North Dakota Eyes Season Sweep Against Rival St. Cloud State

#16 NORTH DAKOTA TRAVELS TO ST. CLOUD TO BATTLE THE HUSKIES THIS WEEKEND.

GRAND FORKS, N.D. (KVRR) –After a week off, North Dakota (12-10-1, 7-5)  returns to the ice this weekend to battle St. Cloud State (11-13, 4-10). NoDak is ranked number 16 coming in according to the most recent USCHO poll, while the Huskies come in unranked.

North Dakota currently sits at 7-5 in NCHC play, which slots them in 5th place heading into this weekend. With just 12 games to go in the regular season, every series and every game is that much more important.

“We kind of put ourselves in a spot that is not perfect,” said senior forward Jake Schmaltz. “We’re trying to look at every single game as an opportunity to keep building towards the end of the year. So, you said it, just not looking too far ahead, but just looking at this next game, that’s the most important one for us.”

In mid-December, UND defeated St. Cloud State in the Ralph with a 2-0 win on Friday night and a 4-3 overtime win on Saturday. In addition to the sweep, there was plenty of back and forth between not only the players, but the coaches of these two rivals. This weekend in St. Cloud is shaping up to be yet another entertaining series.

“Discipline is going to be huge,” said head coach Brad Berry. “I think you’ve got to reflect back on the intensity, but there’s got to be a huge commitment to discipline in all regards as far as how we play. I firmly believe it’s getting to that edge without going over collectively as a team.”

Both these teams are hungry and in need of a win. UND is losers of two in a row. St. Cloud State is losers of six in a row.

Puck drop Friday night for Game 1 is 7.30 p.m. Game 2, Saturday night, 6 p.m.