Hitting the NCHC Road - UND Travels to UNO

[brianvf]

UND hits the road to Nebraska after taking 4 of 6 from Duluth.

UNO just completed a weekend sweep of CC in the Springs despite getting heavily outshot in the series.
They even started their backup goalie, Cowan, in the Sat game.
Four of their top five scorers are their USports/CHL guys, led by Pellerin.

So far this season, they've split with Mankato (home), split with UMass (home), and swept CC (away).

From what I watched of their CC series, they didn't seem flashy or super skilled...but they took advantage of their chances, were hard skating, and managed to score a few odd bounce goals.

PP: UND 23.5% / UNO 27.3%
PK: UND 81.3% / UNO 72.0%

 

[Goon]

Am I the only person who looks at this series and goes, 'Oof, not these guys again?'  It just comes across as a somewhat unattractive matchup. They seem to think they're our top rival. They're like 9th or 10th on the list. 

 

[AlphaMikeFoxtrot]

5 minutes ago, Goon said:

Am I the only person who looks at this series and goes, 'Oof, not these guys again?'  It just comes across as a somewhat unattractive matchup. They seem to think they're our top rival. They're like 9th or 10th on the list. 

 

Heavy is the head that wears the crown. Treat them like a farm team in the transfer portal era, think of this as an audition on the part of their top players.

[SiouxFanatic]

1 hour ago, Goon said:

Am I the only person who looks at this series and goes, 'Oof, not these guys again?'  It just comes across as a somewhat unattractive matchup. They seem to think they're our top rival. They're like 9th or 10th on the list. 

Best thing that came out of adding Arizona State and St. Thomas to the NCHC is UND no longer having to be paired with Omaha. 

[stoneySIOUX]

12 hours ago, Goon said:

Am I the only person who looks at this series and goes, 'Oof, not these guys again?'  It just comes across as a somewhat unattractive matchup. They seem to think they're our top rival. They're like 9th or 10th on the list. 

 

Their fanbase DESPERATELY wants us to care about them, IMO. I've seen it so many times.

[farce poobah]

I think Omaha is going to be better than the preseason polls. (7th)  They have excellent goaltending, and what they lack in drafted talent (just 3) they cover for that in age (full year older roster than UND).   Think MSU Mavericks under Hastings...

[fightingsioux4life]

39 minutes ago, farce poobah said:

I think Omaha is going to be better than the preseason polls. (7th)  They have excellent goaltending, and what they lack in drafted talent (just 3) they cover for that in age (full year older roster than UND).   Think MSU Mavericks under Hastings...

It's the NCHC. There are no easy games. That's what I love about our league.

[BusinessSiouxt]

2 hours ago, stoneySIOUX said:

Their fanbase DESPERATELY wants us to care about them, IMO. I've seen it so many times.

Just like we wanna be seen as an annual contender. I think it’s about time that we got over ourselves.

[SiouxFanatic]

43 minutes ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

Just like we wanna be seen as an annual contender. I think it’s about time that we got over ourselves.

What? I think you’ve been going to too many Omaha hockey games. Lowered expectations like that may be ok at Omaha but shouldn’t be at UND.  

[stoneySIOUX]

39 minutes ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

Just like we wanna be seen as an annual contender. I think it’s about time that we got over ourselves.

HA! Ok? Feels like a heavy pivot from the conversation of comparing UND and Omaha and how they want to be our rival.

[Goon]

44 minutes ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

Just like we wanna be seen as an annual contender. I think it’s about time that we got over ourselves.

🙄🙄🙄🙄 Talk about a wet blanket.  

[cberkas]

Omaha fans act like we are top rivals but that’s not the reality on our side of it. They are basically the new Jan.

[stoneySIOUX]

4 minutes ago, cberkas said:

Omaha fans act like we are top rivals but that’s not the reality on our side of it. They are basically the new Jan.

💯

[hawksfan12]

Series Excitement for Me:

Super Excited

1. Minnesota

2. Denver

3. BC/BU/Wisconsin/Maine/Michigan State/Michigan (if we would ever play them)

Pretty Excited

4. UMD

Meh to Not Excited

5. Rest of NCHC (with Miami & Omaha literally the least interesting of the rest)

6. Bemidji

[BusinessSiouxt]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:29 PM, Goon said:

🙄🙄🙄🙄 Talk about a wet blanket.  

Say that if you will. Going back through the game notes that I’ve been reading, one miss pass, and this team isn’t going anywhere. One goal and this team is no longer what it used to be. I just find it comical how critical everybody is during the game and after the game, but before the game, you think we were in the national championship without doubt. Goon, I’ll use your wet blanket, to comment on every derogatory statement made during the games going forward. My bet is, I’ll grow tired of doing so.

[BusinessSiouxt]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:25 PM, SiouxFanatic said:

What? I think you’ve been going to too many Omaha hockey games. Lowered expectations like that may be ok at Omaha but shouldn’t be at UND.  

It’s not about expectations, it’s about reality. Nobody is as good as they think they are, and nobody is as bad as people think. These are division one hockey players and just like in football parity is not that far away. A lot of comments have been made about Omaha, but remember this Colorado College looks really good this year. They’re big, they’re fast, and they’re skilled. Omaha was definitely outmatched, but they converted when they had to, or, when the opportunity presented itself. I think it’s gonna be a really interesting weekend and I wish I could go down there at the game, but schedule is being schedules I’m stuck in Minnesota

[TNF]

18 hours ago, hawksfan12 said:

Series Excitement for Me:

Super Excited

1. Minnesota

2. Denver

3. BC/BU/Wisconsin/Maine/Michigan State/Michigan (if we would ever play them)

Pretty Excited

4. UMD

Meh to Not Excited

5. Rest of NCHC (with Miami & Omaha literally the least interesting of the rest)

6. Bemidji

I would add Western Michigan to the pretty excited list. Even the years they rode the struggle bus, they played an up-and-down, hard hitting style that is fun to watch. I’ll gladly watch 1,000 WMU match-ups before subjecting myself to another Bemidji game just due to style of play. 

