UND senior Tori Williams waits to skate on the ice at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Photo by Nicholas Nelson/The Dakota Student.

UND watched as the men’s hockey WCHA conference was realigned with different programs in 2013. This resulted in the loss of one of the school’s famous matchups of the year against the University of Minnesota.

While the men don’t see the rivalry as often, the women’s section of the WCHA still has its anticipated matchup.

The UND women’s hockey team will hit the road for the second time this month, when it will travel to Minneapolis for a conference matchup against the Golden Gophers.

The No. 1 ranked Gophers are coming off a weekend sweep over the previously No. 1 ranked Wisconsin Badgers.

Minnesota has started the season without losing a game, having tied Minnesota Duluth 3-3 on Oct. 11. The Gophers hold an overall record 5-0-1.

Junior Hannah Brandt leads Gophers in points this year, posting seven goals and four assists. Her 11 points have her sitting tied for second in the NCAA.

UND’s special teams have been solid, only allowing one power-play goal on 26 attempts this season.

North Dakota will look to remain sharp and keep the Gopher power play unit off the ice.

But Minnesota will go into Friday’s matchup with the top power play unit in the nation, capitalizing on 10 of 24 opportunities this season for .417.

Last week, UND hosted a series against Minnesota Duluth in which it secured a victory off the stick of Sam Lashomb in overtime Friday night, but ended up losing Saturday’s game, 1-0.

No. 8 ranked North Dakota heads to Minnesota with a record of 5-2, with contributions in scoring from 15 of the team’s 19 skaters.

Becca Kohler leads the team in four separate scoring categories. The junior has 10 points coming off four goals and six assists. Three of her goals have come on the power play.

Dating back to the 2011 season, North Dakota and Minnesota have played 12 games against one another. Minnesota currently has the edge up, winning nine of the 12 recent meetings between schools.

In the last 12 games, UND is 2-4 on the road against Minnesota and 1-5 at the Ralph.

UND hasn’t had much recent luck playing Minnesota at home or on the road in past seasons, and will look to its 29.4 percent efficient power play unit to score goals this weekend.

North Dakota will also hope for a big game out of sophomore defenseman Halli Krzyzaniak, who recently was named to the Canadian Women’s National Team for the Four Nations Cup this November.

The North Dakota women’s hockey team is off to a solid start in 2014, and will be facing a Minnesota team that has won two national championships in its past three seasons.

Ben Novak is a staff writer for The Dakota Student. He can be reached at [email protected].