2023-24 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[SiouxFan100]

I don’t believe in jinxing.

[tnt]

22 minutes ago, SiouxFan100 said:

I don’t believe in jinxing.

I don’t believe in insane expectations.

[Blackheart]

2 hours ago, 90siouxfan said:

Wasn't that was a davek reference for a while,  years ago.?

Exactly right.

[Esoteric]

2 hours ago, tnt said:

I don’t believe in insane expectations.

I will be happy with making the Final Four along with U Mass - Amherst, Mercyhurst, and Bemidji State.

 

[mattim]

9 hours ago, Esoteric said:

I will be happy with making the Final Four along with U Mass - Amherst, Mercyhurst, and Bemidji State.

 

That would be a final five

[burd]

13 minutes ago, mattim said:

That would be a final five

I don't think he meant Amherst College and UMass.  

[BigGreyAnt41]

15 hours ago, 90siouxfan said:

Wasn't that was a davek reference for a while,  years ago.?

There's a name I haven't thought of in a long, long time.

[The Sicatoka]

The Pehrson addition last week took my trepidation and consternation about 2023-24 down a notch. Between Pehrson, Pyke, and Zmolek, it has become needing one of four freshmen to be "game ready" in October. I like those odds (guessing it'll be Wiebe). And it buys a little more time to decide what to do with the eighth defender slot. (One year rental, or something mid-range, or a fifth freshman; personally I'd do one more rental and be done with the portal after this season.) 

It also makes me more open to the idea of 16F instead of 9D for this season also. Of course the perfect "27th" guy would be a Brad Miller clone who could play either D or F. 

 

[AJS]

22 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

The Pehrson addition last week took my trepidation and consternation about 2023-24 down a notch. Between Pehrson, Pyke, and Zmolek, it has become needing one of four freshmen to be "game ready" in October. I like those odds (guessing it'll be Wiebe). And it buys a little more time to decide what to do with the eighth defender slot. (One year rental, or something mid-range, or a fifth freshman; personally I'd do one more rental and be done with the portal after this season.) 

It also makes me more open to the idea of 16F instead of 9D for this season also. Of course the perfect "27th" guy would be a Brad Miller clone who could play either D or F. 

 

Agreed. With Zmolek coming off an injury, I'm hoping for a 5th year RH shot for that last slot.

Pyke - Pehrson

Wiebe - Zmolek

Livanavage / Benoit - _______

Livanavage / Benoit (7th spot)

Komazk (8th spot)

In my ideal situation, you have the extra skater as one of the FR d-man. 

Next off-season you replace the three 5th year guys with Freshman (Strathmann, McInnis and hopefully Hensler). 

[siouxforce19]

3 minutes ago, AJS said:

Agreed. With Zmolek coming off an injury, I'm hoping for a 5th year RH shot for that last slot.

Pyke - Pehrson

Wiebe - Zmolek

Livanavage / Benoit - _______

Livanavage / Benoit (7th spot)

Komazk (8th spot)

In my ideal situation, you have the extra skater as one of the FR d-man. 

Next off-season you replace the three 5th year guys with Freshman (Strathmann, McInnis and hopefully Hensler). 

McInnis has played 9 junior hockey games so I wouldn’t pencil him in with that group yet. Probably depends on how next season goes for him. 

[The Sicatoka]

30 minutes ago, AJS said:

Agreed. With Zmolek coming off an injury, I'm hoping for a 5th year RH shot for that last slot.

I threw out a random portal name (Klee, RPI) but I have no idea if either party has any interest. What Klee was was a name that fit the demographic I'd look for: one-year, RH D, with experience to step in if needed, be it Zmolek's hip isn't right or all the freshmen struggle. 

 

OK, OK, I picked Klee for a couple other reasons. First, his brother is a pipeline forward recruit. Next, he's an RPI guy, and RPI guys are just handsome, and intelligent, and gosh-darn it people just like them. Brady Ferner and I just prove the point.  

