North Dakota comes up short again in regional semifinal to Michigan

MARYLAND HEIGHTS, MO — North Dakota is 1-4 in NCAA playoff games since winning the National Championship in 2016.

The Hawks fell 4-3 to the University of Michigan Friday night despite leading 2-1 entering the third period. Until this game, North Dakota was a perfect 20-0 when leading heading into the third period.

For many NoDak fans, it feels like déjà vu. UND has routinely finished strong at the end of the season and has won the NCHC regular-season title four times in the last five years. However, they have failed to generate momentum heading into the NCAA Tournament.

Since winning the National Championship in 2016, North Dakota has won only one playoff game, a 5-1 victory over American International College in 2021.

So what's been the issue?

If you ask North Dakota fans, they’ll point to the coaching staff. But while UND head coach Brad Berry can take some of the blame, he has proven time and time again that he is a solid coach who is capable of leading a team to success. 

In his tenure thus far at UND, Berry has won 206 games, including six Penrose Cups, one NCHC Tournament Championship, and one National Championship. 

Has North Dakota become a regular-season team? The Dallas Cowboys of college hockey? 

In 2017, North Dakota returned to the NCAA Tournament as a three-seed. They took on Boston University at the regional in Fargo, packing Scheels Arena and creating an atmosphere on par, if not greater, than at the Ralph. 

The Hawks dominated the Terriers, outshooting them 59-29. Regardless, Boston University went on to win the game in double overtime 4-3. Charlie McAvoy netted his fifth goal of the year to advance BU to the regional final.

But that game came with some controversy. During the first overtime, UND forward Dixon Bowen scored 3 minutes and 28 seconds in. However, after a lengthy review, the play was determined to be offside. 

The next two seasons, UND  failed to make the NCAA Tournament, which, in the eyes of many fans, was unacceptable considering they had made it the last 16 years. But as the 2019-20 season rolled around, it seemed as if things were about to change.

UND was destined for greatness in the 2019-20 season. The first game that year against Canisius, the Hawks wore their black jerseys (known as the business suits) at home, which is rarely done. 

UND beat Canisius 5-0 Friday night and went on to win Saturday’s game 8-1. In Saturdays tilt, Canisius started freshman netminder Jake Barczewski, who played his first game against North Dakota. He transferred to Michigan and helped lead them past the Hawks last Friday.

UND finished the 2019-20 season 26-5-4 but never had the chance to play in the NCAA Tournament due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The next season, UND returned most of its star power with one goal: to win the national championship. The Hawks finished the 2021 season as Penrose Cup and NCHC Tournament champions, and they were the No. 1 overall seed in the NCAA Tournament (22-6-1). 

North Dakota blew by American International College, 5-1. But the next night, they lost 3-2 in five overtimes to Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs did not play the night before due to Michigan forfeiting because of a COVID-related illness spreading throughout the team.

Another rule change was implemented. In the NCAA regionals, teams have a day of rest between their games. Beforehand, teams were playing back-to-back games.

Life moved on for UND, and the college hockey world and the Hawks hit the ground running the next season. Even though they lost key players in Shane Pinto and Jordan Kawaguchi, the Hawks finished the season atop the NCHC, winning another Penrose Cup and returning to the NCAA Tournament.

UND came short, losing 3-2 overtime to Notre Dame. Nothing was too controversial about this game, except that UND played the Fighting Irish in front of its smallest crowd of the year in Albany (2,345 people). UND also played without their top defenseman, Jake Sanderson, who was injured while diving to save a puck from entering the net a few weeks prior.

As the 2023-24 season rolled around, UND brought in a promising freshman class and a bunch of solid talent through the transfer portal, but they failed to meet their expectations. They missed the NCAA Tournament, losing in the NCHC semi-finals to St. Cloud State, 3-2 in overtime.

Now, it was 2024. UND got out to a fast start against Michigan. Hunter Johannes scored 4 minutes and 46 seconds into the game.

Michigan would respond in the second period when Frank Nazar III put one past Persson, but UND did not falter; they got back to their game. Jackson Blake tipped a puck past Barczewski to make it 2-1.

However, North Dakota could not contain the Wolverines in the third period. Dylan Duke scored just fifty seconds into the period, followed by T.J. Hughes a minute and a half later.

North Dakota failed to generate anything offensively and struggled to possess the puck. Eleven minutes and fifty-six seconds into the third, Duke scored again, giving Michigan a commanding 4-2 lead.

UND made a final push towards the end. Jackson Kunz tightened the score by one goal, but Michigan ran out the clock and advanced to the regional final against rival Michigan State. Michigan now leads the series against North Dakota 47-41-4.

UND head coach Brad Berry addressed the media following the loss.

“We had a really good game plan in place, and I thought we did it for the most part. But again, when you're dealing with playing against really good teams and skilled teams, if you don't execute the part of the game you needed to, that's what happens.”

Michigan's offense has been one of the better in the NCAA this year, scoring 4.15 goals per game. North Dakota held them under four goals until the third period.

Once again, UND was without its top defenseman for an NCAA Tournament game. Garrett Pyke had been excellent for UND all season, recording 25 points. He sat out the game due to an injury sustained last Friday against Omaha.

“I'm proud of the way the guys battled," Berry said. “ They battled extremely hard, and obviously, we didn't get the result we wanted or rewarded for our effort. But I was proud of the way our guys responded and played today.”

North Dakota's coaching staff will have a lot to look at over the next few weeks, with the departure of fifth-year seniors, Garrett Pyke, Logan Britt, Keaton Pehrson, and Hunter Johannes. Griffin Ness, Ludvig Persson, and Carson Albrecht will all have eligibility remaining. Riese Gaber has one more year due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but he made it clear that he plans to sign a professional deal this offseason.

UND will have a promising freshman class coming in next season. Barring the decisions of some of its players, UND will also most likely hit the portal to grab an experienced forward, defenseman, and goaltender.

“It's tough to think about that right now," Berry said. "Obviously, knowing our season came to an end right now, it's spending time with the guys here. But once we get back (to Grand Forks), we'll have conversations to see what goes on, but I know the majority of our guys will be coming back, and we'll carry on with another year.”

North Dakota will open the 2024-25 season to Augustana University in an exhibition matchup next October.