CC hockey travels to face No. 3 North Dakota on five-game skid
Actual fan noise will be part of the experience this weekend as No. 3 North Dakota hosts a Colorado College team looking for a break, having dropped five straight games.
North Dakota will host its first series of the season in its own building Saturday and Sunday. Up to 3,000 (25% capacity) fans are allowed in Ralph Engelstad Arena. Masks will be required at all times for staff and fans with exceptions for eating and drinking.
The Tigers haven’t been in an arena with fans yet in 2020-21.
“I think it’ll be nice to have some energy in the building. I think the guys will be excited to play in front of some fans,” coach Mike Haviland said.
“That’s a tough building to go into and play. But our guys feel good about themselves still, because we feel that we’re that close and feel that games could have gone either way here the last couple of weeks.”
The West Division of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference looked like a buzzsaw from the outset with the three teams besides CC ranked in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll. The Tigers started 2021 with a win, then lost to Denver on the road. Sweeps at the hands of North Dakota and Omaha followed. The three most recent losses were by one goal.
The Tigers (3-9-2) have 10 games left in the regular season, only two of which are at home. They need to start stealing some wins.
“We believe we’re close. I know there’s no outcome for close, but we believe a lot of those scores could have been the other way,” Haviland said.
“They’re in good spirits still. Everybody’s frustrated – they want to win.”
Notes: Haviland said team captain Grant Cruikshank, still recovering from appendicitis, won’t be available this weekend. … Forward Matthew Gleason, who joined the team after playing 13 games in the USHL, won’t be available until the school’s second term and also will not play this weekend. … UND senior Grant Mismash, who has enjoyed a productive career against Colorado College, will be suspended for the Saturday game. The discipline stems from an illegal hit against Denver on Jan. 18.