Genoway keeps Sioux rolling

Chay Genoway received a medical hardship waiver so he could play for North Dakota this season.

"I obviously have no regrets about coming back," said the fifth-year senior defenseman, whose Fighting Sioux meet Michigan at 7:30 p.m. Thursday in the second semifinal of the Frozen Four at Xcel Energy Center.

"Whatever the outcome, it's been unbelievable. We have more hockey to play, but it's been a great year, a great group of guys, a great coaching staff."

It's also a Sioux team on a great roll, 14-0-1 since losing to Colorado College 4-2 on Jan. 28.

Genoway, who missed all but nine games of the 2009-10 season after suffering a concussion, is one of the reasons North Dakota is ranked No. 1 in all the national polls. He has 31 assists and 37 points in 35 games.

Sioux coach Dave Hakstol said Genoway has a firm grasp of what it takes for the team to reach its goals.

"His play speaks for itself," Hakstol said. "And aside of all that, he is good people to come to work with every day. Sometimes that gets lost in the shuffle with all the expectations of winning and having success."

"Obviously, last year was a tough one for me personally," the 5-9, 177-pound Genoway said. "For this year's senior class to take me and to have the opportunity to join their class has been a pretty cool thing.

"They are a group of six guys that are pretty tight-knit. It has been a fun ride so far, and hopefully we have a lot of memories to come."

X almost Ralph's equal The Sioux have won five games in a row at Xcel Energy Center, three in the WCHA Final Five last season and two more last month in winning back-to-back Broadmoor Trophies. "[It] is a beautiful arena," junior forward Jason Gregoire said. "If there is a rink out there that can rival Ralph Engelstad Arena, it would be this one."

Gregoire, North Dakota's third-leading scorer with 43 points, has a 16-game scoring streak going. In those games, he has 18 goals and 29 points.

"A big aspect of our team and our game lately is that no egos have crept in whatsoever," Gregoire said. "Whether that is individual awards of media attention, we are all focused on one goal."

His story has been told everywhere lately, on blogs, in the New York Times, on websites. The Maple Leafs selected him in the fourth round in 2007 NHL draft.

In a nutshell, Frattin got into alcohol-related trouble twice within a month before his junior season, was dropped from the team for one semester, but has returned and thrived. He has 36 goals and 60 points this season, which ranks first and second, respectively, in the nation.

"Matt has handled all of his business extremely well and on his own," Hakstol said. "He has the support of 26 great teammates.