Preview: Warriors will face North Dakota in the first round of the NCAA Tournament
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. — Merrimack will make its fourth appearance in the Division I men’s ice hockey tournament on Thursday night, squaring off against North Dakota in a first-round matchup.
Both teams arrived in Sioux Falls on Tuesday afternoon and took to the ice for practice on Wednesday at the Denny Sanford Premier Center.
This will be just the third all-time meeting between Merrimack and North Dakota. The only previous encounters came at the outset of the 2009–10 season, when the Warriors were swept in a season-opening weekend series.
Game Details
When: Thursday, 8:30 p.m. ET
Where: Denny Sanford PREMIERE Center
TV/Stream: ESPN2 (ESPN App)
Radio: Merrimack Sports Network
Team Statistics
Game Notes
— Merrimack has previously appeared in three Division I men’s ice hockey tournaments, beginning with its first berth in 1988.
That year, the Warriors entered the field via a bid reserved for independent programs. Merrimack defeated Northeastern in the opening round before falling to Lake Superior State.
In 2011, Merrimack returned as an at-large selection but was eliminated in the first round by Notre Dame. The Warriors earned another at-large bid in 2023, where they again fell in the opening round, this time to Quinnipiac.
This marks the first time in program history that Merrimack has entered the tournament as the automatic qualifier out of Hockey East.
— In an ironic twist, Merrimack opened its men’s basketball season just down the road at South Dakota State as part of The Field of 68 tournament.
— There are familiar faces on both sides. North Dakota features former Merrimack forward Tyler Young, while the Warriors counter with former UND forward Michael Emerson.
— The regional includes five Calgary Flames draft picks, among them Trevor Hoskin.
— Kelsey Dennehy, daughter of former Merrimack coach Mark Dennehy, is a sports anchor for the local CBS affiliate in Sioux Falls and is covering the event this weekend.
