Heading into the season, UMD loaded up on fifth-year players, returning four-year stalwarts Kobe Roth, Koby Bender, Matt Anderson, and Louie Roehl, along with the superb Ben Patt in goal. Scott Sandelin then bolstered his center depth with the addition of Miami graduate transfer Casey Gilling.
Throw in the return of captain Noah Cates, and UMD boasts plenty of experience. It’s that experience that will be expected to carry a lot of the water for this team, no matter how deep it is.
For most of Saturday night’s rematch with North Dakota, Gilling’s line with Cates and Tanner Laderoute was the most effective for UMD at generating pressure and establishing the forecheck. It didn’t lead to a goal, but it did help UMD gain momentum at a couple different points in the game.
The Bulldogs got a 1-0 lead on a Blake Biondi goal in the second period, but North Dakota scored on a late second-period power play to level, before Brendan Budy scored on a two-on-one five minutes into the third to give UND a 2-1 lead that would hold up until the end.
I’m of the mind that this will be the exception and not the rule with this team. This was a night where a couple uncharacteristic UMD mistakes (a penalty and a pinch that started the rush Budy scored on) turned a tight game. That will not happen often. If I’m right, we’re in for a hell of a ride, fans. Should be a lot of fun. If I’m wrong, I’ll be shocked. This appears to be a well-built UMD team, one that is destined to play deep into March and perhaps April. Having so many guys with 100 or more games played (and Bender is on the verge at three away) certainly doesn’t hurt.
Of course, one of the big catalysts behind this 8-3-1 start, which is a great record against a murderous schedule, has been a line of younger guys. Dominic James, Quinn Olson, and Biondi have been almost consistently dynamic for UMD, shouldering plenty of offensive load and showing a lot of creativity while also improving their play without the puck.
The James Gang (as I will call them until it sticks because it’s a good name) did their thing in the second period, combining for another pretty goal off the rush. Olson fed James in the left circle, and James found Biondi in the slot. Biondi made no mistake, ripping a shot by Zach Driscoll for the game’s first goal. They nearly had combined for a goal earlier in the period, but Biondi shot high.
Oh, and whatever Roth did to piss off the hockey gods, man alive, it must have been something. He hit two of UMD’s three goalposts on the night, including one in the third period that would have tied the game. He found one in the second on a Jesse Jacques faceoff win as well. His luck will turn around. Roth is too smart and skilled a player for it not to.
And give North Dakota credit. No Jake Sanderson, no Matteo Costantini, and the Fighting Hawks found a way on Saturday. They were suffocating at times, and they showed how good a team they can be, even without Sanderson, arguably the best player in college hockey.
All in all, a good split on the road against a good team that just doesn’t lose at home (34-4 in the 38 there). Yes, it could have been better, but after 12 games, I think I’ve seen enough to confidently say I’ll take my chances with this mix of Bulldogs. They have depth at all positions and know how they need to play.
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I’ve hesitated on this topic a couple times. It’s time.
We have a growing problem with replay in college hockey. To be specific, replay takes too much time.
On Friday, Louis Jamernik cross-checked Louie Roehl in the face. The officials went to review it. Amazingly, it actually took a couple minutes, because it was as obvious as the sun is bright what happened. Jamernik was rightfully ejected, but the wait on the review was unacceptably long for something so clear.
Then Saturday, after UMD’s goal, North Dakota had a rush opportunity that nearly found paydirt. Ryan Fanti got a piece of the Carson Albrecht shot, but not enough, and Darian Gotz had to put it under Fanti as it was about to cross the goal line. Again, replays showed it was pretty clearly not a goal, and we had to wait through a media timeout and then some before the ruling came.
Again, they got the call right. And the longer delay probably benefitted UMD a touch, because it took the crowd down from that “OMG we almost scored!” frenzy at the whistle, and it neutralized the on-ice momentum a bit. But it’s not good for the game.
The list of reviewable plays is long, so much so that I’m curious how many Division I head coaches could even list them all without looking. I’ve joked privately that coaches should post that list on the bench with the line charts for each team. And it’s not likely that we’ll ever dial that back. If anything, history shows that it’s more likely we’ll see the list grow than shrink.
It’s fine, technology allows us to get more calls right than before, and we’re going to see the sport try to take advantage of that. That doesn’t mean, however, that those responsible for governing the sport don’t have a responsibility to create a system that values efficiency, both in terms of accuracy and time. What we have now is not efficient, and it’s not good enough as a result.
(To be fair, there have been some changes to the video replay software in the NCHC. That is likely a contributing factor in some cases. But this is not a problem exclusive to the NCHC.)
The work continues to make the system better, and I hope no one is satisfied at the moment.
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UMD will go non-conference for a couple weekends, starting with a home series against Alaska this weekend. It’s also Thanksgiving on Thursday, so hopefully you all enjoy the holiday and join us for hockey on Friday.
If you’re going to the games, please remember that it’s Bentleyville season in Duluth, which means traffic congestion on the weekends in the area of Amsoil Arena and Bayfront Park. Give yourself extra time and make sure you get where you’re going on time.
Likely won’t be back here until pregame on Friday because of the holiday.
