Denver Awaits UMD Men’s Hockey in NCHC Frozen Faceoff Semi-Finals

The two teams split their season series with each squad getting a road win over the other.

DULUTH, Minn. – The UMD men’s hockey team is in the final four of the NCHC Tournament as the Bulldogs will take part in the Frozen Faceoff semi-finals for the sixth straight year.

Waiting for them will be top seed Denver. These two teams split their season series with each squad getting a road win over the other.

“I think if we can play well like we did in the two games that we won, we’re gonna be fine. But we got to have that mentality that it’s gonna be a tough game and it’s gonna be two good teams going at it. So we just got to come out and be ready to play and do all the things that we need to do to succeed,” said senior forward Koby Bender.

All four teams remaining, including UMD, are virtual locks to make it to the NCAA tournament. But that doesn’t mean the Bulldogs aren’t interested in taking home the NCHC Tournament trophy.

“I think we got to look at just the semifinal on Friday ahead of us and then whatever happens there, we can look towards Saturday. And then next week, we’ll tackle next week with whoever we draw for the tournament. But obviously, that’s the big goal at the end of the year. But right now we have a different one ahead of us and I think we just got to keep our mind on that one,” said senior goaltender Ryan Fanti.

“We’ve talked about it the last two days because it’s certainly a concern. It’s certainly a concern. I think last week our preparation was good and this week, I felt maybe less of that. It’s an opportunity to play for your conference playoff tournament championship. It is a championship. It’s a great prelude to the next weekend. But you can’t be looking past this weekend,” head coach Scott Sandelin said.

Puck drop Friday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul is scheduled for 4:07 p.m.