.357

Buzzsaw means overwhelming opposition & that's probably not how DU will view UND. Better to say instead that any points DU leaves GF with they will have earned.

And then Denver plays Yale & Lindenwood before heading to Grand Forks. They deserve the early #1 because they've earned it & they're currently unbeaten. They're beating teams they're supposed to beat; that's what good teams do. Their PWR isn't taking any major hits. But they've had a very easy schedule compared to UND so far & they'll probably run into a buzzsaw when they hit the Ralph.

Exactly, the last thing you want is bias to creep into what should be a totally impartial process. Let a team's body of work be the judge, not some guy who has an agenda. UND needs to be on their A-game in a 6-game stretch when they play Robert Morris, Bemidji & Miami..a loss against one of them will drag them down a lot. Crush the plebs & strive for a split or better against those in the royal court.

I always assumed Englestads would leave a little extra in the piggy bank for contingencies like this...Wonder if any NIL money was promised to a top gun like McKamey to come here.

What a huge haul this is, fantastic!

Even just 1 loss against any of those 3 teams will probably put a big dent in our PWR. Cracking the top 4 for a #1 seed in the playoffs might be a tough task this year, considering how strong DU, BC, BU, MN & MSU appear to be. A question for those good with numbers/scenarios: Would a split with DU & a sweep of Robert Morris be better for our PWR than a sweep of DU & a split with Robert Morris? (provided that DU finishes near the top this year & Robert Morris near the bottom)

It was a lighthearted jab at Denver, meaning they put more emphasis on winning games & championships than on their uniforms.

Some teams value winning more than aesthetics.

Which makes me wonder what the standard is for the hockey program. Don't know what's discussed behind closed doors, but am assuming that Berry's track record of doing well in the regular season is the main (or only) criterion the AD is monitoring. If they're clicking on all cylinders, like we saw this weekend, they're very difficult to beat. It shouldn't matter who's put before them (DU, BC, MN, etc.), if they can replicate this energy in March & April, I like our chances to go deep. It's those times when the team disappears for large chunks of time which is concerning & frustrating. Keeping them motivated & learning will be Berry's main focus.

Hobie was solid in Mankato, no reason why he couldn't have started once this weekend. TJ has demonstrated that he may have very good nights, but he's prone to lapses like most goalies who aren't named Matt Davis. There's no proof at this point that he's clearly better than Hedquist & that he should be the main goalie. Besides, at some point, the team would be wise to develop their recruited talent & not have to consistently rely on senior transfers; which hasn't gotten us anywhere near postseason success since the portal opened. Time for Hobie to get some regular starts to prepare him for the #1 role next year; plus, he could be a flight risk after this season if he's not getting consistent starts. Rotate now, assign number #1 to the hot one in March & ride him all the way to #9.

What are you guys talking about?

Zmolek day-to-day, but Berry doesn't think he'll be playing this weekend.

Probably find out during the mid-week presser. If Berry says he's a 'game-time decision', that's usually code for 'won't be playing'.

All of whom are currently unranked, & it's not like BU blew them out of the rink either. Can't expect freshmen like Boisvert & Swanson to carry the team. Need players like Strinden & Kunz to get off the milk carton & start producing. It's all hands on deck going into the BU series.

Your sense of humor is appreciated..I always like to get my day started with a good chuckle. Come to think of it, isn't your prediction kind of a curse for UND? I remember you saying in the tournament bracket last March that your picks are usually a kiss of death. Or maybe I'm thinking of someone else.

Berry & his players were honest about how poorly they played in the Augustana game; but you're saying they're in denial or bs-ing about Saturday's game at Mankato? Because I didn't watch either game, I have to rely on the feedback I get from the team & the members here.

This is what's confusing, almost all members in this thread thought it was a sh!tshow; but listening to Berry, Hennessy & the players they thought they played a very good game. Either Berry & his players are describing the game accurately, or the members here are. "I thought we played close to a 60-minute game," UND coach Brad Berry said. "I thought we came out hard, dictated play for most of the first period and I thought it carried over. The problem was we didn't get our first goal. I thought if we could have gotten that first goal to give us a little momentum, we'd be on our way. But it was a lot different than (Friday) night as far as how we played. I think if you play that way for a 60-minute game, normally, we'll get the result. Tonight, we didn't." "Honestly, I thought we played a better game than we did (Friday) night," alternate captain Jake Schmaltz said. "We couldn't get that first one to fall, which ultimately we needed to get some momentum. It wasn't going our way tonight. It's frustrating. It sucks to lose. It's our first loss of the regular season, but I think if we keep playing like that, we're going to get a lot of good bounces down the road."

UND hockey lately reminds me of a Porsche 911 sitting in the garage of an old lady who no longer drives: talent unrealized.

Maybe we're already dead & in purgatory, forced to watch year after year of Berry-led teams as punishment for our earthly transgressions. Each season brings eternal hope, but always ends just short of the final prize; some years more crushing than others. A fitting punishment for a prideful people. Nothing else makes sense with these wildly inconsistent teams of his.

Boisvert quietly with 2 assists tonight.

Anyone have an idea why this team was not engaged for most of this game along with the Augie game? Looking for ideas about what's going on in these guys' heads. The first order of business should be to compete, but something's not clicking with these guys..They're either on or off with no in between. It's concerning because it seems to be a team-wide shutdown & this attitude can cost us valuable PWR points down the road. Or was it because Mankato was frustrating them with a heavy forecheck? How did Jubenvill look in relief of Zmolek?

Good to know. Thanks.

I was browsing the online Sioux Shop. Does anyone know the cut/percentage that a player receives if someone purchases a jersey with his name on it? (NIL)

Interesting take. So MI, if they are to be consistent with the 1 title every 10 years scenario, have until 2038 to win title #10 to stay ahead of the curve (first title for them was in 1948). That would be 40 years between titles (last one was in 1998). Would that still be acceptable for a school of MI's caliber?

When you think about it, Berry could very easily win one or two NCs in the next 5 years, with people remembering him as one of the better UND hockey coaches in program history. Sentiments can change that quickly. During the off-season, it sounds like he put a lot of thought into how he could manage the team differently. He may not be as inherently talented or wizard-like as Carle, but you can tell he really wants to win & is trying different approaches to gain different results. I'm optimistic in that sense. But at the same time, I'm also pragmatic: If his teams continue to flounder in the tournament in the next few years, serious consideration should be given to finding a replacement. There can only be so much playoff failure at a high-profile program like UND before one needs to pull the plug & look elsewhere. In the end, programs are respected & remembered through the lens of how many NCs they have; not with how many conference championships are hanging in their rafters.