THIS WEEK: Top-ranked North Dakota faces second-ranked Michigan on Thursday evening in the NCAA Frozen Four semifinal.

The puck drops at 7:30 p.m. Central at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul.

The other Frozen Four semifinal features third-ranked Minnesota Duluth against fourth-ranked Notre Dame. That game begins at 4 p.m.

The winner of each semifinal will meet in the national championship game on Saturday at 6 p.m.

MEDIA COVERAGE: Thursday's semifinals will be televised live on ESPN2 HD. Veteran broadcaster Gary Thorne will call the action, with color analysis provided by former National Hockey League coach Barry Melrose.

A video webcast of Thursday's semifinal will be available at www.espn3.com.

All Fighting Sioux men's hockey games, home and away, can be heard on 96.1 FM (The Fox) and on stations across the Fighting Sioux Hockey Network. Veteran broadcaster Tim Hennessy is in his 30th season as the voice of the Fighting Sioux. Steve Olson serves as his color analyst.

Fans can also listen to an audio webcast of every Sioux game free of charge at www.fightingsioux.com.

The Frozen Four will also be broadcast on the Westwood One Radio Network, featuring Sean Grande, Cap Raeder and Adam Wodon.

SOCIAL MEDIA: Receive real-time updates during all UND men's hockey games at www.twitter.com/undmhockey.

Fans can also follow the action via live chat at FightingSioux.com, hosted by Grand Forks Herald hockey writer Brad Schlossman and UND media relations director Jayson Hajdu during every game.

TICKET INFORMATION: The 2011 NCAA Frozen Four is sold out.

FROZEN FOUR FACTOIDS: UND will compete in the NCAA Frozen Four for the 19th time in program history. Also of note:

• The Sioux have won seven NCAA championships, tied with Denver for second-most in the nation behind Michigan's nine. UND won NCAA titles in 1959, 1963, 1980, 1982, 1987, 1997 and 2000.

• The Sioux have also been national runners-up on five occasions.
• UND's all-time .677 winning percentage in the NCAA tournament tops every school in the nation. The Sioux are 42-20 in 62 tournament games.

• The Sioux have advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four in five of head coach Dave Hakstol's seven seasons behind the bench, including each of his first four seasons.

• Those five Frozen Four appearances are more than any other school in the nation in that seven-year period.

• The Sioux are 11-6 in the NCAA postseason under Hakstol, second only to Boston College's 15 NCAA wins during that time.

• UND is 36-13 (.735) in the playoffs (WCHA and NCAA combined) under Hakstol, 12 more wins than any other WCHA team during that seven-year stretch.

• Four of UND's seven seniors have previous Frozen Four experience. Fifth-year senior Chay Genoway played in both the 2007 and 2008 Frozen Fours, both of which ended with semifinal losses to Boston College. Matt Frattin, Brad Malone and Jake Marto also played in the 2007 Frozen Four.

• The other three Sioux seniors -- Brent Davidson, Derrick LaPoint and Evan Trupp -- did not play in the 2007 Frozen Four.

• UND is making its ninth straight NCAA postseason appearance, the third-longest active streak in the nation behind only Michigan (21) and New Hampshire (11).

EXCEL-LENCE: The Sioux have won their last five games at the Xcel Energy Center, resulting in back-to-back Broadmoor Trophies as WCHA Final Five champions.

Two weeks ago, senior Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta) scored in double-overtime to give UND a 3-2 win over No. 5 Denver in the WCHA Final Five championship game.

UND is 13-8 (.619) all-time at the Xcel Energy Center since it began hosting the WCHA Final Five in 2000-01.

ALL-TIME VS. MICHIGAN: The Sioux trail the all-time series with Michigan 40-45-4 (.472), but have won two of three NCAA postseason meetings between the two storied programs.

Those two wins are the only meetings between the teams during Dave Hakstol's seven years as Sioux head coach.

