TEMPE, Ariz. — It always feels like a sprint, even though the college men’s hockey calendar is basically the longest of any college sport (I think baseball might be close).
Either way, 34 down, and no more than two more are guaranteed for either of these teams. As noted this week, only Western Michigan and Denver out of the NCHC can go into this weekend knowing they will play again after this quarterfinal round is complete. Both are in the NCAA Tournament. No one else in the league is, to the point that if the Broncos or Pioneers win the league title next weekend in St. Paul, there’s a very good chance the NCHC will put only two in the NCAA Tournament for the first time ever.
Arizona State and North Dakota are close, but both need to win this weekend and probably at least once next weekend before they are on the right side of the bubble.
UMD makes only one change from Saturday’s lineup in St. Cloud, as Matthew Perkins draws in on the fourth line for Kyle Bettens. Will Francis will play consecutive games for the first time since he played the last seven games of the 2022-23 season.
Adam Gajan vs Luke Pavicich.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Menghini – James – Bentz
Plante (Max) – Plante (Zam) – Shaugabay
Molenaar – Smith – Loney
Perkins – Arnott – Bechen
UMD defense
Pionk – Kleber
Hanson – Dubinsky
Gallatin – Pierce
Francis
UMD goalies
Gajan – Knapp – Sandy
Arizona State forwards
Kirwan – Shlaine – Lucius
Sillinger – Potter – Schimek
Smolen – Jackson (Ty) – Jackson (Dylan)
Ness – Alexander – Schoen
Arizona State defense
Beck – Dowd
Boser – Court
Murchison – Kjellberg
Szmagaj
Arizona State goalies
Pavicich – Homer – Brice
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