UND's 2024-25 men's hockey schedule is set
Apr. 23—GRAND FORKS — Ever since the National Collegiate Hockey Conference announced Arizona State is joining the league, teams have been crossing their fingers for trips to the desert in January or February.
In Year 1, UND hit the jackpot.
The Fighting Hawks will visit Mullett Arena in Tempe, Ariz., on Jan. 10-11.
That's one of several highlights in UND's 2024-25 schedule, which was released Tuesday afternoon.
In the regular season, UND will play 18 home games and 17 road games.
It begins with the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game against Providence — a matchup that should feature some of the best freshman players in the country. Providence will bring in two potential first-round picks in forwards Trevor Connelly and John Mustard. UND is bringing in Sacha Boisvert and Mac Swanson up front and E.J. Emery on the back end.
UND also will host Boston University, which has gone to back-to-back NCAA Frozen Fours, in October, and Robert Morris in November.
The Fighting Hawks play road nonconference at Minnesota State and Cornell. The Cornell series was originally scheduled for 2020-21, but was backed up due to the coronavirus pandemic.
UND takes on defending Central Collegiate Hockey Association champ Bemidji State on Nov. 29-30. The series opener will be played in Bemidji's Sanford Center. The series finale will be played in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
UND will begin its quest for a fifth NCHC Penrose Cup in six years on Nov. 8-9 with a road series at Minnesota Duluth. It hosts defending national champion Denver the following weekend.
Due to the addition of a ninth NCHC member, there are now two road trips UND doesn't make each season, and two teams that don't come to Grand Forks.
In 2024-25, UND doesn't go to Colorado College or Omaha. Under the old scheduling format, UND played Omaha home and road every season. This will be the first time since 2011-12 that UND doesn't visit Omaha.
Miami and Arizona State don't come to Grand Forks in 2024-25.
Next season will be the last in which the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals and championship will be played at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Beginning in 2025-26, it will move strictly to home sites of the higher seed.
If UND returns to the NCAA tournament in 2025, it won't have to go far for the regional. Fargo's Scheels Arena is one of the sites. Because UND is the host, it will automatically be placed in Fargo if it qualifies.
The NCAA Frozen Four is in St. Louis for the first time since 2007. UND reached the Frozen Four that year, but lost to Boston College in the semifinals.
Oct. 5 — AUGUSTANA (exhibition)
Oct. 12 — PROVIDENCE (U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game)
Oct. 18-19 — at Minnesota State
Oct. 25-26 — BOSTON UNIVERSITY
Nov. 1-2 — at Cornell
Nov. 8-9 — at Minnesota Duluth
Nov. 15-16 — DENVER
Nov. 22-23 — ROBERT MORRIS
Nov. 29-30 — at Bemidji State/BEMIDJI STATE
Dec. 6-7 — at Miami
Dec. 13-14 — ST. CLOUD STATE
Jan. 4 — MANITOBA (exhibition)
Jan. 10-11 — at Arizona State
Jan. 17-18 — WESTERN MICHIGAN
Jan. 31-Feb. 1 — at St. Cloud State
Feb. 7-8 — COLORADO COLLEGE
Feb. 14-15 — at Denver
Feb. 21-22 — MINNESOTA DULUTH
Feb. 28-March 1 — at Western Michigan
March 7-8 — OMAHA
March 12 — NCHC play-in game (at site of No. 1 seed)
March 14-16 — NCHC quarterfinals (site of higher seed)
March 21-22 — NCHC Frozen Faceoff (Xcel Energy Center, St. Paul, Minn.)
March 27-30 — NCAA regionals (Fargo, Toledo, Allentown, Manchester)
April 10-12 — NCAA Frozen Four (St. Louis)