UND and UM most recently met in the 2007 NCAA West Region semifinal in Denver, which the Sioux won 8-5. Current Sioux captain Chay Genoway (Sr., Morden, Manitoba) played in that game as a freshman and had two assists.

HOW UND ADVANCED: The lone remaining No. 1 seed in the NCAA tournament, UND advanced to the Frozen Four with a pair of convincing wins at the NCAA Midwest Regional in Green Bay, Wis.

Brad Malone (Sr., Miramichi, New Brunswick) scored twice and Aaron Dell (So., Airdrie, Alberta) stopped all 21 shots he faced in a 6-0 win over No. 16 Renssleaer in the regional semifinal. Evan Trupp (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska) dished out a career-high three assists, while Matt Frattin (Sr., Edmonton, Alberta), Corban Knight (So., High River, Alberta) and Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) each had a goal and an assist.

Six different Sioux scored in the regional championship game, leading UND to a 6-1 win over No. 5 Denver. Senior Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) collected three assists, while this time Malone, Brett Hextall (Jr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) and Brock Nelson (Fr., Warroad, Minn.) each chipped in with a goal and an assist.

Dell, who stopped 47 of 48 shots in two games, was named the tournament's most valuable player.

He was joined on the all-tournament team by Genoway, Malone and Trupp.

UND's special teams excelled during the tournament, going 4-for-14 (28.6 percent) on the power-play and 12-for-12 on the penalty kill.

RANK AND FILE: For the sixth straight week, UND is the top-ranked team in the country.

After defeating No. 5 Denver and No. 16 Rensselaer at the NCAA Midwest Regional, the Fighting Sioux were the unanimous No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll released on Monday.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING!: UND is on a season-long 15-game unbeaten streak (14-0-1) and an 11-game winning streak, both of which are the longest in the nation.

It is UND's longest unbeaten streak since an 18-game run (15-0-3) from Jan. 5 to March 4, 2008.

It is UND's longest winning streak since winning 14 in a row in 1986-87 on the way to a national championship.

UND's last loss was a 4-2 setback at Colorado College on Jan. 28.

LEADER OF THE PACK: UND ranks second nationally in scoring offense (4.14 goals per game) and scoring margin (+2.00), and ranks third in scoring defense (2.14).

The Sioux special teams are also among the top 10 nationally, with the penalty kill ranked fifth (86.0 percent) and the power-play ranked seventh (23.3 percent).

The Sioux have scored 178 goals this season, 42 more than the WCHA's second-highest-scoring team, Colorado College.

SECOND-HALF SURGE: The Sioux are 19-3-1 (.848) since Christmas, continuing an impressive trend under Dave Hakstol of playing their best hockey in the second half of the season.

In each of the last six seasons, UND has dramatically increased its winning percentage following the holiday break.

Below is a year-by-year comparison of UND's pre and post-Christmas records under Hakstol:

Year Before After
2004-05 13-7-2 (.636) 12-8-3 (.587)
2005-06 12-7-1 (.625) 17-9-0 (.654)
2006-07 7-10-1 (.417) 17-4-4 (.760)
2007-08 8-6-1 (.567) 20-5-3 (.768)
2008-09 9-8-1 (.528) 15-7-3 (.660)
2009-10 9-6-3 (.583) 16-7-2 (.680)
2010-11 13-5-2 (.700) 19-3-1 (.848)
Totals 71-49-11 (.584) 116-43-16 (.709)

Going back even further in 2010-11, the Sioux are 24-3-2 (.862) since Thanksgiving and have not lost consecutive games during that time.

THIRTY-SOMETHING: At 32-8-3, UND is enjoying its first 30-win season under seventh-year head coach Dave Hakstol.

Prior to this year, UND's last 30-win season was in 2003-04, Dean Blais' last year behind the bench.

UND's 32 wins this season are tied with the 1998-99 Sioux for the third-most victories in team history. Only the 1986-87 (40-8-0) and the 1981-82 (35-12-0) Sioux won more games.

