The start of the Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey series against Western Michigan this weekend at Amsoil Arena has been pushed back a day as the Bulldogs come back from a pause due to a positive COVID-19 test result within the program.
Originally scheduled to play Friday and Saturday in Duluth, the Bulldogs and Broncos will now play their NCHC series at 6:07 p.m. Saturday and 4:07 p.m. Sunday at Amsoil Arena.
The UMD men’s hockey team has been in quarantine since last week due to contact tracing. The positive test result led to the postponement of last weekend’s series against Miami in Oxford, Ohio, to Jan. 29-30.
Bulldogs coach Scott Sandelin said Monday he is hopeful his team will be back together on the ice for practice on Wednesday. He was unsure of how many players he’d have, but said “it would be enough” to play the Broncos and meet the NCHC’s minimum requirement of 15 skaters and two goaltenders.
EARLIER:
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This isn’t the first time the NCHC pushed back the start of a series to allow a team coming back from a positive COVID-19 test result, contact tracing and quarantining more time to practice upon their return to the ice.
This weekend’s North Dakota at Denver series was moved from Friday-Saturday to Sunday-Monday while Omaha’s series at Colorado College is being played on a Monday-Tuesday. Both the Pioneers and Mavericks won their first games back coming off pauses due to positive COVID-19 test results, with Denver beating North Dakota 4-1 following a two-week layoff and Omaha topping Colorado College 3-2 on Monday night in the Mavs’ first game since breaking the Pod.
More spectators being allowed inside Amsoil
The soft re-opening of Amsoil Arena continues this week.
After allowing 75 invited guests last week inside for the UMD women’s hockey series against Ohio State, the DECC and Bulldogs athletic department will be allowing up to 150 invited guests for this weekend’s men’s series against Western.
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As UMD did for the women’s series against the Buckeyes, family and friends from both the Bulldogs and Broncos programs will be among the invited guests allowed to attend Saturday and Sunday’s games. Passes are for the weekend, not individual games, and nontransferable.
Current guidelines set by the state of Minnesota limit the DECC and UMD to just 150 spectators at games.
Remaining UMD men’s hockey schedule
Home games in CAPS
Jan. 23-24 — vs. WESTERN MICHIGAN (6:07/4:07 p.m.)
Jan. 29-30 — at Miami (6:05 p.m./4:05 p.m.)
Feb. 5-6 — vs. MIAMI (Time TBA)
Feb. 12-13 — at Western Michigan (Time TBA)
Feb. 18 — vs. COLORADO COLLEGE (Time TBA)
Feb. 26 — at St. Cloud State (7:37 p.m.)
Feb. 27 — ST. CLOUD STATE (Time TBA)
