Get ready for some serious college hockey drama! No. 5 UND (University of North Dakota) is facing off against St. Cloud State in a heated two-game series at the legendary Herb Brooks National Hockey Center. Can UND maintain their high ranking, or will St. Cloud State pull off an upset on their home ice? Let's dive into the action!
How to Catch the Game:
- Time: Puck drops at 7:00 PM Central Time.
- Location: Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, St. Cloud, Minnesota. A place steeped in hockey history!
- TV: If you're in the Twin Cities area, tune into The CW.
- Radio: Listen live on The Fox (96.1 FM). You can also stream it directly from their website: (https://961thefox.iheart.com/)
- Streaming: For those outside the broadcast area, NCHChockey.com/tv has you covered. Check their schedule for the specific event: (https://nchchockey.com/tv/schedule/event/1444)
In-Game Highlights:
First Period:
- UND 1, SCSU 0 (6:26): Cody Croal scores! The play starts with Jack Kernan blazing down the right side, skillfully evading St. Cloud State's captain, Cooper Wylie. Kernan then makes a brilliant move, circling behind the net and sending a pass into the slot. Tyler Young couldn't quite control the puck, but Croal was right there to pick it up and fire it past Husky goalie Patriks Berzins. That's Croal's fourth goal of the season!
- UND 1, SCSU 1 (7:41): Barrett Hall answers for St. Cloud State with a SHORTHANDED goal! Hall chips the puck past UND defenseman Abram Wiebe and goes on a breakaway with UND forward Mac Swanson in pursuit. Hall then executes a beautiful dangle around Swanson, dekes past UND goalie Jan Špunar, and tucks the puck just inside the post. A highlight-reel goal, without a doubt!
- UND 2, SCSU 1 (15:23): David Klee scores his FIRST COLLEGE GOAL! Menghini sends Littler streaking up the middle of the zone. As Husky defenders close in on Littler, he makes a smart pass to Klee at the top of the left circle. Klee unleashes a rocket that goes in just under the crossbar. What a way to start his college scoring career!
Second Period:
- UND 2, SCSU 2 (0:25): The Huskies strike quickly to tie the game! Smolinski threads a fantastic pass from the top of the zone to Hall, who was open in the left circle. Hall then finds Gross right in front of the net for an easy tap-in goal. Talk about a momentum shift!
Team Lineups:
Here's a look at how the teams are lining up. These are subject to change, of course, but it gives you a good idea of the coaches' strategies.
UND Lines:
- Forwards:
- 26 Dylan James—17 Cole Reschny—21 Ben Strinden
- 7 Mac Swanson—8 Ollie Josephson—9 Will Zellers
- 19 Cody Croal—15 Jack Kernan—14 Tyler Young
- 27 Anthony Menghini—20 Cade Littler—22 David Klee
- Defensemen:
- 13 Sam Laurila—25 Abram Wiebe
- 4 Jake Livanavage—18 Keaton Verhoeff
- 16 Andrew Strathmann—6 E.J. Emery
- 11 Ian Engel
- Goaltenders:
- 35 Jan Špunar (Expected Starter)
- 31 Gibson Homer
- 1 Zach Sandy
Injuries: Unfortunately, UND is missing some key players due to injury: F Ellis Rickwood, F Josh Zakreski, D Bennett Zmolek, and D Jayden Jubenvill are all out of the lineup for this series.
St. Cloud State Lines:
- Forwards:
- 23 Austin Burnevik—13 Tyson Gross—15 Barrett Hall
- 10 Noah Urness—22 Noaln Roed—28 Gavyn Thoreson
- 11 Grant Ahcan—12 Ryan Rosborough—7 Jack Reimann
- 34 Adam Ingram—19 Verner Miettinen—81 Daimon Gardner
- Defensemen:
- 26 Cooper Wylie—21 Max Smolinski
- 4 Finn Loftus—6 Mason Reiners
- 25 Thor Byfuglien—14 Josh Zinger
- 3 Joe Belisle
- Goaltenders:
- 39 Patriks Berzins (Expected Starter)
- 1 Yan Shostak
- 33 James Gray
Injuries: St. Cloud State is also dealing with some injuries, including D Tanner Henricks, and will also be without F Aiden Welch, F Jack Rogers, F Ethan AuCoin, F Ocean Wallace, and D Kaleb Tiessen.
The Men in Stripes (Officials):
- Referees: Justin Hills and Nathan Wieler
- Linesmen: Tony Aronson and Dana Penkivech
- Supervisor: Ryan Galloway
Pregame Notes & Interesting Tidbits:
- As mentioned above, UND is still without four key injured players. This definitely impacts their depth and could force some players into new roles.
- Speaking of new roles, Jack Kernan is playing center for the first time at the college level. But here's where it gets controversial... some believe Kernan's skill set is better suited for the wing. What do you think? Is this a good move by the coach, or a gamble that could backfire?
- The goalie matchup is confirmed: Jan Špunar for UND versus Patriks Berzins for St. Cloud State. Both are solid netminders, so expect a tight battle between the pipes.
This game promises to be a nail-biter. UND is looking to solidify their position at the top, while St. Cloud State is fighting to climb the ranks. Who will come out on top? Let us know your predictions in the comments below! And don't forget to share your thoughts on Kernan playing center – is it a stroke of genius or a risky experiment?
