GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- It all comes down to this now, doesn't it?

One or two more games on the docket for the UND Fighting Hawks' hockey team, or three or four, or five or six, before the season comes to an end.

It's playoff time in full swing, where a bounce of the puck, a clank off a goal post, or a deflection goal can spell the difference between moving on to the next round or packing away the gear until next season.

What we have learned in this process is that the Fighting Hawks earned the right to advance in this game of win-or-go home with two inspired performances last weekend in sweeping the best-of-3 NCHC series on the road in Omaha in two games.

With a pair of 3-2 victories, UND earned the right to move on to St. Paul this weekend and a matchup with league champion Western Michigan Friday night, the Broncos a team that has beaten UND in three of four games this season.

But none of that matters now. 

If UND beats Western Michigan Friday night, it will play either Denver or Arizona State Saturday night for the post-season league title and a berth in the NCAA Regional in Fargo, where a huge North Dakota fan turnout would greet the Fighting Hawks.

After watching the games last weekend, it is not a stretch for me to think that anything is possible with this hockey team.

UND came from behind in both games to knock out Omaha, and it came in some improbable fashion.

Who would have guessed that of the six goals UND scored in the two games, three of them would come from freshman Cade Littler, who had just 4 goals in 30 previous games for UND in his rookie season?

Or who would believe that UND would be outshot 17-0 by Omaha in the third period of the first game, and yet win? It has been at least 25 years since UND went an entire period without a single shot on goal. This team did, and still won.

It wasn't the usual big offensive guns like Dylan James, Cameron Berg or Ben Strinden, proven veterans who had usually been among the scoring leaders, who carried the team to this impressive road sweep.

Even in the second night of the series, the winning goal was delivered by freshman defenseman Jayden Jubenvill, whose second goal of the season put the Hawks on the road to St. Paul. A brilliant drop pass from outstanding freshman Sacha Boisvert to Jubenvill capped a beautiful three-way passing play for the key goal.

If nothing else, those wins, and the way they came about, will send UND to St. Paul knowing it can rally in big games and win. And that contributions from players not proven as key scorers, can make the difference for this team. The confidence level should be high, even against league champion Western Michigan.

A hot goalie can carry a team as well, and UND has that with T.J. Semptimphelter providing inspired goaltending against Omaha.

So now the season for UND is down this. Win and move on to Saturday, and win again then and move on to the NCAA tournament.

Can this team do that? I know they believe they can, and far be it for me to doubt them.

Two wins this weekend looks to be the only way UND can make the 16-team NCAA Tournament field, qualifying with two wins as the league post-season champion.

Who'll step up and be the heroes this weekend for UND?

I don't know, but like the rest of you fans, I can't wait to find out.

Virg Foss covered UND hockey for 36 seasons for the Grand Forks Herald until his retirement from the newspaper in 2005. He now writes a weekly hockey column exclusively for UND Athletic Communications. He can be reached at virgfoss@yahoo.com.