Roses and Thorns: Well, That was Interesting

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.

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!


 

UND/Minnesota -- What's a Rivalry?

Former UND captain Chris Porter's game-winning goal in the 2007 West Regional Final. (Photo: UND Sports)

Pardon DDC for being a little bit disconnected the past two weeks. 

With Baby DDC No. 2 growing and battling sleep regression and his favorite baseball team playing currently playing in the ALCS (thumbs down... if you don't know what this means, Google it) DDC has been a wee bit predisposed. 

In the midst of all of this, in case you didn't know, my guess is you did, but in case you don't, the Minnesota Gophers travel to Grand Forks to take on the University of North Dakota men's hockey team this Friday and Saturday for a renewal of pleasantries in what has apparently become a debatable topic -- Is UND vs. Minnesota still a rivalry? 

So, let's take a look, shall we? First, let's start with a simple definition

What's in a Sports Rivalry?

According to the Wikipedia entry on "List of sports rivalries", a sports rivalry is defined as an "intense competition between athletic teams or athletes, but not directly related to the formal sport and the practice thereof. This pressure of competition is felt by players, coaches, and management, but is perhaps felt strongest by the fans."

So, in summation in DDC's words, a sports rivalry isn't necessarily about the ins and outs of the history between two teams (of course this is a massive part of it), but more about the experience and how players, coaches, teams respond to how the FANS feel about the competition. 

With this considered, there are two obvious sides -- Side 1 says "since UND and Minnesota have stopped playing yearly, the game is big, but doesn't feel the same." Side 2 rebuts with "the rivalry is as strong as ever regardless of how often they play."

Most Recent Examples

DDC is strong on side 2 with the two previous match ups (2014 Frozen Four semifinals and last year's series in Minneapolis) between UND and Minnesota showing an incredible intensity on the ice and a tremendous community response. 

Two examples of this.... one important thing to note. Listen to the crowd. DDC understands the importance of the 2014 goal, but the ovations are incredible.

This makes DDC a bit sick to his stomach to show this, but it helps prove his point. Just a note, DDC didn't watch it, he just listened.

Insanity. Listen! 

So, if we're using the most recent example, this sounds like tremendous community support, correct? Well, let's take a look at how the teams feel about this "rivalry".

What do the Players and Coaches Think?

DDC's single-favorite picture ever taken in regards
to this rivalry. (Photo: John Stennes, GF Herald.)

Head coach Brad Berry before UND traveled to take on Minnesota last season -- "It's on our walls in our rink here. (The players) get it from there. To hit on that point, we had T.J. Oshie and Taylor Chorney come in and give their point of view on how special the weekend is. Not only for the players, but for alumni watching. Obviously we haven't played them in a few years, but the history and tradition resonates through this building and through our program." 

By the way, what does that say about this set of games that NHL players TRAVEL TO GRAND FORKS to talk about it on their day off?

UND forward Shane Gersich about the games against Minnesota -- "Everyone knows what this rivalry is about. We know what's at stake without even talking about."

Former Minnesota forward Jake Bischoff before last year's series -- "My dad used to love playing North Dakota. Watching as a kid, I remember it being super intense; all the players would be getting into it with each other, and all the games were really competitive. It was always fun as a fan. Now, getting to play it should be unbelievable."

Former Minnesota forward Justin Kloos before last year's series -- "These are the ones you highlight. These are the ones you dream about."


So, so far... fans? Check. Players, coaches and alumni? Check.  

DDC's Final Take

In short, when considering the parameters of how the FANS feel and how the teams respond, DDC thinks it's clear as day that UND vs. Minnesota is still as big as it comes when talking about a sports rivalry, particularly in college hockey. 

Outside of these stated parameters, consider the tickets to the actual games. The UND athletic department announced ticket prices for this weekend's series at the Ralph Engelstad Arena back in August at $99, this highest single-game price in REA history. Did this cause fans pause to buy these tickets? Absolutely not. In fact, the tickets sold out instantly back in September.

Even the NCAA has recognized this rivalry, recently naming UND vs. Minnesota its No. 2 best in college hockey in a Facebook video. While DDC disagrees with this being No. 2, it still helps cement the point. 

The rivalry, yes, it is a rivalry, is back and we're all ready to go. So, how about a few pump up memories? Let's go. 

Check back tomorrow for a series preview. Thanks for reading!

 

Friday Gameday: Just Like Old Times?

UND defenseman Derek Forbort battles along the boards with a UAA skater from in Anchorage, Alaska
in 2011 during the last time the Green and White and Seawolves played each other in Sullivan Arena. (Photo: UND Sports)

Alright, so this time is counts.

We've officially reached college hockey season as the No. 7 University of North Dakota Fighting Hawks travel to a place well known by the program, but not much by the current team.

The Hawks are on the road to faceoff with long-time Western Collegiate Hockey Conference foe the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves Friday and Saturday from Sullivan Arena.

These two teams have a long history together, but haven't played each other since the 2012-13 season as North Dakota left to join the National Collegiate Hockey Conference before the 2013-14 campaign. UND hasn't played in Sullivan Arena since 2011.

