North Dakota vs. Nebraska-Omaha: Inside and Out

Tonight, at 6:37 CST, Nebraska-Omaha will play host to North Dakota in a game that can be seen on the NBC Sports Network. The following day, at 4:07 CST, the two teams will take the ice at Omaha's TD Ameritrade Park, home of the College World Series, for an outdoor game as part of a double-header along with the Lincoln Stars and Omaha Lancers of the USHL facing off.

Both teams are still in the hunt for the WCHA regular season title. Nebraska-Omaha is hanging on to the second spot in the league with 26 points, trailing first place St. Cloud by three points. North Dakota is part of a group of three teams tied for third in the league with 24 points.

The nationally televised game should also be a good showcase for the top players on each team who are harboring aspirations of a run at the Hobey Baker.. Nebraska-Omaha's Ryan Walters currently leads the nation in scoring with 40 points, while North Dakota's Corban Knight and Danny Kristo are 4th and 6th respectively in national scoring.

Weather could play a factor on Saturday, as it does for any outdoor game. With the game taking place in the late afternoon, any sunlight could create some difficulty for whichever goalie in manning the goal on the northeast end of the ice. Temperatures are expected to be in the mid-50s, but arena technicians have seemed confident that their surface can handle temperatures up into the 60s, if need be. Of course, the surface being playable, and the surface being in excellent condition are two very different things. In any event, a sellout crowd is expected for what should be a fantastic spectacle for the game of college hockey.