Injured Casey Mittelstadt to miss Saturday's Gophers game at North Dakota

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- Freshman Casey Mittelstadt got injured Friday and won't play Saturday night, when the Gophers try to sweep rival North Dakota at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Mittelstadt, a first-round pick by the Buffalo Sabres, had four shots on goal Friday and was plus-2, assisting on Rem Pitlick's first period goal. The Gophers tweeted Saturday that Mittelstadt got "dinged up" Friday. The team later said Mittelstadt is "week-to-week" and could return for next weekend's series against Clarkson.

"He's kind of week to week," coach Don Lucia said of Mittelstadt. "He got cross-checked [Friday] night in the back. He fell, and he wanted to play, and he was sore.

"We just felt that it's a long season, and I'd rather see if we have a better chance of getting him back next week [against Clarkson] than doing something to aggravate it."

The Gophers blocked 29 shots as a team Friday, and afterward, Lucia hinted at lineup changes for Saturday.

"We've got some bumps and bruises," Lucia said. "We'll see who's available."

With Mittelstadt out, the Gophers will move Ryan Norman onto the line with Pitlick and Tyler Sheehy. Defenseman Tyler Nanne has moved to right wing on the fourth line. Here are the lines:

Brent Gates Jr./Mike Szmatula/Jack Ramsey

Leon Bristedt/Tommy Novak/Brannon McManus