Since then, UAA has struggled to perform in the WCHA having continued to finish near the bottom of the conference and dead last the past two years. UND, on the other hand, has continued its run at or near the top of the college hockey world, making the NCAA tournament every year since 2001 and winning its 8th National Championship in 2016.

So, will it continue to be like old times for this series that has seen UND dominate to a 46-17-5 clip all-time, or is the dawn of a new season and the task of the Hawks traveling nearly 3,000 miles for a pair of games enough to sway the tide for UAA?

Let's see what DDC thinks will stand out this weekend in Alaska in his weekly "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to Watch

Sr. G Olivier Mantha

Alaska-Anchorage (2016-17 scoring):

Sr. F, Matt Anholt, 5 goals, 17 assists -- 22 points; Sr. F, Tad Kozun, 5g, 14a -- 19 pts; Sr. D, Jarrett Brown, 5g, 10a -- 15 pts; Jr. F, Jonah Renouf, 3g, 6a -- 9 pts; Fr. F, Cameron Trott, 50 points in two seasons of Junior A hockey; Sr. G, Olivier Mantha, 7-18-4, 2.82 goals against average, .913 save percentage.

UND (2016-17 scoring):

Jr. F, Shane Gersich, 21g, 16a -- 37 pts; Sr. F, Austin Poganski, 12g, 13a -- 25 pts; So. D, Christian Wolanin, 6g, 16 a -- 24 pts; So. F, Rhett Gardner, 8g, 13a -- 21 pts; Fr. F, Grant Mismash, 2nd Round NHL draft pick; Sr. G, Cam Johnson, 20-13-3, 2.38 GAA, .903 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Alaska Anchorage:

The Seawolves were last in the NCAA in scoring last season, recording just 1.74 goals per game and were second to last in power play goals at 0.44 per game.

Senior Matt Anholt leads UAA returners with 22 points (5g, 17a) last season.

Senior netminder Olivier Mantha has posted a .903 save percentage of better in his of his three seasons with the Seawolves.

UND:

UND leads the all-time series with UAA at a 46-17-5 mark. This weekend marks the first time the two long-time WCHA foes have played since October 26-27, 2012.

North Dakota has made the NCAA tournament in 15-straight seasons.

The Fighting Hawks return 7 of their top 10 scorers from last season, but lose 99 combined points from Tyson Jost (Colorado), Brock Boeser (Vancouver) and Tucker Poolman (Winnipeg), who all left for NHL contracts and are on opening-night rosters for their respective teams.

How?

How’d they get here?

UAA won their exhibition matchup against Simon Fraser University, 6-1. Senior forward Austin Azurdia had a hat trick and an assist in the win..

No. 7 UND topped Manitoba 6-2 in exhibition fashion as sophomore forward Ludvig Hoff notched two goals while all six rookie skaters tallied at least a point.

The Green and White are 6-0 in their last six games against Alaska Anchorage.

UND rookies Jordan Kawaguchi (29) and Nick Jones
converge on a Manitoba skater. (Photo: GF Herald)

The Pick

Well, this is kind of an odd one.

A non-conference series (and we know how important these are to the Pairwise) that's 3,000 miles from home with a team in UND that's chocked full of new faces that are still trying to get to know each other while replacing three NHL players from last season's roster.

Sounds easy, right?

Well, DDC thinks it will end up being that way, but it may take a minute. UAA has a nice group of returning players and are going to be fired up at home against an old-time foe, but frankly put, they have been at the bottom of the WCHA for the past two years for a reason.

The Hawks look like they are going to bring a depth that the Seawolves just cant hang with for a 60-minute game. With a group of returning standouts like skaters Shane Gersich, Austin Poganski, Christian Wolanin and netminder Cam Johnson, UND is simply more talented than UAA.

With that complement of talented returners, the Green and White showed in the exhibition that their rookies can play, too. Freshmen Grant Mismash and Jordan Kawaguchi both potted goals in their first games in a UND sweater while all six rookies tallied at least a point in a 6-2 drubbing of Manitoba. Of course, this is only an exhibition, but the rookies certainly passed the eye test last week against the Bisons.

Travel shouldn't be an excuse for the Fighting Hawks as they arrived three days in advance for this series and are the more talented team.

UND GETS THE SWEEP AT SULLIVAN AND LEAVES THE LAST FRONTIER WITH TWO WINS, 6-2, 4-1

Thanks for reading! Check back next week to see how the Green and White fared.

Roses and Thorns: Starting Hoff on the Right Foot

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.

Let's Drop the Puck -- DDC's 2017-18 Season Preview

It's been six long months since we've last seen our beloved UND men's hockey team in action, but that changes as
the puck drops on Saturday when the Fighting Hawks take on the Manitoba Bisons in exhibition action. (Photo: Fargo Forum)

Holey moley, it's frickin' hockey season.

Maybe it's the fact that it was 90 degrees last weekend that makes it feel like we are still in the dog days of summer, but alas, here we are. It's nearly October and it's about time to drop the puck on the 2017-18 season.

Denver is the clear favorite for a back-to-back run at the Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions as well as the favorite to defend their national championship, but as we UND hockey fans well know, it's pretty dang hard to repeat.

