Friday Morning Post

• UND senior captain Dillon Simpson was named one of twenty candidates for the Lowes Senior CLASS Award.
• Freshman Gage Ausmus has settled into the role of the physical, stay-at-home defenseman early on in his UND career.
• The Dakota Student says sophomore forward Drake Caggiula bounced back nicely from the neck injury he sustained in the exhibition win over the NTDP U-18 team.
• After a one year hiatus, North Dakota and Wisconsin will resume their long-standing rivalry next season with a weekend series in Madison.
• Those who are unable to make it to Omaha for this weekend's series against Nebraska-Omaha can watch UNO's webcast of the games through a UND Insider subscription.
• TJ Oshie is off to the best start of his NHL career, and part of his success may be the result of him becoming more of a student of the game.
• Drew Stafford and Buffalo have struggled out of the gates this season, but the Sabres winger hopes to reverse the slow start.
• The achievments Chicago Blackhawk captain Jonathan Toews have made a big impression on President Obama.
• Sioux alum Travis Zajac is off to a bit of a slow start this season for the New Jersey Devils and on Halloween a trick-or-treater told him as much.
• The voting for the AJHL's All-Time Top 50 players continues, and up for vote this go-round are Sioux alums Dixon Ward, Garry Valk, Geoff Smith, Teeder Wynne and UND head coach Dave Hakstol.
• The Sioux City Journal published a great feature on recruit Trevor Olson (Sioux City-USHL), detailing the hip injury he's played through this season. Following this weekend's games he will undergo surgery in order to be fully prepared for his freshman season at UND next fall. The Musketeer captain is well-respected amongst his teammates and he sounds like quite the gamer. In a best-case scenario Sioux City, which is 9-0 with Olson in the lineup and 1-2 without him, could get their captain back towards the end of the season.
• Women's Four Nations Cup: The Lamoureux twins and Team USA will wrap up pool play tonight when they face Michelle Karvinen and Susanna Tapani's Finland squad at 6:00 CST. The Americans are 1-1 after their 4-2 defeat at the hands of arch-rival Canada. Finland is also 1-1 in pool play. Johanna Fallman and Team Sweden will be looking to pick up their first victory of the tournament when they play Canada this afternoon at 2:30 CST.
• World Junior A Challenge: UND's recruits playing in the World Junior A Challenge will resume play today when the semifinals get underway. Rhett Gardner and Canada West will take on Russia at 2:00 CST while Team USA, featuring recruits Nick Schmaltz, Ryan Mantha, and Austin Poganski, will take on Switzerland at 6:00 CST. Through two games, Schmaltz is tied for the tournament lead with six points (2G, 4A) and has earned the praise of NHL Central Scouting's Carl Edwards. Gardner, meanwhile, has yet to find the scoresheet, but his defensive efforts on the penalty kill have helped thrust Canada West into the semifinals.

Wednesday Morning Post

• UND forward Colten St. Clair suffered a leg injury this past weekend against St. Cloud State and is expected to be out at least until the semester break. St. Clair's game contains an element of gritty hustle and his presence will be missed as an energy guy who plays a big role on the team's penalty killing unit.
• Drake Caggiula's slick first period goal against SCSU Friday night was chosen as NCAA hockey's top goal of the weekend.
• Sioux alum Dave Tippett became the all-time winningest coach in Phoenix Coyote franchise history last weekend.
• Chris Porter became the ninth Sioux alum to skate in the NHL this season when he made his season debut for St. Louis this past Saturday.
• The Hartford Courant says Danny Kristo has emerged as the Hartford Wolf Pack's most productive forward this season.
• Through 13 games Corban Knight leads Abbotsford (AHL) in points (12), assists (8), and +/- (+6).
• Mike Commodore recently did a good deed for a British Columbia charity. 
• Women's Four Nations Cup: Team USA defeated Sweden yesterday 10-0 with Sioux alums Jocelyne Lamoureux (1G, 1A) and Monique Lamoureux (0G, 2A) each posting a multi-point game for the Americans. Team USA's next action comes today against arch-rival Canada at 6:00 CST while UND defenseman Johanna Fallman and Sweden will take on Finland today at 2:30. Finland, featuring current UND forwards Michelle Karvinen and Susanna Tapani, dropped a tight 3-1 decision to Canada yesterday.
• World Junior A Challenge: Canada West and UND recruit Rhett Gardner earned the top seed out of Group B by going 2-0 in group play. They have advanced to Friday's semifinals where they will take on Group A's second seed. Team USA, featuring UND recruits Austin Poganski, Nick Schmaltz, and Ryan Mantha, opened group play last night with an 8-3 thrashing of Russia. Schmaltz scored two goals and assisted on two others and now has 12 points (7G, 5A) in his last five games of international competition dating back to August's Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Team USA's next game comes today at 6:00 CST against Canada East.
• NTDP Four Nations Tournaments: Recruits Shane Gersich and Christian Evers will be participating in a pair of Four Nations tournaments this week. Gersich and the NTDP Under-18 team will be in Finland while Evers and the Under-17 team will be in Slovakia. Both teams will play pre-tournament games today with regulation action beginning Friday. Check out USA Hockey's Four Nations info page for full schedules and notes for both teams.

