2025-26 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[fightingsioux4life]

6 hours ago, brianvf said:

New era begins Saturday.    

If all they have are those cheap replicas, I'll pass.

[tnt]

25 minutes ago, SpudsSioux said:

Can you tell who is playing together? What’s re the lines looking like? And PP options?

Team Black
James- Rickwood-Zellers

Livanavage-Verhoeff

Croal- Littler - Zakreski

Laurila - Wiebe

 

Team Green 

Kernan-Reschny-Swanson

Strathmann- Zmolek

 

Menghini-Josephson-Strinden

Engel - Jubenvill

 

Young-Klee-Andrew

 

Emery sat out.

[beastandco]

 

[tnt]

If tonight was any indication, they will be pushing the pace and involving the defense.  It seems like we have the group to play uptempo as well.  Lot of speed. Absolutely loved the line of Menghini-Strinden-Josephson, very fast.  Strathmann and Engel scored in the scrimmage.  Reschny and Klee on power play simulation. Zakreski, Menghini and Livanavage on 3x3, and Zellers was the only one of 10 that scored in shootout.

[brianvf]

If they keep those lines moving forward a bit...that 4th line of Croal-Littler-Zakreski might be really tough for opposing teams to match up against.
(assuming line 1 is James, line 2 Kernan, line 3 Menghini, line 4 Croal from above)

Heck, that 3rd line is super tough too.  And a lot of speed on that line as well.
Looking good.

[brianvf]

1 minute ago, tnt said:

If tonight was any indication, they will be pushing the pace and involving the defense.  It seems like we have the group to play uptempo as well.  Lot of speed. Absolutely loved the line of Menghini-Strinden-Josephson, very fast.  Strathmann and Engel scored in the scrimmage.  Reschny and Klee on power play simulation. Zakreski, Menghini and Livanavage on 3x3, and Zellers was the only one of 10 that scored in shootout.

Yep!
We posted that at the same time.    

[tnt]

Coaches will have some tough decisions, as Klee, Zakreski and Andrew certainly didn’t look out of place.  Hard to believe Verhoeff just turned 17 a couple months ago.  There will definitely be some mistakes along the way, but they should be a fun team to watch.  Surprised how well and how fast they moved the puck on the power play. You can tell the skill is there, so hopefully they will really be a very formidable group by the second half of the season, and can do enough early to keep their pairwise decent.

 

[SpudsSioux]

21 minutes ago, tnt said:

Team Black
James- Rickwood-Zellers

Livanavage-Verhoeff

Croal- Littler - Zakreski

Laurila - Wiebe

 

Team Green 

Kernan-Reschny-Swanson

Strathmann- Zmolek

 

Menghini-Josephson-Strinden

Engel - Jubenvill

 

Young-Klee-Andrew

 

Emery sat out.

Thank you!

[Siouxdaddy]

TBH you can’t really tell anything about this team from tonight’s scrimmage. Hopefully Manitoba isn’t god awful again this year so at least on Saturday we can some what have an idea what the team will loook like. 

[tnt]

15 minutes ago, Siouxdaddy said:

TBH you can’t really tell anything about this team from tonight’s scrimmage. Hopefully Manitoba isn’t god awful again this year so at least on Saturday we can some what have an idea what the team will loook like. 

You won’t tell a lot from Manitoba either.  St. Thomas will be a better barometer, but really, playing veteran teams will show us where we need improvement.  I am just encouraged to see us pushing the puck up the ice, and hopefully that will continue when we get into our schedule.  

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

29 minutes ago, Siouxdaddy said:

TBH you can’t really tell anything about this team from tonight’s scrimmage. Hopefully Manitoba isn’t god awful again this year so at least on Saturday we can some what have an idea what the team will loook like. 

I'd argue you tell more from tonight's scrimmage than last year's game against Manitoba.

[Green Banner]

1 hour ago, fightingsioux4life said:

If all they have are those cheap replicas, I'll pass.

SiouxShop is selling authentics as well. TBH the CCM replicas are probably the best I've seen. I n bought an authentic and replica and not much difference.  The replicas are tackle twill stitched and not heat pressed and the material is heavier than the reebok and addidas. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

6 hours ago, southpaw said:

Hopefully the goalies show up to play because that's what matters in a scrimmage 

Can confirm Homer showed up to play, Sandy and Spunar got scored on.  Homer didn't get scored on once. Highlight was a one timer across the crease that he spread out for then stopped 2 subsequent grade As.  He looks so big in net but was athletic while staying under control.  I'm really excited to see how he looks this year.  I remember when we played ASU thinking he's so dang big I don't know where you're supposed to shoot.

