aren't playing in Minneapolis for the NCAA tournament.
"I can't point to one thing why we're losing here," UND
defenseman Troy Stecher said after Friday's loss to UMD. "But it's better to lose now than next
weekend in my mind."
Well said, Mr. Stecher. It's time to move on and UND will do just that and coach Berry sees no reason to panic. “We hit four pipes tonight,” Berry said after UND's tie with Denver. “Hopefully some puck luck
will go our way next week. We need to make sure we play hard to get the
puck luck and go forward. I think we’re in a good spot. Our guys are
working hard. We’ll make sure we’re ready for next weekend.”
Thanks again for reading. Check back on Friday morning for DDC's preview of the Midwest Regional as UND takes on red hot Northeastern and Notre Dame battles Michigan.
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.
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.
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.
Since that weekend, this blogger has earned a degree from his beloved University of North Dakota, moved from Grand Forks to the Twin Cities, gotten married and welcomed his first child, Emma, bringing her and the Daddy Dump and Chase blog, into the world.
Since November 4-5, 2011, college hockey has crowned four separate national champions, has expanded, adding two teams and realigned conferences across the NCAA.
Since November 4-5, 2011, the UND men's hockey team has played 33 road series and until this weekend, had never been swept in those 33 series.
That all changed in 120 minutes against Denver University as the Pioneers took two from the Green and White, 6-4 and 4-1 from Magness Arena in Denver.
UND, tied going into this past weekend for first in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with St. Cloud State with two games in hand, had a chance to stake it's claim to the driver's seat in the race for the Penrose Cup as NCHC regular season champions. However, Denver took all six conference points and with three regular season series left, the chase for the Penrose is still deadlocked.
And for the first time since the birth of the DDC, here's your Roses and Thorns column following a series that saw UND get no points on the road.
Roses
No. 1 -- Back to Health
UND welcomed back three players to their lineup after missing the last handful of games. Hobey Baker Award candidates Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz rejoined freshman Brock Boeser to reassemble the vaunted CBS line. Freshman Chris Wilkie also came back from injury on Saturday. The CBS line was good on Friday night, notching six points, including goals off the sticks of Boeser and Schmaltz. On Saturday, UND's top line failed to register a point for the first time as a grouping. While the results certainly weren't what the Green and White faithful were looking for, getting healthy is absolutely a welcomed sight with the stretch run firmly in place.
Pardon the Kelly Green colored glasses, but hey, at least it's only February. There's not a lot of positive to come out of this weekend. 1) UND lost its chance to clinch home ice advantage in the first round of the conference playoffs for the 15th straight season. 2) The Green and White also gave up the opportunity to put a strangle hold on the NCHC standings with just three weeks left to go. 3) UND got swept against arguably its biggest rival in the conference. With all that said, the Green and White are still firmly in place for a shot at the national tournament, still ranked No. 3 in the Pairwise and are still tied for first in the NCHC with St. Cloud. A good run in their last six games, UND could very well welcome back the Penrose to the Ralph for another year. While it certainly is frustrating to have to point these things out, it's still important to do so. A good showing at home against Minnesota Duluth should cure all ills.
Thorns
No. 1 -- Flying Friday
Again, while the result wasn't
what UND fans wanted to see, Friday night's game had a big fight feel.
Denver was embarrassed by the Green and White in Grand Forks in December
in a sweep, and the Pioneers played with a tremendous pace this weekend. UND was
game and matched DU stride for stride. The rust showed in many aspects
for the Green and White and a couple big defensive miscues lead to a
Pioneers 6-4 win. In the long run, UND may need to turn up the volume
and play with the kind of speed that DU showed, so while the loss
stings, it'll be important to remember this kind of play.
While it wasn't a great result for UND, Friday's heavy and fast-paced game
against DU will certainly show the Green and White the kind of game they
need to bring down the stretch. (Photo Credit: Grand Forks Herald.)
No. 2 -- No Bounce Back
Senior Captain Gage Ausmus following UND's 4-1 loss on Sat.: "It's not acceptable for our program to lose two games in a row, no
matter where we're at or what team we play, so it doesn't sit well with
us. We got outplayed both nights. It's something we need to learn from
quick or it's going to hurt us in the end."
Over the last month or so, UND has seen a trend of their opponents' top line lighting it up on Friday, but the Green and White wholly shutdown each top group the next night. This wasn't the case this weekend. DU's top line of Danton Heinen, Dylan Gambrell and Trevor Moore torched UND for 11 points (3 goals, 8 assists) on Friday night and added seven more on Saturday (3g, 4a). In UND's home sweep of Denver in December, that trio had zero points on the weekend. That's was the clear difference in Denver.
No. 3 -- Defensive Lapses
UND came into this weekend's match up sporting the NCAA's second best goals allowed average, with the best statistical goaltender in Cam Johnson between the pipes. Ten goals allowed and two losses later, the Green and White are looking for reasons to answer what happened. The Green and White had several lapses defensively in both games that led to goals for the Pioneers. Whether it was set plays off faceoffs or wide open slot chances for DU's top line, UND didn't live up to its defensive billing this weekend. Giving players the likes of Moore, Heinen and Gambrell free reign in the slot is never a good thing. It's hard to blame Johnson for many of the goals he gave up, but the sophomore didn't make many big saves on those point-blank chances, either. UND has prided itself all season as a tenacious, heavy forechecking and high compete level defensive team, but showed little of that against DU. UND will need to get back to this type of game and bring back those active sticks and high energy level if they plan to repeat as Penrose Cup champs.
That's it. Come back later this week to see what's in store for UND as the come back home to take on the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. It's crunch time.
