Top-ranked Gophers ready for rivalry clash against No. 7 North Dakota

To prepare his team for this weekend's matchup with North Dakota, Gophers men's hockey coach Bob Motzko probably could have watched any video of North Dakota from the last decade.

"You'd see the same North Dakota team," Motzko said. "Their bread-and-butter is how hard they play and their forechecking."

North Dakota (2-1-1), which fell from No. 3 to No. 7 in this week's uscho.com rankings after a tie and loss to Quinnipiac last weekend, makes its first appearance at 3M Arena at Mariucci in nearly three years.

In their last appearance in Minneapolis, the Fighting Hawks swept the Gophers 9-3 and 3-2 in November 2019.

The two teams met last season in Grand Forks and split the series. The Gophers' 5-1 victory in the series opener is their only win in the past six meetings between the two.

Motzko said the Gophers (3-1), who moved up to No. 1 this week, are ready to get back on the ice after being idle last weekend.

"We need to play and our young guys need to get in games like this," Motzko said. "We need opportunities like this so our team can grow. UND is going to be tough this week, especially after what they went through last weekend."

"They are a hard forechecking team," Faber said. "They play fast and physical. They bring intensity and physicality. You could watch them 10 years ago and watch them now and they are the same. It's in their DNA."

North Dakota, which has won the past three NCHC titles, returns 20 lettermen from last season's 24-14-1 team, which lost to Notre Dame in a regional semifinal.

The Fighting Hawks have been led by defenseman Chris Jandric and forward Jackson Blake, a freshman from Eden Prairie. Jandric, who had 15 points in 38 games last season, has a goal and six assists in North Dakota's first four games. Blake, who played for Chicago in the USHL last season, has three goals and three assists.