[brianvf]

9 minutes ago, tnt said:

You won’t tell a lot from Manitoba either.  St. Thomas will be a better barometer, but really, playing veteran teams will show us where we need improvement.  I am just encouraged to see us pushing the puck up the ice, and hopefully that will continue when we get into our schedule.  

Those first three weekends will tell us a lot.  
St Thomas (picked to win CCHA), Minnesota (biggest rival), and at Clarkson (picked 2nd in ECAC).
Need some wins there, as that would be a huge boost to the PWR NPI at the end of the season.

[nodak651]

Can anyone help with this discrepency?  Which end does UND actually shoot on twice?  

[atxsioux]

20 minutes ago, nodak651 said:

Can anyone help with this discrepency?  Which end does UND actually shoot on twice?  

The “description” is wrong 

UND will shoot on the goalie at that end in your snip twice

 

on an unrelated note it’s a little annoying that they divider the rink in half like they did. Anyone that attends a game would want it typically be on the side their team shoots on 2 times. (Not how st Thomas labeled the seat map though unfortunately)

[brianvf]

Scrimmage standouts from Schloss:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/fans-get-first-look-at-und-during-preseason-scrimmage

Quote

There was noticeable chemistry between Mac Swanson and Cole Reschny.

Cody Croal and Josh Zakreski made convincing cases that they should be in the lineup for the season opener.

The power play looks like a work in progress.

Anthony Menghini is ready for physical contact.

And 6-foot-6 goaltender Gibson Homer showed why UND recruited him out of the transfer portal in April.

 

[The Sicatoka]

12 hours ago, tnt said:

Coaches will have some tough decisions, as Klee, Zakreski and Andrew certainly didn’t look out of place.  Hard to believe Verhoeff just turned 17 a couple months ago.  There will definitely be some mistakes along the way, but they should be a fun team to watch.  Surprised how well and how fast they moved the puck on the power play. You can tell the skill is there, so hopefully they will really be a very formidable group by the second half of the season, and can do enough early to keep their pairwise decent.

What a concept ... 

[The Sicatoka]

Quote

And 6-foot-6 goaltender Gibson Homer showed why UND recruited him out of the transfer portal in April.

That has to be a typo; UND only has 5-foot-6 goalies ... 

[The Sicatoka]

The MB Bisons play tonight (exh v MB Moose). 
https://gobisons.ca/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule 

... but nothing on their schedule on Oct 4 ... (don't ask me) ... 

[Und Princess]

16 minutes ago, The Sicatoka said:

The MB Bisons play tonight (exh v MB Moose). 
https://gobisons.ca/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule 

... but nothing on their schedule on Oct 4 ... (don't ask me) ... 

Interesting!!! But on the North Dakota Hockey schedule it says Manitoba on Saturday.  https://fightinghawks.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule

 

[brianvf]

Nice article from Schloss about Dane:

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/dane-jackson-is-ready-to-call-the-shots-at-und

Quote

A lesson Jackson learned from Hakstol was to never let standards slip. He installed a sign in the coaches' office that says, "If you're not coaching it, you're letting it happen." He plans to push his players, hold them accountable and coach them hard. In order to do that, Jackson said the coaching staff needs to form tight bonds with the players. If the players don't know the coaching is coming from a place of care, it won't work.

"If you have a surface-level relationship," Jackson said, "you're going to have surface-level coaching. If you show people how much you care and are connected, they'll go to the wall for you."

 

[Sweethockey]

1 hour ago, Und Princess said:

Interesting!!! But on the North Dakota Hockey schedule it says Manitoba on Saturday.  https://fightinghawks.com/sports/mens-ice-hockey/schedule

 

Does the government shutdown affect border crossings?

[The Sicatoka]

2 hours ago, Sweethockey said:

Does the government shutdown affect border crossings?

Believe that is an essential function, so no. 

[Godsmack]

On 9/29/2025 at 8:22 AM, AlphaMikeFoxtrot said:

Lots of UND talk in this

 

 

Thanks for sharing! It was a good listen! I appreciated their observations about Penn State historically having a very weak non-conference schedule and this year is no exception. They have road trips to ASU and RIT so that ASU trip is tough but then six home games against LIU, Clarkson, and Stonehill. Looks like McKenna can boost his Hobey resume playing some weaker opponents.