GRAND FORKS - For the UND men's hockey team, it's finally time to "Raise It."
Tonight, the eighth national championship banner will head to the rafters - the first one since the building opened 15 years ago - in a ceremony before an exhibition game against the University of Manitoba.
There ceremony is expected to start at roughly 6:45 p.m. and will last about 18 minutes.
Members of all eight national championship teams will be present.
Goalie Bob Peabody will represent the 1959 team, UND's first national championship. The others will be forward Don Ross (1963), goalie Pierre Lamoureux (1980), coach Gino Gasparini (1982), forward Steve Johnson (1987), forward Jay Panzer (1997), forward Jeff Panzer (2000) and forward Colten St. Clair (2016).
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U.S. Senator John Hoeven will be there for a U.S. Senate Resolution Presentation, accompanied by UND President Mark Kennedy and athletic director Brian Faison.
A video highlighting last season will be played on the center-ice screen.
UND rolled through last season, posting a 34-6-4 record en route to the national title. It won its second-straight Penrose Cup as National Collegiate Hockey Conference champions. League commissioner Josh Fenton will be on hand to raise the NCHC banner, too.
In the NCAA Midwest Regional, UND beat Northeastern 6-2 and Michigan 5-2 to reach the Frozen Four for the eighth time in 12 seasons.
This time, UND was able to finish it off.
The Fighting Hawks took out Denver 4-2 in the semifinals and hammered Quinnipiac 5-1 in the national championship game, completing the goal set at the beginning of the season. The team slogan was: "Believe it. Earn it. Raise it."
During the summer, coach Brad Berry brought the trophy around town, letting others celebrate in it. The banner-raising ceremony is highly anticipated, too.
Ralph Engelstad Arena is sold out for the game-the first time it has sold all 11,634 seats for a preseason exhibition.
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Tickets on the secondary market were selling for $70-$150.
First action
The exhibition will be the first chance for UND fans to see the 2016-17 team in action.
Berry and the coaching staff will get a first look at the new lines. Freshman Tyson Jost is expected to center the top line with Brock Boeser on the right wing.
UND is allowed to dress more than 18 skaters for the game and will do so. Multiple goalies are expected to see action.
Manitoba is 5-1 early this season.