GOAL RUSH: The Sioux are scoring an average of 5.7 goals over their past 10 games, while allowing 1.3 during that same stretch, which began Feb. 26 against Bemidji State.

During that 10-game stretch, UND has scored five or more goals seven times, six or more goals five times, and eight more more goals twice.

SENIORS IN THE SPOTLIGHT: UND boasts the nation's most prolific senior class in terms of offensive production:

RK Team Pts./GM
1. North Dakota 5.00
Yale 5.00
3. Miami 4.87
4. Niagara 4.40
5. New Hampshire 4.10

RK Team Pts.
1. North Dakota 215
2. Miami 190
3. Yale 180
4. New Hampshire 160
5. Michigan 156

RK Team G
1. North Dakota 90
2. Miami 68
3. Niagara 67
Yale 67
5. Canisius 56

UND has 83 more points than the WCHA's next-highest scoring senior class, Nebraska Omaha (132), and 39 more goals than the league's No. 2 goal-scoring senior class, Minnesota (51).

UND's senior class includes: Matt Frattin (36-24-60), Evan Trupp (17-24-41), Brad Malone (16-24-30), Chay Genoway (6-31-37), Jake Marto (8-11-19), Derrick LaPoint (2-8-10) and Brent Davidson (5-3-8).

RIDING THE PONY EXPRESS: UND's senior production is keyed by the 'Pony Express' line of Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta), Brad 'Pony' Malone (Miramichi, New Brunswick) and Evan Trupp (Anchorage, Alaska).

The trio has combined for 24 points (11g, 13a) in UND's six playoff games this season, including 11 points (5g, 6a) in two games at the NCAA Midwest Regional two weeks ago.

FRAT PARTY: Frattin, who leads the NCAA with 36 goals and ranks second with 60 points, was named a 'Hobey Hat Trick' finalist last week for the Hobey Baker Award. The winner will be announced on Friday.

Frattin was also named the College Hockey News' Player of the Year.

Frattin has scored five more goals than any other player in the nation, and holds a nine-goal lead in the WCHA goal-scoring race. His 36 goals are the most by a Sioux in two decades:

The last Sioux player to lead the nation in goals was All-American Lee Goren, who scored 34 for UND's 1999-00 NCAA championship team.

Frattin brings a career-best 15-game point streak into the NCAA tournament, having amassed 16 goals and 29 points during that time.

No player in the country has scored more goals away from home than Fattin's 22 in 23 games. Eleven of those goals have come in the third period or overtime.

Frattin has an incredible 47 goals in his last 56 games, dating back to Feb. 13, 2010 at St. Cloud State.

DUDE, WE'VE GOT A DELL: Sophomore goalie Aaron Dell (Airdrie, Alberta) was named Inside College Hockey Goaltender of the Year last week.

His NCAA-leading 30 victories are school-record, having eclipsed the 29 wins by National Hockey League legend Ed Belfour in 1986-87:

Dell also leads the NCAA in goals against average (1.81) and winning percentage (.816), and is tied for the national lead with six shutouts. He also ranks eighth nationally in save percentage.

Dell enters the NCAA Frozen Four has UND's career leader in both goals against average and save percentage:

Dell has has won a career-best 10 games in a row. He is also unbeaten in his last 14 games (13-0-1) dating back to Jan. 29 at Colorado College, also a career long streak.

THERE WILL BE BLOOD: Junior defenseman Ben Blood (Plymouth, Minn.) leads the NCAA with a career-high +33 plus/minus rating:
No Sioux player has recorded a plus/minus better than +25 since 2003-04, when it was accomplished by seven players, including future NHLers Zach Parise, Matt Greene, Brandon Bochenski, Matt Jones and Brady Murray.

Blood's +33 ties the school record for defensemen, set by Greene and Jones in 2003-04. David Lundbohm holds the overall school record with a +36 in 2002-03 (UND's plus/minus records date back to the 2002-03 season).

