Captain Reece Jaber felt the two losses to Colorado College were a good wake-up call for the number-one-ranked University of North Dakota.
“It’s a good reality check right now,” Jaber said. “We know that no weekend is easy. We know that to keep going, we know that going into this it just comes down to wanting more, and just working harder.
Top-ranked University of North Dakota was swept by the unranked Colorado College Tigers on the weekend of December 8 and 9, 3-2 in overtime in both games, putting UND on a three-game overtime streak to end the first half of the season.
On Friday, December 8, UND began the first period with possession, holding territory and getting several scoring chances. However, Colorado College goalie Kayden Mbireko, who started for the USA Hockey World Junior Team last year, made the save and kept UND off the scoreboard through the first eight minutes of the game. Then Dylan James, using his speed down the side, scored five holes to give the University of North Dakota the lead.
Louis Jamernik V praised James, his linemate, for his speed and skill.
“This guy can fly like the wind. He’s got National League speed already and he’s going to continue to improve,” Jamernik said. “I love playing with him.”
UND had scored first in 14 of the previous 16 games and had an 11-2-1 record at the opening taping. UND continued to create quality chances, but they were unable to extend the lead. The score after the first was 1-0 after 9-6 shots were counted in favor of UND.
Colorado College increased its shooting opportunities to start the second half with pressure to try to tie UND up. However, Yamernik scored nine minutes into the second half to give his team a 2-0 lead.
It was the second goal of the night that came from the line of James, Schmaltz and Jamernik. Jamernik explained what made their line so productive in Friday night’s game.
“We’re consistent and predictable with each other,” Yamernick said. “That’s what coaches need from us, consistency and reliability.”
The Tigers didn’t let that stop them; Noah Laba would score the Tigers’ first goal of the series from a net-forward deflection, but CC’s scoring didn’t end there. After surrendering the power play to UND, Hunter Johannes went to the penalty box to check on the cross which led to a 4-on-4 play and a powerplay for Colorado College. Max Burkholder scored on this power play to tie the game going into the third period. In the second, the Tigers outscored UND 16-13.
Assistant captain Jake Schmaltz felt that the team did not show its best performance in the first two periods of the first game.
“I don’t think we’re ready to play in the first and second half,” Schmaltz said. “Then we were just kind of soft, just kind of chasing. It wasn’t our best effort.”
In the third period, UND successfully kept Colorado from getting a shot on goal. However, despite having a few high-danger opportunities, UND was unable to use that defensive dominance to its advantage and regain the lead to win in regulation. The game went to overtime with the score 2-2 and the shots count 34-22 UND.
The biggest change for UND at third place was their desperation, according to Jamernik.
“It’s this desperation,” he said. “You know, your ears perked up and you went ‘Okay, we’re not winning this game as a draw, you’ve got to do something’ and then the urgency kicked in and we started taking charge.”
Noah Lapa scored his second goal of the night and the game-winner for Colorado just 35 seconds into overtime on another turnover. Colorado got the two points with a 3-2 victory in overtime.
Coach Brad Perry was upset with the team’s performance, especially the number of turnovers the top six surrendered.
“You have to play a harder game,” Perry said. “And I understand, you know, you guys can still make different plays and things. But at the end of the day, when the play presents itself, there’s not a lot of time and space and turnovers become a big factor.
To start Saturday’s game, Brad Perry decided to start the line of James, Jake Schmaltz and Jamernick and played with line combinations, swapping Berg and McLaughlin as centers and moving Strinden to center again. An adjustment was made after the top two lines struggled to score goals and had multiple turnovers, which led to opportunities for Colorado College.
For the first time since Game 1 of the Bemidji series, UND did not open the scoring. With 1:51 left in the first period, Colorado College captain Logan Weal scored the first goal of the game for the Tigers, giving them an early 1-0 lead. Despite registering 10 shots on goal during that period, UND was unable to respond. The Hawks had a chance to take the lead a minute and a half before the end of the first half. One minute and thirty seconds into the UND powerplay, Louis Jamernik V was awarded a penalty for tripping which resulted in the final thirty seconds of the 4-on-4 period being played. The score at halftime was 1-0 CC with a shot count of 10-5 in favor of UND.
The second period began with an additional thirty seconds of 4-on-4 play, followed by CC receiving a one-minute-thirty-second Jamernik penalty kick late in the first period. Neither team was able to convert during 4-on-4 time or the powerplay. The two teams exchanged opportunities, but neither achieved any success. Then, Will of CC took a punt, giving UND another power play opportunity. On the power play, Cameron Burge hit a shot from the point that Jackson Kunz deflected home to tie the Tigers at 1.
However, Colorado would fire right back ten seconds after Kunz’s goal to regain the lead. UND challenged a goaltender interference goal, but the call on the ice stood. Shortly after, CC’s Ryan Beck earned a punt, giving UND its second power play opportunity of the second; CC was able to kill the penalty.
Pyke would tie the game for UND with just over a minute remaining in the second with a shot from the blue line through heavy forward traffic. After the tying goal, UND pressed in the final minute of the second looking to take the lead into the third period. CC’s Tyler Coffey was given a penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct with just 24 seconds left in the second. The second half ended with the same score as it ended on Friday night, 2-2. The shots in the second were 11-9 in favor of Colorado College.
UND started the third period with over a minute and thirty seconds of power play, but they were unable to convert. The Falcons tried to keep the pace and continued to put pressure on CC in the offensive zone. Colorado College and North Dakota exchanged chances, but the score and number of shots remained equal at 2-2 with the number of shots being 20-20. Then at 12:36 in the third period, Reece Jaber took a penalty for tripping that put Colorado College on the power play. UND was able to successfully execute the penalty kick. The murder penalty created positive momentum for the United Nations. The Falcons maintained zone time and applied some pressure. Neither team scored, and the game again went into extra time with the score 2-2 and the shot count 7-4 CC for the final shot count 23-23.
UND lost the opening faceoff in 3-on-3 overtime, but CC couldn’t capitalize. Jamernik had two good chances for the Hawks, but Mbireko blocked both shots. Colorado College would have had a chance, but it went wide. Then after another turnover by UND in the offensive zone, Gleb Veremeyev came through to score Colorado’s second overtime win of the weekend.
While Coach Perry thought UND’s play was better in this game, he identified their poor performance at the faceoff point as a cause for concern.
“Only 34%, that’s not very good. And again, when you talk about energy, we spend a lot of time chasing the puck trying to get it back. “And it’s not just the midfielders, the wingers are part of that as well. There are pucks lying around in and out, and you have to retrieve those pucks to take possession of them. I think it all comes down to competition, you know, doing whatever it takes to win that lottery.
Despite a three-game overtime losing streak to end the first half, Perry and the team feel the first half of this season was a success especially with the number of new players coming onto the roster this year.
However, Jabeur feels there are lessons to be learned in these past three defeats that will help the team in the back half of the season.
“It’s a good time to look at ourselves in the mirror and ask yourself what the team needs from you and how you can do better,” Jaber said.
Maeve Hashman He is a student sports reporter at Dakota. Can be accessed at [email protected].
The Colorado College ice hockey team recently achieved a momentous victory, sweeping the University of North Dakota (UND) in a highly anticipated series. The victories came as a surprise to many and have sparked widespread excitement among Colorado College fans. The impressive performance by the team has solidified their position as a formidable force in the collegiate hockey world, and has undoubtedly left a lasting impression on both players and spectators alike. This monumental achievement has not only bolstered the team’s confidence, but has also garnered widespread attention and praise from the hockey community.