For the pregame interview you’ll hear if you #ListenToTheRadio at around 6:50, I always like to ask UMD coach Scott Sandelin for a few keys to success for his team against whatever adversary it faces for a particular weekend.
Listen closely, and Sandelin offers some cool Xs and Os hockey insight that will help you be a smarter fan when you watch the games.
But for this weekend, “Stay out of the box” is likely to be top of mind for the veteran coach.
Denver enters this weekend with the nation’s No. 1 power play, clicking at an insane 32.5 percent. The gap between DU in the top spot and second place UMass-Amherst (29.6 percent) is basically the same as the gap between UMass and No. 9 Arizona State (26.8 percent).
Not that we want to encourage the home team this weekend to take a boatload of penalties, but UMD’s kill has been going as of late. Adam Krause’s killers (they should make shirts) are at 84 percent (21-for-25) over the last eight games dating back to Dec. 7.
For UMD, senior forward Carter Loney is back after missing last weekend. Freshman Harper Bentz is not. UMD will go with 13 forwards. Adam Gajan is dressing for the first time since the Miami game Nov. 16. He is the third goalie.
Klayton Knapp vs (we presume) Matt Davis.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Menghini – James – Bechen
Plante (Max) – Plante (Zam) – Shaugabay
Molenaar – Smith – Bettens
Perkins – Arnott – Loney
Fischer
UMD defense
Pionk – Dubinsky
Kleber – Gallatin
Hanson – Pierce
UMD goalies
Knapp – Sandy
Denver forwards
Thompson – King – Devine
Harris – Salminen – Reeder
Lorenz – Cebrian – Wright
Fisher – Caponi – Burrows
Denver defense
Buium – Anderson
Buckberger – Pohlkamp
Ashcroft – Brown
Pitner
Denver goalies
Halyk – Davis
(Denver lists its goalies in numerical order. We believe Davis is starting.)
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