Grand Forks fans used to circling Saturdays for Ralph Engelstad Arena will be watching from a distance this week. UND men's hockey plays Michigan State on Saturday, Oct. 31, at 7:07 p.m. CT in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at the H-E-B Center in Cedar Park, Texas, outside Austin, according to the arena's event page and UND Athletics.
What's at stake
UND is the designated home team. The Grand Forks Herald reported the game will be the program's first in Texas, and that the H-E-B Center is home to the Texas Stars, the AHL affiliate of the Dallas Stars. UND and Michigan State are meeting for the 105th time, with UND leading the series 64-37-3, according to the announcement of the game.
The Fighting Hawks arrive after a tough week. Minnesota swept UND at Mariucci Arena on Oct. 22-23, according to the Herald and fightinghawks.com, with the Golden Gophers winning Friday's finale 5-3. UND had been ranked No. 3 entering the series, per UND Athletics, and fell to 4-2.
When the game was announced, coach Brad Berry said UND was looking forward to "hosting a premier college hockey event that will provide an unmatched life experience for our student-athletes," as quoted by Sports Travel magazine.
How to follow along
The Hockey News reported Sept. 29 that Midco Sports will carry the Hall of Fame Game on television. Check fightinghawks.com for radio and streaming details and for ticket availability, or see the H-E-B Center's event page.
Football regroups
At home in Grand Forks, the football team has its own recovery to make. South Dakota beat UND 26-23 in overtime on Saturday, Oct. 24, at the DakotaDome in Vermillion, according to goyotes.com and the Herald. UND trailed by 17 points, rallied, and tied the game at 20 in the fourth quarter on a 45-yard field goal by Kenten Laughman, per the schools' recaps. After the loss, UND stands 6-3 overall and 3-2 in the Missouri Valley Football Conference, according to goyotes.com.
Check the football schedule at fightinghawks.com for the team's next game date and kickoff time.
