Game 39: Ohio State vs UMD (NCAA West Regional Semifinal)

FARGO, N.D. -- You don't need me to tell you what's at stake.

One of the messages from the UMD coaching staff to its players this week was pretty simple. This weekend, you're not guaranteed a second game. You have to go earn it.

UMD hasn't lost a first round game in its last seven NCAA trips. There's some luck involved there, to be blunt, as the Bulldogs have survived some games where its opponent could argue it was better (see: "2009, Princeton"). It happens. To win four "loser out" games in this kind of tournament, there will need to be some fortune along the way at some point.

What will also be interesting as the day evolves is to see how many North Dakota fans are willing to stick around for the second game.

For UMD, senior defenseman Carson Soucy (lower body) remains out. No surprise, though there was at least a positive sign for the public to see Thursday when Soucy skated. I'm not at every practice, but it's the first time I've seen him skate since he was injured March 3.

Ohio State is missing big-minute defensemen Josh Healey (suspension) and Drew Brevig (injury), both seniors.

For those wondering, ECAC officials for this game. Peter Feola and Chip McDonald referee, Ryan Knapp and Jim Briggs work the lines.

Lines?

Lines.

UMD
Iafallo - Toninato - Anderson
Osterberg - Johnson - Mackay
Tufte - Peterson - Kuhlman
Young - Thomas - Exell

Pionk - Kotyk
Raskob - Hilderman
Wolff - Molenaar

Miska - Shepard - Deery

OSU
Stork - Jobst - Schilkey
Miller - Joshua - Gust
Wiitala - Weis - Laczynski
Fidler - Kearney - Lampasso

Joyaux - Miller
Moser - Parran
Larocque - Myer

Tomkins - Frey - Davis