It's been six long months since the Fighting Hawks lost in heartbreaking OT fashion to Boston University at the West Regional in Fargo and UND has gone through some serious changes. Gone to the NHL are stalwarts Tyson Jost, Brock Boeser and Tucker Poolman. But, the cupboards are certainly not bare. The Green and White return a great nucleus of players that will lead UND in their run to a potential shot at Green Banner No. 9 when the Frozen Four rolls around from St. Paul's Xcel Energy Center in April.

Captaining this year's squad, senior Austin Poganski leads the way with Shane Gersich, Christian Wolanin and netminder Cam Johnson helping pace UND in it's new pursuit of greatness. Accompanying the returners, the Fighting Hawks bring in a nice group of freshman that are hoping to make an immediate impact.

So, let's take a look at what storylines will write the history for this year's UND men's hockey team. DDC delves into those storylines as well as preview his view of the NCHC and NCAA picture and predicts the Hawks' exhibition game against the Manitoba Bisons. Without further ado, let's get it going, shall we?

1) Depth, Depth, Depth

This team, unlike the past two seasons, isn't loaded with elite-level scoring, but it does have a lot of depth. The Fighting Hawks lose a combined 99 points from the trio of Jost, Boeser and Tucker Poolman, all having moved on to professional hockey contracts, but return 7 of their top 10 scorers from last season including last year's team leader in Shane Gersich (21 goals, 16 assists -- 37 points). UND looks to young players like Dixon Bowen and Ludvig Hoff to expand their roles as this team should be able to roll four deep lines if newcomers can come in and instantly contribute.

2) Fresh Meat

UND's rookie class doesn't have the blue chip name like Jost, Boeser or Nick Schmaltz like they have had in the past few seasons, but that doesn't mean this isn't a good class of rookies. In fact, neutralzone.net had the Hawks rated as the top class in the NCAA coming into this year. Grant Mismash is a 2nd-round NHL draft pick while Jordan Kawaguchi and Nicholas Jones are coming off BCHL playoff runs that saw them posted No. 1 and 2 in scoring.

3) Can Cam Return to Form?

2016-17 wasn't a terrible season for UND netminder Cam Johnson, but it wasn't to the level of what it was like during the Hawks' 2015-16 title run in which Johnson was a Mike Richter finalist as the NCAA's top goaltender. Loads of new freshmen defensemen getting used to college hockey was a big part of this, but Johnson was nevertheless not at his top form. With a returning group of D-men in Christian Wolanin, Colton Poolman, Hayden Shaw, Andrew Peski and Casey Johnson that logged significant minutes last season, Cam will have a chance to improve and be the backbone of UND once again. If this happens, the Green and White will have a chance to be in every game this year.

DDC's Preseason NCAA Top 10

1) DU
2) Providence
3) Boston University
4) UMass-Lowell
5) Penn State
6) Wisconsin
7) UND
8) St. Cloud State
9) Minnesota
10) Notre Dame

DDC's NCAA Take

It's DU's world and we're all just living in it. In all seriousness, all the top contenders have big question marks while DU pretty much just has the least. Returning the talent they have on the front end, they are the best team in the country until that is proven differently. Boston University lost a lot of talent, but still has a lot of with Jordan Greenway, Patrick Harper and Jake Oettinger leading the way. 

Penn State and Wisconsin are wholly unproven, but are loaded with talent. The Badgers lost Luke Kunin, but gained a legit No. 1 goalie in graduate transfer, All-American Kyle Hayton, formerly of St. Lawrence. DDC believes that UND can make some hay with a lot of depth, but lacks dynamic scoring that they have had the past two seasons. If Cam Johnson plays like he did during the Fighting Hawks' 2015-16 title run, the Green and White could be right there in St. Paul for the Frozen Four in April.

NCHC Picks

1) Denver
2) UND
3) St. Cloud State

Denver sophomore forward is DDC's
NCHC preseason Player of the Year pick

4) Minnesota Duluth
5) Miami
6) Western Michigan
7) Colorado College
8) Omaha

DDC's All-NCHC Team

F -- Henrik Borgstrom, DU

F -- Dylan Gambrell, DU

F -- Shane Gersich, UND
F -- Troy Terry, DU

D -- Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State

D -- Louie Belpedio, Miami

G -- Cam Johnson, UND

Player of the Year: Borgstrom

Defenseman of the Year: Schuldt

Rookie of the Year: Grant Mismash, UND

DDC's NCHC Take

DU is No. 1 in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference and the NCAA polls and rightfully so. Losing last year's Hobey Baker Will Butcher is a big blow to their blue line, but returning stars in Henrik Borgstrom, Dylan Gambrell, Troy Terry and goaltender Tanner Jaillet, the defending national champs are poised for another deep run.

DDC likes UND's depth this season, but who will stand out as scorers? Contributions are needed from a nice group of freshman led by 2nd round NHL draft pick Grant Mismash. Cam Johnson ala 2015-16 would be a nice piece for North Dakota.

St. Cloud State looks like a team that will contend both in the NCHC and nationally with Jack Ahcan, Will Borgen, Mikey Eyssimont, the Poehling trio and Jimmy Schuldt leading the way. They are a legit goaltender from being really, really good. Can Slovakian rookie David Hrenak be they guy for the Huskies?

