Leddy wants to play smart vs. Sioux, buddy Kristo

ONE DAY UNTIL THE SIOUX HIT TOWN ...

Nick Leddy's first college hockey series was against North Dakota in mid-October in Grand Forks.

"We didn't have the best weekend we could the first time we played them," the freshman defenseman said. "Now we are playing better."

* Memories, nightmares from that series? "It was unbelievable," he said. "It was crazy. It was a crazy atmosphere. It is super loud even from the get go when they did the [video] before they [announced] the starting lineups.

"They had that big screen showing their guys hitting our guys in the past," Leddy said. "I couldn't really see, but I knew what was going on. [Fans] were going crazy. They did it to get the crowd into it and they definitely did."

* Impressions of North Dakota? "They have always been a good team and they have a really good recruiting class [this season]," Ledddy said. "From top to bottom, they are really a good team."

* There are six Minnesotans on the Sioux, are you friends with any of them: "Danny Kristo, I am pretty good friends with him. He actually played at Eden Prairie before he went to Ann Arbor. I played with him on a bantam A team. ... He played awesome [at World Juniors]."

* Goals this weekend? "If we could get two, three or four points, that would be unbelievable. The coaches are saying just to play smart and headman the puck whenever you can and we can play with them."

* Have you completely recovered from the broken jaw? "I feel even better than before because sitting on top and watching the play [while recovering], you can notice things that you don't normally notice just sitting on the bench."

* What does team have to do against NoDak: "We definitely have to come out flying, do all the little things like headman the puck when you should and forechecking well and backchecking."

* How do you like having senior David Fischer as a defensive partner: "It's awesome. It's nice working with a senior. He can teach you things and help you out when you need him."

* Are you eligible for World Juniors next year? "Yes, I am still a little young guy. I was at the August [evaluation] camp this year. For sure, it would be great experience to be up there and play against the world's best." Next year the World Junior Championships, for players under 20, is in Buffalo, N.Y.