2025-26 University of North Dakota Hockey Season

[Godsmack]

1 hour ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

Maybe they could afford it if a few more posters on here paid the minimal amount for a subscription to his great coverage 

Well, I’m one of them! Just got billed for the most recent month. The UND hockey coverage in the Herald is second to none. 

[Blackheart]

2 hours ago, Godsmack said:

Well, I’m one of them! Just got billed for the most recent month. The UND hockey coverage in the Herald is second to none. 

Sweet…what’s your Herald username and password? 

[brianvf]

https://www.grandforksherald.com/sports/und-hockey/will-he-go-no-1-will-he-go-no-6-keaton-verhoeff-putting-focus-on-winning-at-und

Quote

Verhoeff was projected No. 1 this week by The Athletic's Corey Pronman. He was projected No. 6 last week by TSN's Craig Button.

"You see stuff all over the place — your range, it ranges all over on the draft boards," Verhoeff said. "It's really just taking it day by day. Look at it. If you're high, smile at it. If you're low, take it with a little bit of sourness and have that grit to get back to work. I think (you) just take it, look at it, leave it be. You can't really focus on it. I just have to come here every day with a smile on my face, get to work and get better."

Quote

"We've got an amazing group here, such incredible guys surrounding us. . . the coaching staff as well," Verhoeff said. "The way they brought in the younger guys, the freshmen this year — even the transfers, too — we've really jelled as a team. I think that has made my experience that much better. As a group here, we're so close. We do everything together. We're always with each other. To have that relationship with these guys, it makes the experience that much better."

 

[brianvf]

Three horse race for 1st place in the NCHC.
After Friday night, UND now 5pts up on DU, but DU has played one more game.  7pts up on WMU, but WMU has played one less game.
Would love to see UNO steal some points from WMU tomorrow, but that's doubtful.

WMU's win tonight moved them into #3 in the NPI as well and pushed UND to #4.
The 3rd and 4th spots are really tight.  Decent jump up to #2 and down to #5.

[Sioux90]

9 hours ago, brianvf said:

Three horse race for 1st place in the NCHC.
After Friday night, UND now 5pts up on DU, but DU has played one more game.  7pts up on WMU, but WMU has played one less game.
Would love to see UNO steal some points from WMU tomorrow, but that's doubtful.

WMU's win tonight moved them into #3 in the NPI as well and pushed UND to #4.
The 3rd and 4th spots are really tight.  Decent jump up to #2 and down to #5.

Nodak has SOS working against them. They need to beat Western and others, or they will drop mightily as their strength is winning percentage.

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

45 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

Nodak has SOS working against them. They need to beat Western and others, or they will drop mightily as their strength is winning percentage.

They play #7, #22, #20 and #3 to end the season, that SOS will improve greatly.

[AJS]

Tier 1.

Michigan, Michigan State, Western

Tier 2.

UND

Tier 3.

Penn State

Appears Michigan & Michigan State can only lose to each other. I don’t think any NCHC team besides UND can beat Western. I have UND currently below Western, strictly for consistency. IMO, UND at its best is > Western, but UND can drop games to other NCHC teams that Western wouldn’t. Unlike UND, Penn State cannot beat the Tier 1 teams in their league, but they also cannot lose to anyone else. I have them a Tier below UND, because I don’t think they can win a title.

[Goon]

4 minutes ago, AJS said:

Tier 1.

Michigan, Michigan State, Western

Tier 2.

UND

Tier 3.

Penn State

Appears Michigan & Michigan State can only lose to each other. I don’t think any NCHC team besides UND can beat Western. I have UND currently below Western, strictly for consistency. IMO, UND at its best is > Western, but UND can drop games to other NCHC teams that Western wouldn’t. Unlike UND, Penn State cannot beat the Tier 1 teams in their league, but they also cannot lose to anyone else. I have them a Tier below UND, because I don’t think they can win a title.

I think that UND is in tier 1, too. They've won 19 games in regulation, which leads the NCAA. 

[.357]

32 minutes ago, AJS said:

Tier 1.

Michigan, Michigan State, Western

Tier 2.

UND

Tier 3.

Penn State

Appears Michigan & Michigan State can only lose to each other. I don’t think any NCHC team besides UND can beat Western. I have UND currently below Western, strictly for consistency. IMO, UND at its best is > Western, but UND can drop games to other NCHC teams that Western wouldn’t. Unlike UND, Penn State cannot beat the Tier 1 teams in their league, but they also cannot lose to anyone else. I have them a Tier below UND, because I don’t think they can win a title.

According to your tier levels, Michigan can only be beat by MSU, but Ohio St. outshot & almost beat them last night. Michigan is playing on borrowed time with an average goalie.