UND is 13-0 all time against the Manitoba Bisons

Bring on the Bisons

UND is 13-0 all-time against Manitoba and topped the Bisons 5-1 last year, but that game was more about raising banner No. 8 to the Ralph Engelstad Arena rafters. In this one, the Fighting Hawks starts its run to No. 9 and are trying to see who can make an early impact. Nicholas Jones has experience in college hockey, leaving Ohio State and heading to the BCHL before coming to Grand Forks. After a huge playoff run, can he make an early impression on his new teammates?

How about Shane Gersich? Can he build of an impressive sophomore campaign and bring the Hawks the elite scoring they are looking for? Will Cam Johnson once again become the man between the pipes or will freshman Peter Thome make his push?

DDC sees UND's depth taking hold here. The Green and White get scoring from all over the lineup as Gersich nets two, captain Austin Poganski gets one to go, while freshmen Jordan Kawaguchi and Grant Mismash endear themselves to the REA faithful with their first tallies. Ludvig Hoff and Johnny Simonson round out the scoring for a successful start to 2017-18.

UND ROLLS, 7-2

It's hockey season, ladies and gents. Let's do this!

Come back next week to see how it went down. Thanks for reading!

Friday Gameday: UND Looks to Make 2017 Great... Again?

UND forward Brock Boeser (16) celebrates a goal in last Friday's 9-1 win over UNO in Omaha. Boeser returned
from wrist surgery, netting two goals in his first action since November 19th. Photo: Megan Farmer/The World-Herald.

It's 2017 and change is abound.

DDC is no longer a 20-something, the United States is about to inaugurate a new president, baby DDC No. 2 is less than two months away from entering this crazy world and after an up-and-down start of the season, the UND men's hockey team seems to be turning the corner.

After a New Years Eve 3-1 victory over Union in Upstate New York, North Dakota traveled to Omaha and brought two big guns with them. UND got back Brock Boeser from wrist surgery and Tyson Jost from a silver medal performance for Team Canada in the World Junior Championship tournament and their impacts were felt immediately. Boeser scored twice on Friday and then netted another and assisted twice on Saturday for a five-point weekend. Jost on Friday, having almost no sleep on the heels the gold medal game in the WJC in Montreal the night before, scored and added an assist. Then on Saturday, playing his fourth game in four days and fifth in six days, potted two goals for a crazy, four point weekend.

UND Fr. F, Tyson Jost
had a four-point weekend
at UNO (3 goals, 1 assist).

Think about this for a second ... UND rolled the Mavericks, a Team Under Consideration in the PairWise rankings and a conference foe in Omaha with two blowout victories (9-1, 7-3), potting 16 goals, their most on a weekend since the 2010-11 season. North Dakota has now won three-in-a-row and five of their last six games.

As the college hockey world saw these developments, a loud "uh oh" could be plainly heard. The Green and White may have found their mojo.

With their lineup back to form, No. 7 UND welcomes the Miami RedHawks to the Ralph Engelstad Arena this weekend for an important National Collegiate Hockey Conference series that sees Miami also on the uptick.

After a rough 0-7-2 streak, the RedHawks have heated up, winning four straight games and going unbeaten in their last five. That includes a sweep at home against SCSU, 3-2 (OT) and 4-1 last weekend.

After their huge sweep on the road, UND is now third in the NCHC and looking to cement their place as the second half gets rolling. Miami is 6th and a good showing in Grand Forks would certainly vault them into 2017.

Who will continue their New Year hot start?

Here's what to watch for as Miami faces off with the Green and White in DDC's first "Who? What? How?" series preview of 2017.

Who?

Players to Watch

Miami:

Miami Fr. F, Carson Meyer
is sixth in the NCAA
in Rookie points per
game with 1.06.

Sr. F, Anthony Louis, 11 goals, 14 assists -- 25 points; So. F, Kiefer Sherwood, 10g, 13a -- 23 pts; So. F, Josh Melnick, 6g, 11a -- 17 pts; Fr. F, Carson Meyer, 5g, 12a -- 17 pts; Jr. D, Louie Belpedio, 3g, 6a -- 9 pts;  Fr. G, Ryan Larkin, 6-6-5, 2.48 goals against average, .914 save percentage.

UND:

So. F, Shane Gersich, 15g, 13a -- 28 pts (3rd in the NCAA in goals); Fr. F, Tyson Jost, 10g, 12a -- 22 pts (T-2 in NCAA in rookie goals and 6th in rookie points/game); So. F, Brock Boeser, 10g, 11a -- 21 pts; Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 4g, 14a -- 18 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 7g, 10a -- 17 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 12-6-3, 2.08 GAA, .916 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Miami:

The Redhawks lead the NCHC on the penalty kill and is 13th in the nation with a 85.3% mark.

Miami has struggled offensively, at times, this season, averaging just 2.6 goals per game which is T-40th in the NCAA. However, they've scored at a 3.4 goals per game clip during their current five-game unbeaten streak.

Freshman forward Carson Meyer ranks sixth in the NCAA in rookie points per game at 1.06 (5 goals, 12 assists in 16 games).

UND:

UND is 9th in the country in goals against, allowing just 2.19 goals per game and are T-9 in goals scored with a 3.52 per game average.

