The UMD men’s hockey team has automatically advanced to the second round of the NCAA Tournament.
About three hours before the scheduled faceoff of UMD’s first-round game against Michigan, we received word that a positive COVID-19 test (or multiple tests) among the University of Michigan’s travel party has forced the Wolverines to withdraw from the tournament.
Here is a statement from the NCAA men’s hockey selection committee:
“The NCAA and the Division I Men’s Ice Hockey Committee regret that, because of COVID-19 protocols, Michigan’s student-athletes and coaching staff will not be able to compete in a tournament in which they earned the right to participate. The Michigan-Minnesota Duluth game scheduled for this afternoon at Scheels Arena in Fargo, North Dakota, will now be considered a no-contest, and therefore, Minnesota Duluth will advance to the next round of the tournament. This decision was made in consultation with Fargo Cass Public Health. Because of privacy issues, we cannot provide further details.”
Michigan head coach Mel Pearson offered a statement:
“I’m devastated for these players. These student-athletes have done a wonderful job all year of making sacrifices to get to this point of the year. It’s unfortunate. I don’t completely understand the final decision but I have to respect it.
“They’ve given so much and to get this opportunity taken away from them, it’s hard to swallow. I know it’s just a game, but it’s extremely important to these young men. It’s two years in a row now we’ve been denied an opportunity to compete in the national championship. It (hasn’t) quite sunk in yet.”
It is not known the number of people in the Michigan travel party who tested positive, but the Wolverines did clear testing upon arrival in Fargo. They were permitted to practice Thursday, and all seemed to be a go for the game until this bombshell of a revelation.
As a result, UMD will play in the regional final Saturday evening in Fargo. The Bulldogs will face the winner of the American International-North Dakota game, which starts at 7:30pm Friday, one hour earlier than initially scheduled. Saturday’s game starts at 6:30pm, and we will have the game on KDAL AM 610 and FM 103.9, with coverage starting at 6pm. It can be streamed for free at kdal610.com or via the KDAL mobile app.
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