GRAND FORKS — UND has a chance to win the Penrose Cup this weekend when it hosts St. Cloud State in a two-game series in Ralph Engelstad Arena (7:07 p.m. Friday, 6:07 p.m. Saturday).
If UND gets six points in the series — two regulation wins — it will clinch at least a share of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference regular-season title and be presented the Penrose Cup on Saturday night.
If UND gets five points — one regulation win, one overtime/shootout win — it needs Western Michigan to drop one point at Colorado College to clinch a share of the title. If Western Michigan drops a point on Friday and UND gets five points, the Penrose Cup will be presented immediately following Saturday’s game.
Here’s where it gets complicated, though.
If UND gets five points and Western Michigan wins its series opener in regulation, the Fighting Hawks need to wait for the result of WMU-Colorado College’s series finale to know if they can clinch a share — and that game starts an hour later. In that scenario — UND gets five points and Western Michigan drops a point Saturday only — the Penrose Cup will be presented privately to the team in the locker room.
If UND gets four or fewer points, it cannot win the Penrose Cup this weekend.
NCHC commissioner Heather Weems will be in Grand Forks to present the Penrose Cup if UND clinches a share of it.
Right now, UND holds a one-point lead on Denver, but the Pioneers are idle this weekend. The Fighting Hawks are six points ahead of Western Michigan.
UND’s Penrose presentations
2015 — in Oxford, vs. Miami
2016 — in Grand Forks, vs. WMU
2020 — in Grand Forks, vs. WMU
2021 — in Grand Forks, vs. Omaha
2022 — in Omaha, vs. Omaha
2024 — in Grand Forks, vs. WMU
In the case of a tie atop the standings, both teams are declared Penrose Cup champions and are presented the Cup. That’s only happened once in 12 years of the league. In 2022, UND and Denver shared the title.
The NCHC has two Penrose Cups for that scenario.
The league has tiebreaking procedures for conference playoff seeding.
Western Michigan, the defending Penrose Cup champion, would hold the tiebreaker over UND if those teams are even in the standings.
UND plays Western Michigan on Feb. 27-28 in Kalamazoo, Mich., to close the regular season.
If the Penrose Cup title comes down to the final weekend of the regular season, Weems will travel to Kalamazoo to present it to the Fighting Hawks or Broncos there.
There also are scenarios where Denver could win the Penrose Cup, but those could be eliminated by the end of this weekend.
The Fighting Hawks have won the Penrose Cup six times in 12 years of the NCHC. Four presentations have occurred in Grand Forks.
UND twice won it on the road — in 2015 in Oxford, Ohio, and in 2022 in Omaha.
UND captain Mark Senden carries the Penrose Cup off the ice, sharing it with fans.
Mark Kuhlmann / UND athletics
Winning the title would make this weekend even more memorable.
Saturday is Senior Night.
UND will recognize forward Ben Strinden, forward Dylan James, defenseman Bennett Zmolek, forward Ellis Rickwood, goalie Gibson Homer and forward Tyler Young immediately following Saturday’s series finale.
UND’s opponent this weekend, St. Cloud State, also has plenty on the line.
The Huskies are tied with Minnesota Duluth for fourth place and the final home-ice spot in the NCHC quarterfinals. UND, Western Michigan and Denver have clinched home ice.
St. Cloud State at No. 3 UND
When: 7:07 p.m. Friday, 6:07 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Ralph Engelstad Arena.
TV: Midco Sports (GF Ch. 27/622 HD).
Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).
Stream: NCHChockey.com/tv.
Schlossman has covered college hockey for the Grand Forks Herald since 2005. He has been recognized by the Associated Press Sports Editors as the top beat writer for the Herald’s circulation division four times and the North Dakota sportswriter of the year twice. He resides in Grand Forks. Reach him at bschlossman@gfherald.com.