2024-25 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[brianvf]

Youth on defense:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/schlossman-how-unprecedented-is-unds-youth-on-defense

Quote

Bennett Zmolek went down with a season-ending injury after Game 1, forcing UND to attempt something nobody else in the country is doing.

UND is playing this season without an upperclassman on defense.

The other 63 Division-I men's teams are all using at least one fifth-year senior, fourth-year senior or junior.

Quote

Playing with only underclassmen on defense is a historical anomaly at UND, too.

In the era of online statistics (since 1999), no UND team has done it.

 

[TrueSioux2000]

That article then mentions 05-06 team sitting at the same record we are now and making it to the FF…Will that happen this year? Absolutely not. One can hope though

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

50 minutes ago, brianvf said:

Youth on defense:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/schlossman-how-unprecedented-is-unds-youth-on-defense

 

Livanavage hopefully stays four years.

Also, I realize siblings are different people and all, but I watched a decent amount of ASU games with Johnny Walker on the team, and as heralded as he was, he played a 30 ft game. Drifted in neutral, never went into the D zone, and all out on offense. Coffee is for closers, but there's a reason he couldn't hack it in even the coast. Jake plays great in all zones. Was worried he'd get too deep on offense and burn us the other way, but has not happened.

[brianvf]

1 hour ago, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Livanavage hopefully stays four years.

This defensive group with another year of experience and add in Laurila?  And maybe Zmolek if he can make it back?
We should be set on defense for a couple years...we just need some scorers to help out Boisvert.

[RedFrog]

What needs to be done with OMac?  I am not a hockey guru, but I focused on him part of Friday night and there are times he is really struggling to read the play and his effort level isn't what I would expect.  Seems like he may be in his own head.

Is it time to send a message and healthy scratch him?  Is the move to wing that impactful for him?  I mean, seriously, if I wasn't watching for him specifically I felt like he was totally unnoticeable.  It is one thing if he is getting chances or making plays in other ways, but that doesn't seem to be the case. 

We really need him to get going.

Or am I totally off base?

[ND_Texan]

What frustrates me most are the goals scored by opponents in scrums in front of the net and the lack of those kind of goals by this team. It's not puck luck at this point, it's beyond that.

[ND_Texan]

10 minutes ago, RedFrog said:

What needs to be done with OMac?  I am not a hockey guru, but I focused on him part of Friday night and there are times he is really struggling to read the play and his effort level isn't what I would expect.  Seems like he may be in his own head.

Is it time to send a message and healthy scratch him?  Is the move to wing that impactful for him?  I mean, seriously, if I wasn't watching for him specifically I felt like he was totally unnoticeable.  It is one thing if he is getting chances or making plays in other ways, but that doesn't seem to be the case. 

We really need him to get going.

Or am I totally off base?

He does seem to be a nonfactor at wing. His strength is his passing and I think you are on to something in that he'd better suited to being back at center, perhaps 4th line.

[rochsioux]

3 hours ago, TrueSioux2000 said:

That article then mentions 05-06 team sitting at the same record we are now and making it to the FF…Will that happen this year? Absolutely not. One can hope though

The 05-06 team had zajac, stafford, toews, oshie, duncan among other talented players. This team has no where near that skill level. 

[brianvf]

1 hour ago, ND_Texan said:

He does seem to be a nonfactor at wing. His strength is his passing and I think you are on to something in that he'd better suited to being back at center, perhaps 4th line.

We lose a few centers this offseason. 
At the very least...if Berry isn't going to put him back at center this year...next year he would have to be back in line for a center spot with Berg/Jammer/Schmaltz/Wilkie all gone. You would think at least.

[brianvf]

2 minutes ago, rochsioux said:

The 05-06 team had zajac, stafford, toews, oshie, duncan among other talented players. This team has no where near that skill level. 

Few teams in NCAA hockey do.   

[cberkas]

7 hours ago, ND_Texan said:

What frustrates me most are the goals scored by opponents in scrums in front of the net and the lack of those kind of goals by this team. It's not puck luck at this point, it's beyond that.

Against ASU I noticed this a lot. In the ASU zone there was no UND players in front of the goalie. In UNDs zone ASU had a place living in front of the goalie taking away the eyes and there was no UND defense to clear them out. 

[hockeytherapy13]

1 hour ago, RedFrog said:

What needs to be done with OMac?  I am not a hockey guru, but I focused on him part of Friday night and there are times he is really struggling to read the play and his effort level isn't what I would expect.  Seems like he may be in his own head.

Is it time to send a message and healthy scratch him?  Is the move to wing that impactful for him?  I mean, seriously, if I wasn't watching for him specifically I felt like he was totally unnoticeable.  It is one thing if he is getting chances or making plays in other ways, but that doesn't seem to be the case. 

We really need him to get going.

Or am I totally off base?