The Green and White's 16-goal outburst last weekend in Omaha was their most in a series since they scored 17 to close out the 2010-11 season at Michigan Tech.

Sophomore forward Shane Gersich is tied with Omaha's Austin Ortega for the NCHC goal lead with 15 and is tied for 3rd nationally.

Freshman forward Tyson Jost leads the NCHC and is sixth nationally with a 63% faceoff win mark.

How?

How’d they get here?

Miami (PWR: 28, 7-8-5; 3-4-3-1 – 13 points, 5th in NCHC) swept SCSU at home 3-2 in OT and 4-1. The Redhawks are unbeaten in their last five games (4-0-1).

No. 7 UND (PWR: 7, 12-6-3; 5-4-1-1 – 17 points, 3rd in NCHC) swept UNO last weekend in Omaha, drubbing the Mavericks 9-1 and 7-3. The Green and White have won five of their past six.

The Pick

The last time Miami traveled to Grand Forks, the REA faithful were treated to one of the most memorable goals ever scored in UND history.

It will forever be known by DDC and many others as "The Tic-Tic-Tic-Tac-Toe" goal.

This will be a goal that all UND fans will remember as the seminal play of the Green and White's 8th national champion season in 2015-16. 

While this goal means nothing in terms of this weekend, DDC just had to bring it up. Sorry, Miami fans.

Ok, so with that, on to The Pick. 

Both teams are playing much better of late, but DDC can't shake off what he saw last weekend as UND destroyed Omaha. While 16 goals will more than likely not be repeated, that series showed the college hockey world that the Green and White are ready for a serious run at defending their crown. 

The return of Boeser and Jost to the lineup has given UND a huge shot in the arm and has evened out their scoring attack. Shane Gersich is having a monster year and leads the NCHC in goals and is third in the NCAA with 15. With Jost and Boeser on separate lines, UND is 4-0, outscoring their opponents  by a ridiculous 23-4 margin while going an equally ridiculous 9-for-20 on the power play. 

Couple these points with a defense allowing just 2.19 goals per game, the 9th-best mark in the NCAA, UND is turning up their performance. 

DDC sees the Green and White sweeping the RedHawks to keep their 2017 going in the right direction.

UND SWEEPS AND OFFICIALLY RINGS IN THE NEW YEAR, 5-2, 4-3.

There's The Pick. Check back next week to see if North Dakota kept it rolling. Thanks for reading!

Friday Gameday: A 20-Something Sweep, Not a Dirty 30 Geritol, Please?

DDC turns 30 on Saturday and is
feeling spry with no supplements needed.

This is DDC's last post as a 20-Something as he turns 30 on Saturday and he'd love a birthday present from his beloved UND men's hockey team and he's not asking for medication for any elderly ailment.

Much like DDC's 29 years on this wonderful earth, it's been an up-and-down first half for the defending national champions. (Pretty much kidding with DDC's up-and-down life 😀)

The UND men's hockey team started their title defense 5-0 then went on a six-game winless streak, the Green and White's longest since the 2002-03 season. UND followed that up with an impressive sweep in St. Cloud for the first time since 1998 and then slipped again the next weekend as North Dakota lost and tied Michigan State, who entered that weekend near the bottom of the PairWise rankings. Last weekend, the upswing came back as UND topped rival Boston College 4-3 in the College Hockey Showdown game from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

So, in short, DDC really has no idea what the heck is going to happen as the No. 18 Western Michigan Broncos travel to Grand Forks to take on the No. 8 Green and White.

This is DDC's last "He's in his 20s, he wears it well and still doesn't need any Little Blue Pill or Geritol" series preview. Here's what to watch for as DDC brings back his "Who? What? How?" look of this last National Collegiate Hockey Conference tussle of 2016.

Who?

Players to Watch

WMU So. Matheson Iacopelli
leads the NCHC with 13 goals.

Western Michigan:

So. F, Matheson Iacopelli, 13 goals, 4 assists -- 17 points; Sr. D, Taylor Fleming, 0g, 13a -- 13 pts; So. F, Griffen Molino, 4g, 7a -- 11 pts; Fr. F, Wade Allison, 7g, 3a -- 10 pts; Sr. F, Sheldon Dries, 4g, 6a -- 10 pts;  So. G, Trevor Grouch, 4-3-2, 3.07 goals against average, .894 save percentage.

UND:

So. F, Shane Gersich, 11g, 11a -- 22 pts; Fr. F, Tyson Jost, 7g, 10a -- 17 pts; So. F, Brock Boeser, 7g, 9a -- 16 pts (likely out this weekend); Jr. D, Tucker Poolman, 4g, 10a -- 14 pts; Jr. F, Austin Poganski, 3g, 7a -- 10 pts; Jr. G, Cam Johnson, 8-5-3, 2.24 GAA, .907 SV PCT.

What? 

Standout Stats

Western Michigan:

The Broncos are 9th in the NCAA in goals per game with a 3.64 average and are 11th in power play at 22.1%.

Sophomore Matheson Iacopelli leads the NCHC with 13 goals for the year after scoring just once in his freshman season in 27 games played.

WMU has just one win in their last five games (1-2-2).

UND:

UND is 11th in the country in goals against, allowing just 2.31 goals per game and are 26th in goals scored with a 3.06 per game average.

