GRAND FORKS, N.D. - The University of North Dakota athletics department and men's hockey program invites Fighting Sioux fans to celebrate the 10th anniversary of UND's 2000 NCAA championship season during the Feb. 19-20 series against Minnesota Duluth.
Members of the 2000 Fighting Sioux will be on hand for a pre-game autograph session prior to the Saturday, Feb. 20 game. The autograph session will begin at 5:30 p.m. on the northeast concourse of Ralph Engelstad Arena and FREE autograph cards will be provided.*
Members of the 2000 team will be available to the media from 5 to 5:30, prior to the autograph session. Those have confirmed their attendance include Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Mike Commodore, as well as Peter Armbrust, Jason Endres, Ryan Hale, Trevor Hammer, Andy Kollar, Paul Murphy, Jason Notermann, Jeff Panzer, Mike Possin, Tim Skarperud and Kevin Spiewak.
The 2000 Sioux will be introduced on the ice during the second intermission of the Saturday game.
The weekend will also include a series of video board messages from players and staff from that championship team. A commemorative game program will also be available, featuring a team photo of the 2000 national championship team on the insert poster and special 10th anniversary images.
UND's opponent that weekend, Minnesota Duluth, is coached by former Sioux defenseman Scott Sandelin, who served as associate head coach on the 2000 NCAA championship Sioux team.
The Fighting Sioux, coached by Dean Blais and captained by Peter Armbrust, went 31-8-5 in 1999-00 en route to the program's seventh national championship. That same season, UND also won the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA regular season champions and the Broadmoor Trophy as WCHA Final Five playoff champions.
Junior forward Jeff Panzer was named a Hobey Baker Finalist and was a first team All-American. Senior goalie Karl Goehring was also a first team All-American, while senior forward Lee Goren was named a second team All-American after leading the NCAA in goals. Goren was also named the MVP of the NCAA tournament and the WCHA Final Five.
Five players from the 2000 championship team went on to play in the National Hockey League: Ryan Bayda, Mike Commodore, Brad DeFauw, Goren and Travis Roche.
*Outside items will not be allowed in the building. A limit of one autograph card per person.
- Go Sioux -
