The No. 3 Gophers women's hockey team will travel to Duluth for a two-game series starting Friday against No. 6 Minnesota Duluth.
It will be the first home game of any kind for UMD since the coronavirus pandemic shut down college sports in March. UMD (2-0) swept Minnesota State Mankato in its opening series, and those games were the first played by a UMD team since the shutdown.
The Gophers are 1-1 after splitting with Ohio State in their season-opening series.
UMD could be without its leading scorer from the previous two seasons. Junior center Gabbie Hughes remains day-to-day with an upper-body injury after her head hit the ice when he was knocked down during Saturday's game against MSU Mankato.
No spectators will be allowed inside Amsoil Arena. Friday's game begins at 6:07 p.m., Saturday's at 3:07 p.m.
Senior wing Anna Klein, from Edina, said fans won't be necessary for the Bulldogs to be inspired.
"We're all super excited to be back at Amsoil, and then to be playing the Gophers in the opening game is really exciting," Klein said. "Honestly, the atmosphere, I don't think we even need fans. We're all excited. It's the Gophers and we're at home. We're going to be pumped."