Thursday Morning Post

• Senior forward Michelle Karvinen was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week following her strong performance in UND's road sweep of St. Cloud State. Karvinen picked up five points (4G, 1A) on the weekend and her seven goals on the season lead the nation.
• Karvinen will not be in the lineup when UND travels to Bemidji State this weekend. UND will also be without freshman forward Susanna Tapani and junior defenseman Johanna Fallman as all three will be preparing to compete in the women's Four Nations Cup in Lake Placid, NY, November 5-9. Tapani and Karvinen will represent Finland, while Fallman will skate for Sweden. Also competing at the Four Nations will be Sioux alums and Team USA standouts Jocelyne and Monique Lamoureux.
• The UND men's hockey Twitter account Tweeted yesterday that sophomore forward Drake Caggiula practiced without limitation. This is most certainly a positive sign for Caggiula, who took a nasty head-over-heels spill during Saturday's exhibition game against Team USA. Hopefully we will see him in the lineup this weekend against St. Cloud State.
• UND freshman defenseman Keaton Thompson was featured in his hometown newspaper yesterday.
• The coaching staff of the BCHL's Penticton Vees will be in Grand Forks this weekend to watch a number of their former players take to the ice at Engelstad Arena.
• Danny Kristo continues his strong play to start the AHL season. Last night he picked up a goal and two assists in Hartford's 5-3 win over Bridgeport, giving him twelve points (7G, 5A) in ten games. While Kristo's performance thus far is impressive, Blue Seat Blogs stresses the importance of patience in letting prospects develop at the proper level.
• Corban Knight notched a goal and an assist, including the overtime game winner, in Abbotsford's 5-4 win over Utica last night. He now has nine points (4G, 5A) in ten games, putting him right up there with Kristo among the AHL's top rookie scorers.
• The Ottawa Sun says Hockey Canada would do right in naming Jonathan Toews captain for the 2014 Winter Olympics, going so far as to call him "the best all-around player in the world."
• TJ Oshie is off to the best start of his career for the St. Louis Blues, having notched ten points (2G, 8A) in ten games with a +8 rating. The creative and relentless Oshie has helped drive the Blues towards the top of the Central Division with a refreshing dose of class.
• North Dakota recruit Rhett Gardner (Okotoks-AJHL) was named to Canada West's roster for the 2013 World Junior A Challenge. Gardner, part of UND's excellent class of 1996 birth-year commitments, was one of 13 forwards selected out of the 36 invited to camp.

Wednesday Morning Post

• Last Saturday's matchup with the NTDP Under-18 team might not have counted in the standings, but it was certainly more than just an exhibition game for UND.
• Mario Lamoureux has signed a Professional Try-Out contract with the Oklahoma City Barons (AHL). Lamoureux began the season with the ECHL's Ontario Reign, where he produced three goals in four games.
• Jonathan Toews notched his third career hat trick last night in helping lead Chicago to a come from behind victory against Ottawa. Here are the goals:

