UND, Boston University set future college hockey series

GRAND FORKS — A Hockey East team is finally back on UND's schedule.

UND has signed a contract to play Boston University in a pair of nonconference series featuring two traditional college hockey powerhouses.

The Fighting Hawks will visit Agganis Arena in Boston during the 2023-24 season, while the Terriers will make a return trip to Grand Forks in 2024-25.

It has been six years since UND has played a Hockey East team. The last time was in the 2017 NCAA tournament, when Boston University beat UND in a double overtime game in the Fargo Regional.

The Fighting Hawks haven't played a two-game series against a Hockey East team since October 2015, when they swept Vermont in Gutterson Fieldhouse. No Hockey East team has played in Ralph Engelstad Arena since Providence in October 2014.

Hockey East teams once were a staple in UND's nonconference schedule. During the 14 seasons from 2003-04 to 2016-17, there was a meeting between UND and a Hockey East school every year.

But this season will mark the sixth-straight year without one, barring a meeting in the NCAA tournament.

The UND-BU series was set up by UND coach Brad Berry and former Boston University coach Albie O'Connell, who was let go this offseason. The Terriers announced Jay Pandolfo as their new head coach last month.

UND and Boston University have played 23 times. Nearly a third of their meetings have come in the NCAA tournament.

The most notable meeting was in the 1997 NCAA national championship game in Milwaukee, where UND rallied for a 6-4 victory to win the sixth of the program's eight NCAA titles.

In 2005, UND beat Boston University 4-0 in Worcester, Mass., in the NCAA tournament en route to the Frozen Four and the national title game.

The Terriers, meanwhile, knocked UND out of the 2015 and 2017 NCAA tournaments.

UND has made two previous trips to Agganis Arena, which opened in 2005. It played in the 2008 Ice Breaker Invitational there, losing to the eventual national champion Terriers 5-1 in the season-opener. UND lost to UMass 3-2 in the second game.

UND made another trip to Agganis in November 2013, losing and tying to Boston University. UND fired 58 shots on net against BU goalie Matt O'Connor in the series finale.

Boston University's only trip to Ralph Engelstad Arena came in November 2012, when the teams split a two-game series. Connor Gaarder had a hat trick for UND in the series opener.

March 24, 2017 — 4-3 loss vs. Boston University (NCAA tournament, Fargo)
Dec. 3, 2016 — 4-3 win vs. Boston College (in New York City)
March 25, 2016 — 6-2 win vs. Northeastern (NCAA tournament, Cincinnati)
Oct. 24, 2015 — 5-2 win at Vermont
Oct. 23, 2015 — 2-0 win at Vermont
Oct. 10, 2015 — 1-1 tie vs. Maine (Ice Breaker, Portland, Maine)
April 9, 2015 — 5-3 loss vs. Boston University (NCAA Frozen Four, Boston)
Oct. 25, 2014 — 2-2 tie vs. Providence
Oct. 24, 2014 — 6-1 win vs. Providence
Nov. 23, 2013 — 3-3 tie at Boston University
Nov. 22, 2013 — 3-1 loss at Boston University
Oct. 12, 2013 — 2-2 tie vs. Vermont
Oct. 11, 2013 — 5-3 win vs. Vermont