UND Hockey at the Break

First, I want to wish everyone a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Thanks for reading. The University of North Dakota Hockey team is at the halfway point in their season. After 18 games, the Fighting Hawks are (9-6-3 and 3-4-1 NCHC). UND is currently sitting in sixth place of  the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings. UND has some work to do if they want to secure home ice for the NCHC playoffs.

While UND hasn’t had a great season, they currently sit in 9^th place of the Pairwise Rankings. If the NCAA playoffs started today, UND would be a three-seed hosting the West Regional Championship in Fargo, ND.  One thing that’s helping UND is their strength of schedule. Second, they also have a quality win against the Boston College Eagles; that’s helping their cause. Currently, UND has the 2^nd toughest schedule in college hockey.  With the meat grinder of an NCHC schedule, UND’s SOS won’t go down all that much.

UND has one more game in 2016 and they will be shorthanded when they play the Union Dutchmen. Tyson Jost will be at the WJC and Brock Boeser will be recovering from minor wrist surgery. According to head coach Brad Berry, sophomore defenseman Haden Shaw, who’s missed five games with an undisclosed injury, should return to the lineup against the Dutchmen. Next season, Union makes a return visit to the Ralph.

Moreover, not all of the news from last Wednesday’s hockey press conference was negative. In fact, UND fans also received some really good news. Coach Berry confirmed that when the World Junior Championship is over, Team Canada’s Tyson Jost will rejoin his Fighting Hawks teammates for the series in Omaha, Nebraska. It appears that UND has caught a break. In the end, Jost will only miss one game, the non-conference matchup against the Union College on Dec. 31, 2016. Minus two players, UND will have to find a way to win without their best players Boeser and Jost.

After 18 games, here’s UND’s points leaders.

Shane Gersich (13g-11a—24pts)
Tyson Jost (7g-11a—18pts)
Brock Boeser (7g-9a—16pts)
Tucker Poolman (4g-10a—14pts)

Gersich is tied for 16th in the nation for 1.33 P/GM. He’s is tied 12th in G/GM. Gersich is leading the NCHC in points with 24. Gersich is also leading the NCHC in goals with 13. Finally, Gersich and Jost are tied for fifth in the NCHC for assists with 11.

Here’s UND’s goaltending numbers. During the first 18 games of the season, UND has only used on goaltender.

Cam Johnson, 9-6-3, 2.16 GAA and .910 save percentage.

(Stats courtesy of UND Sports)

NCHC Team Numbers

Looking at UND’s teams stats from a conference standpoint. UND is tied for sixth in the NCHC with Miami 2.25 G/PG. Defensively, UND is second in the NCHC 2.00 GA/PG. UND is ranked fourth in the NCHC on the power play with 16.7%. UND’s penalty kill is ranked fourth in the NCHC with 81.2%. (Courtesy of NCHC Stats)

National Team Numbers

UND is ranked 27th in the nation in scoring 3.06 G/PG. UND is ranked 10th in the nation in defense 2.28 GA/PG. UND is ranked 13th in the nation in scoring margin 0.78. UND is struggling nationally in special teams play: UND is ranked 32nd on the power play, 14/81 (17.3%) and ranked 46th on the penalty kill, 64/80 (80.0%). Ironically, the Hawks are tied with the University of Minnesota Gophers on the PK. (Courtesy of College Hockey Stats Net)