#14/16 WESTERN MICHIGAN  (16-21-5, 10-8-3-2 NCHC) at #1/3 NORTH DAKOTA (24-4-4, 15-3-3-2 NCHC)
Saturday, Feb. 29, 2020
Grand Forks, N.D. 
Ralph Engelstad Arena (11,634) 
7:07 pm CT
Series: UND leads 22-7-0  
This year vs. WMU: UND 3-0-0 

TV
MIDCOSN
PxP: Alex Heinert
Analyst: Jake Brandt
Web: nchc.tv

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

LAST NIGHT
Matt Kiersted, Judd Caulfield and Westin Michaud all scored to help North Dakota post its 17th home win of the season in a 3-1 victory over Western Michigan. Adam Scheel made his first start in net since Jan. 24, stopping 26 shots to improve to 18-3-2 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 the action live by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via live chat at GrandForksHerald.com with beat writer Brad Schlossman.

SERIES HISTORY
North Dakota has won 22 of the 28 all-time meetings with Western Michigan, including all three of this season's matchups. UND secured a 1-0 overtime win Dec. 6 before an 8-2 drubbing the next night in Kalamazoo, Mich., before last night's 3-1 win.

THE SCENARIO
North Dakota controls its own destiny toward securing the Penrose Cup and at least a share of the regular season championship. A three-point win (regulation or overtime) would clinch that. Any combination of three points earned by UND and three points lost by Minnesota Duluth would accomplish the same goal with a four-point combo providing North Dakota the title outright and the No. 1 seed in the upcoming NCHC Playoffs.

AROUND THE LEAGUE
The quarterfinal round is starting to take shape with three games remaining. North Dakota and Minnesota Duluth have clinched home ice with Western Michigan, Denver and St. Cloud State all within two points of each other for the final two home playoff spots. The top four in the conference's regular season standings will host the NCHC Quarterfinal round (Mar. 13-15).

JUDD'S BUDS
Freshman Judd Caulfield has been a thorn in the side of the Western Michigan Broncos. He has four career goals and three of those have come at the expense of WMU. In the three games with Western Michigan this season, he has the same number of goals as the entire Bronco team.

WINNER, WINNER, CHICKEN DINNER
North Dakota picked up its 17th home of the season Friday against Western Michigan to sit one win shy of tying the wins record (set by the 2003-04 team (18-3-2) at the Ralph Engelstad Arena. If UND runs the table the rest of the way at home, it would also secure the best home winning percentage in program history. The 1986-87 team went a staggering 26-2-0 at the old Ralph.

YOU GET ONE AND THAT'S IT
UND has allowed one or zero goals in an incredible five-game stretch at home. UND started the season on a similar stretch, with its first six home games all featuring a hutout or just one goal allowed. Overall, North Dakota has 13 games with one or fewer goals at home in 18 games played.

15-15-15
Westin Michaud's third period goal gave him a share of the team lead in goals with 15. Jordan Kawaguchi and Shane Pinto each also have achieved that mark, part of six UND players in double figures scoring this season.

YOU LOCK IT UP!
North Dakota has closed the deal with regularity this season, piling up an 18-0-1 record when leading after two periods.

D UP
The defense produced five of the nine points last night in the 3-1 win over Western Michigan. Matt Kiersted led the way with a goal and an assist while Jacob Bernard-Docker, Gabe Bast and Ethan Frisch each added primary assists.

COLE STREAK
Senior Cole Smith missed his first game last night (day-to-day) since his sophomore season (80 games).

ADAM FINE RETURN
Adam Scheel made his first start since Jan. 24 at Minnesota Duluth, making 26 stops for his 18th win of the season last evening.

BRONC-NO
WMU came in as one of the hottest offensive teams in the new calendar year (4.00/goals per game), but has scored just 3 goals total in three games against North Dakota this season.

GOALS ON GOALS ON GOALS
Home goals have been prevalent for North Dakota this season. UND  is outscoring its opponents, 76-27, in home games this season (17-1-0 record). UND is allowing just 1.5 goals per home game and has squandered just four power-play goals at home all season (54 opportunities) for a .926 percent kill percentage.