GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- At this time of the season, late March, the hockey season breaks down to just four words as the four NCAA Regional tournaments featuring 16 teams kick off this week, beginning on Thursday.
And those four words? "Win or go home.''
No more two-game sets against the same team as in the regular season. No more taking a loss in the conference post-season playoffs and still advancing to the NCAA tournament.
With eight NCAA regional games on tap this Thursday and Friday, all eight of those games will find the losers packing away their gear until next season. By the time this week ends with regional title games in Colorado and New York on Sunday, there will be just four teams left standing to advance to the Frozen Four in Nevada beginning April 9.
Of course the focus here is on the local team, the Fighting Hawks from North Dakota U.
The Hawks draw Merrimack on Thursday in Sioux Falls. Merrimack finished eighth in its conference before knocking off three higher seeds on an amazing tourney run to claim its spot in the Frozen Four.
Merrimack gave up just three goals in those final three games, sending a warning on to North Dakota that goals may be at a premium when those teams meet on Thursday.
A red-hot goalie can carry a team a long way in the playoffs, and Merrimack certainly has that in spades in sophomore Max Lundgren.
But North Dakota's own freshman goalie, Jan Spunar, has proven his ability to respond with big games, so that will be something to watch come Thursday.
The unknown factor leading into that game is will the fans influence the outcome, with a big backing? No school has a fan base that travels better than North Dakota, so it's a good bet that the Hawks will have a huge edge in fan support in the Sioux Falls Regional.
Unlike perhaps some other NCAA title-contending teams from UND, this team does not rely on a player or two to carry the offense, like Brock Boeser and Drake Caqgiula certainly did when UND last won the nationals in 2016.
This team is noted for its balance, from goaltending, to defense, to scoring. There are outstanding players at all three positions, most certainly, and any one individual or position group is as likely to lead the way as any other.
In a sense, that's what makes this team difficult to play again, to prepare for.
The fourth line on the depth chart is nearly as likely to lead the team in scoring as the so-called first line, so it is difficult for an opponent to match lines with North Dakota.
And with UND being the No 1 seed in the regional, the Hawks have the right to make the last line change throughout the regional, another plus in UND's favor.
UND hasn't played since losing 5-1 at home to Minnesota Duluth in the NCHC semifinals, so how that long layoff will play into UND's performance in Sioux Falls remains to be seen.
But UND earned that No. 1 seed for a reason, winning the nation's toughest conference, the NCHC. It is a league that put four teams into the NCAA tournament, all four of them legitimate national title contenders.
But first things first for the Hawks. Take care of upset-minded Merrimack on Thursday, and then another Frozen Four would be just one more win away.
And I, for one, have every confidence this team can get the job done in Sioux Falls.
Virg Foss has covered UND hockey for 56 years, first for the Grand Forks Herald until 2005, and since then for UND Athletic Communications. He can be reached at virgfoss@yahoo.com.