ROAD WARRIORS: UND is 17-4-2 (.783) away from home this season, including a 12-4-2 (.722) mark on the road and a 5-0-0 record in neutral-site games.

BALANCING ACT: North Dakota's offensive attack features eight players with 25 or more points, the most by a Sioux team since 2003-04.

OH DANNY BOY: After missing 10 straight games due to injury, sophomore forward Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.) returned to the lineup prior to the WCHA Final Five three weeks ago and has been red-hot ever since.

Kristo had two goals and an assist in two games at the WCHA Final Five, then added a goal and an assist in two games at the NCAA Midwest Regional. He is also a +6 in those four games.

After scoring only five points (1g, 4a) in his first 17 games, Kristo has now reached the scoresheet in 14 of his last 16 games and has amassed 26 points (9g, 17a) during that stretch.

Kristo was the WCHA Rookie of the Year in 2009-10 after scoring 36 points (15g, 21a) in 41 games.
SIOUX-PER MARIO: UND is 12-0-0 all-time when junior forward Mario Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) scores a goal.

Lamoureux opened the scoring with his first career shorthanded goal in UND's 6-1 win over No. 5 Denver in the NCAA Midwest Region championship game. It was his third goal of the season.

ON THE PLUS SIDE: Senior defenseman Derrick LaPoint (Eau Claire, Wis.) has gone 31 straight games with a plus or even plus/minus rating, the longest active streak on the team.

The last time LaPoint was a minus in a game was Nov. 13 at Wisconsin.

LaPoint is a +22 and has two goals and eight assists in 40 games this season.

OFFENSE FROM THE DEFENSE: UND boasts the second-highest-scoring defensive corps in the nation:

RK Team Pts.
1. Wisconsin 120
2. North Dakota 111
3. Michigan 108
4. Air Force 96
5. Denver 95
Miami 95

UND has received an NCAA-leading 91 assists from its defensemen.

GENOWAY ON HIS WAY: Senior defenseman Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) had five assists in two games at the NCAA Midwest Regional, moving him into fourth place on UND's all-time defenseman scoring list:
Genoway has 11 points (all assists) in six playoff games this season, and ranks third among the nation's defensemen in points per game (1.06).

His 37 points in 35 games this season are the most by a Sioux defenseman since Andy Schneider had 41 in 2003-03.

Genoway is also bidding to become the first Sioux defenseman to average better than a point per game since Travis Roche in 2000-01 (49 points in 46 games)

Genoway's 127 career points lead all active NCAA Division I defensemen.

GREGS' LIST: Junior forward Jason Gregoire (Winnipeg, Manitoba) brings a career-long 16-game point streak into the NCAA Frozen Four, the longest by a Sioux since Brandon Bochenksi's 17-game streak in 2002-03.

Gregoire has racked up 18 goals and 29 points during his streak, and now ranks sixth in the country in goals per game (0.74).

He has a career-high 25 goals and 43 points this season despite missing nine games due to injury.

Gregoire was credited with the game-winning goal in UND's playoff-opening win over Michigan Tech (March 11), tying him for fourth all-time at UND with 15 in his career:

THE TWO JAKES: Senior defenseman Jake Marto (Grand Forks, N.D.) has provided tremendous versatility this season.

Due to injuries in the Sioux lineup, Marto was moved to forward for both games at the WCHA Final Five, his 12th and 13th games at forward this year. He has played the other 30 games at his natural defense position:

GP G A Pts +/-
At defense 30 6 7 13 +14
At forward 13 2 4 6 +4
Total 43 8 11 19 +18

Marto has three game-winning goals this season, tying the UND single-season record for defensemen:

A KNIGHT'S TALE: Sophomore Corban Knight (High River, Alberta) is enjoying a breakout season, ranking second on the team in points (44) and assists (30) after notching 13 points last season as a freshman.