• Sioux alum Ryan Johnson was named Player Development Consultant for the Vancouver Canucks.
• Rangers Unlimited checks in to see how top NYR prospect Danny Kristo is faring in Hartford, with video of all six of Kristo's goals this season. Kristo has nine points (6G, 3A) in nine games thus far, second most among AHL rookies.
• Fox Sports West produced a really nice video featuring LA King winger Matt Frattin. Frattin discusses his move to southern California, his locker room banter with former Cornell goaltender Ben Scrivens, and his line dancing abilities. Check it out: 

• UND recruit Trevor Olson scored a pair of goals this past weekend as he's making the most of what's left of his USHL career. Olson, who will suit up for North Dakota next fall, is set to undergo season ending surgery in mid-November.
• Defenseman recruit Tucker Poolman scored his first goal of the season Sunday afternoon in the second period of Omaha's 6-5 win over Muskegon. He added two more in the third period for his first career USHL hat trick.
• A pair of exhibition games will get The World Junior A Challenge rolling this weekend, with pool play commencing next Monday. Team USA's entry will feature three North Dakota recruits in Ryan Mantha, Austin Poganski, and Nick Schmaltz while Rhett Gardner is currently battling for a roster spot at Canada West's selection camp.

UND Recruit Update

Here are a few notes on how some of UND's recruits are performing thus far this season:

• After playing Minnesota high school hockey the past few seasons, Shane Gersich has hit the ground running with the NTDP Under-18 team. Through ten games he has produced nine points (4G, 5A), including a team high two game winning goals. Gersich and the Under-18ers will be spending this weekend in North Dakota as Friday night they are scheduled to take on Fargo in a USHL matchup followed by Saturday night's exhibition game against UND. For those of you who have yet to see Gersich play, I expect you will like his game. He's a really good skater in that he's quick, fast, has good explosiveness, and is strong on his skates. He plays well in all three zones as a defensively responsible forward who hounds the opposition with his skating and quick, active stick. He has a very strong shot, he's strong on the puck, and he isn't afraid to go to the net. He's a fun player to watch.
• After missing the first two games of the season due to injury, Jack Rowe has scored three goals in three games for Cedar Rapids (USHL).
• Nick Schmaltz produced four points (1G, 3A) in two games this past weekend. He leads Green Bay (USHL) in scoring with ten points (4G, 6A) in nine games.
• After going pointless during the first five games of the season, Rhett Gardner has produced nine points (3G, 6A) in his last ten games with the Okotoks Oilers (AJHL).
• The Fargo Force (USHL) have struggled offensively this season having scored just eight goals in their seven games, but 16 year-old Christian Cakebread has scored three of them (38% of the team total).
• Christian Evers missed a handful of games due to injury earlier in the season, but the NTDP Under-17 team defenseman has produced four assists in the six games he has played.
• Austin Poganski leads Tri-City (USHL) with four points (4G, 0A) in six games. Right behind him is Chris Wilkie with three points (1G, 2A) in seven games.
• Sioux City (USHL) forward Trevor Olson has produced three points (1G, 2A) in three games since his return from injury. Teammate Ryan Mantha has chipped in with a goal and two assists in seven games on the blueline, despite his self-admitted troubles in the kitchen.

Wednesday Morning Post

• Brock Nelson scored his first career NHL goal last night in the Islanders' 5-4 overtime loss to Vancouver. Nelson has appeared in five games for the Islanders this season, registering one goal and one assist.
• The Toronto Maple Leafs look at rookie Andrew MacWilliam as their future physical shutdown defenseman.
• TJ Oshie says he got his competitive drive from his parents.
• Colorado Rubber Magazine recently published features on Sioux alums Aaron Schneekloth and Ashley Furia. Schneekloth retired from his playing days this summer and is now serving as an assistant coach for the ECHL's Colorado Eagles while Furia is playing professionally in Sweden. The Schneekloth piece can be found on page 10, while Furia's feature is on page 14.
• Russ Bitely listed his top American born players eligible for the 2014 NHL Draft. UND recruits Shane Gersich, Austin Poganski, Nick Schmaltz, and Chris Wilkie all made the list, with Schmaltz and Gersich making his top five.
• USA Hockey announced its roster for the 2013 World Junior A Challenge, and making the team are North Dakota recruits Schmaltz, Poganski, and Ryan Mantha. Schmaltz is prominently featured in this piece as one of three Green Bay (USHL) players named to the team.
• Canada West also announced its WJAC evaluation camp roster, and Rhett Gardner has earned an invite. Gardner's season got off to a bit of a slow start with Okotoks (AJHL) but he has since produced eight points in his last nine games. He says he hopes to parlay that momentum into a strong performance at camp. The World Junior A Challenge runs from November 4 through November 10 and all games will be streamed by FastHockey.
• The Scouting Report recently released its top 30 prospects for the 2014 NHL Draft and Schmaltz came in at number 17.
• A number of Sioux alums are off to strong starts this season, both in North America and overseas. A post detailing some of those starts is forthcoming. Update: The Sioux in the Pros Update has been posted.

