▁U ND ▁hosted ▁Northern ▁Arizona , ▁who ▁were ▁only ▁in ▁their ▁second ▁year ▁of ▁Division ▁I ▁play , ▁and ▁easily ▁won ▁both ▁games ▁with ▁a ▁combined ▁score ▁of ▁ 1 8 – 4 . ▁The ▁Fight ing ▁Si oux ▁ended ▁their ▁non - con ference ▁start ▁with ▁a ▁pair ▁of ▁games ▁against ▁Prov idence ▁and ▁could ▁only ▁manage ▁to ▁split ▁the ▁week end ▁after ▁a ▁prom ising ▁ 6 – 0 ▁win . ▁ ▁The ▁Si oux ' s ▁first ▁loss ▁of ▁the ▁year ▁began ▁an ▁altern ating ▁cycle ▁of ▁wins ▁and ▁losses ▁that ▁last ed ▁for ▁over ▁a ▁month ▁and ▁pl agues ▁them ▁through ▁their ▁early ▁W CH A ▁play . ▁Even ▁when ▁the ▁team ▁head ed ▁to ▁San ▁Diego ▁for ▁a ▁brief ▁resp ite ▁from ▁the ▁winter ▁cold ▁they ▁couldn ' t ▁sh ake ▁the ▁pattern ▁and ▁U ND ▁returned ▁home ▁with ▁a ▁ 1 0 – 6 ▁record ▁but ▁only ▁ 4 – 4 ▁in ▁conference . ▁In ▁mid - Dec ember ▁North ▁Dak ota ▁finally ▁clim bed ▁out ▁of ▁their ▁fun k ▁and ▁won ▁four ▁consecutive ▁games ▁to ▁close ▁out ▁the ▁first ▁part ▁of ▁their ▁regular ▁season . ▁ ▁Hol iday ▁Tournament ▁North ▁Dak ota ▁head ed ▁to ▁T roy ▁to ▁particip ate ▁in ▁the ▁R ens sel a er ▁Hol iday ▁Tournament ▁but ▁with ▁the ▁team ▁losing ▁several ▁members ▁to ▁the ▁World ▁Junior ▁Championship ▁the ▁Fight ing ▁Si oux ▁couldn ' t ▁stop ▁St . ▁Lawrence ▁from ▁posting ▁ 7 ▁goals ▁in ▁the ▁contest . ▁U ND ▁salv