Knight has also won a team-leading 60.3 percent of his faceoffs, which is on pace to break Zach Parise's single-season school record:
In two games at the NCAA Midwest Regional, Knight won 63.6 percent (21-for-33) of his faceoffs, including 11 of 14 (78.6 percent) in the regional semifinal against No. 16 Renssleaer.

HOME SWEET HOME: UND averaged a school-record 11,756 in 20 home games at the 11,634-seat Ralph Engelstad Arena this season, breaking the previous record record of 11,719 set in 2008-09.

Six of the top 10 largest crowds in Sioux hockey history occurred this season:

Rk. Date Opponent Attend.
1. Feb. 9, 2002 Minnesota 12,189
2. Feb. 26, 2011 Bemidji State 12,114
3. Feb. 12, 2011 Alaska Anchorage 12,090
4. Nov. 8, 2003 Minnesota 11,986
5. Jan. 15, 2011 Minnesota 11,975
6. Dec. 4, 2010 St. Cloud State 11,941
7. Feb. 11, 2011 Alaska Anchorage 11,927
8. Feb. 16, 2008 Denver 11,926
9. Jan. 22, 2011 Nebraska Omaha 11,916
10. Oct 17, 2009 Minnesota 11,898

UND went 8-1-1 in the aforementioned 10 games, with the lone loss coming on Feb. 9, 2002 against Minnesota.

FAB FRESHIE: Freshman defenseman Derek Forbort (Duluth, Minn.) has a +22 plus/minus rating, which leads all WCHA rookie defensmen.

Forbort has 15 points (all assists) on the season, ranking him fourth among WCHA rookie defensemen.

He Is a +14 over his last nine games and has been a plus or even in 33 of his 37 games.

Forbort's 15 assists are the most by a UND rookie defenseman since current Ottawa Senator Brian Lee notched 23 in 2005-06.

EIDS OF MARCH: Junior goalie Brad Eidsness' (Chestermere, Alberta) win on March 5 at Michigan Tech was his 50th career victory, making him only the seventh Sioux goalie in history to reach that milestone:

That March 5th start, Eidsness' first since Nov. 19, was the 89th appearance of his career, which ranks sixth all-time at UND.

WITH HONORS: UND was on the receiving end of several individual honors when the WCHA announced its league awards on March 10.

• Senior forward Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta) was named WCHA Player of the Year, the first Sioux to receive the award since Ryan Duncan in 2006-07. He was also named to the All-WCHA first team.

• Frattin was also crowned the league's scoring champion after collecting 40 points in 28 league games, the most by a Sioux since Jeff Panzer (49) and Bryan Lundbohm (40) in 2000-01.

• Aaron Dell (So., Airdrie, Alberta) became the first Sioux goalie to be named to the All-WCHA first team since Karl Goehring in 1999-00.

•Dell was also crowned the league's goaltending champion after posting a 1.97 goals against average in 25 league games.

• Senior defenseman Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) earned his second All-WCHA first team selection, and became just the fifth player in league history to be a four-time all-conference honoree.

• Genoway was also named WCHA Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year, joining Goehring (2000-01), Mitch Vig (1997-98) and Steve Johnson (1987-88) as the only Sioux to win the award.

• Jason Gregoire (Jr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) was named to the All-WCHA third team, the first all-conference honor of his career.

TERRIFIC TANDEM: Frattin and Dell are the first UND duo to win the WCHA scoring and goaltending titles since Jeff Panzer and Karl Goehring during UND's 1999-00 NCAA championship season.

The last time it was accomplished by any WCHA team was in 2004-05, when Colorado College's Marty Sertich and Curtis McElhinney did it.

LOWE'S AND BEHOLD: Genoway is also one of 10 national men's hockey finalists for the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award.

An acronym for Celebrating Loyalty and Achievement for Staying in School®, the Lowe's Senior CLASS Award focuses on the total student-athlete and encourages students to use their platform in athletics to make a positive impact as leaders in their communities.

