UMD Goes Back to Work

After a two-week hiatus, and near the three-week mark since its last game, the UMD men's hockey team returns to the ice on Friday.

The Bulldogs will work out at the DECC for a couple days, because of a DSSO show scheduled for Saturday night at Amsoil Arena.

UMD is at Western Michigan next weekend. The Broncos lost at St. Cloud State 4-2 on Thursday, as the Huskies scored three goals in the third period. The teams play again Friday.

I'll write more about this next week, but I expect UMD will need a very sharp Kenny Reiter next Friday. Do the math. UMD hasn't played since Dec. 10, the day of the Minnesota Wild's last win before Thursday night's triumph over Edmonton. Western Michigan has a series this weekend, so they should be a little sharper.

Assistant coach Jason Herter will lead practice, as head coach Scott Sandelin is working with Team USA at the World Juniors in Edmonton. The hope is that the Americans will make it to a medal game on Thursday. Even if that happens, Sandelin is expected to be in Kalamazoo in time for the Friday game against the Broncos.

I was told that freshman defenseman Derik Johnson spent some time this week at the Washington Capitals facility, as father Jim is an assistant coach for Dale Hunter there. Herter mentioned that captain Jack Connolly and others were active during the break, too.

Hopefully, no one ate a younger sibling during Christmas break, but Herter joked they'd work it out of anyone who did.