UND vs St Thomas (Fri/Sun -- Home and "Home")

[SIOUXFAN97]

15 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

He probably worked as part of St Cloud’s hockey broadcast team at his previous job. 

maybe their homecoming "queen" from a few years ago

[Dustin]

40 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I see where you’re coming from, but I’ll respectfully disagree. The 2019-2020 team was on a different level of intensity and skill as well. Guys like Colton Poolman and Cole Smith brought so much soul to that team that it bled through to the rest. It even carried into 2020-2021 as that team may have been even better in some ways. 

Was going to make this same point about the 19-20 team especially, and to some extent the 20-21 team.

[SJHovey]

39 minutes ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I see where you’re coming from, but I’ll respectfully disagree. The 2019-2020 team was on a different level of intensity and skill as well. Guys like Colton Poolman and Cole Smith brought so much soul to that team that it bled through to the rest. It even carried into 2020-2021 as that team may have been even better in some ways. 

I was looking at Dave Berger's article, and all of the links in it, earlier today.  One that I watched was the November 2019 Thanksgiving beat down of MN.  As I was watching it I was thinking, "my goodness this team was stacked.  How did we not win it all that year?"  I was just about to do some digging into what happened that post-season, when suddenly I was like, "oh, yeah...."

[The Sicatoka]

13 minutes ago, SJHovey said:

I was looking at Dave Berger's article, and all of the links in it, earlier today.  One that I watched was the November 2019 Thanksgiving beat down of MN.  As I was watching it I was thinking, "my goodness this team was stacked.  How did we not win it all that year?"  I was just about to do some digging into what happened that post-season, when suddenly I was like, "oh, yeah...."

I told Ethan Frisch they were robbed, because they had all the parts. 

[SIOUXFAN97]

what happens with bubs if he won a second one in 2020???????

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

1 hour ago, The Sicatoka said:

I told Ethan Frisch they were robbed, because they had all the parts. 

Crazy part is they were actually better the following year adding Kleven, Gaber and Sanderson

[Goon]

3 hours ago, hockeytherapy13 said:

I see where you’re coming from, but I’ll respectfully disagree. The 2019-2020 team was on a different level of intensity and skill as well. Guys like Colton Poolman and Cole Smith brought so much soul to that team that it bled through to the rest. It even carried into 2020-2021 as that team may have been even better in some ways. 

I can see that side of it. I wonder what would've happened if they had been able to play in the NCAA tourney?

[Dustin]

3 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

what happens with bubs if he won a second one in 2020???????

Probably a longer leash, maybe one more season. But ultimately, what did happen would have happened.  I don’t see how a title in 2020 would have changed anything. 

[InHeavenThereIsNoBeer]

20 minutes ago, Dustin said:

Probably a longer leash, maybe one more season. But ultimately, what did happen would have happened.  I don’t see how a title in 2020 would have changed anything. 

You don’t see how winning the biggest prize in college hockey for the 2nd time would have changed anything? Huh?

[tnt]

1 minute ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

You don’t see how winning the biggest prize in college hockey for the 2nd time would have changed anything? Huh?

Yeah, even gfhockey would have given him more time considering how long it took Sandy to get three titles with no conference championships.

[Dustin]

41 minutes ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

You don’t see how winning the biggest prize in college hockey for the 2nd time would have changed anything? Huh?

I said a little longer leash, due to a lengthier grace period. The 2019-20 team was great, but Berry still let things get away from him.

[Blackheart]

5 hours ago, SIOUXFAN97 said:

what happens with bubs if he won a second one in 2020???????

He gets better recruits after that?  He gets an even bigger extension?  I mean, two titles and he's in the same company as Blaiser...come on!

[Big A HG]

10 hours ago, Goon said:

No, but they haven't played like that since the 2015-16 season. So, in reality, it's a return to the old-time UND Hockey. No passengers and guys working on their NIL deals for next year. Credit the ND ICE podcast. 

 

2016-17 was a good year too, don't discredit them.  On paper they were totally outmatched but gave BU everything they could handle and never quit.   The problem is, it was all downhill from there and many of us got a lot of flak for wanting a change at the top because UND hockey wasn't passing the eye test for years, even with their NCHC championships.

[Esoteric]

16 hours ago, InHeavenThereIsNoBeer said:

If you want a laugh at a really terrible article https://www.twincities.com/2025/10/12/mens-hockey-tommies-future-bright-despite-weekend-sweep/

[Dustin]

11 hours ago, Blackheart said:

He gets better recruits after that?  He gets an even bigger extension?  I mean, two titles and he's in the same company as Blaiser...come on!

I suppose Berry could have been headhunted for an NHL job if he had gotten 2 natties in 5 seasons and we could have had Jackson 5 years ago. 

[tnt]

12 hours ago, Big A HG said:

 

2016-17 was a good year too, don't discredit them.  On paper they were totally outmatched but gave BU everything they could handle and never quit.   The problem is, it was all downhill from there and many of us got a lot of flak for wanting a change at the top because UND hockey wasn't passing the eye test for years, even with their NCHC championships.

True, and I would bet that even with the one and dones in the conference and national tournaments Berry would probably still have his job if UND hadn’t missed home ice a couple times lately.  The combination of being good enough to win the league one year with no post season success and then finishing bottom half of the league sealed his fate.

[tnt]

On 10/13/2025 at 9:43 AM, siouxweet said:

So all these "little" things Jackson is talking about and emphasizing in their play, were they not of importance or focus under Berry?

I think the difference is that Berry was saying the right things, but the accountability wasn’t there. Hopefully that will change under new leadership, along with a more attractive brand of hockey.  
Preaching work ethic, and then not being on the road recruiting and getting UND’s brand out there weren’t consistent talking points.  We saw how crazy the recruiting was this summer out of necessity, but with Chyzyk and the new coaches I believe it will continue to be a point of emphasis, and that along with a more aggressive brand of hockey has brought excitement back into the program.

 Hopefully the accountability with the players goes hand in hand with the coaches keeping themselves accountable.

[I Ranger]

13 hours ago, Blackheart said:

He gets better recruits after that?  He gets an even bigger extension?  I mean, two titles and he's in the same company as Blaiser...come on!

This is certainly no guarantee. Two of the worst recruiting classes we've had in years was the 2-3 years after the national title which still frustrates me to this day. How we never capitalized on that momentum like DU has is infuriating to me. 

[SJHovey]

18 hours ago, Dustin said:

Probably a longer leash, maybe one more season. But ultimately, what did happen would have happened.  I don’t see how a title in 2020 would have changed anything. 

All speculation, of course, but I have to disagree.  Berry always had the problem that some people looked at the 2016 title and saw Hak's team.  But by 2020, it was Berry's guys.

That coupled with the fact that we would have been the first program to catch Michigan at 9 titles, I think that leash would have been quite a bit longer.