UND is 15-1-0 all time against WMU, with their lone loss coming in 2013-14, costing UND a Penrose Cup title in the NCHC's first season. The Green and White won all four games between the two teams last season. Netminder Cam Johnson won all four of those games with a sterling 1.56 goals against average and .948 save percentage.

Sophomore forward Shane Gersich is tied with Omaha's Austin Ortega for the NCHC scoring lead with 22 points (11 goals, 11 assists).

Freshman forward has six points in his last five games (4 goals, 2 assists) including a pair of goals in two separate games (last week against Boston College and Nov. 25 at home against Michigan State).

How?

How’d they get here?

No. 18 WMU (PWR: 11, 7-4-3; 3-4-1 – 11 points, 3^rd in NCHC) fell 3-0 at home against St. Cloud State on Friday and tied 5-5, but won in a shootout to gain the extra conference point on Saturday.

No. 8 UND (PWR: 7, 8-5-3; 2-3-1 – 8 points, 6^th in NCHC) topped No. 3 Boston College 4-3 in the College Hockey Showdown game from Madison Square Garden in New York City.

The Pick

UND Fr. F, Tyson Jost celebrates one of his two goals in the Green and
White's 4-3 win over Boston College last Saturday from Madison Square
Garden in New York City. (Photo credit: Russell Hons/UND Athletics)

This is a different looking Western Michigan squad from their recent incarnations as they can score goals (9th in the NCAA in scoring) and have beaten three ranked teams, including Denver. 

On the other side of the ice, like DDC previously mentioned, UND has been wholly an up-and-down team. They've looked dominant at times and completely lost and uninspired at others. 

The Green and White took to a big stage last weekend in NYC and outplayed the No. 3 BC Eagles, particularly when 5-on-5, and got scoring from their top-end players as well as third and fourth liners. This development will be huge for UND, going forward. 

With Brock Boeser likely out for another weekend as he nurses an arm injury, Tyson Jost and Shane Gersich will need to continue to lead the way in the scoring department. Where UND gets tough to beat is when players like Trevor Olson, who scored his first goal in 57 games, the game winner against BC, find the back of the net. 

Again, this isn't the plodding and overly physical WMU team that UND has seen in recent years and the Green and White will need to slow a Broncos squad that is scoring plenty of goals, this season. 

UND must stay out of the penalty box as they have played very well when 5-on-5 this season but are a lowly 79.7% on the penalty kill and WMU is clicking with a 11th-best in the NCAA power play (22.1%). If the Green and White can stay out of the box and give open viewing lanes to Cam Johnson in net, UND has shown the ability to score enough goals and deny chances and win games.

UND GIVES DDC A "20-SOMETHING" FRIDAY WIN AND "DIRTY 30" VICTORY FOR A BIRTHDAY SWEEP, 4-2, 4-3.

There you have it. Thanks for reading and for all birthday gifts, feel free to comment and DDC will send you his address. Cheers!

Friday Gameday: A Tussle at the Top

For a series in late October, it really doesn't get any better than this.

It's a showdown of the No. 1 UND men's hockey team and the No. 2 Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs from AmsOil Arena in Duluth, the first regular-season tussle between the nation's top two teams since 2008.

The Green and White come in undefeated, but a bit untested as they've beaten three teams, Canisius, RPI and Bemdiji State, with a combined seven wins. On the other side of that spectrum, the Bulldogs have proven their mettle against some of the NCAA's best, Michigan Tech, UMass-Lowell and Notre Dame, going 3-1-2.

It's the first National Collegiate Hockey Conference series for both teams and the points on the line aren't just for the polls as both are looking to start off on the right NCHC foot.

It's going to be a fun weekend against teams who know each other very well and here's what to watch for in DDC's "Who? What? How?" series preview.

Who?

Players to Watch

UMD So. D, Neal Pionk
leads all NCHC defensemen
with seven points (3g, 4a).

Minnesota Duluth

So. F, Adam Johnson, 4 goals, 3 assists -- 7 points; So. D, Neal Pionk, 3g, 4a -- 7 pts; Fr. F, Joey Anderson, 0g, 6a -- 6 pts; Sr. F, Kyle Osterberg, 3g, 2a -- 5 pts; Sr. F, Alex Iafallo, 2g, 2a -- 4 pts; So. G, Nick Deary, 1-0-2, 1.54 goals against average (6th in NCAA), .934 save percentage (T-10th in NCAA); Fr. G, Hunter Miska, 2-0-0, 2.73 GAA, .877 SV PCT.

UND

So. F, Brock Boeser, 6g (T-2nd in NCAA), 6a -- 12 pts (2nd in NCAA); So. F, Shane Gersich, 3g, 5a -- 8 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, 5-0-0, 1.81 GAA, .899 SV PCT.

What?

Standout Stats

UND

The Green and White are allowing just 17.8 shots on goal per game, the best in NCAA by over three shots per game and are third in the country in shots on goal with 37.4 per game.

North Dakota is 6-1 all time at AmsOil Arena outscoring UMD 27-8 in those seven games including a pair of 3-0 shutouts last season. In fact, the Bulldogs haven't scored a goal against UND in 166 minutes and 23 seconds in AmsOil, the last coming in 2014.

