Pumping out games is right.
With eight teams inside the pod at Baxter Arena in Omaha, Nebraska - and a goal to play as many games as possible between Dec. 1 and 20 - UND has played four games in eight days.
The Fighting Hawks won each of their first three games, earning them top spot in the NCAA's ranking of Division I men's hockey teams.
This run of success is nothing new for this UND squad, though. They finished the 2019-20 campaign atop the NCHC standings with a 17-4-3 record, just ahead of fellow Jets prospect Dylan Samberg's University of Minnesota-Duluth.
"We went into last year not knowing how good we were. It's weird to say," said Blaisdell, who finished his freshman season with 12 points in 32 games. "We didn't realize how good we were until we really got our mojo and got going early in the season. Then we kind of knew, we are the team to beat.
"This year, we come in and there is a whole different expectation because our team is expected to be that team. Everyone is looking to beat North Dakota."
Of course, like a lot of hockey teams around the world, UND didn't get to finish the 2019-20 campaign due to the pandemic. Even with a target on their back going into this season, Blaisdell said off-season workouts were a bit challenging - especially because the players had no firm date to work toward.
"Instead, it was 'we hope to be playing soon, so we'll keep working.' So that was a tough mindset to deal with at times," Blaisdell said. "But being down at North Dakota with the team and with the guys, working every day, we got to come to the rink and the facilities. It was a lot of fun being around everyone. That makes it a little easier."
Blaisdell's focus in the off-season was to continue to improve his skating while also gaining some strength in his lower body.
"Coming in as a freshman and a young player in the NCAA, it was really tough on me as far as adjusting to the strength levels of the other players," he said. "I wanted to have that feeling on the ice in my second year where I can go into a battle with any player and know I'm right with them strength wise and speed wise."
As he trained, Blaisdell kept an eye on the National Hockey League's Return to Play and the Stanley Cup Playoffs. So, when the idea for the NCHC pod was announced in mid-October, he had a bit of an idea of what to expect.
"At first I was slightly surprised, but it made a lot of sense," Blaisdell said. "You get all these teams together and bang out as many games as you can. It's a different experience. We never really knew what to think coming into it. But as far as how it's going, we're really enjoying it."
He's very complimentary of the set-up that the NCHC has put together, from the hotels to the rink itself.
"We're just living it day-by-day and trying to enjoy it as much as we can while we're here," Blaisdell said. "We have a pool table, which the guys have really got into. It passes the time. We're doing a lot of stuff to keep the bodies healthy and recover. The last few days have started to take a toll on everyone."
When the recovery is done, and all the games of pool are complete for the day, it's time to chip away on some of the homework that has piled up.
"I have a few things to do in the next couple days," Blaisdell laughed. "It's something we have to pay attention to."
Just as he'll pay attention to that, he and his teammates will work to get the job done on the ice as well, with six games in 10 days left on their pod schedule.
After all, the fact they didn't get to finish off their successful season last year still sticks with them.
"That's a big motivating factor for us this year," Blaisdell said. "We put the pressure aside and try to go out and play and do what helped us be so successful last year: competing and trying to prove ourselves every night."
