Based on previously announced and new impacts related to COVID-19 among NCHC programs, the conference announced Wednesday multiple schedule changes for the next two weekends, including date adjustments to three series this weekend.
Due to a combination of positive COVID-19 tests, contact tracing and subsequent quarantining of individuals within the Minnesota Duluth hockey program, this weekend’s Minnesota Duluth at Miami series, scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16, at Steve Cady Arena, has been postponed. The series has been rescheduled for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 29-30 in Oxford, with game times set for 7:05 p.m. ET on Jan. 29 and 5:05 p.m. ET for the series finale.
This coming Saturday’s UMD at Miami game was scheduled to be on CBS Sports Network. The St. Cloud State at Western Michigan game on Saturday, Jan. 16 will now be on CBS Sports Network in its place, with an adjusted game time of 7:30 p.m. ET. Friday’s SCSU at WMU game is now back to a 7:05 p.m. ET start.
The second series altered this coming weekend is the North Dakota at Denver series, which was also slated for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16. That series will now take place on Sunday and Monday, Jan. 17-18. Both games will start at 7:07 p.m. MT, with Monday’s game now on CBS Sports Network, replacing the Jan. 15 UND-DU telecast that was scheduled.
The third series altered from Jan. 15-16 is the Omaha at Colorado College series. That series will now begin on Monday, Jan. 18, with the series finale on Tuesday, Jan. 19. Both games are slated for a 7:07 p.m. MT puck drop.
All four West Division teams also had their series scheduled for Friday and Saturday, Jan. 22-23, adjusted by a day to accommodate for this weekend’s changes. Colorado College will now make a return trip to North Dakota on Saturday and Sunday, Jan. 23-24, while Omaha will also host Denver on Jan. 23-24. All four games at Ralph Engelstad Arena and Baxter Arena on Jan. 23-24 are set for a 6:07 p.m. CT start.
The decision to postpone and reschedule these series is consistent with the NCHC’s COVID-19 protocols, developed by the conference’s health and safety competitions committee, as well as the conference’s game schedule policy, developed by the NCHC’s athletic concil.
All games listed above, other than the Jan. 16 SCSU at WMU and Jan. 18 UND at Denver games on CBS Sports Network, will be available on NCHC.tv.
