Merrimack and North Dakota are competing in the first round of the 2026 NCAA men’s hockey tournament.
The game is taking place at the Denny Sanford Premier Center in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Croal Scores Early for North Dakota
UND took an early lead against Merrimack. Cody Croal scored at 3:52, assisted by Will Zellers and Andrew Strathmann. The goal came during a power play for UND.
Max Lundgren, Merrimack’s goalie, initially saved a one-timer from Zellers. However, Croal capitalised on the rebound, scoring his eighth goal of the season.
Team Lineups and Injury Updates
North Dakota’s lineup is as expected. Ollie Josephson is not playing due to a lower-body injury. Jack Kernan has taken Josephson’s place as the centre of the third line.
Merrimack are using the same lineup they used in the Hockey East championship last Saturday.
North Dakota Seeking First NCAA Win Since 2021
UND is aiming for its first NCAA win since 2021. That year, they defeated American International in Fargo.
- This is the first game the Fighting Hawks have played in South Dakota.
- It marks the 29th different state UND has played in.
The game officials are from the CCHA and also work Big Ten games.
The game can be viewed on ESPN2 in the U.S. and TSN Plus in Canada.