LAS VEGAS — Ollie Josephson passed his final test.
He went through the full practice Wednesday at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas and is set to return to the lineup for Thursday’s NCAA semifinal game against Wisconsin (4 p.m. Central, ESPN2).
“He’s going to be good to play,” UND coach Dane Jackson said. “He’s healthy. He’s ready to go, so he’ll be in. It’s a huge benefit for us. Ollie brings a ton of two-way game. He’s one of our best penalty killers, a real reliable centerman. He plays with a lot of pace and tenacity.”
Josephson suffered a lower-body injury in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference semifinals against Minnesota Duluth on March 14 when he was checked low by Bulldog captain Joey Pierce.
The freshman center missed UND’s NCAA regional games against Merrimack and Quinnipiac in Sioux Falls.
He first returned to practice March 27 in Sioux Falls. His workload has increased since then.
Josephson appears likely to center David Klee and Josh Zakreski against the Badgers, while the Fighting Hawks will keep Jack Kernan between Cody Croal and Tyler Young.
Josephson, a fourth-round draft pick of the Seattle Kraken, has six goals and 20 points as a rookie.
“For a young guy, he’s got a ton of presence, too,” Jackson said. “You could see why he was a former captain. I’m sure he’ll be a captain one day here as well. I feel extremely fortunate to have the benefits he brings on the ice and in our locker room.”
Ollie Josephson skates past Cole Reschny and Will Zellers Wednesday, April 8, 2026, in Las Vegas.
Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald
David Klee bookends the season
David Klee won UND’s first weekly shootout of the season.
He also won the last.
Klee beat out Keaton Verhoeff, Will Zellers, Ellis Rickwood, Ben Strinden and Jackson by going two-for-two.
“It was a blast,” Klee said. “It’s an NHL rink, it’s bright lights, there are a lot of people out there. It was fun to get out there and get the energy going.”
UND players and coaches mob shootout winner David Klee at Wednesday’s Frozen Four practice in Las Vegas.
Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald
Klee has experience in big games. He captained Muskegon to the Clark Cup as United States Hockey League champions last season.
“You’ve just got to stay in the moment, fighting day to day, trying to extend your time together,” Klee said. “That’s the most important thing. This group is special. We want to spend as much time together as we can.”
It was a typical practice for the Fighting Hawks.
It lasted an hour. The players and coaches were upbeat and cracking jokes as they competed.
“I was just taking it all in,” UND defenseman Andrew Strathmann said. “Obviously, we don’t get to skate in an NHL barn too often. It was good to get out there with everyone, hooting, hollering and having some fun today, and honestly, just dialing in for tomorrow.”
UND coach Dane Jackson leads practice Wednesday, April 8, 2026 at the Frozen Four tournament in Las Vegas.
Eric Hylden / Grand Forks Herald
UND defenseman Abram Wiebe, whose NHL rights were traded from the Vegas Golden Knights to the Calgary Flames in January, even caught some grief from his teammates.
After his shootout attempt was stopped, one of his teammates yelled, “That’s why they traded you!”
An Elvis impersonator and two showgirls took photos on UND’s bench at the end of practice. “I think a couple of our guys were distracted during the shootout,” Jackson joked.File this under the things-you’ve-never-seen-before column: Vendors walked the staircases selling beer to fans at practice.UND defenseman Bennett Zmolek watched practice from the bench in a cutoff hoodie, a regular sight this season. Zmolek doesn’t often practice due to injuries.
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.