Sunday Afternoon Post

• As NHL.com's "30 in 30" series continues, a pair of UND sophomores found their way into their respective organization's Top 10 prospect lists. Jordan Schmaltz came in at number 6 among St. Louis' prospects, while Rocco Grimaldi sits at number 8 in Florida's deep prospect pool.
• The New England Hockey Journal published an outstanding feature on North Dakota sophomore goaltender Zane Gothberg, the Boston Bruins' 6th round draft choice in 2010. Gothberg says the goal for 2013-14 "is to win our last game, with that one coming in the national championship." 
• The 2014 Sochi Winter Olympics are already very much on the mind of Sioux alum Jonathan Toews, who is a candidate to wear the C for Team Canada.
• SportsNet NY put together a quick little profile on New York Ranger prospect Danny Kristo.
• UND recruit Rhett Gardner, who will suit up for the AJHL's Okotoks Oilers this season, says the current plan is for him to spend two years playing juniors before heading to UND one year out of high school.
• USA Hockey's Under-18 Select team, featuring North Dakota recruits Ryan Mantha, Austin Poganski, and Nick Schmaltz, fell one victory short of earning the gold medal at the Ivan Hlinka Memorial Cup. Despite dropping a 4-0 decision to Canada in the gold medal game, it was a strong showing for a hard-working Team USA, and a great individual tournament for Schmaltz. He led Team USA in scoring with eight points (5G, 3A) in five games, and his five goals were the most of any player in the tournament. Poganski and Mantha each picked up one assist in five games played.

Top Shelf Prospects has been running through each NHL team's top prospects this offseason, and a few Sioux alums have been featured:

• Corban Knight (Calgary Flames) 
• Brock Nelson (New York Islanders)
• Danny Kristo (New York Rangers)

Friday Morning Post

• The UND men will play a pair of exhibition games in British Columbia this coming season in what will be the team's second trip north of the border in the past three seasons. In a Brad Schlossman blog post, head coach Dave Hakstol commented on the BC trip.
• At the Ivan Hlinka Cup Team USA defeated Slovakia 5-2 Wednesday to win their pool and advance to play the Czech Republic in today's semifinals (Noon CDT). Nick Schmaltz had his second consecutive three point game by notching two goals and an assist against Slovakia, and he leads the tournament in goals (3), assists (3), and points (6). Austin Poganski also picked up an assist Wednesday while Ryan Mantha was held off the scoresheet. If you want to follow along with today's semifinal, the tournament's website offers real-time in-game updates. 
• The USA Hockey NTDP made its 2013-14 rosters official this week, and as expected, UND will have two recruits playing in the program this season. Shane Gersich will make the jump from Holy Family (MN-HS) to the Under-18 team, while Christian Evers transitions from the Omaha AAA U-16 team to the Under-17ers. 
• Committed recruit Rhett Gardner will spend the 2013-14 season with the AJHL's Okotoks Oilers. Gardner spent last season with the SMHL's Moose Jaw Generals and got a taste of the USHL with a one game stint with the Green Bay Gamblers. UND has picked up some nice talent from Okotoks over the past handful of years with Derek Rodwell, Brad Eidsness, and Corban Knight having played junior hockey with the Oilers.
• Drew Stafford and Ben Blood returned to their alma mater to take part in last night's Shattuck-St. Mary's vs. The World celebrity hockey game in Faribault, MN.
• Single game hockey tickets go on sale Wednesday, August 15th, and here's the athletic department's promo video:

