At today's weekly Wednesday press conference, UND coach Dave Hakstol said the Sioux are planning to use the same personnel as the Denver series (the lines and power-play unit could change, though, he said). Forward Brett Hextall will do some skating this week, but he is doubtful to play with a leg injury. Hextall has been out for about a month and a half.
Chay Genoway also will be out for the series. No update on him. The team isn't ready to say he's done for the year yet, though.
Of course, one of the storylines this weekend will be UND going to play St. Cloud State and forward Aaron Marvin, who injured Genoway three months ago with an illegal hit from behind. Check out what the players are saying about that in tomorrow's Herald. As a preview, Darcy Zajac says, "This weekend is for Chay. We've got to be playing for Chay and we've got to get those two wins for him."
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod says the league is not worried at all about a possible incident during this series, although supervisor of officials Greg Shepherd will be on hand for both games. Derek Shepherd and Marco Hunt are expected to ref the series.
"We expect it to be a perfectly normal game," McLeod says. "There's a lot at stake."