#10/9 Omaha at #1/2 North Dakota
Feb. 19-20, 2021
Ralph Engelstad Arena
7:37 PM CT Friday
6:07 PM CT Saturday
All-time Series: UND leads 25-14-1 (.638)
TV
PxP: Alex Heinert
Analyst: Jake Brandt
TV: Midco SportsNet
Web: nchc.tv
RADIO
PxP: Tim Hennessy
Analyst: Steve Olson
Radio: 96.1 FM (Flagship) & Home of Economy Radio Network
Web: FightingHawks.com
ON TAP
North Dakota could sew up a league-record fourth NCHC Penrose Cup this weekend when it hosts Omaha for the first two of four meetings to end the regular season. UND (44 points, 4 games remaining) has a four-point lead on the field with St. Cloud State (40, 3 games left), Minnesota Duluth (39, 3 games left) and Omaha (38, 4 games left) all still in the running.
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. 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 by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via live chat at GrandForksHerald.com with beat writer Brad Schlossman.
NCHC'S NEW HOME FOR THE TOURNAMENT
Ralph Engelstad Arena will serve as the host venue for the entire NCHC postseason tournament this year, announced Feb. 8. The tournament will be shifted to a single-elimination championship with all eight teams competing for the league's autobid into the NCAA Tournament. The quarterfinals begin Mar. 12-13 with the semifinals on Mar. 15 and the title game on Mar. 16. There will not be a third-place game this season.
ALL-TIME AGAINST OMAHA
North Dakota is 25-14-1 all-time against the Mavericks, including wins in nine of the last 13. Last season, the teams split the season series, 2-2. Omaha's 6-3 win at the REA on Jan. 10 was UND's lone blemish to its home record last season (18-1-0).
POLL POSITION
Four NCHC teams are ranked in the top 10 nationally in the newest polls released Monday. North Dakota remained in the top spot in USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and sits second in the USCHO.com poll. St. Cloud State is 6th/7th, Minnesota Duluth holds down 8th in both polls and Omaha is 9th/10th. Western Michigan and Denver are each receiving votes in the USCHO.com poll.
#MV-PINTO
Shane Pinto has a six-game goal-scoring streak after his tally in the Saturday win over Denver. During this stretch, he has nine goals and two assists for 11 points. He leads the conference with 14 goals and has 10 multi-point games on the season, which is the most in the NCAA.
HOME SWEET HOME
North Dakota is outscoring its opponents, 17-3, at home this season with a 4-0-0 record. Some stats that stand out in UND's home schedule this season
*UND is outshooting opponents, 101-58
*Shane Pinto has 6 G, 1 A in 4 games
*Pinto has points in all 4 games and multiple points in three of them.
*Adam Scheel has a 0.33 GAA and is 3-0-0
*Collin Adams has 6 pts (2 G, 4 A)
*UND is 22-1-0 at home the past two seasons and has won 24 of its last 25 home games, dating back to 2018-19.
THE RACE FOR THE PENROSE
Two wins would give North Dakota its unprecedented fourth NCHC Penrose Cup and second straight. Here's a look at the race coming down to the last handful of games.
Team Pts Best Gm left
North Dakota 44 56 4
St. Cloud St. 40 49 3
Minn. Duluth 39 48 3
Omaha 38 50 4
PENROSE RIGHTS
North Dakota won its third Penrose Cup last season and looks to win it in back-to-back seasons twice. All-time Penrose Cup (NCHC regular season champ) winners below
2020 North Dakota
2019 St. Cloud State
2018 St. Cloud State
2017 Denver
2016 North Dakota
2015 North Dakota
2014 St. Cloud State
SCHEEL STANDARD
Scheel's career 2.03 goals against average currently ranks at the top of UND's record books for lowest GAA in a career. He sits well in front of leaders Cam Johnson and Zane McIntyre (2.10). His save percentage (.912) is just outside the top five in the UND record books.
STAT STREAKS
A couple UND players are carrying consecutive goal streaks into Friday's series finale against Omaha:
Pinto 6 games
Weatherby 4 games
18 WHEELER
Senior Jordan Kawaguchi leads the NCHC in assists with 18 after his recent stretch that has seen him log seven assists in his last seven games.
POWER PLAY PROFICIENCY
North Dakota's power play has operated at a 22.5 percent (20/89) efficiency so far this season, second-best in the NCHC. UND has a power-play goal in 17 of 20 games this season.
PINTO POINTS
Shane Pinto eclipsed the 50-point plateau in the last series at Omaha and now has 54 career points in 53 games played.
SCORE FIRST AND SCORE FOUR TIMES
North Dakota is 14-0-0 when it scores first this season, but took its first loss of the season in its last game against Omaha in games in which it scores four goals, a 5-4 setback at Omaha (10-1-0).
SUNDAY SIX
In an unusual season, North Dakota has wound up playing a bulk of its games on Sundays this season. The Fighting Hawks have played six Sunday games this season, going 5-1-0.
FINISH ON FRIDAYS
UND's last series vs Denver featured just the third Friday game for UND this season (3-0-0) but the Fighting Hawks will close with three of its final four regular season games on Friday.
THOME TIME
Senior Peter Thome got his first start last Saturday against Denver since Dec. 12. The Blue Jackets prospect made the most of his time, stopping 18 of 20 shots for his second win of the season (2-1-0).
