jk

Play of the game might have been Ludvig's save on Webster with 5-6 minutes left.

I think he's been ok.

God it seems like everyone is. UND just generally cannot seem to get set up.

Disagree that this looks like last year. UND barely touched the puck last year. They've had it plenty tonight. A couple missed assignments in the defensive zone and this happens.

Yes, but just horribly bad luck. Maybe too close to overturn, but it was high. Then off Pyke's chest and in.

One might see the score and assume the goaltender did not need to be great, but this was entirely his win, with some titanic saves along the way.

Yeah, Montgomery tried to return the favor to Ness and it was a great chance. They are feeling it for sure.

It felt like UND finally started competing with Bemidji in the last half of the second. Won some races, won some battles. Edit: and I'd say it started when Strinden decided to make a power move to the net.

That 21 26 27 shift with eight minutes left was the best of the game for UND. Attacked.

Wow, that wouldn't be my takeaway from this game. Bemidji exits and enters the zone with ease, and it's a chore for UND. Bemidji also seems to win about 80% of the 50 50 pucks. Ludwig is the difference.

It's not pretty or fun, but they're going to have to dump and chase. Bemidji just won't let them carry it in, and it leads to one turnover after another at the blue line.

Well, maybe not exciting.

I'd say the best part for me is not the ranking per se, but that they look the part. They've played some good teams and not looked out of place. They've played some iffy teams and made them look out of place. Can they still lose to anyone, or lose early in the tournament (if they make it), yes. But they look like a tough out.

The routine D to D play has been so much more composed this year. Last year so many seemingly routine plays went awry, and possession with it, leaving the team hemmed in again. Not sure if that's coaching, or different players, but it's welcome.

That shot is what I mean by elite talent converting chances. What a release.

Miami has had the better of the chances, and they're really quite good in the offensive zone. Lots of successful cross ice passes that have not turned into goals only because of UND's goalie. I wouldn't mind if UND back-checkers could disrupt some of those plays so Persson doesn't have to. UND has the elite talent this year to convert enough chances to win games like this, but they need to play better.

Carolina also does not currently have an affiliated AHL team, which has caused some issues with its prospects.

He's actually not a moron. If you disagree with him on a rule interpretation, you're more than likely wrong.

I recently watched the third period of the big comeback game against MN from the late 90s (thanks to whoever posted that here), and besides the unbelievable amount of hooking and tackling all over the ice, the talent of the Panzers and Blake really stood out. So explosive. Two other things about it. First, it's why I'd like Blake to stick around next year, so we can have another Blake Panzer team. Second, one of my recent colleagues was on the ice wearing the M.

Yeah he was right there, and seemed to be looking right at it.

Totally fine with the lineup as posted. I'll just add that next weekend's games are more crucial than this weekend's for PWR purposes, so if the thought was to get Hobie in, now would be the time.

It's strange for me to think this, but Gaber has gone from being one of the top couple forwards on the team each year to maybe not in the top five this year, and not from any regression on his part, but rather by the growth of younger guys. That says a lot about how good the forward group is, and also opens the door for Gaber to be the best he's ever been, since he won't be trying to carry the team. You can already see him slide into more of a team player. As the spotlight moves off him, he'll be able to step up and bury those snipes at key times.

That's just bad shift crazy!

If they're missing some important players, I don't think Miami actually sucks. They didn't have many shots in the first, but they had some dangerous looks that could have been goals. I think they'll win some league games this year ... Just hopefully not this weekend. Blake turning up ice is getting embedded in my brain alongside images of the other greats. The odds of something electric happening are pretty high.

The pregame optimism here has convinced me Miami will be scoring in the first period tonight. Hoping to get out of the weekend with two regulation wins.