UND, Minnesota working to schedule future hockey games
Oct. 17—GRAND FORKS — One of college hockey's fiercest rivalries will return to Grand Forks this weekend.
North Dakota and Minnesota are scheduled to meet at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
It is the final series under the current contract between the teams.
There will be a pause in the rivalry after that. The teams will not play during the 2024-25 regular season.
UND has filled next season's nonconference slate with two-game series against Boston University (home), Bemidji State (home/road), Robert Morris (home), Minnesota State-Mankato (road) and Cornell (road). It also will play in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game against Providence in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
But the break in the North Dakota-Minnesota rivalry might be brief.
Both sides have publicly expressed confidence a new agreement would come.
According to Herald sources, the sides have been discussing a multi-year deal beginning in 2025-26.
Nothing has been signed or finalized yet. But all indications are that future rivalry games will soon be back on the books.
Scheduling used to be easy.
For years, UND and Minnesota were both in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, assured of two or four regular-season games.
But in 2013-14, Minnesota moved into the Big Ten and UND to the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.
There were no regular-season meetings for the first three years under the new leagues. They did meet in the 2014 NCAA Frozen Four.
In 2016-17, the rivalry was renewed with a series at Mariucci Arena. They've played every year since then — except for the pandemic-altered 2020-21 season, when nonconference games were wiped out across college hockey.
The schools first met on Jan. 23, 1948 in Grand Forks.
Since then, the only years they have not played have been 2014-15, 2015-16 and 2020-21. UND won the NCHC's Penrose Cup in all of those years.
Unless they meet in the NCAA tournament, next season will be No. 4.
UND has lined up eight of 10 nonconference games for 2025-26. The Fighting Hawks are set to play series against Bemidji State (home/road), Mercyhurst (home), St. Thomas (home) and Clarkson (road). That means UND is holding the last spot open for the Gopher series.
In 2026-27, UND has scheduled six of 10 nonconference games — Bemidji State (home/road), Clarkson (home) and St. Thomas (road). There are slots open for two more nonconference series that year.
When: 7:07 p.m. Friday, 6:07 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Ralph Engelstad Arena.
TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD).
Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).
Stream: NCHChockey.com.
