Key Details You Need: NCAA Fargo Regional Explained

-

NCAA Fargo Regional

Thursday and Saturday at the Scheels Arena

No. 4 seeded Minnesota State Mankato faces off against No. 1 Western Michigan at 4 p.m., broadcast on ESPNU.


At a quick look, the champions of the CCHA regular season and tournament, Minnesota State (27-8-3), returns to the NCAA tournament following a year’s break and their first appearance since Coach Luke Strand took charge. Their success can largely be attributed to goalie Alex Tracy, nominated as a finalist for the Richter Award and currently leading nationally in both goals against average (1.43) and save percentage (.945).
Former University of Minnesota player Rhett Pitlick tops the scoring chart for Minnesota State with an impressive tally of 40 points through 13 goals and 27 assists, supported significantly by Josh Groll (14-18-32), Adam Eisele (13-13-26), and Evan Murr (7-19-26). Over their last ten matches, which include nine wins and just one tie, they boast the strongest performance among all teams competing; however, none of these contests were against opponents listed within this year's NCAA lineup.


At first glance, Western Michigan (30-7-1) stands out as they clinched both the NCHC regular season title and tournament championship, coming off a six-game winning run. They top the charts in scoring offense with an average of 4.1 goals per match and have one of the stingiest defenses, conceding only 2.1 goals each game, which ranks them among the lowest in the country alongside four others.
Forward Alex Bump from Prior Lake shines brightly, tying for fifth place nationwide with his 23-goal tally and leading all players with 225 shots on target this season. Supporting him are teammates Grant Slukynsky (from Warroad), who contributes significantly with nine goals and 26 assists totaling up to 35 points, along with Tim Washe adding another layer of offensive prowess with his stats showing 15 goals and 19 helpers making up 34 total points.
Hampton Slukynsky, Grant’s sibling, took charge between the pipes recently and boasts impressive statistics including a Goals Against Average (GAA) of 2.04 and a Save Percentage (.918).

No. 3 seeded Massachusetts faces off against No. 2 ranked Gophers at 7:30 p.m. on ESPN2.


At first look: Massachusetts (20-13-5) secured the sixth spot in Hockey East during the regular season and was eliminated in the quarterfinal round of the conference playoffs. They also participated in the Ice Breaker tournament alongside the Gophers, where they fell in OT against Nebraska Omaha but managed to defeat Air Force.
Cole O'Hara (with stats showing 22 goals, 29 assists, totaling 51 points) ranks among the top four nationally in scoring. Meanwhile, goaltender Michael Hrabal stands tall at six feet seven inches and boasts impressive statistics including a 2.32 Goals Against Average (GAA) and a .927 Save Percentage.
In terms of physicality, UMass averages about 192.7 pounds per player, making them the second-heaviest squad in this year’s NCAA tournament field; only Cornell surpasses their bulk at an average weight of 193.5 pounds.

At first glance: Minnesota (25-10-4) split the Big Ten regular season championship with Michigan State before being eliminated by Notre Dame in three games during the conference tournament’s quarterfinal round. The last time the Gophers faced UMass was in the 2022 Worcester Regional match, which they won 4-3 in overtime. Jimmy Snuggerud (with stats showing 22 goals, 27 assists, totaling 49 points) heads a lineup featuring six players who have scored 25 or more points. Meanwhile, Sam Rinzel (who has recorded 10 goals, 21 assists for a total of 31 points) earned recognition as the Big Ten defenseman of the year.

Saturday’s championship: Semifinal victors, time TBA, ESPN2.

©2025 The Minnesota Star Tribune. Visit startribune.com. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Paradise Islands Offer Citizenship for Less Than £36,000

-
Image
Didn't you catch wind of it? For only $105,000, you can purchase citizenship to a tropical island paradise these days. The island country of Nauru located in the Pacific is offering passports to foreign nationals for $105,000 (£81,000) as part of an effort to generate funding for its climate emergency reserve. Soaring sea levels are swiftly eroding Nauru’s coastlines. In reaction, the nation’s leadership is considering a large-scale move inland; however, they are facing difficulties in securing funding for this initiative. Approximately ninety percent of the island's inhabitants will likely have to relocate to elevated areas due to sea levels surrounding Nauru increasing at a rate one point five times quicker than the worldwide average. Many nations provide citizenship in return for significant financial investments or property purchases. However, certain options may stand out specifically to wealthy Britons looking for opportunities. In fact, several stunning t...
Read more

Australian Grand Prix Fences Go Black for Clever Reason

-
Image
The 2025 Australian Grand Prix introduces several modifications to the circuit, primarily focusing on Turn 6 where Mercedes' George Russell had a crash in the previous year. However, the track authorities have implemented an additional alteration. The fencing along the Melbourne street race course has been painted black, particularly in the region of the starting grid. This minor alteration significantly enhances visibility for both spectators with tickets and photographers, despite its subtle nature. The cause stems from how light reflects off the metal. Black paint helps with this by absorbing the light, thus making it simpler to maintain visibility. Formula One tracks have consistently needed to address the visibility and safety of spectators holding tickets. Essential safety features include barrier walls and catch fencing, which protect not only the audience but also racers themselves. Take, for instance, Zhou Guanyu’s accident at Silverstone in 2023; without the p...
Read more

Bill Passes Just Hours Before Deadline, Averts Shutdown and Defeats Filibuster

-
Image
On Friday, senators moved forward with the stopgap funding measure approved by the House as the clock ticks nearer to a potential government closure. With a vote of 62 to 38, the senators decided to move forward with the proposal. Almost all Republicans along with ten Democrats helped override the filibuster. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer from New York Senate Minority Whip Dick Durbin from Illinois, along with Senators Angus King of Maine, Brian Schatz of Hawaii, Catherine Cortez Masto of Nevada, John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, Gary Peters of Michigan, Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York, and Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, voted to advance the bill, going against the majority of their fellow Democrats. The House-passed short-term A spending measure, referred to as a continuing resolution (CR), would maintain funding at FY 2024 levels up until October 1st. Nevertheless, should Congress fail to pass this legislation before 11...
Read more