WMU may not have a roster full of high draft picks, but their coaching staff separates them from other good teams. Excellent structure & disciplined play. If Ferschweiler/Herter had UND's players this year, good chance they would be #1 NPI now. Some coaches just have the Midas Touch. 

[AJS]

38 minutes ago, Goon said:

I think that UND is in tier 1, too. They've won 19 games in regulation, which leads the NCAA. 

 

1 minute ago, .357 said:

According to your tier levels, Michigan can only be beat by MSU, but Ohio St. outshot & almost beat them last night. Michigan is playing on borrowed time with an average goalie.

WMU may not have a roster full of high draft picks, but their coaching staff separates them from other good teams. Excellent structure & disciplined play. If Ferschweiler/Herter had UND's players this year, good chance they would be #1 NPI now. Some coaches just have the Midas Touch. 

Good points. After I posted, I did think I’m overly critical about what I perceive UND’s consistency issues since I watch every game. For all I know, the other Tier 1 teams have them as well. 

[Sioux90]

2 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

They play #7, #22, #20 and #3 to end the season, that SOS will improve greatly.

Like I said, they need to win those games. Need.

[brianvf]

7 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

Like I said, they need to win those games. Need.

They need to go 8-0 in those games?

[Sioux90]

1 minute ago, brianvf said:

They need to go 8-0 in those games?

Preferably?

[brianvf]

2 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

Preferably?

Tough ask for any team but we’ll see how they do. 
Would be tough even for WMU and their god-like coach. 

[fightingsioux4life]

3 hours ago, Sioux90 said:

Nodak has SOS working against them. They need to beat Western and others, or they will drop mightily as their strength is winning percentage.

You're talking like UND is going to be a bubble team in March.

I say that isn't happening.

[Kevin G]

I’d add Quinnipiac to one of the top couple of tiers. 

Also, UND’s special teams has a little bit of hot and cold to its game so far this year, but when everything is clicking, this team can beat anyone. 

[Sioux90]

3 hours ago, fightingsioux4life said:

You're talking like UND is going to be a bubble team in March.

I say that isn't happening.

Exactly, as this isn’t an obfuscation. They need to win, or they will drop. Math isn’t difficult, so why are you pandering?

[Sioux90]

3 hours ago, brianvf said:

Tough ask for any team but we’ll see how they do. 
Would be tough even for WMU and their god-like coach. 

I believe Western is the team to beat, until Tourney time. Will be the series of the season. My opinion.

[fightingsioux4life]

37 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

Exactly, as this isn’t an obfuscation. They need to win, or they will drop. Math isn’t difficult, so why are you pandering?

Pandering?

I guess I just have a little more faith in this version of the team than you have. And a lot more faith in this team vs last year's team.

[brucespook]

Last years team would be battling with MN for 40th in NPI 

[Sioux90]

41 minutes ago, fightingsioux4life said:

Pandering?

I guess I just have a little more faith in this version of the team than you have. And a lot more faith in this team vs last year's team.

I merely pointed out the obvious truth. Our SOS isn’t good. So if we lose games, we will drop. It’s like a bubble that leads to being on the bubble. I never said they couldn’t win these games, and who said I didn’t believe they could? Yes, pandering.

[thUNDer]

TTD junkie here & this year has zero negative waves win or lose. There is a totally different vibe for the off ice behind the scenes vs last year from coaches & players. 

[tnt]

   All credit to Western as they are finding ways to win games, which is the sign of a good team.  That said, I think some of our fans would be questioning how good we were giving up an average of 36 shots in their wins over Denver and Duluth.  Duluth really missed an opportunity by giving up a late goal, then not capitalizing on a 4 on 3 power play in overtime.  
   We just need to take care of ourselves and get back to the kind of defense where we only gave up 35 shots to Denver the entire weekend.  

[fightingsioux4life]

55 minutes ago, Sioux90 said:

I merely pointed out the obvious truth. Our SOS isn’t good. So if we lose games, we will drop. It’s like a bubble that leads to being on the bubble. I never said they couldn’t win these games, and who said I didn’t believe they could? Yes, pandering.

I think Denver has way more to worry about considering they lost to Lindenwood earlier this year. We didn't have a "Canisius" moment this year (thank God).

I guess I just don't see this team losing to the likes of St. Cloud and Miami at home. If we sweep our two remaining home series and split our two remaining road series, I think we'll be just fine.

That's not "pandering", that's an educated guess.

[Wilbur]

UND jumps to 3rd in the rankings with Western taking a bad home loss to Stu and company.  Really need to take advantage of the dogs not having Gajan next weekend.