UND MEN'S HOCKEY: The top 10 memories

The UND men's hockey team racked up 32 wins during the 2010-11 season, tying the third most in school history. Along with the wins came several lasting memories. The Herald compiled the 10 most lasting memories of the hockey season.

The BREC opener

Bemidji State requested that Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule UND to open its new arena, the Bemidji Regional Event Center. The WCHA complied with that request, but the Sioux weren't so kind to the Beavers.

UND swept Bemidji State with back-to-back 5-2 wins. Matt Frattin had a hat trick and Jason Gregoire two goals in the first game. Five different players scored in the series finale, including freshman Derek Rodwell.

Both games were played before sold-out crowds of 4,373 -- the largest crowds to watch the Beavers play a home game.

The AmsOil opener

Minnesota-Duluth also scheduled UND to open its new rink, AmsOil Arena.

Again, UND wasn't the most gracious guest. In the single game -- the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game -- the Sioux blew out the Bulldogs 5-0 in a game in which UND played without Brock Nelson, Derek Forbort, Brett Hextall and Gregoire.

Brad Malone scored twice and Aaron Dell starred, stopping all 35 Bulldog shots. It was the only time all season that the Bulldogs were shutout.

The double hat tricks

For the first time in eight years, UND had two players get a hat trick in the same game.

Sioux fans who braved a nasty blizzard were treated to three-goal games by Gregoire and Frattin in the first game of the WCHA playoffs. UND won the game 8-0.

Gregoire had his hat trick just 25:22 into the game, scoring twice at even strength and once on the power play. Frattin also had his hat trick by the time the second period ended. He scored once at even strength, once shorthanded and once on the power play.

Sioux take over Final Five

With the Big Ten Hockey Conference coming in two years, the WCHA got a preview of what the Final Five may look like without Minnesota and Wisconsin, as both of those teams got knocked out in the first round.

Sioux fans took over downtown St. Paul on St. Patrick's Day weekend, nearly filling up the Xcel Energy Center. They weren't disappointed by their team's performance, either.

The Sioux won a wildly entertaining game against Colorado College in the semifinals and Frattin scored a double-overtime, game-winning goal against Denver in the championship game. It marked UND's second straight Broadmoor Trophy.

Frozen Four berth

After losing in the first round of the NCAA tournament in back-to-back years, the Sioux earned a return trip to the Frozen Four by beating RPI and Denver in the Midwest Regional.

In the opener, the Sioux dominated an overmatched RPI team 6-0 behind a pair of goals by Malone. Then, the Sioux got progressively better during a 6-1 beating of Denver in the final.

It marked the fifth trip to the Frozen Four in seven years under coach Dave Hakstol, whose record in the NCAA regionals improved to a remarkable 10-2.

Derrick LaPoint's words

After UND's 2-0 loss to the University of Michigan, Derrick LaPoint sat on a stage in front of the assembled media in St. Paul and was asked to sum up the season. LaPoint, wearing his heart on his sleeve, called the season a failure, despite all of UND's successes.

"We failed at what we were trying to do," LaPoint said. "We were trying to win a national championship and we didn't do it. We can look at what we've done, and yeah, it's great. But this is the biggest stage and you want the biggest trophy. To not do it, it's a failure, at least in my mind. We had an outstanding season and won those games and those championships. But to not win a national championship, it's a failure in my mind."

LaPoint's memorable press conference accurately summed up the way a determined team felt after the loss to Michigan.

Frattin's year

A day after UND's loss to Michigan, Frattin was one of three players at the Hobey Baker Award ceremony.

Frattin got there by putting together a fantastic senior season. He led the country with 36 goals -- five more than the next player. He had more goals than any Hobey Baker winner since the early 1990s.

Frattin didn't win the award, but he was named College Hockey News' national player of the year and the WCHA player of the year. Right before the Hobey ceremony, Frattin signed a lucrative NHL contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs and he made his debut on the night of the national championship game.

Dell's year

Coming into the season, Brad Eidsness was the assumed No. 1 goalie. He had played two seasons at UND, earning all-WCHA honors both years.

But he struggled early in the year, opening the door for Dell, who took the job and ran with it.

By the end of the year, Dell led the country in goals-against average, wins and shutouts. He was named the most valuable player of the Midwest Regional, an all-tournament team member of the WCHA Final Five, the Inside College Hockey national goalie of the year, a first-team all-WCHA member and a second-team All-American.

For a guy that only had five college appearances prior to the season, it was a major surprise.

The comeback kids

The season also will be remembered for two players that returned from serious injuries.

Captain Chay Genoway missed the final five months of the 2009-10 season with a concussion. His post-concussion symptoms subsided during the summer and Genoway returned to UND for one last year with a medical redshirt.

During his final year, Genoway climbed to No. 4 in UND's history in defenseman scoring. He tied the longest point streak ever by a Sioux defenseman and he earned first-team all-WCHA honors and first-team All-American honors.

Genoway was named to the all-tournament team at both the WCHA Final Five and the Midwest Regional.

In late January, Danny Kristo suffered frostbite on the toes of his right foot while walking near campus. Kristo lost his shoe in a snow drift in Ray Richards Golf Course and couldn't find it.

Originally, doctors told Kristo that there was a good chance he would lose his toes, but after a few days of treatment, it was determined that he would be able to keep them. Just six weeks later, he was back on the ice and he scored a goal on his first shift for the Sioux.

Kristo had five points in the team's final five games.

The seniors

Four years ago, when this group arrived on campus, it took friendly, good-natured jabs from teammates about how inseparable the group was. That proved to be true until the end.

This group became the first Sioux class to stick together for all four years. Nobody got cut, nobody transferred, nobody left for the pros early. All six that started together four years ago left together this spring. They even added one in Genoway.

By the end of the season, all seven -- Malone, Frattin, Evan Trupp, Brent Davidson, Jake Marto, LaPoint and Genoway -- were in the lineup and playing key roles.

Malone Frattin and Trupp were on the team's top line. Marto and LaPoint were a defensive pairing for the third year in a row. Genoway was the team's top defenseman and Davidson carved out a role on a line with Kristo, a second-round pick, and Brock Nelson, a first-round pick.

"We have a good number of seniors moving on," Hakstol said. "They are great players and great people."

Reach Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com .