The Fighting Hawks will take a one-week break before resuming play next weekend against Denver in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Having this weekend off might not be a bad thing, either.
Fans can avoid that sub-zero walk from their car to Ralph Engelstad Arena and instead sit back on the couch and watch an impressive slate of college hockey games, including three first-versus-second matchups.
Here are five things to watch during UND's off weekend:
1. The Penrose Cup chase
Right now, UND controls its own destiny in the chase for the Penrose Cup. If the Fighting Hawks win their final six games, they are the Penrose Cup champions no matter what happens elsewhere in the league.
However, UND doesn't have much room for error.
It's entirely possible that either Minnesota Duluth or St. Cloud State could run the table. If that happens, UND would need to win all six of its remaining games to win the Penrose.
Minnesota Duluth's next five games are home vs. Miami (two), at Western Michigan (two) and home vs. Colorado College (one). The Bulldogs are 6-1 against those opponents this season.
St. Cloud State's next five games are home vs. Western Michigan (two), at Miami (two) and home vs. Colorado College (one). The Huskies are 4-3 against those opponents this season. All three of those losses came against Western Michigan, though they haven't played in National Hockey Center.
Minnesota Duluth and St. Cloud State play a home-and-home series to finish the regular season.
Any wins by Miami or Western Michigan in the next two weeks could give UND a bit more leeway in the chase for the Penrose.
Friday: Miami at Minnesota Duluth, 6:07 p.m. (NCHC.tv); Western Michigan at St. Cloud State, 7:37 p.m. (NCHC.tv).
Saturday: Miami at Minnesota Duluth, 4:07 p.m. (NCHC.tv); Western Michigan at St. Cloud State, 6:07 p.m. (NCHC.tv).
2. Omaha missing players?
Omaha sent out a weekly release Thursday that said three "regulars" will miss the series at Denver because of COVID-19 protocol. The release did not say which players.
It's worth keeping an eye on for UND, because the Fighting Hawks play Omaha in two weeks. It is unknown whether the three players are out because of positive tests, which could force them to miss the series against UND (depending on when the tests happened) or if they're deemed close contacts.
The series is a big one for both teams.
For Omaha, it will mark its most difficult road test to date. The Mavericks have played 14 of their 16 games this season in Baxter Arena. Their only road series so far has been at Colorado College.
For Denver, it needs to do better than a split if it wants to chase a top-four finish in the NCHC standings. It also needs to start making up some ground if it wants to reach the NCAA tournament. The Pioneers haven't missed the NCAAs since 2007, but they're currently 6-9-1 and need to finish .500 or better to be eligible.
Friday: Omaha at Denver, 8:07 p.m. (NCHC.tv).
Saturday: Omaha at Denver, 7:07 p.m. (CBS Sports Network).
3. Border rivalry
There shouldn't be any shortage of offense when the two best teams in the Big Ten go head-to-head.
Minnesota, the Big Ten's leader, has scored 30 goals in the last four games. Wisconsin, five points back of the Gophers, has scored at least four goals in each of the last six games, led by a power play that's converting at 28.6 percent.
The Badgers also have been much better this season with first-round draft pick Dylan Holloway in the lineup. They were 3-5 when Holloway was at the World Junior Championship. They're 8-2 with him. Holloway has 14 points in the last six games.
Friday: Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 p.m. (FSN Plus).
Saturday: Wisconsin at Minnesota, 7 p.m. (FSN Plus).
Minnesota Gophers captain Sammy Walker visited Wisconsin goalie Robbie Beydoun in the crease in a 3-1 Badgers win on Jan. 9, 2021 in Madison, Wis. Larry Radloff / The Rink Live
4. The WCHA's best
Just like the Big Ten, the WCHA has a first place vs. second place series this weekend.
Bowling Green (16-4) travels to Minnesota State-Mankato (9-2-1) for a two-game set, the only head-to-head meeting between the teams this season. The Mavericks have won the MacNaughton Cup in five of the last six years. Bowling Green is hoping for its first.
The series will pit the NCAA's leader in save percentage, MSU-Mankato's Dryden McKay (.954), against a team with three 100-career point scorers in Bowling Green's Brandon Kruse, Max Johnson and Connor Ford.
Friday: Bowling Green at MSU-Mankato, 7:07 p.m.
Saturday: Bowling Green at MSU-Mankato, 6:07 p.m.
Bowling Green goalie Ryn Bednard makes a save on a shot by Minnesota State’s Julian Napravnik during the second period of the WCHA championship game Saturday at the Verizon Wireless Center. Pat Christman / Mankato Free Press
5. Boston series
The Beanpot is usually held the first week of February.
It's not being held this season, but maybe it's fitting that rivals Boston College and Boston University will play Friday and Saturday for the first time this season.
Because Hockey East teams will finish the season with an unequal number of games played, the league's regular-season champion will be determined by point percentage. Right now, Boston College (10-2-1) and Boston University (5-1) are tied for first.
Friday: Boston University at Boston College, 6 p.m. (CollegeSportsLive.com).
Saturday: Boston College at Boston University, 6 p.m. (CollegeSportsLive.com).
Boston College goalie Spencer Knight tracks the puck. Photo by BC athletics.
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February 05, 2021 at 02:00PM
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Five things to watch on UND hockey's off weekend - Grand Forks Herald
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