NFL
By: Jason Gulden
Hello again. NCHC hockey fans. The weekend is here, and we are getting close to the holiday season for 2025.
As we embark on another weekend of NCHC games, there is some crazy stuff going on in the USCHO rankings this week.
With their 10-2-0 start and sweep over St. Cloud State last weekend, Minnesota Duluth continues to move up the rankings. This week, they jumped 4 spots to #3.
Denver University, with its sweep over previously ranked #4 Western Michigan, moves up 5 spots to #4. With Western Michigan being swept, they fall 5 spots down to #9.
North Dakota moved up 2 spots after they swept the previously unbeaten conference opponent, Omaha, to #6.
Despite blowing a 3-goal lead on Friday night, then beating Arizona State on Saturday, Colorado College would move up 3 spots to #17.
The Players of the Week for November 3-9, 2025, feature 2 goalies.
The Goaltender of the Week belongs to Adam Gajan from Minnesota Duluth. Adam faced 50 shots over the weekend and stopped 48 shots, leading Duluth to the sweep. Friday night, he stopped all 18 shots he faced to earn his 2nd shutout of the season.
The Rookie of the week goes to Denver University goalie Quentin Miller. Quentin would stop 76 shots over the weekend. Both nights, he would set career highs in saves. Friday, he would have a then-career-high 35 saves. The next night, he would stop 41 shots.
The Forward of the Week goes to Cole Reschny from North Dakota. He would have a 5-point weekend to lead North Dakota with the sweep of Omaha. Friday, Cole would have 2 assists. Saturday, Cole would add 2 more assists and score the game-winning goal halfway through the 2nd period.
The Defenseman of the Week goes to Denver University Eric Pohlkamp. Eric would score a goal both Friday and Saturday night. Eric tied for the NCHC lead with a +6 plus/minus rating and would lead all defensemen in the league with 7 shots on goal for the weekend.
Before we look at this weekend’s games, we need to look back at a game featuring St. Cloud State that took place on Tuesday night. St. Cloud State would finish its home-and-home series against St. Thomas. St. Cloud State would be swept with a 3-1 loss. Now St. Cloud State can enjoy as little break as they don’t play again until November 21st.
This weekend’s schedule features 4 games with 8 of the 9 NCHC teams playing.
We have a battle between the bottom 2 teams in the NCHC right now as Miami (OH) travels up to Kalamazoo to take on Western Michigan. This is a very intriguing matchup as Miami (OH) has been probably the most surprising team in the NCHC, as in the most improved from the previous year. Western Michigan would probably be the biggest disappointment so far this season, as they are only 5-5-0 overall.
Arizona State travels up to Grand Forks, North Dakota, to take on conference leader North Dakota. Can North Dakota stay hot, or will Arizona State rebound after a rough weekend in the desert against Colorado College?
Omaha travels up to Minnesota to face off against Minnesota Duluth. Can Omaha rebound after being swept last weekend to cool off Duluth, or will Duluth continue their hot run and continue moving up the rankings in the USCHO and in the standings of the NCHC?
The last matchup of the weekend is a matchup very close to my heart. As a fellow Colorado College fan, I can’t stand Denver University. It would bring me great happiness this weekend if Colorado College can start the quest for the Gold Pan Trophy with a sweep over Denver. With only 63 miles between the two stadiums, Ed Robson in Colorado Springs and Magness in Denver, this series is a home-and-home matchup. Friday in Denver, then Saturday in Colorado Springs. This matchup is the most-played rivalry in college hockey, with this weekend’s games being 349 and 350. The only rivalry in college hockey that has been played more is Michigan and Michigan State, who have played 347 times.
Have a great weekend, NCHC hockey fans, and I will be back next week to recap these games and look forward to the final before we head into the Thanksgiving weekend schedule of non-conference games.
