GRAND FORKS, N.D. — It’s hard to believe that UMD, once 4-4 in the NCHC, now sits in seventh place in the conference. Especially when you look at the preponderance of the evidence provided this season, which has shown UMD largely competitive against some very good teams. No better example than the Denver weekend, where UMD had third period leads in both games and came away with a pair of overtime losses to show for all that hard work against what is legitimately one of the best teams in the country.
A lack of scoring, which is as much an issue with a lack of shooting as it is anything else, has plagued UMD, keeping the Bulldogs from extending leads or erasing them. Faceoff losses have piled up in key situations, causing players to be fatigued while chasing the puck instead of being the initiators and possessing it.
(On that last part, look no further than the third period Friday, where North Dakota won 11 of 15 faceoffs. Omaha won 13 of 24 in the third last Saturday, but won a bunch down the stretch as it turned a tight 2-1 game into a point-and-laugh 6-1 final.)
UMD is 4-7 in one-goal games (or games with late empty netters like Friday), which just underscores the slim margin for error in this league, this sport.
Look for more of a shot mentality in this rematch from UMD. The Bulldogs need to get pucks to the net and create havoc in front of the UND goal. It was a must on Friday, largely did not happen, and well…
Jack Smith returns for UMD, which dresses 13 forwards by choice in a rarity this season. Joey Pierce will be scratched on the back end. Zach Stejskal starts in goal. UND swapped Griffin Ness for Jackson Kunz on the fourth line and did some shuffling there.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Steeves – James – Loheit
Olson – Loney – Bettens
Mylymok – Jacques – Laderoute
Howard – Spicer – Johnson
Smith
UMD defense
Kaiser – Gotz
Daschke – Dubinsky
Gallatin – Francis
UMD goalies
Stejskal – Thiessen
North Dakota forwards
Hain – Senden – Caulfield
Blake – Jamernik V – Gaber
McLaughlin – Strinden – James
Portz – Ness – Albrecht
Costantini
North Dakota defense
Kleven – Frisch
Jandric – Sidorski
Moore – Farmer
North Dakota goalies
DeRidder – Hallsten – Johnson
