grandforksherald
AUSTIN, Texas — When a UND hockey player was asked earlier this week if he was excited to travel to Austin for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game, his response was straightforward: "I'm excited to play a game again." The sentiment is understandable, as it has been eight days since UND's two losses at Minnesota, and the schedule ahead offers no easy matchups.
The first challenge comes against No. 4 Michigan State at 7:07 p.m. at H-E-B Center in Cedar Park. The game will feature the highest number of NHL first-round picks ever to play in a college hockey game, adding another layer of intrigue to an already anticipated event.
"We're not afraid to play big games," UND general manager Bryn Chyzyk said. "They test our group and they make us better in the end. Any chance we can play another perennial program like Michigan State, kind of go toe-to-toe, we'll take that every time."
Michigan State coach Adam Nightingale echoed that sentiment on his weekly radio show. "You want to try to find some things out about (your team)," Nightingale said. "It's not just trying to schedule something easy so you can feel good about yourself. You're going to trip sometimes and lose a game but you're going to look at some areas and say, 'These are things we can't do if we want to try to win hockey games.'"
The two programs share notable similarities. Both are young, especially on the blue line. UND has the youngest defensive corps in the country, while Michigan State ranks third-youngest. Both teams also boast game-breakers up front. UND's Cole Reschny, Will Zellers and Hudson Malinoski are each averaging a point per game, as are Michigan State's Anthony Romani, Ryker Lee and Eric Nilsson.
"They've got a lot of guys who can skate and make plays," UND coach Dane Jackson said. "You've got to be really diligent with your puck management. You've got to stay out of the penalty box, because their power play, when you have that many of these skilled guys, is dangerous."
Michigan State's power play ranks second nationally at 38.1%, while UND's is fourth at 34.6%. "When I look at their roster, I think we're pretty similar, where it's about depth," Nightingale said. "They have depth at every position. They have really good goaltending. They play an in-your-face, physical brand. This is exactly what we want. This is a great test for our guys."
Both teams are coming off challenging weekends. UND dropped two games at Minnesota, while Michigan State split at New Hampshire and was heavily outshot in the series opener. "I don't think anyone will ever understand — especially even moreso now with the rules changes and the amount of players who can play college hockey — how hard college hockey is," Nightingale said.
UND has played several destination games over the past 15 years, beginning with a matchup against Clarkson in Winnipeg. The program has also played an outdoor game against Omaha at the home of the College World Series, a game against Boston College at Madison Square Garden, and contests in Nashville (vs. Penn State) and Las Vegas (vs. Minnesota and Arizona State). UND won the first four of those games and has lost the last two. The Austin game has been in the works between UND and Ralph Engelstad Arena for about four years.
"It should be an awesome event," Nightingale said. "I'm thankful they asked us to be a part of it. I think that's what you want to try to do, right? You want to try to play the top programs, and they're definitely one of them."
Key Analysis
Michigan State's skilled forwards will present UND with a challenge similar to what Minnesota posed, but the Spartans' back end is much younger than the Golden Gophers'. For UND to bounce back, it must force Michigan State into mistakes and limit its power-play opportunities and time in the offensive zone. If the Fighting Hawks can do that, a victory is likely; if not, it could be a scary Halloween night in Texas. The predicted score: UND 4, Michigan State 3.
Game Details:
When: 7:07 p.m.
Where: H-E-B Center, Austin, Texas.
TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD). Alex Heinert play-by-play, Jim Scanlan analyst, Taylor Budge rinkside.
Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM). Nick Hulberg play-by-play, Mike LaMoine analyst.
Stream: NCHC TV.
Injury Update: UND — None known; Michigan State — None known.
Michigan State Player to Watch: F Ryker Lee. Lee has incredible hands and is a magician with the puck. As a freshman, he tallied 15 goals and 30 points. The Nashville Predators first-round pick has six points in five games to start this season, with four of those points coming on Michigan State's power play. Lee played with UND's Will Zellers for two seasons at Shattuck-St. Mary's Prep School in Fairbault, Minn., winning a national championship together in 2024.
UND Pick to Click: D Carson Carels. Big-time players make big-time plays in big-time games. When UND won in New York City, Tyson Jost was the best player on the ice. When UND won in Vegas, captain Colton Poolman scored twice. Carels is a big-time player. Don't be surprised if he shines in the state where he won a gold medal for Canada in the IIHF World Under-18 Championship along with Keaton Verhoeff and Cole Reschny. "I think winning that gold with the age above — Resch. and Versey was there, too — it was just really special," Carels said. "I think we've got to keep that mojo going in Texas."
Originally reported by grandforksherald.