[jk]

43 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

I threw out a random portal name (Klee, RPI) but I have no idea if either party has any interest. What Klee was was a name that fit the demographic I'd look for: one-year, RH D, with experience to step in if needed, be it Zmolek's hip isn't right or all the freshmen struggle. 

 

OK, OK, I picked Klee for a couple other reasons. First, his brother is a pipeline forward recruit. Next, he's an RPI guy, and RPI guys are just handsome, and intelligent, and gosh-darn it people just like them. Brady Ferner and I just prove the point.  

Wait a sec.  Who were you cheering for when RPI brought their powerhouse into the WSC over Thanksgiving weekend in 1984 for a titanic series?  The one with Chris Jensen's OT game-winner. 

[The Sicatoka]

3 minutes ago, jk said:

Wait a sec.  Who were you cheering for when RPI brought their powerhouse into the WSC over Thanksgiving weekend in 1984 for a titanic series?  The one with Chris Jensen's OT game-winner. 

Didn't become an RPI guy until a decade or so later.   

I had a boss back then (RPI season ticket holder) who swears the thrashing RPI took in the 1984 NCAA quarters (at RPI!) taught them what they needed to win it all in 1985. 

[jk]

Lesson from 1984: Try not to get hot goalied by Jon Casey. 

[Blackheart]

5 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

It also makes me more open to the idea of 16F instead of 9D for this season also. Of course the perfect "27th" guy would be a Brad Miller clone who could play either D or F.

How about a Joe Gleason clone?

[The Sicatoka]

19 hours ago, The Sicatoka said:

I threw out a random portal name (Klee, RPI) but I have no idea if either party has any interest. What Klee was was a name that fit the demographic I'd look for ... 

Good advice:
Read and understand an entire post before you try to look smart and show "your line-up" to Schloss.   

The backpedaling in the comments is good. 

[SuhakiYeahYeah]

53 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Good advice:
Read and understand an entire post before you try to look smart and show "your line-up" to Schloss.   

The backpedaling in the comments is good. 

B-Mc-G is insanely skilled but just WAY too small to make work.

[stoneySIOUX]

56 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

Good advice:
Read and understand an entire post before you try to look smart and show "your line-up" to Schloss.   

The backpedaling in the comments is good. 

In his defense, he did have question marks next to those names, for a little CYA 

[The Sicatoka]

2 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

In his defense, he did have question marks next to those names, for a little CYA 

[brianvf]

Full schedule for next season is now out:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-hockeys-2023-24-schedule-is-set

Oct. 7 — MANITOBA (exhibition)
Oct. 13 — ARMY
Oct. 14 — WISCONSIN
Oct. 20/21 — MINNESOTA
Oct. 27/28 — MSU-MANKATO
Nov. 3/4 — at Boston University
Nov. 10/11 — at Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 18/19 — MIAMI
Nov. 24/25 — BEMIDJI STATE
Dec. 1/2 — at Denver
Dec. 8/9 — COLORADO COLLEGE
Dec. 30 — U.S. UNDER-18 TEAM (exhibition)
Jan. 5/6 — ALASKA
Jan. 12/13 — OMAHA
Jan. 19/20 — at St. Cloud State
Jan. 26/27 — DENVER
Feb. 2/3 — at Miami
Feb. 16/17 — at Colorado College
Feb. 23/24 — MINNESOTA DULUTH
March 1/2 — WESTERN MICHIGAN
March 8/9 — at Omaha
March 15-17 — NCHC first round (site of higher seed)
March 22-23 — NCHC Frozen Faceoff (St. Paul)
March 28-31 — NCAA regionals (Sioux Falls, S.D., Maryland Heights, Mo., Providence, R.I., Springfield, Mass.)
April 11-13 — NCAA Frozen Four (St. Paul)

[brianvf]

Some intriguing matchups there, especially early.

Very early test against a newly revamped UW squad.
Tough home series against national runner-up UMN.
Followed by a series against freshly depleted MSUM.
And then followed by a road series against F4 team BU, which will have a stacked young squad with Celebrini.

Not an easy non-conference schedule, so hopefully the boys can take care of business against Army, Wisco, Mankato, and Alaska...and hope for at least splits against BU and UMN.
 