With Zach Yon's goal in last Saturday's 5-4 win against Bemidji State, all five UND freshman forwards have scored a goal.

Minnesota Duluth

The Bulldogs haven't won a series against UND since 2008 and haven't swept the Green and White -- home or away -- since 1995.

Sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk's seven points (3g, 4a) leads all NCHC defenseman and Freshman goaltender Nick Deary is 6th in the NCAA with a 1.54 goals against average and 10th in the NCAA with a .934 save percentage. 

This weekend's series will be UMD's fourth consecutive playing a team ranked in the USCHO.com poll at the time they played their opponent. So far this season, the Bulldogs have played No. 17 Michigan Tech, No. 8 UMass-Lowell and No. 5 Notre Dame. 

How?

How'd they get here?

No. 1 UND (5-0-0) swept Bemidji State in Grand Forks, 3-2, 5-4, coming from behind from early deficits in each game. Going back to last Thanksgiving, the Green and White have lost just four times in their last 35 games (29-4-2).

No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (3-1-2) lost an exhibition affair against the USA U-18 team 2-1, while playing all three goaltenders one period and outshooting Team USA 33-18. UMD split a home series against Notre Dame on October 14-15 winning 4-3 on Friday and falling 3-1 on Saturday.

The Pick

UND has been dominant against Minnesota Duluth in AmsOil Arena since its opening in 2010, posting a 6-1 record
in the Bulldogs' home rink. The Green and White spoiled the opening in December 2010, rolling UMD 5-0. UND hasn't
allowed the Bulldogs a goal against in AmsOil in 166 minutes, 23 seconds, not scoring since 2014.

This series is an interesting one in many aspects. On one side of the ice, you have UND who is undefeated, but not having seen the quality of UMD and on the other, the Bulldogs have played top competition all season and are still No. 2 in the country.

The Green and White have had UMD's number of late in the regular season, including two sweeps last year, but Duluth knocked off UND in the Frozen Faceoff.

UND's Brock Boeser went absolutely nutty last weekend against BSU, netting his second-career hat trick on Friday and adding two more goals on Saturday and is kicking off his Hobey Baker campaign in style. The Green and White's top line of Boeser, sophomore Shane Gersich and freshman Tyson Jost have lit up the score sheet so far and are looking to cement themselves as one of the nation's top lines against a freshman goaltender in Nick Deary who came in highly touted and has brought that talent to the NCAA ice.

Will the Green and White continue its dominant play in AmsOil Arena? The Bulldogs are definitely aware of what UND has done to them in Duluth and overall in recent years and they will come out firing. UMD presents UND its first huge challenge of the year and despite going 5-0, the Green and White have had some big-time defensive lapses that have led to goals against. With a lineup chocked full of veteran scoring, the Green and White will need to tighten up defensively.

Another stat that could loom large is that UND has given up the first goal in 4-of-5 games this year. While they've come back to win in all four, falling behind against a UMD team that is getting solid netminding and features a defense with top D-men Neal Pionk and Willie Raskob, the Green and White need quick starts to get wins in Duluth.

With all of that said, DDC likes UND's depth so far as they have gotten scoring from all over the lineup. If they can get a couple goals from their bottom two lines, the top line of Boeser, Gersich and Jost could make up the difference. Until DDC sees UND falter, he's not going to pick against them.

UND SWEEPS AND CONTINUES TO MAKE AMSOIL ARENA ITS "REA EAST", 4-3, 3-1.

Thanks for reading and head back early next week to see who prevailed in the matchup of No. 1 versus No. 2. It should be a heckuva weekend.

It's Time to Reload -- DDC's Look at the 2016-17 Squad

For the first time in 16 years, it's been a celebratory offseason.

It's been 172 days since we saw the UND men's hockey team skate around Amalie Arena in Tampa, FL with the National Championship trophy. Before DDC takes a look ahead, let's all reminisce, one more time, shall we?

One last time ... what a team.

While the pressure of once a seemingly unending, unbearable streak of frustration is over, the goal for the 2016-17 version of the Green and White remains the same as all previous incarnations of UND hockey -- to win a national championship.

The 2015-16 team was special. A squad stuffed with scoring, defense and tenacity, they finally cashed in on their all-time UND legacy. While many of those special players are gone, many remain and the expectations are still as high as ever in Grand Forks. Losing players like Troy Stecher, Drake Caggiula, Nick Schmaltz and Paul LaDue, all key cogs in the run to No. 8, will force the 2016-17 squad to look for answers as to who will step up into key roles.

However, let DDC make one thing clear -- UND doesn't rebuild. We reload.

Here's a look at what remains and who will be there to restock the talent load lost from the tremendous 2015-16 squad.

Who's Left?

UND's Top Returning Players

 Sophomore Forward, Brock Boeser

Without a doubt, Boeser is the most important and dynamic returning player for the 2016-17 Green and White. The first-round NHL draft pick was arguably the best forward in the country last year, ending last season as the nation's third-leading scorer with an impressive 27 goal, 33 assist -- 60 point season. Boeser was pegged by USCHO as the top returning forward for the 2016-17 season, and for good reason. If you need a refresher as to why, here you go:

Boeser's unique blend of effort, power, speed and scoring touch led to one of the best freshman campaigns in UND history. Last year's NCHC Rookie of the Year is a Hobey Baker candidate and will wear an 'A' for the Green and White as they look to repeat. 