Recruit Update

• North Dakota received its latest verbal commitment from Sioux City (USHL) forward Trevor Olson. Olson is a Duluth, Minnesota native who is expected to arrive on campus in the fall of 2014. For more information, check out his recruit profile. Olson and the Musketeers (including fellow UND recruit Ryan Mantha) will be closing out their USHL regular season with a weekend set against Charlie Pelnik (featured in this video profile) and the Fargo Force. This is a good opportunity to check out three future Sioux if you can make it out to Scheels Arena either Friday or Saturday night.
• Keaton Thompson and the NTDP Under-18 team will be seeking to win the fifth consecutive Under-18 World Championship for USA Hockey, a streak that began with the 2009 event held in Fargo-Moorhead. The tournament begins next week in Sochi, Russia, and Thompson will play a key role for Team USA.
• Recruit Adam Tambellini and the Surrey Eagles begin the BCHL Finals tonight against the Penticton Vees, whose roster includes UND commits Wade Murphy and Troy Stecher. The winner of the best of seven series will hoist the Fred Page Cup as BCHL champions and advance in the RBC Cup playoffs to take on the Alberta Junior Hockey League champions. Tambellini, who earlier in the playoffs squared off against his older brother Jeff's former team, is the leading goal scorer in the BCHL playoffs and he is third in total points with 13 (9G, 4A) in 11 games.  Murphy is averaging a point per game in the postseason with nine points (3G, 6A) in nine games while Stecher has recorded four assists in nine contests.
• Nick Schmaltz will finish the regular season as the highest scoring 1996-born player in the USHL. He has recorded 50 points (17G, 33A) in 62 games for the Green Bay Gamblers and has ten more points than Youngstown forward Kyle Connor. Schmaltz and the Gamblers have already clinched a playoff spot but they will be looking to earn home ice this weekend as regular season play wraps up.
• With two games left to play, Paul LaDue holds a five point edge as the USHL's top point producing defenseman. LaDue has recorded 47 points (12G, 35A) in 60 games for Lincoln.
• Rhett Gardner recently earned the Moose Jaw Generals' Team MVP and Top Forward awards. He also made his USHL debut with the Green Bay Gamblers, but he is unsure as to whether he will play with the Gamblers next season or remain with the Generals.
• Christian Evers was recently named to the All-NAPHL Under-16 First Team. He averaged more than a point per game from the blueline in NAPHL play this season, producing 29 points (10G, 19A) in 23 games. Evers, who is expected to play for the USA Hockey NTDP for the next two years, was selected by the London Knights in the fifth round of the OHL Priority Selection last weekend. He was considered to be a second round talent heading into the draft, but he dropped to the last pick of the fifth round due to his commitment to UND and expected commitment to the NTDP.  
• Thompson and Tambellini both made NHL Central Scouting's Top 10 lists of 2013 NHL Draft-eligible players for their respective divisions.

