The Fighting Hawks played the entire tournament without senior forward Grant Mismash, who has averaged a point per game this season. They played the final two games without junior defenseman Jacob Bernard-Docker, the league's defensive defenseman of the year. And they played the championship without junior alternate captain Mark Senden, an all-situation player.
UND coach Brad Berry isn't revealing his lineup or tipping his hand heading into the NCAA tournament, but he indicated Monday afternoon that reinforcements are coming.
"I'm probably not going to mention names," Berry said, "but I'll tell you with 100 percent certainty, we'll have a full lineup or very, very, very close to a full lineup for Friday night."
That would be big for 21-5-1 UND, which earned the NCAA tournament's No. 1 overall seed and will open the regional against Atlantic Hockey champion American International (15-3) at 8:30 p.m. Friday in Fargo's Scheels Arena.
Mismash (upper body) hasn't played since Feb. 12 against Denver, missing the last eight games. His absence has created a hole on the top line with seniors Collin Adams and Jordan Kawaguchi. The third player on that unit has rotated during Mismash's absence, and the coaching staff has even moved Kawaguchi back-and-forth between left and right wing.
Bernard-Docker (upper body) was injured in the third period of an NCHC quarterfinal game against Miami. He sat out the semifinals and championship game. At the time of his injury, Bernard-Docker was at the top of his game. Since Jan. 30, he has more points than any other defenseman in the nation (11 points in eight games). UND is 10-1 this season when it has had its full defensive unit available.
Senden (upper body) suffered an injury during the second period of UND's semifinal win over Denver. Senden, a forward, has long been key to UND's penalty kill, but his role increased during the second half of this season as Berry added him to the team's second power-play unit, too.
UND set to travel Tuesday
The Fighting Hawks will make the trip to Fargo on Tuesday afternoon -- far earlier than they would in a normal season -- to go through COVID-19 testing protocol.
Berry said UND will practice in Grand Forks one final time Tuesday morning before heading to Fargo.
"We'll have a morning practice, then we'll hop on a bus," Berry said. "We'll drop our gear off and check in at the Scheels Arena. Then, we'll have a COVID test with our whole team and staff (Tuesday) afternoon. Then, Wednesday is another test. You have to have two negative tests before you can enter the arena and practice. That will consistent of Wednesday testing, then quarantining in the hotel area there, and then Thursday practice and Friday game."
The regional experience will be much different than past years.
Thursday's practices, which are usually open to the public, will be closed to both the public and media. Thursday's press conferences will all be conducted online.
But that stuff doesn't seem to matter much to UND, which had its opportunity to play in the NCAA tournament a year ago taken away by the coronavirus pandemic.
"Our guys are truly excited about getting onto the next step of the playoffs," Berry said.
"close" - Google News
March 23, 2021 at 04:43AM
https://ift.tt/3vTyXKK
UND coach Brad Berry expects to have 'very close to a full lineup' for NCAA regional - Grand Forks Herald
"close" - Google News
https://ift.tt/2QTYm3D
https://ift.tt/3d2SYUY
Bagikan Berita Ini
0 Response to "UND coach Brad Berry expects to have 'very close to a full lineup' for NCAA regional - Grand Forks Herald"
Post a Comment