#5/6 Denver at #1 North Dakota
Feb.15, 2020
Grand Forks, N.D. 
Ralph Engelstad Arena (11,634) 
Saturday: 7:07 pm CT
Series: UND leads 147-128-16 (.533) 
Last night: UND: W 4-1

TV
MidcoSN/FOX College/TSN2
PxP: Alex Heinert
Analyst: Jake Brandt
Rinkside: Katie Hale
Web: nchc.tv

RADIO
PxP: Tim Hennessy
Analyst: Steve Olson
Radio: 96.1 FM (Flagship) 
& Home of Economy  Radio Network
Web: FightingHawks.com and iheart app  

LAST NIGHT
Top-ranked North Dakota took down #5/6 Denver with a convincing 4-1 win Friday at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Four different players scored and three registered at least two points in the win.

BROADCAST INFORMATION
Saturday's game will 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. That game will also be available in Canada on TSN2 and worldwide 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.

SERIES HISTORY
North Dakota owns a 148-128-16 lead in the all-time series with the Pioneers. In Grand Forks, the Fighting Hawks are 86-44-10 against Denver. North Dakota took five points in the earlier series this season at Magness Arena, Nov. 15-16.

DENVER DOINGS
UND has picked up 8 of a possible 9 NCHC points against Denver this season. North Dakota got a win and a 3-on-3 win at DU earlier in the season and added three more points with last night's win.  

CLINCHED HOME ICE
North Dakota's win last night means it can finish no worse than fourth place in the NCHC standings, thereby clinching home ice in the quarterfinal round of the NCHC Playoffs. UND had played host to the opening round of the league playoffs for 16 consecutive seasons before missing out last year and narrowly finishing fifth to head to the road for the first time since 2001-02. 

WELCOME (BACK) MATT
Junior Matt Kiersted returned from a two-game hiatus (injury) to continue his point streak with an assist on UND's game-winning goal. Kiersted now has points in five consecutive games, piling up 10 points in that stretch. 

NIFTY FIFTY
Matt Kiersted's assist last night gave him an even 50 points in his career. He has 14 goals and 36 assists wearing a North Dakota sweater. 

ONE AND DONE
North Dakota has allowed one goal or fewer on 15 occasions this season, including in each of the last three games. At home, UND has done it 11 times in the 16 games at REA (15-1-0). 

FOR PETE'S SAKE
Peter Thome matched his career high in season wins with his fifth last night. He had five wins as a freshman and equaled that total last year. He is 5-0-1 with a 1.30 GAA and a .935 save percentage this season. 

DEJA VU
The 2015-16 NCAA Championship team was 22-3-3 overall through 28 games. This season's team is 22-3-3. 

SWING AND A MICHAUD 
Westin Michaud was credited with the game-winning goal last night, the second of the season for the senior transfer. It was his third power play goal this season and overall his 42nd tally of his career.

SECOND TIME AROUND
North Dakota has won 12 of 13 games in the second game of a two-game series this season. UND has won 11 straight games in the second game of a series.

HOME COOKING
North Dakota is outscoring its opponents, 70-54, in home games this season (15-1-0 record). UND is allowing just 1.6 goals per home game and has squandered just four power-play goals at home all season (52 opportunities) for a .923 percent kil percentage. 

RALPH-AGUCHI ARENA
Junior Hobey Baker Award hopeful Jordan Kawaguchi has been fantastic at the Ralph Engelstad Arena this season, tallying 29 total points in 18 games at home. He has 9 goals and 20 assists with a current 15-game home point streak.

FOUR-PLAY
UND tallied its 18th game with four or more goals this season with the 4-1 win Feb. 14 vs. Denver.  UND is 15-1-2 in those contests.