UND storms into MTS Centre tonight

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UND Athletics / Eric Classen Brendan O'Donnell will be one of three Manitobans in the UND lineup tonight. O'Donnell has five goals in his last 10 games.

Strange that the University of North Dakota men's hockey program has never skated in Manitoba, isn't it?

Despite operating just south of the border in Grand Forks and the celebrated connections between the school and the local talent -- Jonathan Toews, Ed Belfour, Travis Zajac and James Patrick are just a few of the 86 Manitobans who have starred in the UND system -- the program, officially listed as 66 years old this season, has yet to play on Manitoba ice.

Visits to Canada are just as rare: the last time they trekked up to the Great White North was in 1953, when they lost a pair of games to a Fort Frances, Ont., club. This international drought ends tonight, however, when North Dakota takes on the Clarkson University Golden Knights in the inaugural U.S. College Hockey Classic at the MTS Centre (7:30 p.m.).

It's an exhibition the current crop of Manitoba players on the UND side are looking forward to.

"It does add something -- there are a few of us excited to play in front of friends and family again," Winnipeg product Brendan O'Donnell said earlier this week. "I haven't played in Winnipeg in a couple years, so I've been thinking about it."

O'Donnell is one of three Manitoba players expected to be in the lineup tonight. Sophomore Taylor Dickin is also from Winnipeg, while freshman Stephane Pattyn, a member of the Portage Terriers the last two seasons, hails from Ste. Anne.

All three are expected to play tonight, North Dakota head coach Dave Hakstol said.

Two years removed from the MJHL's Winnipeg South Blues, it's been an interesting journey for O'Donnell. Last winter was spent in Penticton (BCHL), which led to the summer excitement of being selected by Tampa Bay in the sixth round of the NHL Draft.

Now part of a large 10-player freshman class at UND (the largest first-year group since 2005-06, when 13 freshmen were on the roster), the 6-foot, 185-pound O'Donnell is shifting into life at the NCAA level, a transition that looks to be finally reaching a comfort zone.

After sitting out six games with an injury, he has six points (five goals) in the last 10 games.

"At the start it was tough. I thought I was ready for everything but until you're in it, I guess, you just never really know," the 19-year-old said. "The last couple games I've felt a lot better about my play."

The coaches share that feeling, as well.

"I thought the injury might really be a detriment for him in terms of how long it would take him to adjust to this level," Hakstol said. "But he's really came back from it and didn't miss a beat. He's been a solid two-way player for us and is starting to contribute offensively. Those are the things we hoped he'd be able to do for us."

North Dakota (10-8-2 overall; 7-7-0 in WCHA play) comes into Winnipeg on a roll of late, suffering just one loss in its last eight games (6-1-1). The club has been crippled by injury this season, so the freshmen have been asked to assume bigger roles as the second half of the schedule resumes.

"It typically takes rookies the first half of the season to get comfortable," said Hakstol, who doesn't anticipate having a full roster for tonight's game. "We're starting to see that now. For our team to become a good team down the stretch, our freshmen have to play with the poise and confidence of veterans.

"Brendan is a part of that group we're counting on."

NOTES: Potsdam, N.Y.-based Clarkson (9-9-4; 3-4-2 in ECAC action) has lost three straight games... UND is 6-0 against the Golden Knights. The last time the schools met was in 1999.

adam.wazny@freepress.mb.ca

Republished from the Winnipeg Free Press print edition January 7, 2012 0