UND HOCKEY: Caggiula, Schmaltz expected to be back for Denver series

The UND men’s hockey team has this weekend off.

It may be a much different looking team when it returns the following week.

Hobey Baker Award candidates Drake Caggiula and Nick Schmaltz, who have missed the past two weekends with injuries, both practiced on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Coach Brad Berry expects they will be ready to go for the team’s next series on Feb. 12-13 at the University of Denver.

Berry said the best sign is that the forwards were able to practice on back-to-back days.

“You always wonder when you come to the rink the next day after practice how you’re feeling after that,” Berry said. “That’s the biggest barometer we have. All indications are that they will be in the lineup against Denver.”

That would be a huge lift for No. 2 North Dakota, which sits in first place in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference.

Although the Fighting Hawks were able to grab 11 of 12 possible conference points in the two weeks that Caggiula and Schmaltz were absent, they will give a huge boost to UND’s offensive attack.

Schmaltz and Caggiula have combined with rookie Brock Boeser to form one of college hockey’s most potent lines. They’ve scored in every game that they’ve been together this season. They have combined for 88 points and a plus-82.

Caggiula injured his shoulder making a body check during a 5-1 UND win against Nebraska Omaha on Jan. 16. Three days later, Schmaltz sustained a lower-body injury during practice.

UND earned a win and a tie against Colorado College and a sweep at Western Michigan without them.

Schmaltz’s return will give UND more depth at the center position, which has been bolstered by the terrific play of rookie Rhett Gardner and the strong second half by junior Luke Johnson.

UND could still be without one of its wingers for the Denver series as Chris Wilkie recovers from a hand injury.

Wilkie returned to practice this week after sitting out last week. He has missed the last five games.

“We want to make sure that it’s healed and close to 100 percent before we put him back in, but he’s looking good,” Berry said. “We have a few days left this week and next week to make that decision.”

Defenseman Troy Stecher, who left Saturday’s game at Western Michigan with a back injury, returned to practice Wednesday.

“He hasn’t missed a beat,” Berry said.