Miami @ UND -- NCHC play begins!

[stoneySIOUX]

This is the last of the opening stretch of games that may be turn out to be huge. These are two very winnable games before the schedule turns up a notch. 

5-1-1 in the first 7 is excellent and necessary. I wanted to see UND go at least 7-2 in the first 9 based on the schedule and can be 7-1-1 a sweep.

[Dave Berger]

North Dakota will score at least three power play goals this weekend. Miami's kill has been awful, and the RedHawks don't have the puck very much. That's a recipe for success for a UND power play unit that just needs to gain some confidence.

Dave

[stoneySIOUX]

Just now, Dave Berger said:

North Dakota will score at least three power play goals this weekend. Miami's kill has been awful, and the RedHawks don't have the puck very much. That's a recipe for success for a UND power play unit that just needs to gain some confidence.

Dave

I love the call. Hope you're right! I'm very encouraged by the style of the PP this year. Seems like the guys just need to get used to it and get confident. Fire passes and rip the puck. Too many pauses.

[Melvin]

31 minutes ago, Dave Berger said:

North Dakota will score at least three power play goals this weekend. Miami's kill has been awful, and the RedHawks don't have the puck very much. That's a recipe for success for a UND power play unit that just needs to gain some confidence.

Dave

You are correct sir:

They're power play is ranked 48th Miami  25/ 33 (75.8)

However, UND's penalty kill is ranked 49^th 2/25 (.08)

One thing that has stuck out; UND is ranked 54 in penalty minutes. They’ve taken 7 penalties for 52 minutes 
that’s an average of 7.4 minutes per game. I know it means little until 
they get into league play and faceoff against rival opponents like UMD, UMN, and DU. 

[burd]

21 minutes ago, Melvin said:

You are correct sir:

They're power play is ranked 48th Miami  25/ 33 (75.8)

However, UND's penalty kill is ranked 49^th 2/25 (.08)

One thing that has stuck out; UND is ranked 54 in penalty minutes. They’ve taken 7 penalties for 52 minutes 
that’s an average of 7.4 minutes per game. I know it means little until 
they get into league play and faceoff against rival opponents like UMD, UMN, and DU. 

Good to see the penalty minutes down, but when they start playing faster, more skilled opponents, they will be more apt to get those hooking, tripping and holding penalties.   Unless they keep their feet moving and skate with them.  

[stoneySIOUX]

UND into #10 in both polls. DU No. 1 in both.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/11/04/denver-still-perfect-still-no-1-in-this-weeks-uscho-com-division-i-mens-poll/

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

2 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

UND into #10 in both polls. DU No. 1 in both.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/11/04/denver-still-perfect-still-no-1-in-this-weeks-uscho-com-division-i-mens-poll/

Should be a nice little boost after we sweep them at Magness

[Godsmack]

4 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Should be a nice little boost after we sweep them at Magness

Given it’s been about 15 years since we last swept the Pios at Magness, I’d be thrilled to witness that in person!

[Langster019]

17 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Should be a nice little boost after we sweep them at Magness

 

17 hours ago, Godsmack said:

Given it’s been about 15 years since we last swept the Pios at Magness, I’d be thrilled to witness that in person!

Same. Same. 

[Langster019]

19 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

UND into #10 in both polls. DU No. 1 in both.

https://www.uscho.com/2019/11/04/denver-still-perfect-still-no-1-in-this-weeks-uscho-com-division-i-mens-poll/

And where is St Cloud? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. 

[Big Green]

NCHC looks like it is going to be down a little bit this year.  

[fightingsioux4life]

1 hour ago, Langster019 said:

And where is St Cloud? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. 

Big off-season losses. We can relate to that, right?

[tnt]

Just now, fightingsioux4life said:

Big off-season losses. We can relate to that, right?

... and it is too early to tell if those losses can be offset with a little time to gel.  We always talk about not winning championships in the first half, so who gives a rip about dropping in insignificant polls.  Let's just hope they don't get well at our expense in a couple of weeks. 

[stoneySIOUX]

18 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Should be a nice little boost after we sweep them at Magness

 

18 hours ago, Godsmack said:

Given it’s been about 15 years since we last swept the Pios at Magness, I’d be thrilled to witness that in person!

 

[tnt]

Losing that second game against Miami last year really put us in a downward trajectory.  Hopefully we recognize this as an opportunity to get off to a good start in the league and continue our momentum before we hit a challenging stretch.

[Rebel_Sioux]

On 11/5/2019 at 1:01 PM, Big Green said:

NCHC looks like it is going to be down a little bit this year.  

Yeah. Last year we ended the season at .667  which was the best in the NCAA. Currently we are 2nd with .620 and the Big is currently leading the NCAA with .641. There is something to be said for Big's weaker strength of schedule, but as a conference we could have done better. Hopefully we pass up Big Ten by the end of the year.

[burd]

1 hour ago, Rebel_Sioux said:

Yeah. Last year we ended the season at .667  which was the best in the NCAA. Currently we are 2nd with .620 and the Big is currently leading the NCAA with .641. There is something to be said for Big's weaker strength of schedule, but as a conference we could have done better. Hopefully we pass up Big Ten by the end of the year.

 

The Big is strong this year.  They don't  have the best team, but unlike previous years, they have a a number of teams that can compete. 

[SiouxFan100]

What app do you use to follow college hockey?

[stoneySIOUX]

20 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

What app do you use to follow college hockey?

College Hockey News and USCHO both have apps.

[stoneySIOUX]

On 11/5/2019 at 12:29 PM, Langster019 said:

And where is St Cloud? Oh, how the mighty have fallen. 

It's kind of what they've always done, historically. Very, very competitive for 2 or 3 years and then fall off, build back up. Symptom of getting guys who often not the
"top-tier" and are four-year players and developing them well.

[Dave Berger]

Weekend Preview: North Dakota vs. Miami

Discuss. 

Dave

[Langster019]

On 11/5/2019 at 9:57 PM, tnt said:

Losing that second game against Miami last year really put us in a downward trajectory.  Hopefully we recognize this as an opportunity to get off to a good start in the league and continue our momentum before we hit a challenging stretch.

This ties directly into the same mentality as beating non-cons. Win the series you SHOULD, especially at home. Miami, CC, Omaha, and WMU are all series where a split is the worst outcome. Beat the teams you should, handle business with better teams (at least, split) and we’ll be fine come end of the year. 

[Godsmack]

2 minutes ago, Langster019 said:

This ties directly into the same mentality as beating non-cons. Win the series you SHOULD, especially at home. Miami, CC, Omaha, and WMU are all series where a split is the worst outcome. Beat the teams you should, handle business with better teams (at least, split) and we’ll be fine come end of the year. 

I’m not sure I’d put Western in this category yet but I see your point. I just think we aren’t quite at the elite level of DU to where we will sweep home series against all of these teams. 

[siouxforce19]

7 minutes ago, Godsmack said:

I’m not sure I’d put Western in this category yet but I see your point. I just think we aren’t quite at the elite level of DU to where we will sweep home series against all of these teams. 

Western, to me, is one of those teams that never seems to live up to expectations when they are supposed to be good. 

I also am not convinced DU is that far ahead of the pack as everyone else thinks. NCHC play will tell us more about where everyone is at. 

[stoneySIOUX]

3 minutes ago, siouxforce19 said:

Western, to me, is one of those teams that never seems to live up to expectations when they are supposed to be good. 

I also am not convinced DU is that far ahead of the pack as everyone else thinks. NCHC play will tell us more about where everyone is at. 

Unless they took a really massive step forward from last year, I don't believe they are that much better.