UND Hockey Team Sittin’ Pretty As They Head Into Postseason!
The University of North Dakota hockey team has already clinched an automatic bid into the NCAA tournament after winning the regular season NCHC title. UND is currently sitting at 18-4-1 on the season with one final regular season game coming up at the Ralph Engelstad Arena this Friday night against Omaha.
Omaha is a team UND has gotten to know very well this season. The Fighting Hawks will play the Mavericks for a 6th time Friday night at the Ralph to close out their regular season. UND is 4-1 on the season so far against Omaha. This rivalry for UND has really amped up with the extra games, and even included a brawl back on Saturday, February 20th.
UND is currently the #1 ranked team in the country, according to USCHO poll, and they already know their opponent for the first round of the NCHC playoffs, which will begin on Friday, March 12th. UND will face the Miami of Ohio in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. The tournament format has been revamped from previous seasons due to COVID-19. This will be a single elimination 8 team playoff, with all games in Grand Forks, and no games in Twin Cities as in previous years.
UND is just about at the exact same point and scenario as last years team, which was 26-5-4, and had won the NCHC regular season title. UND was heading into the NCHC playoffs ranked #1, and was set to play Colorado College in a best of 3 playoff series. That series never happened, nor did the rest of the NCAA playoffs thanks to COVID-19.
UND hockey fans were left to wonder "What might of been" after one of UND's finest seasons and teams. It was a pretty good bet that UND would go on to win their record 9th NCAA title.
UND came into this season with a mindset of "unfinished business," and to their credit, they have picked up right were last years team left off. Fingers crossed, justice will be served, and UND will be holding that NCAA championship trophy for the 9th time in April!