Thursday, February 25, 2010

Dean Blais Talks National Championship for UNO

Dean Blais sat down with the Omaha World-Herald's Tom Shatel and compared his first three years at North Dakota with his expectations for his first three years at UNO: 
“When I took over at North Dakota, the first year we were .500. The second year, we were about six, seven games above .500. The third year, we won the national championship. I could see the same thing here.''
That's not a prediction mind you...but when you consider the history of UNO...that's heady stuff.  But to this casual observer of UNO hockey, I wouldn't put that past Blais to pull this off.  UNO has bounced back strong from a horrible December and early January to finish the CCHA schedule 7-2-1 in the final ten games.  Oh, they swept Michigan...and even knocked number 1 Miami out of the top spot in both polls.  All that conditioning is coming into place, and like last year in Fargo, Blais has his team ready to challenge at the end of the season.

First step is tomorrow night against #5 Bemidji State; get a win or two, and suddenly things start looking awfully interesting for UNO fans.  It's already an exciting time to be a UNO fan; Trev Alberts finishing the details on plans to build a new on-campus arena.  Blais having the hockey program in an upward trajectory.  Next season, the Mavs join the WCHA which brings new opponents who find it an easier drive to Omaha.

Who'd have thunk all that one year ago?

No comments: