How will UND's lines change with the return of Hunter Johannes?
Feb. 28—GRAND FORKS — Hunter Johannes is practicing for a second-straight week.
Last weekend, he was a game-time decision. Ultimately, UND held him out of the series against Minnesota Duluth. The Fighting Hawks swept it 6-0 and 4-2.
This week, the 6-foot-3, 217-pound winger is set to rejoin the lineup after missing the last nine games with a lower-body injury.
Barring any setbacks, Johannes will skate against Western Michigan at 7:07 p.m. Friday and 6:07 p.m. Saturday in Ralph Engelstad Arena.
Johannes was a key player for UND in the first four months of the season.
He tallied nine goals and 15 points in UND's first 23 games. Johannes started the season on the third line but eventually moved into the top two lines.
The fifth-year senior transfer from Lindenwood suffered a lower-body injury at St. Cloud State on Jan. 19. He missed the third period that night and hasn't played since then.
UND went 6-2-1 in the nine games without Johannes.
The Fighting Hawks enter this series with a 22-8-2 record, three points ahead of St. Cloud State in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference standings. They're No. 3 in the Pairwise Rankings, which are used to select and seed the NCAA tournament.
Johannes' return means UND has some lineup decisions to make.
Does UND thrust him right back into first-line and have him play on both the power play and penalty kill?
Does UND have him play limited five-on-five minutes, but skate on special teams?
Or does UND limit his minutes overall as he first returns?
Four players have been fixed into the top two forward lines — Hobey Baker Award candidate Jackson Blake, captain Riese Gaber and centers Cameron Berg and Owen McLaughlin.
Right now, Jackson Kunz and Jayden Perron are filling out those lines and having success.
Kunz, a Vancouver Canucks draft pick, has six points in the last seven games — the best run of his college career. Perron, a Carolina Hurricanes draft pick, scored in both games last weekend against Minnesota Duluth.
UND's coaching staff is expected to monitor Johannes this week in practice and decide Friday morning where to slot him in.
But the good news for UND, whether he's on the top line or fourth line, is that Johannes is ready to return.
Western Michigan is expected to be without two regulars.
Forward Wyatt Schingoethe and defenseman Jacob Bauer are expected to miss the series.
Schingoethe, a junior Toronto Maple Leafs draft pick, has four assists in 20 games. Bauer, a 6-foot-3 senior, has four assists in 21 games.
Defenseman Daniel Hilsendager, who hasn't played since Feb. 2, is expected to play for the Broncos.
When: 7:07 p.m. Friday, 6:07 p.m. Saturday.
Where: Ralph Engelstad Arena.
TV: CBS Sports (Friday); Midco Sports (Saturday).
Radio: The Fox (96.1 FM).
Stream: NCHChockey.com on Saturday only.