[skateshattrick]

1 hour ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

It’s not about expectations, it’s about reality. Nobody is as good as they think they are, and nobody is as bad as people think. These are division one hockey players and just like in football parity is not that far away. A lot of comments have been made about Omaha, but remember this Colorado College looks really good this year. They’re big, they’re fast, and they’re skilled. Omaha was definitely outmatched, but they converted when they had to, or, when the opportunity presented itself. I think it’s gonna be a really interesting weekend and I wish I could go down there at the game, but schedule is being schedules I’m stuck in Minnesota

We get it--you're a fan of Omaha and want UND fans to like and respect Omaha. You are wasting your time because most UND fans neither like nor respect Omaha. It is similar to Merrimack fans telling BC and BU fans that because we occasionally beat you, we are rivals and you should respect us. I agree with another poster who ranked Omaha just above Bemidji in terms of rivalry and excitement. We really truly don't care about Omaha or their crybaby fans.   

[BusinessSiouxt]

On 11/3/2025 at 12:29 PM, Goon said:

🙄🙄🙄🙄 Talk about a wet blanket.  

 

1 hour ago, skateshattrick said:

We get it--you're a fan of Omaha and want UND fans to like and respect Omaha. You are wasting your time because most UND fans neither like nor respect Omaha. It is similar to Merrimack fans telling BC and BU fans that because we occasionally beat you, we are rivals and you should respect us. I agree with another poster who ranked Omaha just above Bemidji in terms of rivalry and excitement. We really truly don't care about Omaha or their crybaby fans.   

Actually, no, you don’t get it. There are two truths here, the first is as everybody knows. I don’t share the same for disdain for Omaha. It’s been well documented of my connection through my wife. The second is, I don’t think of them as rivals nor do I think everyone should respect them. My original comment was that sometimes the vitriol on this board is comical. I might be wrong, but I think this weekend series is going to be tougher than some portrayed and I certainly don’t think any team in the NCHC is a pushover. Several on this board absolutely fit the description of “Jan’s”. Famous quote: prove me wrong! Colorado College looks to be every bit of force in the NCHC this year. Yet at the end of the day, they were swept at home.

[brianvf]

1 hour ago, skateshattrick said:

We get it--you're a fan of Omaha and want UND fans to like and respect Omaha. You are wasting your time because most UND fans neither like nor respect Omaha. It is similar to Merrimack fans telling BC and BU fans that because we occasionally beat you, we are rivals and you should respect us. I agree with another poster who ranked Omaha just above Bemidji in terms of rivalry and excitement. We really truly don't care about Omaha or their crybaby fans.   

MavPuck on X was going off about why they aren't ranked this week.
Ha, who cares about USCHO polls in Oct/Nov.  

[skateshattrick]

6 minutes ago, BusinessSiouxt said:

 

Actually, no, you don’t get it. There are two truths here, the first is as everybody knows. I don’t share the same for disdain for Omaha. It’s been well documented of my connection through my wife. The second is, I don’t think of them as rivals nor do I think everyone should respect them. My original comment was that sometimes the vitriol on this board is comical. I might be wrong, but I think this weekend series is going to be tougher than some portrayed and I certainly don’t think any team in the NCHC is a pushover. Several on this board absolutely fit the description of “Jan’s”. Famous quote: prove me wrong! Colorado College looks to be every bit of force in the NCHC this year. Yet at the end of the day, they were swept at home.

You missed the point completely. You reacted to a thread where persons said they don't respect Omaha and don't consider them a rival. The games might be tight this weekend, but even if Omaha sweeps, the opinion of Omaha will not change. They are not a rival and we don't respect them. You are also being intellectually dishonest because everyone knows that you are an Omaha fan but for some reason won't admit it and pretend to be a UND fan under the guise that your wife is an Omaha fan. 

[cberkas]

CC is a long way from where they were a top team in the conference (2008-09). Until then CC will be a mid pack team. The conference is better when CC is at the blue blood caliber when they should be fighting Denver for the Gold Pan. 

[Godsmack]

For what it’s worth, and this is just one guy’s opinion but, I was very impressed with Omaha. I thought they had some good team speed and coupled with the goaltending tandem they played this past weekend at CC, I walked away thinking they will be a tough out for everyone in the conference. I will be the first to acknowledge that CC isn’t a power house but they’re still good and this was a series where they got swept at home so that’s saying something for Omaha too. I watched the game on tv Friday but went Saturday. 

[tnt]

1 hour ago, Godsmack said:

For what it’s worth, and this is just one guy’s opinion but, I was very impressed with Omaha. I thought they had some good team speed and coupled with the goaltending tandem they played this past weekend at CC, I walked away thinking they will be a tough out for everyone in the conference. I will be the first to acknowledge that CC isn’t a power house but they’re still good and this was a series where they got swept at home so that’s saying something for Omaha too. I watched the game on tv Friday but went Saturday. 

Just the extra experience with being about 1 year older across their whole roster than us is an equalizer, then you add in their goaltending, and it is going to be a tough weekend like usual.

[Goon]

15 hours ago, brianvf said:

MavPuck on X was going off about why they aren't ranked this week.
Ha, who cares about USCHO polls in Oct/Nov.  

I am like; who cares about USCHO poll at all.