Junior Forward, Austin Poganski

The big-bodied power forward really came into his own last year as a part of UND's Heavy Line with Rhett Gardner and Luke Johnson. Poganski was a force in the middle of the ice, owning the front of the net and anchoring a line that was matched with opponent's top lines down the stretch. The St. Cloud, Minn., native notched 10 goals and added 15 assists last season. This year, Poganski has been named an Assistant Captain and will greatly factor again into UND's success. Another step forward for the St. Louis Blues draft pick will be an important piece in the Green and White's run to No. 9, this season.

Jr. D, Tucker Poolman
named an Assistant Captain
for the 2016-17 season.

Junior Defenseman, Tucker Poolman

Much like Poganski, Tucker Poolman took another big step in his development as one of UND's most important defensemen last year on a squad chocked full of important defensemen. Poolman was fifth in the NCHC in defenseman scoring and notched career highs in assists (19) and points (24). The East Grand Forks, Minn., product will wear an 'A' for the 2016-17 team. Armed with a lethal slap shot from the point, Poolman is also incredibly steady on the back end and will anchor a great returning corps of D-men along with two-time Captain Gage Ausmus and sophomores Christian Wolanin and Hayden Shaw. Defense was the backbone of the 2015-16 title team and with Poolman on the back end once again, UND should be stellar, once again.

Who's New?

UND's Top Newcomers

 Freshman Forward, Tyson Jost

As DDC noted earlier, UND doesn't rebuild ... it reloads. Bringing in the talent the likes of freshman forward Tyson Jost, the Green and White will look to do just that. The St. Albert, Alberta native was selected No. 10 overall in this year's NHL draft by the Colorado Avalanche, becoming UND's second forward Top 10 pick of all time with the legendary Jonathan Toews. The comparisons to the former Fighting Sioux superstar isn't just due to his high draft status. DDC was recently told by a local media member that Jost reminds him very much of Toews in that he just simply does everything right. Last season with Penticton, Jost was named the BCHL MVP, the CJHL National Player of the Year, MVP and forward of the year with an eye-popping 104 points (42 goals, 62 assists) in 48 games. He has been tabbed as ISS Hockey's Top Incoming Freshman. Take a look at UND's new prized blue chipper:

Oof. Anyone else licking their chops? Looks like a special player. Hands, playmaking ability, vision and scoring touch, anyone? With Nick Schmaltz and Drake Caggiula gone, look for Mr. Jost to make an immediate impact.

Freshman Forward, Ludvig Hoff

The Oslo, Norway native had a stalwart career with the Lincoln Stars of the USHL, posting 57 points last season. Hoff was eighth in the league in points and fifth in assists (37) and was named a USHL Third-Team All-star. Hoff, UND's first Norwegian-born product, twice captained Norway's World Junior Championship team. Hoff will certainly have his chance at Top 6 minutes in UND's effort to reload.

Fr. D, Casey Johnson adds
to UND's local talent pool.

Freshman Defenseman, Casey Johnson

Johnson, a Grand Forks native and former Central High Knight, continues a trend of local flavor that has spotted the Green and White over the last handful of years. The defenseman spent the 2015-16 season with the USHL's Dubuque Fighting Saints and tallied nine goals and 13 assists, helping Dubuque to the Clark Cup Final. A solid defenseman, Johnson will have the opportunity for minutes as UND looks to find a pair to join a returning corps.

Poised for a Breakout?

DDC's Breakout Player for 2016-17

So. F, Shane Gersich
is DDC's pick for UND's
Breakout Player of 2016-17.

Sophomore Forward, Shane Gersich

Losing the likes of Schmaltz, Caggiula, Stecher and LaDue, who will be the man to take the biggest step for the 2016-17 Green and White? Along with the previously mentioned Austin Poganski and Rhett Gardner, Shane Gersich showed flashes of greatness last year for UND. Gersich scored 9 goals and added two assists last season and scored the Green and White's first goal in their 5-1 National Title winning victory against Quinnipiac. The Chaska, Minn., product has tremendous top-end speed and a noticeable scoring touch in space. With that speed and touch, Gersich could very well have the opportunity to play on the top line with Boeser and potentially Jost, setting up a group that's loaded with a dynamic scoring knack. With opponents having to contend with Boeser and with what looks to be elite-level playmaking ability in Jost, Gersich should have time and space and DDC thinks big things are in store. DDC sees Gersich jumping up into the 30 point range and becoming a huge factor for the Green and white.

It's good to be back, folks. Thanks again for reading and keep coming back for DDC's takes on UND hockey all season.

Later this week, visit DDC as he looks at UND's biggest storylines for 2016-17, delves into his NCHC and NCAA preseason rankings and predictions and previews the season-opening exhibition against the Manitoba Bisons.

We're just three days away from the glory of another banner raising as the Green and White hoist Green Banner No. 8 into the Ralph Engelstad Arena rafters on October 3 to kick off the 2016-17 season. 

Cheers and Fight On, Green and White!