Colorado College is thriving on frustrating opponents
Feb. 15—COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — Colorado College coach Kris Mayotte asked his team a question the other day.
"What makes us good?" he threw out there.
The Tiger players, who have one regulation loss in the last 12 games and have surged past rival Denver in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings, pondered it for a minute.
Their answer: "We're relentless in our hunt. We take pride in frustrating other teams. We know if we're able to do that, we'll get our chances offensively."
Colorado College is thriving with a defensive system that bottles up opponents in the neutral zone, makes zone entries difficult and drives opponents into frustration.
UND learned that firsthand in December.
The Fighting Hawks turned over pucks at an alarming rate in back-to-back 3-2 overtime losses in Ralph Engelstad Arena. That series launched the Tigers into a winning run, a national ranking and an opportunity to finish in the top half of the NCHC standings for the first time in program history.
UND's most skilled players had trouble against the Tigers.
Hobey Baker Award contender Jackson Blake had no points in the series. It's a gap in his brilliant, season-long resume. Blake had 16 points in 10 games before that weekend. He has 17 points in 10 games since.
Sophomore center Owen McLaughlin also was held off the scoresheet. He has 14 points in 10 games since.
"Turning pucks over doesn't help us as a team," McLaughlin said about what UND learned from that weekend. "They sit back in the neutral zone a little bit and kind of challenge us to try to beat them into the middle and stuff. We just have to play smart with the puck, make simple plays and trust our teammates.
"It's tough. There's not a lot of space once you get close to the net. But we just have to work hard and make simple plays with the puck."
UND-Colorado College games have been low-scoring and tight.
The last six games have been decided by a goal. The last four have gone into overtime.
The last time they played in Colorado Springs, it ended 0-0. It's the only time in UND hockey history a 65-minute game ended without a goal.
"They're a patient team," UND coach Brad Berry said. "They try to capitalize on miscues or errors that you have through not-great puck management. Puck management is going to have to be key. We're going to have to accentuate the strengths of our game — playing fast, playing north."
Last season, Colorado College went on a run to the NCHC title game. The Tigers did it by slowing down opponents. They allowed just 16 goals in their final nine games of the season (1.78 goals allowed per game).
They're doing the same again this season.
Colorado College (16-9-1) is the No. 1-ranked defensive team in the NCHC, allowing just 2.44 goals per league game.
The Tigers have allowed just 12 goals in the last seven games (1.71 per game).
"We understand that we can limit teams' offense," Mayotte said. "We can be tough to play against. We're good at taking away time and space and we have a great goalie. But we're better offensively than we were last year in terms of depth."
Tiger sophomore goaltender Kaidan Mbereko (.914 save percentage) was named one of 10 semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award as the NCAA's top goalie this week. He's the only NCHC goalie among the 10.
Mbereko has received more goal support this season than he did as a freshman.
Colorado College, led by emerging sophomores Noah Laba, Gleb Veremyev and Ryan Beck, is averaging 3 goals per game after averaging 2.1 last season.
"The biggest thing was not only the talent gap, but the belief in winning," Mayotte said. "This league has done so much winning, it's hard to learn how to win when you're going against teams that are really good at it. I think Nicky Andrews said it best. We used to go into games hoping we'd have a chance to win at the end. Now, we go into games thinking if we play really well, we'll win. That confidence and mindset has changed."
UND (20-6-2) knows it will be in first place at the end of the weekend. The question is by how much.
The Fighting Hawks lead second-place St. Cloud State by one point and third-place Western Michigan by eight. Both the Huskies and Broncos are off this weekend. Fourth-place Colorado College is 10 back.
After this weekend, every team in the NCHC will have played equal games heading into the final three weekends of the season.
UND is hoping to win its sixth Penrose Cup in 11 years and fourth in the last five.
"It's a big weekend for us," McLaughlin said. "Not just for the standings, but they beat us twice in our building. We're looking to get some redemption and play better than we did the first time."
The Fighting Hawks hope they've learned from the December series.
"I feel like that was a good punch in the face," UND defenseman Bennett Zmolek said. "That was something we needed. Going into Christmas break, that got us more battle tested. We just have to dig deep and play better in our zone.
"Obviously, we have a sour taste in our mouths from the last time we played these guys."
UND will once again be without forward Hunter Johannes, who is dealing with a lower-body injury.
Johannes will miss his sixth- and seventh-straight games. The 6-foot-3, 217-pound winger has nine goals and 15 points in 23 games. He was playing left wing on UND's top line when he was injured at St. Cloud State last month.
Johannes could be back for next weekend's series against Minnesota Duluth, though.
"He's not far away from being in the lineup," Berry said.
The only two players who did not travel to Colorado Springs are Johannes and third goalie Kaleb Johnson.
Carson Albrecht, who has missed the last four games, is expected to play.
"He'll be in," Berry said.
When: 8 p.m. Central on Friday, 7 p.m. Central on Saturday.
Where: Ed Robson Arena, Colorado Springs, Colo.
TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD).
Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).
Stream: NCHChockey.com.
