Omaha (9-9-3, 3-5-1 NCHC) at #1 North Dakota (16-2-2, 7-1-1-1)
Jan. 11, 2020
Grand Forks, N.D.
Ralph Engelstad Arena (11,634)
Saturday: 7:07 pm CT
Series: UND leads 22-12-1 (.643)
Last night: Omaha, 6-3
TONIGHT
North Dakota closes a series against Omaha, aiming for a split after a 6-3 defeat last night to snap some long winning streaks. The loss was UND's first since Oct. 19, breaking a string of 15 in a row without a loss and a home winning streak of 13, dating back to last season.
LAST TIME OUT
Omaha scored in the opening minute and held off North Dakota late with a pair of empty-net goals for a 6-3 win in NCHC play Friday at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. UND squandered just 13 shots on goal, but Omaha scored six (two into an open net) on those shots.
Adam Scheel suffered just his second loss of the season and just the third time he's allowed four goals this season.
BROADCAST INFORMATION
This weekend's games will both be telecast live on Midco Sports Network, the primary TV home of North Dakota hockey. Alex Heinert does the play-by-play, with former UND goalie Jake Brandt handling the color analysis with Katie Hale as the rinkside reporter. The series will also be available via streaming at NCHC.tv.
All UND men's hockey games, home and away, can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network, as well as through the iHeart Radio app. The flagship station for the network is 96.1 FM (The Fox). Longtime broadcaster Tim Hennessy, in his 41st season as the voice of UND men's hockey, calls the action while Steve Olson provides color analysis.
SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow along with the action live by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via live chat via the Grand Forks Herald and beat writer Brad Schlossman.
SHOTS ON... WHOA
North Dakota's defense has allowed just 41 shots on goal in the last three games combined. UND has kept its opponent under 15 SOG seven times this season (6-1-0).
JORDAN KAWA-RALPH-CHI
Junior Hobey Baker Award hopeful
Jordan Kawaguchi has been fantastic at home this season, tallying 22 total points in 12 games at the Ralph. He has seven goals and 15 assists with points in 11 straight home games.
THOME TIME
Junior goaltender
Peter Thome got his first regular-season action of the season last night, stopping all three shots he saw in a period and a half. He previously had two scoreless periods in the exhibition win at the U.S. Under 18 Team.
THOME-AHA
Thome has now played in five games all-time against Omaha, with a sparkling 2.04 goals-against average and a .893 save percentage. He swept the Mavericks to end the regular season last year at the Ralph.
MARKSMAN
Mark Senden scored his first goal since Oct. 26 against Bemidji State with his first-period tally last night. He had tallied just two assists in the 13 games during his goal-less drought.
20/20 VISION
Grant Mismash's goal Friday against Omaha was the 20th of his career. He's the third active Fighting Hawk to reach that plateau, tied with
Cole Smith and five behind active career leader
Jordan Kawaguchi with 25. (
Westin Michaud has 37 career goals, eight with UND and 29 in three seasons at Colorado College.
SERIES HISTORY
North Dakota still owns a 22-12-1 edge in the all-time series with Omaha. Last season, UND won three of the four contests, including a home sweep to end the regular season which kick-started UND's current home winning streak.
