Miami RedHawks (5-17-2) vs.
North Dakota Fighting Hawks (18-5-1)
Friday, March 12 | 8:37 p.m. (ET)
Ralph Engelstad Arena (Grand Forks, N.D.)
All-Time Series vs. UND: 7-19-4 (Lost last meeting, 6-2, on Dec. 20, 2020)
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OXFORD, Ohio -- The RedHawks travel to Grand Forks to play in the first round of the 2021 NCHC Playoffs, where they will meet top-seed North Dakota on Friday. The 2021 playoffs is a single-game elimination bracket, as opposed to the "best of three" that has occurred in previous seasons.

ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: Miami finished the regular travel portion of the schedule with a home-and-home series on February 26 and 28 against the Broncos of Western Michigan. The Broncos swept the weekend, with the RedHawks not able to find the right moments to secure a victory. Jack Olmstead and Casey Gilling were able to add to their goal totals in game one, with Olmstead's goal being the first of his career. The RedHawks offense saw two goals on Saturday, with Rourke Russell and Robby Drazner lighting the lamp. Freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson also started in both games, stopping 48 shots combined in both starts.

ABOUT NORTH DAKOTA: The Fighting Hawks closed the regular season on the top of the NCHC standings, finishing with a 18-5-1 record for 54 points in the final standings.  Sophomore forward Shane Pinto paces a deep UMD forward corps with 28 points on 15 goals and 12 assists. Seven other North Dakota skaters registered at least 15 regular season points while Jordan Kawaguchi (7 goals), Collin Adams (9), Jasper Weatherby (11), Grant Mismash (9), Tyler Kleven (5) and Riese Gaber (8) all struck for at least 5 goals. UND's defense is fourth in the country in allowing 1.96 goals per game, as Adam Scheel has played most of the season in net, with a 1.80 goals against average and a .929 save percentage. Kawaguchi, Pinto, and Scheel were given NCHC First-Team honors, while Jacob Bernard-Docker was given Second Team honors.

QUITE A DEBUT: With sixteen games on the docket so far this season, all seven of the RedHawk rookies saw action in at least one game. Holland, Moulton, Drazner, Barbolini, Rydqvist, and Cassetti have all scored their first career goals so far this season, and Drazner and Barbolini both have assists to go with their goals. With his .930 save percentage and 2.40 GAA, Persson one of the top-ranked rookie goaltenders in NCAA Division 1 hockey, ranking second among freshmen goaltenders in save percentage. Persson was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for 12/14, 12/21, and 1/4, along with being named December's Goaltender of the Month for the NCHC. Persson has already won a multitude of awards so far, earning spots on the NCHC All-Rookie squad, along with being named to the All-Conference second team. Persson was also the conference runner-up for Rookie of the Year and Goaltender of the Year.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: After a large senior class graduation and a bunch of other departures, there are many holes in the Miami lineup, and that's where the big freshman class comes in. With three forwards, three defenders, and one goaltender, the freshman class for 2020-21 is one of the most geographically diverse classes in Miami history. The rookie class includes: 

• Hampus Rydqvist: Defender/Gothenburg, Sweden (Maryland Black Bears, NAHL)
• Robby Drazner: Defender/Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Nanaimo Clippers, BCHL)
• Michael Holland: Forward/Charlotte, N.C. (Boston Jr. Bruins, NCDC)
• Brian Silver: Forward/Lake Bluff, Ill. (Omaha Lancers, USHL)
• Dylan Moulton: Defender/Nolensville, Tenn. (Green Bay Gamblers, USHL)
• Matthew Barbolini: Forward/Williamsville, N.Y. (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
• Ludvig Persson: Goalie/Hindas, Sweden (Lone Star Brahmas, NAHL)

TOUGH COOKIES TO CRACK: With the NCHC sporting four teams ranked in the USCHO.com poll and two more receiving votes, the RedHawks figure to once again play one of the most challenging schedules in the country this season. The league is also already home to the past four national champions, which means its success will come down to how it performs against the top teams in the nation. Last year, the Red & White played 11 games against teams that finished in the top 15 (2-8-1) and 16 against teams that finished in the top 20 (3-11-2). Miami met the #1 and #3 ranked teams in the country in the first week of action. The RedHawks have already seen three victories over ranked teams this season, getting a 1-0 win over #17/RV Omaha on December 12, a 3-0 shutout victory over #8/7 Denver on December 17, and a 3-2 victory over #6/7 St. Cloud on February 12.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Of Miami's 46 goals this season, 18 have come from defensemen (39.1%), with eight different Miami blue liners finding the back of the net already. The 18 goals from defensemen are second in the NCHC and are fourth in the NCAA.

RACKING UP THE SAVES (AND AWARDS): Over the course of the week, the NCHC has announced the 2020-21 season award winners. Freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson has made quite an impression across the league, winning a spot on both the NCHC All-Rookie team and the NCHC second team. Persson was also the winner of the conference's Three Stars Award and the runner-up for rookie and goaltender of the year.

BACK BEHIND THE BENCH: Chris Bergeron (Miami'93) continues his tenure and is on the second season as a head coach. After starting fresh in Oxford, Bergeron and his staff finished the 2019-20 season (his first) with an 8-21-5 overall record. Before returning to Oxford, Bergeron went 171-154-44 in nine seasons as BowlingGreen's head coach, leading the Falcons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990 in his final season in 2018-19. BGSU posted 20 or more victories in Bergeron's last five seasons at the helm. Before going to Bowling Green, Bergeron spent ten seasons as an assistant coach at Miami and helped the Red & White go an astounding 226-139-37 during his tenure. The RedHawks qualified for six NCAA Tournaments and reached the Frozen Four in Bergeron's last two seasons as an assistant, including a national runner-up finish in 2009. As a player, Bergeron spent two years as team captain and helped Miami capture its first CCHA title in 1992-93, posting 61 of his 120 career points that season.