Hawk-ey talk with Virg Foss: Driving 55

GRAND FORKS, N.D – Aside from my 55th birthday a quarter of a century or more ago, that exact number has rarely occurred to me.

But with the arrival of the 2024-25 hockey season, which officially begins Saturday and Providence is in town for the US Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Ralph Engelstad Arena, it also begins my 55th season covering UND hockey write.


From covering UND hockey for the Grand Forks Herald for 35 seasons starting in 1969 to entering my 20th season writing about UND pucks for UND Athletic Communications, it all adds up to that No. 55 again.


I remember 50 years ago when President Nixon signed a law limiting the speed limit on highways to 55 miles per hour to save fuel and money. I hated it when that happened because it meant I had to travel extra hours from Grand Forks to my relatives in Northfield, Minn. and Big Timber, Mont.


But now the number 55 appears to me again, this time in connection with UND hockey. I feel blessed beyond words to have had the opportunity to cover this great sport at this great university in the best rink in all of hockey (thanks, Ralph) for more than half a century and counting.


With the official season opener this Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena against Providence, I have no idea what to expect from this latest edition of the Fighting Hawks.


Defeats due to graduation or departures to the professionals have torn holes in the squad of last year's outstanding team, so of course question marks arise here. However, given the caliber of this program at the national level, it is a program that is reloaded more often than rebuilt.


I also don't think much of the home loss in the friendly against Division I newcomer Augustana last weekend.


It's an exhibition win that can do wonders for quickly taking Augustana hockey to a higher level, and it certainly brings new attention to this program.


And there's no doubt that the UND coaches had their players' full attention all week after that humiliating performance against Augustana. Perhaps this quick wake-up call will benefit both UND and Augustana.


You can't put much stock in exhibition results setting the tone for the season. I remember UND's 1996-97 season starting with a 2-1 home loss to the University of Alberta on October 11th. That season ended on March 29 in Milwaukee when Dave Hoogsteen and Matt Henderson both scored two goals in a 6-4 victory over Boston University in the NCAA title game.


Henderson was named the Most Outstanding Player of the NCAA Tournament, which is pretty notable since I think he originally came to UND as a preferred non-scholarship backup player. That was the first national title under coach Dean Blais, then in his third season as head coach.


Next Saturday we officially start the ice hockey season, in which every game counts, including this game between two national teams that does not belong to the conference.


And even though I've been reporting on UND hockey for 55 seasons, each new season brings a special sense of freshness and anticipation.


What will this season bring? This college hockey season is a long one and lasts much longer in calendar days than any other college sport. It's a grind, not a sprint.


And I'm completely okay with that. After 55 years of chasing pucks, my days as a sprinter are long in the past.


So, drop the puck! Let's play hockey.



Virg Foss is in his 55th season writing about UND hockey. He covered the Fighting Sioux for the Grand Forks Herald for 35 seasons before retiring from the newspaper in 2005. Since then, he has written exclusively for UND Athletic Communications about UND hockey, in his 20th season. He can be reached at [email protected].