The start of the 2024-25 season has been challenging for the UND hockey team. They have not performed as well as hoped, finishing 7-7-1 in the first 15 games. This week, UND aims to get back on track with a conference series against their NCHC rival, Miami. The RedHawks, 3-11-2 (.250), 0-5-1 NCHC, are struggling and haven’t won in the previous eight games. UND travels to Oxford, Ohio, determined to turn things around.
In the last 10 games against Miami, UND is 9-1, outscoring them 54-18. The Fighting Hawks haven’t lost in the past eight games against the RedHawks. This looks like a series that UND should win going away. While the RedHawks aren’t very good, UND fans smell a trap series. UND won’t take Miami for granted and knows they must win if they want to be in the mix for an at-large bid in the NCAA tourney.
UND by the Numbers
Looking at UND’s numbers, the Hawks are all over the place. Good in some areas and needing work in other areas. UND is tied for 12th in goals, 24th in goals against, 45th in save percentage, sixth power play, 43rd on the penalty kill, 11th in shorthanded goals, fifth in faceoff percentage, 28th in penalty minutes, tied for 16th in goals per game, 29th in goals against per game, 32nd for shots per game, 43rdin shots against per game, 35th penalty minutes per game. Finally, UND scored 12 of their 46 goals (26 percent) on the power play. One of the focuses moving forward is that UND needs more production five-on-five.
Miami by the Numbers
The RedHawks are 35th in scoring, tied for 61st in goals against, 61st in save percentage, 39th in power play, 12th on the penalty kill, 11th in shorthanded goals, 31st in faceoff percentage, second in penalty minutes, 58th in goals per game, 59th in goals against per game, tied for second in penalty minutes per game.
UND’s Evergrowing Injury List
UND has suffered many injuries this season, and you never really know who’s playing from game to game. This past week, forward Cody Croal and defenseman Andrew Strathmann returned to the lineup, but during Saturday’s game, they lost forward Ben Strinden and defenseman Caleb MacDonald. When asked during the Wednesday hockey press conference, head coach Brad Berry gave us the injury update.
“Strinds (Ben Strinden) is practicing here. He got on the ice with us today and is practicing,” Berry said. There’s a good chance that Striden will be back in the lineup. As far as the rest of the guys, I can’t tell you right now because I don’t know.
Currently, UND is without backup goalie Kaleb Johnson (indefinitely), defenseman Bennett Zmolek (indefinitely), forward Cameron Berg (week-to-week), defenseman Caleb MacDonald (questionable), Louis Jamernik V (questionable), and forward Ben Strinden (questionable).
Here’s the number of games these players have missed by key players: Cameron Berg (eight games), Andrew Strathmann (seven games), Cody Croal (nine games), Bennett Zmolek (10 games), Louis Jamernik V (three games).
Production Outage
Injuries aside, one of the problems facing this season’s team is that players known for goal-scoring aren’t scoring goals. Sophomore forward Jayden Perron finished last season with (11g-7a—18pts). At this time last season, he’d already scored seven goals. He’s a bit off that pace with (3g-5a—8pts). UND could benefit from Perron chipping in a few more points.
Before joining UND, Carter Wilkie had an impressive scoring record of 45 goals and 70 assists for 115 points. However, his production has significantly declined this season. In 15 games, he has managed only two goals and two assists, totaling four points.
In his most recent game against BSU, he finally recorded his first point in nine games, a goal. Last season, he enjoyed 10 multiple-point games, but this season, he has yet to achieve any. While UND is facing more formidable opponents this year, there are still high expectations for Wilkie, given his past achievements. It’s worth noting that he did have three points in his first five games.
For UND to win more hockey games, they need to improve their 5-on-5 scoring, as they cannot rely solely on the power play.
Prediction: UND sweeps 7-1 and 4-2.