Recruit Roundup

• North Dakota defense recruit and Grand Forks native Paul LaDue recently became the top point producing defenseman in Lincoln Star (USHL) history. His goal last Thursday night gave him 70 points in a Stars uniform, surpassing former Michigan Tech Husky Eli Vlaisavljevich on the franchise's all-time list. Other names of note on Lincoln's all-time defenseman point list are Sioux alums Andy Schneider (53), Chad Mazurak (49), Lee Marvin (48), and Nick Fuher (43). LaDue, who will be joining North Dakota for the 2013-14 season, leads all USHL defensemen in points (36) and assists (25), is second in goals (11), and is T-7th with a +17 rating. To note his remarkable consistency, he has yet to go more than two consecutive games this season without registering a point, and that has happened on just three occasions. 
• Defense recruit Christian Evers and the Omaha AAA Under-16 team blazed through the NAPHL Playoffs this past weekend, going 5-0 while outscoring their opponents 28-9. Evers scored two goals in today's championship game, giving him a team-leading six for the tournament. His nine points (6G, 3A) led all tournament defensemen and were the second most on the team.
• UND's most recent commit, Rhett Gardner (Moose Jaw Generals-SMAAAHL), is averaging one goal per game over his last 20 contests. His 27 goals lead the Generals and are the fifth most in the league.
• Adam Tambellini (Surrey Eagles-BCHL) has produced 17 points during his last 11 games, including a five point game (3G, 2A) last month. His 29 goals are T-4th in the league while his 55 points (29G, 26A) are tenth most.
• Also in the BCHL, Penticton Vee Wade Murphy has been producing at a torrid clip. Over his last 10 games Murphy has put up 21 points (6G, 15A), including seven point (2G, 5A) and five point (0G, 5A) efforts. On the season he leads the Vees in points (66) and assists (44), totals which rank fourth and second among all BCHL players.
• In the Minnesota high school ranks, St. Cloud Cathedral junior forward Austin Poganski ended the regular season as his team's leading goal scorer (25) and point producer (47). Poganski and the second seeded Crusaders begin postseason play this Thursday in St. Cloud when they will face either Mora/Hinckley-Finlayson or North Branch in the Section 5A quarterfinals.
• Holy Family sophomore forward Shane Gersich has had a terrific month of February thus far, producing multi-point efforts in each of his last seven games. He has tallied 24 points (13G, 11A) this month, including back-to-back four goal performances in helping lead the Fire to their first-ever conference title in boy's hockey. For the season, Gersich leads the team with 62 points and 28 goals in 24 games played. Holy Family, which earned the fifth seed in what is a loaded Section 6AA field, opens the playoffs Thursday night against Eden Prairie.
• Hockeytube.net put together a great video profile/interview of UND defense recruit Geoff Crisfield (Vernon Vipers-BCHL). Crisfield discusses his decision to commit to North Dakota, as well as stating that, at least as of now, he appears headed back to Vernon for one more season prior to joining UND:

Recruit Profile: Rhett Gardner

Photo-AJHL.com

Current Team:  Okotoks Oilers (AJHL)

Potential Arrival at UND:  2015

Position:  Forward

Birthday:  February 28, 1996

Hometown:  Moose Jaw, SK

Height:  6'2"

Weight:  180

Shoots:  Left


Profiles & Press Clippings:

• AJHL 2013-14 Profile/Stat Page
• Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League Profile/Stat Page
• Elite Prospects Profile/Stat Page
• Brad Schlossman Commitment Post
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner Verbally Commits to UND
• Discover Moose Jaw: Generals' Gardner Commits to UND
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner Moves West for Hockey (Aug 2013)
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner Makes USHL Debut With Gamblers (Apr 2013)
• Discover Moose Jaw: Gardner Savoured Under-17 Experience (Jan 2013)
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner Ready For New Challenge (Dec 2012)
• Discover Moose Jaw: Gardner Pumped For World Under-17's (Dec 2012)
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner Honoured To Be Chosen (Nov 2012)
• Moose Jaw Times-Herald: Gardner's Stock Rising After Strong Season (Apr 2011)
• Selected by the Green Bay Gamblers in the 20th Round (300th Overall) of the 2012 USHL Entry Draft.
• Selected by the Spokane Chiefs in the 2nd Round (41st Overall) of the 2011 WHL Bantam Draft (rights since traded to the Brandon Wheat Kings).
• NHL Entry Draft Eligible in 2014

2013-14:

• He will play for the Okotoks Oilers of the AJHL.
• In September he was listed as a C skater on the NHL Central Scouting Service's Preliminary Watchlist for the 2014 NHL Draft. 

2012-13:

• Serving as captain for the Moose Jaw Generals of the Saskatchewan Midget AAA Hockey League, he recorded 48 points (27G, 21A) in 35 games and one goal in two playoff games. He led the team in goals and points per game (1.4) on his way to earning the Generals' Team MVP and Top Forward award, and he also appeared in one game for the USHL's Green Bay Gamblers.
• Participated in the 2013 World Under-17 Challenge as a member of Canada West. In five tournament games he produced two goals.

2011-12:

• Playing for the Moose Jaw Generals (SMAAAHL), he produced 30 points (19G, 11A) in 41 regular season games and six points (4G, 2A) in nine postseason games. 
• Represented Team Saskatchewan at the 2011 Western Canada Challenge Cup, notching one goal during the tournament.

2010-11:

• He played in 10 regular season games for the Moose Jaw Generals (SMAAAHL), notching two goals and three assists. He also appeared in two postseason contests.