AJS

With the revised second half schedule, opening with two weekends in a row in Colorado, I would have been really happy with 8/9 combined points. With them getting 6 in Colorado Springs, I'd be more than happy with a split in Denver. The road in the NCHC is tough. Sweep at home, split on the road. @Wilbur I think it's time to turn our attention on the other Pod of teams strictly to St. Cloud. Taking 9 from 12 from Duluth was extremely impressive. UND is going to need some help from Miami / Western. This weekend will be very telling. If UND can equal the point total St. Cloud picks up (this weekend), I'll feel better. Given St. Cloud's remaining schedule, I think they are sitting slightly better than UND.

Schlossman's article today. UND's upcoming series at Denver has been pushed back two days and will be played at 8:07 p.m. Sunday and Monday in Magness Arena. Sunday's game will be on Midco Sports Network. Monday's game will be on CBS Sports Network.

Reading comprehension problem on my end at first. Like I mentioned, I might be in the minority, but I'm really happy they are selling for the prices they listed.

I was pretty quick to also assume they clearly meant it would be $90 for the series. Now I'm not so sure. Given the limited seating, more importantly the financial hole they have to be in this year, I don't hate it. In fact, I'm all for them trying to somewhat salvage their balance sheet.

Berry's quote in todays article confirmed that. Sunday/Monday, but Denver has to get through one more round of testing.

That might have more to do with it than we think. Not often does UND Sweep CC in Colorado Springs.

6 points on the road is never easy. Huge sweep. I'll join the general consensus on their overall play. To me, it looked like you'd expect for their first couple of games this year, when they are still trying to get their feet under them. Which makes sense. There must have been a hard reset after the bubble. Given how mediocre UND played, not having Cruikshank I do think was the difference for CC not getting any points this weekend. To me, Slavin was by far the best forward on the ice. If that top line was intact, given how UND's top line looked, it would have made things even more interesting.

This felt a lot like the Malachi McNeal commit. Very big get.

Good win. They didn't look all that sharp, but you'll take road wins any way you can get them. Wanted to point out Caulfield / Blaisdell. Really liked that 4th line in general with Jamernik. Caulfield looked off in the bubble, but yesterday he looked how I think everyone expected him to this year. With St. Cloud streaking, UND has to keep up and win tonight.

Agreed with 13. It became apparent that he can't be a guy that plays regular minutes. Also with you with 20. You could make an argument that currently, 20/4 are in a similar boat. I'm not talking long term of course, just currently. I also think that with just a little more experience, 4 a month from now would separate himself from 20. I hope if given a full roster that 4 is the extra more times than not, over a forward. We need to make sure there's a 7th guy with experience if needed. I'm not with you with 21 though. I think he's in the mix with a few others.

Since the new rule has been in place, UND has been 0-fer on top 04' recruiting battles.

Talking NCHC Pod and how things look the second half. My biggest takeaway and I'm very relieved that the two groups are similar in terms of talent. In a year where your conference record means everything, it would have been tough to watch someone win the league based mostly on the teams they were surrounded with. Some of my high level observations: Tier 1 UND: This one is tough. They didn't look great the first couple of games. Kawaguchi for example looked really slow. Injuries, losing two to WJ's. They turned it around. 29 looked like a Hobey Finalist. Mismash looks like the guy we all hoped he would be. Valuable minutes for everyone. It's clear to me that when at full strength they are the best team in the NCHC. They just need to hold on until then. Duluth: Impressed. Better than I thought given who they lost. A very good team SCSU: Impressed. Better than I thought going into the year. Tier 2 Omaha: This is based on schedule / scoreboard watching. The only team I didn't watch play. They played Duluth / SCSU well. Losing / Going to OT vs Miami is surprising. Six / Ten games against CC, Miami, Western. Tier 3 Denver: It's a what was expected as I thought they were a Clear 1B starting the year, "unlucky" in one goal games to start out the Pod. Their last 5 games were not good. 1 / 1 vs Miami. Loss / OT vs Western. I do think they will be better second half. Brink coming back is big. Pretty big sample size. They aren't what most thought. I do think they'll be better 2nd half, but a step or two down from expectations. Tough Pod schedule. 6 of 10 games against my Tier 1 teams. Tier 4 CC: Only played 8 games. Played Duluth (win) and SCSU (OT loss) very well. So, why Tier 4? SO / Loss to Western. Not competitive vs Omaha. SO vs Miami. 8 Games, they played a total of 2 vs Tier 1. Weakest schedule. Tier 5 Western: Losing their Goalie, brutal start giving up 18. Fought back to look somewhat competitive. Goaltending is the Key. With it, they are Tier 4. Tier 6 Miami: This was the team when watching UND play against that I thought there was the biggest talent discrepancy. As they proved, Goaltending can steal games, but this is the only team I would have a hard time picturing UND actually lose to.

