ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Happy Hockey Day, all.
The game plan should be a simple one for UMD for this early start against St. Cloud State.
Pucks to the net. Bodies to the net. Don't settle for perimeter chances. Play in-your-face hockey, win battles, win races, win key faceoffs.
UMD failed in all those areas for at least portions of Friday's 2-1 loss to St. Cloud State. Outshooting the Huskies 18-4 and taking 29 shots to their seven was a decent response in the third after falling behind in the second period, but none of those 29 shot attempts were in the high-danger area, and UMD simply has to get there. As head coach Scott Sandelin said before Friday's game, this is not a fancy team. It will not be a fancy team. And the Bulldogs didn't score 27 goals over their six-game unbeaten streak being a fancy team. That isn't their game.
On the plus side, Hunter Shepard has looked very sharp, especially over his last seven periods. By no means has the senior been bad (even when he has a tougher game, he almost always responds with an excessively good one), but he's looked good as of late. If that trend continues, UMD is definitely heading in the right direction.
If you're wigging out about the PairWise after the loss, just remember the Bulldogs and Huskies meet three more times in the regular season. There's plenty of time to win the season series, which ultimately will matter the most.
For UMD, one change. Luke Loheit sits to make way for Jesse Jacques to return after being scratched Friday. Ben Almquist moves out to win, while Jacques centers that line. Shepard makes his 103rd consecutive start, and he will tie the NCAA record Friday if all goes well.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Cates (Noah) – Cates (Jackson) – Swaney
Koepke – Richards – Olson
Roth – Miller – Laderoute
Almquist – Jacques – Bender
UMD defense
Wolff – Perunovich
Samberg – Roehl
Anderson – Hilderman
Rosenbaum
UMD goalies
Shepard – Patt
SCSU forwards
Poehling (Jack) – Fitzgerald – Poehling (Nick)
Brodzinski – Walker – Miller
Brand – Krannila – Okabe
Wahlin – Hammer – Rocco
SCSU defense
Ahcan – Perbix
Trejbal – Meier
Bushy – Jaycox
Anderson
SCSU goalies
Hrenak – Castor – Lamoreaux