 Yeah Omac can’t seem to find it yet but 5 on 5 play was lackluster for the entire team Saturday. I was trying to keep track of 5x5 scoring chances Saturday but the entire game we had 4-5  compared to ASU having about 8. Keeping the lines similar to gain chemistry hasn’t worked, it’s time to shuffle more than just putting Kunz on top line. At this point, both Swanson and Littler could be playing up the chart higher than Kunz. I know Littler won’t get put there because that’s not his role yet but what we’re doing isn’t working 

[hockeytherapy13]

Try this on for size and I guarantee we generate more 5x5 chances 
 

Swanson-Berg-Perron

Boisvert-Omac-James

Kunz-Wilkie-Strinden

Littler-Schmaltz-Jammer

Croal

I know Boisvert has played well at center, but there wasn’t much chemistry with his line mates 5x5 the last 3-5 games and Omac has been invisible as a wing 

 

Also I don’t think anyone would want to go up against the heaviness of those bottom 2 lines; keep your heads up 

[burd]

28 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

Try this on for size and I guarantee we generate more 5x5 chances 
 

Swanson-Berg-Perron

Boisvert-Omac-James

Kunz-Wilkie-Strinden

Littler-Schmaltz-Jammer

Croal

I know Boisvert has played well at center, but there wasn’t much chemistry with his line mates 5x5 the last 3-5 games and Omac has been invisible as a wing 

 

Also I don’t think anyone would want to go up against the heaviness of those bottom 2 lines; keep your heads up 

Nor sure heaviness means in today's game what it did even 10 years ago.   It still has net-front presence value.   Speed, quickness, and good stick skills are a pretty good antidote to extra size, even on the boards.   Does Omac get pushed off the puck more than he should?   Yes, but he needs to understand in fast time what he wants to do with the puck.  Unfortunately, it appears our coaching on the offensive side of the game may be a little lacking, as far as schemes that might benefit smaller, faster skaters.  All four coaches earned their keep as players on the defensive side, and that could be part of the reason, if that is true.         

People with hockey knowledge are encouraged to rip those thought to shreds.   burd is talking out of his arse again.    

[iluvdebbies]

37 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

Try this on for size and I guarantee we generate more 5x5 chances 
 

Swanson-Berg-Perron

Boisvert-Omac-James

Kunz-Wilkie-Strinden

Littler-Schmaltz-Jammer

Croal

I know Boisvert has played well at center, but there wasn’t much chemistry with his line mates 5x5 the last 3-5 games and Omac has been invisible as a wing 

 

Also I don’t think anyone would want to go up against the heaviness of those bottom 2 lines; keep your heads up 

If you're going to move Boisvert to the wing, you put him with Berg and Perron.

*I would not move Boisvert to wing*

[hockeytherapy13]

19 hours ago, iluvdebbies said:

If you're going to move Boisvert to the wing, you put him with Berg and Perron.

*I would not move Boisvert to wing*

I’d love to have the wealth to load up a line like that as well. But then your second line is lacking a proper shooter. If you do go for offense with your top 2 lines, you have to keep at least one good finisher on the 2nd line. The way they are built now balances them for mediocrity. 

[Oxbow6]

I'd go.....

Mac Berg Perron

James Boisvert Jammer

Kunz OMac Schmaltz

Littler Wilkie Strinden 

Schmaltz Jammer and Strinden can all play center.  Wilkie is the wild card....obviously he can only play center but of the 7 guys that can play center he'd be my 6th option.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

Would love to OMac to find his stride but he turns the puck over more than anyone else on the team that I've noticed.  Too many cute plays, not bearing down and getting in to the tough areas.  He's really struggled to find his game without Blake on his line.

[hockeytherapy13]

 

Miami and UND the only ones from the conference not on this list haha times sure have changed

https://nchchockey.com/news/2025/1/15/mens-ice-hockey-8-nchc-netminders-named-to-2025-mike-richter-award-watch-list.aspx?fbclid=IwY2xjawH1Y_hleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHRd9MzJ_bwRHJ3TVeEr4OeqCCd3GSPLzGn84b2ND74QPCwimwrZD5oy81g_aem__DnTGcTV5t5r9HKYYP2zNA

[cberkas]

36 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

https://www.facebook.com/100064487810558/posts/1037763198383264/?mibextid=rS40aB7S9Ucbxw6v
 

Miami and UND the only ones from the conference not on this list haha times sure have changed

Two backups and an injured goalie on that list

[dden3]

2 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Would love to OMac to find his stride but he turns the puck over more than anyone else on the team that I've noticed.  Too many cute plays, not bearing down and getting in to the tough areas.  He's really struggled to find his game without Blake on his line.

Had a lot of hope for him but he needs to be counseled to start over somewhere else. His turnovers and lack of scoring are a negative force. 

[brianvf]

After watching UND falter on countless breakaway chances in games, I'm starting to think that these results in the weekly Thurs shootout drill have less to do with our goalies.

 

[hockeytherapy13]

18 minutes ago, brianvf said:

After watching UND falter on countless breakaway chances in games, I'm starting to think that these results in the weekly Thurs shootout drill have less to do with our goalies.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing. Hobie made a monster breakaway save on Saturday but yeah it seems like as long as they stay low and cover 5-hole any goalie is good against us on a breakaway.

[scpa0305]

On 1/15/2025 at 4:24 PM, brianvf said:

We lose a few centers this offseason. 
At the very least...if Berry isn't going to put him back at center this year...next year he would have to be back in line for a center spot with Berg/Jammer/Schmaltz/Wilkie all gone. You would think at least.

You just hope he hasn’t given up and hits the portal. Obviously Blake helped his production but he was a very good player last year. His fall is astonishing. There has to be more to the story 

[burd]

5 hours ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I was thinking the exact same thing. Hobie made a monster breakaway save on Saturday but yeah it seems like as long as they stay low and cover 5-hole any goalie is good against us on a breakaway.

As compared to shootouts and penalty shots, at least, the goalie has an advantage on a breakaway in that the shooter is usually going full speed.  There's a reason they don't do that on shootouts.