[1972]

47 minutes ago, brianvf said:

Full schedule for next season is now out:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-hockeys-2023-24-schedule-is-set

Oct. 7 — MANITOBA (exhibition)
Oct. 13 — ARMY
Oct. 14 — WISCONSIN
Oct. 20/21 — MINNESOTA
Oct. 27/28 — MSU-MANKATO
Nov. 3/4 — at Boston University
Nov. 10/11 — at Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 18/19 — MIAMI
Nov. 24/25 — BEMIDJI STATE
Dec. 1/2 — at Denver
Dec. 8/9 — COLORADO COLLEGE
Dec. 30 — U.S. UNDER-18 TEAM (exhibition)
Jan. 5/6 — ALASKA
Jan. 12/13 — OMAHA
Jan. 19/20 — at St. Cloud State
Jan. 26/27 — DENVER
Feb. 2/3 — at Miami
Feb. 16/17 — at Colorado College
Feb. 23/24 — MINNESOTA DULUTH
March 1/2 — WESTERN MICHIGAN
March 8/9 — at Omaha
March 15-17 — NCHC first round (site of higher seed)
March 22-23 — NCHC Frozen Faceoff (St. Paul)
March 28-31 — NCAA regionals (Sioux Falls, S.D., Maryland Heights, Mo., Providence, R.I., Springfield, Mass.)
April 11-13 — NCAA Frozen Four (St. Paul)

when can we stop scheduling the u18 team?  it is a no-win situation for und.....you beat them, and everybody says "well...you should beat them"  you loose"how could you loose to a bunch of kids"..just not a great matchup...let them play the USHL teams and call it good

[stoneySIOUX]

Just now, 1972 said:

when can we stop scheduling the u18 team?  it is a no-win situation for und.....you beat them, and everybody says "well...you should beat them"  you loose"how could you loose to a bunch of kids"..just not a great matchup...let them play the USHL teams and call it good

Also a pretty great recruiting tool and a way for players who need some ice to get some shifts after the break. Who cares what the dummies like us say on the forums? 

[stoneySIOUX]

1 hour ago, brianvf said:

Full schedule for next season is now out:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/und-hockeys-2023-24-schedule-is-set

Oct. 7 — MANITOBA (exhibition)
Oct. 13 — ARMY
Oct. 14 — WISCONSIN
Oct. 20/21 — MINNESOTA
Oct. 27/28 — MSU-MANKATO
Nov. 3/4 — at Boston University
Nov. 10/11 — at Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 18/19 — MIAMI
Nov. 24/25 — BEMIDJI STATE
Dec. 1/2 — at Denver
Dec. 8/9 — COLORADO COLLEGE
Dec. 30 — U.S. UNDER-18 TEAM (exhibition)
Jan. 5/6 — ALASKA
Jan. 12/13 — OMAHA
Jan. 19/20 — at St. Cloud State
Jan. 26/27 — DENVER
Feb. 2/3 — at Miami
Feb. 16/17 — at Colorado College
Feb. 23/24 — MINNESOTA DULUTH
March 1/2 — WESTERN MICHIGAN
March 8/9 — at Omaha
March 15-17 — NCHC first round (site of higher seed)
March 22-23 — NCHC Frozen Faceoff (St. Paul)
March 28-31 — NCAA regionals (Sioux Falls, S.D., Maryland Heights, Mo., Providence, R.I., Springfield, Mass.)
April 11-13 — NCAA Frozen Four (St. Paul)

22 home games, 14 away in the regular season. That feels odd. Am I wrong? I'm not saying I don't love it, but it does feel odd.

[nodakvindy]

1 hour ago, stoneySIOUX said:

22 home games, 14 away in the regular season. That feels odd. Am I wrong? I'm not saying I don't love it, but it does feel odd.

All the home ends on contracts along with hosting the icebreak does skew it a little bit.  10 home non-con games is pretty rare.  19-16 is more common, with usually 1 exempt game (HOF) rather than 2 (Ice Breaker).