Limited West Regional ticket packages on sale Friday

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – The University of North Dakota announced today that a limited number of 2017 NCAA Division I Men’s Ice Hockey West Regional ticket packages will go on sale to the public on Friday, March 10 at 2 p.m. Central. 

In addition to the tickets, admission to the fan fest event, to be held in the Farmers Union rink connected to SCHEELS Arena, are also available for those who purchase tickets to the tournament.

The ticket packages are standing room-only behind the north goal of SCHEELS Arena and are priced at $94. Reserved seats are not assigned to these tickets. Tickets can be purchased online only at the following link: http://www.etix.com/ticket/k/9266586/2017-ncaa-di-mens-ice-hockey-west-regional-tournament-fargo-scheels-arena. In-person sales will not be conducted. 

Ticket packages include both semi-final games on Friday, March 24, and the regional final on Saturday, March 25. The limit is four ticket packages per transaction. 

Admission into the fan fest event, which will feature the sale of food and adult beverages along with a projection screen to show other regional games, will also be available for $20 within the buying experience. The fan fest will open 90 minutes before the first game of each day and will remain open 60 minutes after the conclusion of the final game(s) of each day. The fan fest will also be open between semi-final games on Friday, March 24. Only those of age will be allowed to enter the fan fest.  In order to be admitted into the fan fest, a tournament ticket package must be purchased to gain access into SCHEELS Arena.

There is a chance more tickets become available the week of the tournament. 

The NCAA, in conjunction with ESPN, will assign the game times on Sunday, March 19. 

UND's Poolman & Gersich recognized by NCHC

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – University of North Dakota junior defenseman Tucker Poolman was named to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference’s (NCHC) All-NCHC First Team on Wednesday, while sophomore forward Shane Gersich was named an All-NCHC Honorable Mention.

Poolman has seven goals and a team-leading 21 assists in 34 games this season, tying him for third among NCHC defensemen in scoring with 28 points. The East Grand Forks, Minn., native had four goals and 14 assists in 24 conference games and was a two-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week.

Gersich led the NCHC in goals during conference play with 14 in 24 NCHC games. A product of Chaska, Minn., Gersich has 19 goals and 15 assists in 35 games this season overall for a team-leading 34 points. He and Poolman are tied for the team lead with a plus-16 rating.

The NCHC will announce its individual award finalists on Thursday. Individual award winners will be announced at the NCHC Awards Celebration in Minneapolis on Thursday, March 16.

Poolman, Gersich, and the Fighting Hawks will host St. Cloud State in the NCHC Quarterfinals March 10-12 at Ralph Engelstad Arena. The series winner advances to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff March 17-18 at Target Center in Minneapolis.

2016-17 All-NCHC First Team
F: Alex Iafallo, Minnesota Duluth

F: Anthony Louis, Miami

F: Austin Ortega, Omaha

D: Will Butcher, Denver

D:Tucker Poolman, North Dakota

G: Tanner Jaillet, Denver

2016-17 All-NCHC Second Team
F: Henrik Borgström, Denver

F: Dylan Gambrell, Denver

F: Sheldon Dries, Western Michigan

D: Neal Pionk, Minnesota Duluth

D: Luc Snuggerud, Omaha

G: Hunter Miska, Minnesota Duluth

2016-17 All-NCHC Honorable Mention
F: Troy Terry, Denver

F: Shane Gersich, North Dakota

F: Mikey Eyssimont, St. Cloud State

D: Louie Belpedio, Miami

D: Jimmy Schuldt, St. Cloud State

G: Ben Blacker, Western Michigan

College Hockey Polls

GRAND FORKS, N.D. – When the top-ranked University of North Dakota opens National Collegiate Hockey Conference (NCHC) play this week, it’ll do so against the second-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs according to both national men’s hockey polls released on Monday.

North Dakota (5-0-0) was the unanimous No. 1 in both the USCHO and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls, while the Bulldogs (3-1-2) stayed at No. 2 in both. When UND travels to UMD on Friday and Saturday, it will mark the first time since Oct. 2000 vs. Michigan that UND will be USCHO’s top-ranked team facing its No. 2-ranked team.

The Denver Pioneers made it an NCHC sweep in the top three in both polls this week.

The Fighting Hawks are coming off of a non-conference sweep of Bemidji State last weekend, giving UND its first 5-0 start since 2002-03.

USCHO.com Division I Men’s Poll

Rk.      School (1st-place votes)         Record           Pts.         PR

1.         North Dakota (50)                       5-0-0         1000            1

2.         Minnesota Duluth                              3-1-2            905            2

3.         Denver                                               4-2-0            845            6

4.         Boston University                             3-2-0            785            8

5.         Massachusetts-Lowell                      3-1-2            746            5

6.         Quinnipiac                                          3-2-1            725            4

7.         Notre Dame                                       3-2-1            686            3

8.         Boston College                                 4-2-0            641          10

9.         Minnesota State                                5-1-0            605            9

10.       St. Cloud State                                  2-2-0            499          14

11.       Michigan                                            3-1-1            484          11

12.       Minnesota                                          2-2-0            412            7

13.       Harvard                                              0-0-0            374          13

14.       Providence                                         2-2-1            320          15

15.       Ohio State                                          3-0-2            302          19

16.       Northeastern                                     3-1-2            254          17

17.       Yale                                                    0-0-0            207          16

18.       St. Lawrence                                      3-3-0            173          12

19.       Penn State                                          3-1-1            129         NR

20.       Bemidji State                                     4-2-0            122          18

Others receiving votes: Western Michigan 73, Miami 69, Lake Superior State 44, Clarkson 33, Cornell 15, Air Force 12, Maine 9, Omaha 9, Union 8, Wisconsin 6, Connecticut 3, Vermont 3, Dartmouth 1, Michigan Tech 1.

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Poll

Rk.      School (1st-place votes)         Record           Pts.         PR

1.         North Dakota (34)                       5-0-0           510            1

2.         Minnesota Duluth                              3-1-2            462            2

3.         Denver                                               4-2-0            417            6

4.         Boston University                             3-2-0            377            8

5.         Massachusetts-Lowell                      3-1-2            355            5

6.         Notre Dame                                       3-2-1            325            4

7.         Quinnipiac                                          3-2-1            299            3

8.         Boston College                                 4-2-0            239          10

9.         Minnesota State                                5-1-0            198            9

10.       St. Cloud State                                  2-2-0            186          14

11.       Michigan                                            3-1-1            178          12

12.       Minnesota                                          2-2-0            124            7

13.       Harvard                                              0-0-0            100          11

14.       Ohio State                                          3-0-2              84         NR

15.       Providence                                         2-2-1              69          15

Others receiving votes: Northeastern 50, Penn State 37, Lake Superior State 16, Yale 14, St. Lawrence 13, Union 7, Bemidji State 5, Connecticut 5, Western Michigan 5, Michigan Tech 4, Clarkson 1.