Rink Report: UND Expects Another Tough Matchup Against Union

16 Union players have scored goals this season

GRAND FORKS, N.D. —Union and North Dakota hockey matched up for the first time in Division I history last year. The Fighting Hawks scored within the first 11 seconds of the contest before going on to win it 3-1.

Despite the victory, the Hawks remember the Dutchmen being a very tough opponent, and few things have changed since then. Sixteen players on the Union roster have scored goals this season, so the Hawks are preparing to face a stacked roster.

“They’re a top team, Head Coach Brad Berry said. “They were last year and from the video that we’ve watched they play the game very similar to how they played last year. And this is a Union team here that we had a lot of trouble with last year. We had to have everybody on board, all hands on deck to squeeze that win out and we have to make sure we have everybody playing their A-game here this weekend.”

“It was a really big game for us last year, Forward Shane Gersich said. “It was huge for us pair wise. They were, I think a top five team at the time, and we accepted the challenge and played really well and obviously got a huge win out of it. I think we’re looking forward to the challenger here against Union.”

In addition to Union’s talent and depth, UND also expects the Dutchmen to seek revenge after last year’s contest.

“It was a tough game there, we were lucky enough to get a win,” Defenseman Christian Wolanin said. “Now they probably have revenge on their mind and they’re going to try and come do the same thing we did in their rink.”

The first game of the series is at 7:37 p.m. at the Ralph Engelstad Arena.