To be eligible for the award, a student-athlete must be classified as an NCAA Division I senior and have notable achievements in four areas of excellence - community, classroom, character and competition.

In addition to his on-ice accomplishments, Genoway is one of UND's community service leaders, having already amassed a team-leading 68.5 hours of community service during the 2010-11 year. He is also a four-time WCHA Scholar-Athlete and was an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American in 2008-09.

Lowe's, an official corporate partner of the NCAA, will announce the winner on April 7 at the NCAA Frozen Four® in Saint Paul, Minn.

HEAD OF THE CLASS: Genoway also became only the second four-time men's WCHA Scholar-Athlete in history earlier this month.

Genoway was one of five Sioux to receive the honor, joining two-time recipients Brad Eidsness (Jr., Chestermere, Alberta) and Derrick LaPoint (Sr., Eau Claire, Wis.) and first-time recipients Brett Bruneteau (So., Omaha, Neb.) and Tate Maris (So., Denver, Colo.).

To earn recognition as a WCHA Scholar-Athlete, conference-member student-athletes must have completed at least one year of residency at their present institution prior to the current academic year and must also have a grade-point average of at least 3.50 on a 4.0 scale for the previous two semesters or three quarters, or may qualify if his or her overall GPA is at least 3.50 for all terms at his or her present institution.

ROARING 20'S: At 21-6-1 in league play, the Sioux became the first team to win 20 WCHA games since Colorado College went an identical 21-6-1 in 2007-08.

PROVING THEIR MEDAL: Freshmen Derek Forbort (Duluth, Minn.) and Brock Nelson (Warroad, Minn.) helped the United States win the bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y., in January.

Forbort and Nelson, both first-round NHL draft picks last summer, became the 30th and 31st players to represent UND on the U.S. National Junior roster dating back to 1979.

The Sioux hockey program has now had 45 total participants in the prestigious World Junior Hockey Championship, representing the United States, Canada and Slovakia.

SCOUTS HONOR: One current Sioux and three future Sioux appeared in the midseason NHL draft rankings released by Central Scouting in January.

Freshman defenseman Dillon Simpson (Edmonton, Alberta), who has two goals and eight assists in 30 games for UND this season, was ranked No. 115 among North American skaters.

The rankings also included three Sioux recruits: forwards J.T. Miller (No. 13), Rocco Grimaldi (No. 25) and Colten St. Clair (No. 83).

Simpson (65), Miller (28) and Grimaldi (31) were all ranked among the top 65 draft prospects in a list released by TSN hockey analyst Bob McKenzie in January.

FEELING A DRAFT: UND's 2010-11 roster includes 16 players who have been drafted by National Hockey League teams. The group includes goalie Brad Eidsness (Buffalo), defensemen Ben Blood (Ottawa), Derek Forbort (Los Angeles), Joe Gleason (Chicago) Derrick LaPoint (Florida) and Andrew MacWilliam (Toronto), and forwards Brett Bruneteau (Washington), Mike Cichy (Montreal), Matt Frattin (Toronto), Jason Gregoire (New York Islanders), Brett Hextall (Phoenix), Corban Knight (Florida), Danny Kristo (Montreal), Brad Malone (Colorado), Brock Nelson (New York Islanders) and Derek Rodwell (New Jersey).

A total of 26 Sioux have been drafted during the tenure of seventh-year head coach Dave Hakstol, including first-rounders Forbort (Los Angeles, 2010), Nelson (New York Islanders, 2010), Jonathan Toews (Chicago, 2006), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis, 2005), Brian Lee (Ottawa, 2005) and Joe Finley (Washington, 2005).

ALL IN THE FAMILY: UND's 2009-10 roster features four players who have had family members previously play for the Fighting Sioux: defenseman Chay Genoway (Sr., Morden, Manitoba) and forwards Mario Lamoureux (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.), Brett Hextall (Jr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Brock Nelson (Fr., Warroad, Minn.).