Done. @UND Fan thank you for setting these up! These are so great.

Things started to turn a little yesterday. The perfect outcomes. UND wins, SCSU / Duluth both lose. This weeks schedule (Wednesday / Saturday / Sunday) seems pretty ideal as well. Three games remaining, if they can string some wins together, as low as things were after the St. Cloud game, they have a chance for a fairly successful Pod. The game of the year coming up on Wednesday. Cannot afford to lose both games to a team you're only going to play twice. Not with so much uncertainty about how the Committee will pick this year field.

I cannot believe this team is where they’re at. I’m honestly stunned. They just aren’t very good right now.

I don't want this to seem like an overreaction. It is clear that I had unrealistic expectations for this team. You look at what they had last year and I truly felt there was more talent on this roster. In that sense, I'm shocked really, that the reality is they are no better or worse than Duluth / Denver. What I mean is I thought they would look a step ahead. You aren't going to win every game, but it's clear they aren't better. A lot of games left, hoping there is an extra gear. There going to win a lot of games if this is what they are, could still win it all, but they really have to buckle down.

I came into this year expecting UND and Denver to be 1a 1b. Overall, last game was a really good showing for both, high level. I haven't watched a Duluth game yet this year, so I'm excited to see how UND stacks up. Duluth is solid for sure, but I'm hoping UND has a half step. Those games could go either way of course, but a game where you can tell one team has the edge. Very important game given Duluth is up by four points.

Let's talk a little more about Moore. A guy who is in the same class as Sanderson and Kleven, so he's definitely been overshadowed. 5th Round pick, coming off a strong year in Juniors (+1, so not a True Freshman, but a year delayed). He was a great recruit. Get's an opportunity against Western, but you can't really take much away from that game, because it ends up in a lot of ways becoming a glorified scrimmage. Yesterday, he's on the 3rd D-pairing with Rieger who being what I'm guessing is a non-scholarship guy (has been strictly depth his entire career - solid for that type of player). I was really impressed with him. He played big minutes against what we all believe to be a Top-5 team, with his D-partner being Rieger. Very excited to watch him develop. What were others thoughts on Moore?

Game came down to two very undisciplined penalties in the last 9 minutes of the game. So frustrating. I thought overall, UND played well. Denver is a really good team, eventually they were going to come out on the winning side of a one goal game. I was really impressed with Moore. I thought he was the 4th best Dman today. Intrigued to see him continue to grow during the pod. Won't call him out by name, but there's a Sophomore that really needs to pick it up. He looked a little better as the game went on today, but he's been bad the first 3.5 games of the year. Had high expectations for him this year, so hopefully he turns it around. This one does sting. They were looking good going into that last ten.

Definitely. There are only two recruits currently scheduled (Morrow + Bast) and they are the only two that are eligible to come in (w/in reason, new Prep recruit won't be coming straight from HS). They lose at a minimum Bast / Kierstad / Rieger and most likely JBD / possibly Sanderson. With like you said how weird of a year it will be with the additional year / transfer portal being like it never has and never will be again, having Roster spots available like UND does, is a very valuable commodity. The Rizzo Forward spot was not filled this year as well.

Puck Preps said it best, Chesley has been the U17 team's best defenseman so far this season and is the top 2004 defenseman recruit still uncommitted. I think for a D-recruit he'd be the Top 2004 Recruit overall though. Tied 3rd in scoring on the team with 15 points (4 G 11 A) in 12 games. He's elite.

This is a big one.

We'll be saying this over and over this year, but as important as every game is this season, this has a little extra importance. Denver is a really good team, who will no-doubt make a run, but UND could start to sort of bury Denver with a win. I would find it hard to believe that a team could win the NCHC starting without a win in their first four. Not that they couldn't finish 2nd or 3rd, but it'd be a long road back. St. Cloud and Duluth are sprinting right now and UND needs to keep pace. With Kleven leaving as well, UND has to cross their fingers that nobody gets injured. As there roster stands now, they are still in good shape, but I believe they only have one healthy scratch.

Right or wrong, you are 100% correct. This sounding like a one-time issue (at least for the hockey team), this was the best case scenario.

One (Sanderson) and after the third game.