1981–82 North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey season

The 1981–82 North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey team represented the University of North Dakota in college ice hockey. In its 4th year under head coach John Gasparini the team compiled a 35–12–0 record and reached the NCAA tournament for the ninth time.[1] The Fighting Sioux defeated Wisconsin 5–2 to win the championship game at the Providence Civic Center in Providence, Rhode Island.

1981–82 North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey season
National Champion
WCHA, Champion
1982 NCAA Tournament, Champion
Conference1st WCHA
Home iceWinter Sports Center
Record
Overall35–12–0
Conference19–7–0
Home21–5–0
Road12–6–0
Neutral2–1–0
Coaches and Captains
Head CoachJohn Gasparini
Assistant CoachesDean Blais
Don Boyd
Captain(s)Phil Sykes
Cary Eades
North Dakota Fighting Sioux men's ice hockey seasons
« 1980–81 1982–83 »

Season

Early Season

In the summer of 1981 the WCHA suffered a tremendous upheaval. Two years after a proposal to divide the Conference into two divisions was rejected, the three Michigan schools along with Notre Dame left for the CCHA, a lesser but more geographically-centered conference. As a result, the WCHA was left with only 6 teams though those teams had combined to win 5 of the previous 6 national championships. The six teams scrambled to fill up their conference schedules against one another which resulted in several cases of unbalanced home/road games between WCHA members.

Regardless of their conference issues, North Dakota began the season on the road against Bowling Green, taking both games against the eventual CCHA champion. The following week UND hosted Northern Arizona, who were only in their second year of Division I play, and easily won both games with a combined score of 18–4. The Fighting Sioux ended their non-conference start with a pair of games against Providence and could only manage to split the weekend after a promising 6–0 win.

The Sioux's first loss of the year began an alternating cycle of wins and losses that lasted for over a month and plagues them through their early WCHA play. Even when the team headed to San Diego for a brief respite from the winter cold they couldn't shake the pattern and UND returned home with a 10–6 record but only 4–4 in conference. In mid-December North Dakota finally climbed out of their funk and won four consecutive games to close out the first part of their regular season.

Holiday Tournament

North Dakota headed to Troy to participate in the Rensselaer Holiday Tournament but with the team losing several members to the World Junior Championship the Fighting Sioux couldn't stop St. Lawrence from posting 7 goals in the contest. UND salvaged the tournament with a win in the consolation game before barely squeaking by a down Boston University squad.

After returning home North Dakota returned to their conference schedule and won two tight games against Denver before splitting a road series at Colorado College. After capturing another home series UND headed to Wisconsin to take on the defending national champions as well as their biggest competition for the WCHA regular season title. At this point in the season Wisconsin was comfortably in the lead with a 14–1–1 conference record[2] but UND had the ability to close the 7-point gap. The Fighting Sioux shut out Wisconsin in the first game but the Badgers came storming back to turn the tables on North Dakota and the two teams drew even after the weekend.

With UND needing a minor miracle to catch up to Wisconsin they played the two worst teams in the WCHA over a two-week span and won all four games. Fortunately, UND got the help they needed when Wisconsin split consecutive weekends (at home no less) and arrived in North Dakota with only a 3-point lead in the standings. The Fighting Sioux took full advantage and swept the weekend to put themselves atop the WCHA for the first time all season. With only one weekend remaining in the regular UND only needed to hold serve with Wisconsin but luck stayed on their side when the Badgers lost an 8–9 contest to Minnesota–Duluth. North Dakota won their first game against Denver and won the WCHA title, earning the first Broadmoor Trophy which replaced the MacNaughton Cup that Michigan Tech kept when they left the conference.

WCHA Tournament

With only six teams left in the conference the WCHA decided to include all members in the postseason tournament with the top two seeds receiving byes to the semifinal. As conference champion, North Dakota sat idle for a weekend before welcoming Denver to Grand Forks. After a close win in game 1 UND captured the series with a 3-goal win to put them in the first WCHA championship series in 5 years. The only team standing in their way was Wisconsin who were looking for revenge after being passed for the conference title. In the first game North Dakota suffered their worst lost in six years, losing 0–9 at home. Because the championship was a two-game total-goal series UND still had another contest against Wisconsin but with a virtually insurmountable deficit UND was flat in the second match and lost to the Badgers once more.

NCAA Tournament

Despite being embarrassed in the championship, North Dakota's season was not over and the 31 wins the team posted over the course of the season all but guaranteed UND with an at-large bit to the NCAA Tournament. UND received the 2nd western seed and was able to host the Quarterfinal series against Clarkson. The Fighting Sioux defense showed up in full, holding the Golden Knights to a single goal in each game and advanced to the championship round in Providence.

In the semifinal North Dakota faced Northeastern who were making their first tournament appearance. After easily dispatching the Huskies, North Dakota faced Wisconsin for the seventh and final time. The two teams were evenly matched in the first period; Glen White opened the score less than 90 seconds in but the badgers responded less than three minutes later. The UND defense began to clamp down on UW in the second but that couldn't stop Wisconsin from again tying the game quickly. In the final period the Fighting Sioux threw caution to the wind and fired a barrage of 16 shots against Terry Kleisinger, finding the twine three times while Darren Jensen held the UND net. Team captain Phil Sykes was the story of the game, producing a hat trick along with an assist for North Dakota and allowing his team to win the national championship for the fourth time.