Genoway's brother, Colby, was a forward at UND from 2002-05 and scored 81 points in 115 career games. He played professionally in the Czech Republic and Finland last season.

Lamoureux's family ties to the program are extensive. His brother, Jean-Philippe, was a goalie at UND from 2004-08 and is the school's all-time co-leader in goals against average (2.14). His father, Pierre, was a goalie for the Sioux from 1979-82 and was a member of UND's 1982 NCAA championship team. Another brother, Pierre-Paul, is in his second year on UND's coaching staff as an assistant video coordinator, while twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique are sophomore forwards on the Fighting Sioux women's hockey team. Additionally, mother Linda was a swimmer at UND.

Hextall's great uncle, Dennis, was a forward at UND from 1964-66 and scored 101 career points in 63 career games. Hextall's hockey bloodlines extend to his father (Ron), grandfather (Bryan Jr.) and great grandfather (Bryan Sr.), each of whom enjoyed lengthy NHL careers. His father, Ron, is currently the assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.

Nelson had two uncles and one great uncle don the Kelly Green and White. Uncle Dave Christian played at UND from 1977-79 and won Olympic gold with the United States' famed "Miracle on Ice" team in 1980 before going on to play in more than 1,000 career NHL games with Winnipeg, Washington, Boston, St. Louis and Chicago. Another uncle, Eddie Christian, played for the Sioux from 1980-84. Nelson's great uncle, Gordon "Ginny" Christian played at UND from 1947-50 and won Olympic silver with the United States in 1956.

FOREVER SIOUX: Every member of UND's coaching staff is a graduate of the University of North Dakota.

Head coach Dave Hakstol (1989-92), associate head coach Cary Eades (1978-82), assistant coach Dane Jackson (1988-92) and volunteer assistant Karl Goerhing (1998-2001) each played for the Fighting Sioux.

Additionally, nearly every member of the support staff is also a graduate of UND: director of hockey operations Pat Swanson (2002), athletic trainer and strength coach Mark Poolman (1992), team physician Dr. Greg Greek (1977) and media relations director Jayson Hajdu (2000) are also UND graduates.

PRO-FILES: Fifteen former Sioux have played in the National Hockey League in 2010-11: Jason Blake (Anaheim Ducks), Taylor Chorney (Edmonton Oilers), Mike Commodore (Columbus Blue Jackets), Matt Greene (Los Angeles Kings), David Hale (Ottawa Senators), Ryan Johnson (Chicago Blackhawks), Brian Lee (Ottawa Senators), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis Blues), Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils), Chris Porter (St. Louis Blues), Matt Smaby (Tampa Bay Lightning), Drew Stafford (Buffalo Sabres), Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks), Chris VandeVelde (Edmonton Oilers), and Travis Zajac (New Jersey Devils).

Toews captained the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship last season, while also leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, where he was named the tournament's top forward.

An additional five former Sioux are currently in the NHL coaching ranks: reigning Jack Adams Trophy winner Dave Tippett (head coach, Phoenix Coyotes), Brad Berry (assistant coach, Columbus Blue Jackets), James Patrick (assistant coach, Buffalo Sabres), Steve Peters (video coach, Phoenix Coyotes) and Rick Wilson (assistant coach, Minnesota Wild). A sixth coach, Edmonton Oilers head coach Tom Renney, attended UND but did not play for the Sioux.

Also of note:

• Former Sioux defenseman, Brad Bombardir, is the director of player development for the Minnesota Wild.

• Former Sioux assistant coach Don Boyd is the Columbus Blue Jackets' assistant general manager.

• Former Sioux forward Troy Murray is the radio color analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks.

• Ron Hextall, father of current Sioux forward Brett Hextall, is the vice president/assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.

• Freshman defenseman Dillon Simpson's father, Craig Simpson, is the lead analyst for CBC's Hockey Night in Canada. Craig played 10 seasons in the NHL with Pittsburgh, Edmonton and Buffalo, and won two Stanley Cup championships with Edmonton.