The UND women's hockey team arrived home from its trip to Ridder Arena at about 6 a.m. Sunday after a long, late-night bus ride through poor road conditions.
Then, they found out they are headed right back there.
UND earned its second-straight NCAA quarterfinal bid and will take on No. 1 Minnesota at 4 p.m. on Saturday in Ridder Arena. The winner will advance to the Frozen Four, which also will be held at Ridder.
UND was on pins and needles Sunday hoping to grab the eighth and final spot in the NCAAs, first needing Boston University to beat Northeastern in the Hockey East championship game. The Terriers did take care of business and the NCAA selection committee picked UND over Wisconsin and Northeastern.
"I was happy," said UND coach Brian Idalski, who watched the BU-Northeastern game on live stats. "Hats off to our kids. They deserved it. We had the best record in program history, so when you are sitting on the bubble, it's not a good feeling."
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UND will go to the NCAA tournament with a 26-11-1 overall record.
Five of the 11 losses have come against the Gophers, who are a perfect 38-0 this season and have not lost since UND beat them in Ridder late last year.
Minnesota's most recent win over UND came Saturday night in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association championship game. The Gophers used two second-period goals to win 2-0.
"Fall down five times, get up six," Idalski said. "We'll get if another shot. They're a heck of a club. If I compliment them any more, they'll have to put me on the pay roll. They are clearly the top team in the country. If you want to be the best, you have to beat the best."
Last year, UND qualified for the NCAA tournament for the first time in program history, but lost to the Gophers in the quarterfinals.
Minnesota went on to win the national championship.
In the other NCAA games, Boston College hosts Harvard, Cornell hosts Mercyhurst and Boston University hosts Clarkson.
This is the third year in a row that UND has sweated it out on Selection Sunday to see if it got in. Two years ago, UND was the first time to miss out. This year, it was a happier ending for UND.
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"I don't know if you ever grow accustomed to it," Idalski said of Selection Sunday. "I know I don't like it. I'd like to be on the other end, knowing we're for sure in the tournament."
Call Schlossman at (701) 780-1129; (800) 477-6572, ext. 1129; or send e-mail to bschlossman@gfherald.com .