Awards and Honors

Phil Sykes set an NCAA record for total points in championship games with 9 when his totals from the 1980 game are included (still the top mark as of 2019). Sykes received the tournament MOP for his performance and was joined on the All-Tournament team by Darren Jensen, James Patrick and Cary Eades. Despite North Dakota setting a new program record with 35 wins (since broken) no players were named to the AHCA All-American West Team,[3] however, the WCHA recognized the team's accomplishments and UND swept the individual conference awards with Sykes winning Most Valuable Player,[4] James Patrick capturing Freshman of the Year and John Gasparini receiving Coach of the Year. Furthermore, despite North Dakota rotating three goaltenders nearly equally throughout the season, Jon Casey was named to the All-WCHA First Team[5] with Phil Sykes while James Patrick, Craig Ludwig and Troy Murray were named to the Second Team. Jon Casey also set a new team record for wins in a season with 15 (since UND began keeping individual goaltending records in 1973).

Standings

1981–82 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings
Conference Overall
GP W L T PTS GF GA GP W L T GF GA
North Dakota26197038119814735120218143
Wisconsin*26187137126804735111255126
Minnesota2613112281031023622122153125
Denver269152201191324321193233197
Minnesota-Duluth269161191141414016213192201
Colorado College266182141051503611232152196
Championship: Wisconsin
indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion

Schedule

Date Opponent# Rank# Site Result Record
Regular Season
October 16 at Bowling Green* BGSU Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio W 6–4  1–0
October 17 at Bowling Green* BGSU Ice ArenaBowling Green, Ohio W 6–3  2–0
October 23 vs. Northern Arizona* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 10–2  3–0
October 24 vs. Northern Arizona* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 8–2  4–0
October 30 vs. Providence* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 6–0  5–0
October 31 vs. Providence* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota L 5–6 OT 5–1
November 6 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 4–1  6–1 (1–0)
November 7 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota L 4–5  6–2 (1–1)
November 13 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado W 5–4  7–2 (2–1)
November 14 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado L 2–3  7–3 (2–2)
November 20 at Minnesota Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota W 5–2  8–3 (3–2)
November 21 at Minnesota Williams ArenaMinneapolis, Minnesota L 5–7  8–4 (3–3)
November 27 vs. Denver Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 7–1  9–4 (4–3)
November 28 vs. Denver Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota L 5–2  9–5 (4–4)
December 5 at US International* San Diego Ice ArenaSan Diego, California W 5–2  10–5 (4–4)
December 6 at US International* San Diego Ice ArenaSan Diego, California L 1–3  10–6 (4–4)
December 11 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 4–1  11–6 (5–4)
December 12 vs. Minnesota–Duluth Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 7–4  12–6 (6–4)
December 18 vs. Ferris State* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 5–2  13–6 (6–4)
December 19 vs. Ferris State* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 6–2  14–6 (6–4)
Rensselaer Holiday Tournament
December 29 vs. St. Lawrence* Houston Field HouseTroy, New York (Tournament Semifinal) L 5–7  14–7 (6–4)
December 30 at Rensselaer* Houston Field HouseTroy, New York (Tournament Consolation Game) W 5–4  15–7 (6–4)
January 2 at Boston University* Walter Brown ArenaBoston, Massachusetts W 3–2 OT 16–7 (6–4)
January 8 vs. Denver Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 6–4  17–7 (7–4)
January 9 vs. Denver Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 5–4  18–7 (8–4)
January 15 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado L 2–6  18–8 (8–5)
January 16 at Colorado College Broadmoor World ArenaColorado Springs, Colorado W 6–3  19–8 (9–5)
January 22 vs. Minnesota Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 3–1  20–8 (10–5)
January 23 vs. Minnesota Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 4–1  21–8 (11–5)
January 29 at Wisconsin Dane County ColiseumMadison, Wisconsin W 3–0  22–8 (12–5)
January 30 at Wisconsin Dane County ColiseumMadison, Wisconsin L 0–3  22–9 (12–6)
February 5 vs. Colorado College Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 6–1  23–9 (13–6)
February 6 vs. Colorado College Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 5–2  24–9 (14–6)
February 12 at Minnesota–Duluth Duluth Arena AuditoriumDuluth, Minnesota W 4–3 OT 25–9 (15–6)
February 13 at Minnesota–Duluth Duluth Arena AuditoriumDuluth, Minnesota W 11–3  26–9 (16–6)
February 19 vs. Wisconsin Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 5–4 OT 27–9 (17–6)
February 20 vs. Wisconsin Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota W 3–1  28–9 (18–6)
February 26 at Denver DU ArenaDenver, Colorado W 8–4  29–9 (19–6)
February 27 at Denver DU ArenaDenver, Colorado L 3–4  29–10 (19–7)
WCHA Tournament
March 9 vs. Denver* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (WCHA Semifinal game 1) W 4–3  30–10 (19–7)
March 10 vs. Denver* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (WCHA Semifinal game 2) W 5–2  31–10 (19–7)
North Dakota Wins Series 9–5
March 13 vs. Wisconsin* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (WCHA Championship game 1) L 0–9  31–11 (19–7)
March 14 vs. Wisconsin* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (WCHA Championship game 2) L 1–3  31–12 (19–7)
North Dakota Loses Series 1–12
NCAA Tournament
March 19 vs. Clarkson* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (National Quarterfinal game 1) W 5–1  32–12 (19–7)
March 20 vs. Clarkson* Winter Sports CenterGrand Forks, North Dakota (National Quarterfinal game 2) W 2–1  33–12 (19–7)
North Dakota Wins Series 7–2
March 25 vs. Northeastern* Providence Civic CenterProvidence, Rhode Island (National Semifinal) W 6–2  34–12 (19–7)
March 27 vs. Wisconsin* Providence Civic CenterProvidence, Rhode Island (National Championship) W 5–2  35–12 (19–7)
*Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll.
Source:

[6]

Roster and scoring statistics

No. Name Year Position Hometown S/P/C Games Goals Assists Pts PIM
25Phil SykesSeniorLWDawson Creek, BC4539246320
7Troy MurraySophomoreCCalgary, AB4222295162
22Cary EadesSeniorWBurnaby, BC4121234452
11Gord ShervenFreshmanCWeyburn, SK4618254316
8Dave TippettFreshmanLWMoosomin, SK4313284124
9Dusty CarrollJuniorCCharlottetown, PE4619123124
2Craig LudwigJuniorDEagle River, WI475263170
3James PatrickFreshmanDWinnipeg, MB424252926
20Dan BrennanSophomoreFDawson Creek, BC4210172757
21Jim ArchibaldFreshmanRWCraik, SK4110162696
16Dave DonnellyFreshmanCEdmonton, AB3810152538
5Mike StoneSeniorDRoseau, MN464202468
10Glen WhiteJuniorCRosetown, SK3510122214
26Steve PalmiscnoSophomoreDGrand Forks, ND29910194
18Dean DachyshynJuniorLWDevon, AB306131982
6Rick ZomboFreshmanDDes Plaines, IL451151631
4Bill WhitsittSophomoreDBloomington, MN463111410
17Dean BarsnessSophomoreCGrand Forks, ND1849130
14Frank BurggrafSeniorCRoseau, MN24391216
19Glen FesterSophomoreDVernon, BC3417820
15Troy MagnusonJuniorWChanhassen, MN223470
13Ed ChristianSophomoreFWarroad, MN2312314
30Darren JensenJuniorGCreston, BC160002
34Pierre LamoureuxJuniorGFort Saskatchewan, AB160009
1Jon CaseySophomoreGGrand Rapids, MN180000
Total

[7]

Goaltending statistics

No. Name Games Minutes Wins Losses Ties Goals Against Saves Shut Outs SV % GAA
1Jon Casey1810381530484731.9082.77
30Darren Jensen161.8922.96
34Pierre Lamoureux160.8963.24
Total47351201432.8973.04

1982 Championship Game

(W1) Wisconsin vs. (W2) North Dakota

Scoring summary
Period Team Goal Assist(s) Time Score
1st UND Glen WhitePP Sykes and Fester 1:26 1–0 UND
WIS Ron Vincent Thomas 3:56 1–1
2nd UND Phil Sykes Sherven 21:09 2–1 UND
WIS John Newberry Pearson and Flatley 25:30 2–2
3rd UND Phil SykesGW Ludwig and White 46:27 3–2 UND
UND Cary Eades Murray and Dachyshyn 50:07 4–2 UND
UND Phil Sykes White and Zombo 55:08 5–2 UND

Players drafted into the NHL

1982 NHL Entry Draft

= NHL All-Star Team = NHL All-Star[9] = NHL All-Star[9] and NHL All-Star Team = Did not play in the NHL
RoundPickPlayerNHL Team
240Scott SandelinMontreal Canadiens
478Chris JensenNew York Rangers
596Tim MishlerWinnipeg Jets
7133Jay NessChicago Black Hawks
8151Mickey KrampotichHartford Whalers
9187Brian WilliamsMontreal Canadiens
11213Tim LovenToronto Maple Leafs

† incoming freshman

[10]

See also

References

  1. "North Dakota Men's Hockey Team History". USCHO.com. Retrieved February 14, 2019.
  2. "Wisconsin Badgers Men's Ice Hockey Record Book" (PDF). Wisconsin Badgers. Retrieved August 5, 2019.
  3. "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
  4. "WCHA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  5. "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 19, 2013.
  6. "North Dakota Hockey 2018–19 Hockey Media Guide" (PDF). North Dakota Fighting Hawks. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  7. "North Dakota Fighting Sioux 1981–82 roster and statistics". EliteProspects. Retrieved July 24, 2019.
  8. Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.
  9. "1982 NHL Entry Draft". Hockey DB. Retrieved July 25, 2019.
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