Practice for the 2014-15 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey season officially starts this Saturday afternoon (Oct. 4) and that gives the Bulldogs a whole six days to prepare for their first assignment of the year -- a semifinal round bout with its longtime intrastate rivals, the University of Minnesota, at the Ice Breaker Invitational in South Bend, Ind. But before that, there's a Monday night (Oct. 6) exhibition matchup with Lakehead University at AMSOIL Arena on the docket. In the meantime, here are a few number nuggets, courtesy of the folks at umdbulldogs.com, to nibble on.
 
89 – Points generated by the UMD's seven freshmen last season. Only nine other schools in the country (and none from the National Collegiate Hockey Conference) possessed a rookie ensemble with a higher scoring total.

71 – Year of intercollegiate competition for UMD hockey in 2014-15. The Bulldogs began play in 1930-31, but the sport was suspended from 1932-46, and joined the NCAA Division I ranks in 1961-62.

50 – Bulldog hockey alums who have gone on to do time in the National Hockey League . Larry Wright was the first (Philadelphia in 1970-72) and Justin Fontaine is the latest (Minnesota Wild one year ago)

43 – Consecutive games UMD has not lost when scoring four or more goals. Going back to a 5-4 home loss to Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs have gone 38-0-5 in that situation (9-0-1 last winter).

19 – Lettermen the Bulldogs retain from last year's club, which went an even 16-16-4 overall overall and tied for fourth place in their first year of National Collegiate Hockey Conference activity by going 11-11-2. Five of UMD's top six scorers from 2013-14 are back, including senior right winger and assistant team captain Justin Crandall and sophomore left winger Kyle Osterberg, who both finished with 14 goals and 13 assists for 27 points -- four points behind team leader Caleb Herbert (who passed up his final year of college eligibility by signing with the Washington Capitals last March). Also return are sophomore left winger Alex Iafallo, a 2013-14 NCHC All-Rookie Team honoree, junior center Tony Cameranesi (7-14=21), and junior defenseman Andy Welinski (5-14=19), an assistant team captain. In addition, UMD returns a pair of goaltenders who played backup roles to departed senior Aaron Crandall one year ago -- junior Matt McNeely (2-4-1 with a 2.83 and an .894 saves percentage in nine appearances) and senior Alex Fons (0-0-0, 0.00 and 1.000 in 7:41 of work). Last year marked just the third time since 2000-01 (and second season in a row) that three different UMD netminders saw crease time.

15 – Seasons Scott Sandelin has presided over the UMD hockey program. That's the second longest continuous tenure of any NCHC head coach, trailing only Rico Blasi's 16-year run at Miami.

11 – Justin Crandall's point increase one year ago from his previous career high -- the largest gain of any 2013-14 Bulldog. Crandall was one of seven UMD veterans who established personal scoring bests last season.

9 – Individuals who have ever served as UMD's team captain in back-to-back-seasons. The most recent is senior Adam Krause, who shared that role with fellow right winger Joe Basaraba last winter.

6 – Europeans who have enlisted their services with the Bulldogs since 1931. The latest addition to that club is rookie goalie Kasimir Kaskisuo (KAH-see-mer KAH-skee-swah-oh), a member of the North American Hockey League's Minnesota Wilderness one year ago. The Vantaa, Finland, product is the first non-North American to play for 15th-year head coach Scott Sandelin.

5 – Schools in the country that had a better home attendance (6,183) than UMD last winter. This year marks the fourth full season the Bulldogs will occupy the 6,756-seat AMSOIL Arena, which opened its doors for business on Dec. 30, 2010.

5 – Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners the Bulldogs have produced, a number unmatched by any school in the country. That quintet includes center Jack Connolly (2011-12), winger Junior Lessard (2003-04), center/winger Chris Marinucci (1993-94), winger Bill Watson (1984-85) and defenseman Tom Kurvers (1983-84).

4 – NHL Draft picks on the 2014-15 roster. That list includes Tony Cameranesi (Toronto), Carson Soucy (Minnesota), Dominic Toninato (Toronto) and Andy Welinski (Anaheim).

4 – Number of times Kyle Osterberg landed the NCHC Rookie of the Week Award in 2013-14. That was a league high. Teammate Alex Iafallo was next with three selections. Osterberg tied for the NCHA freshmen lead in goals with 14 while Iafallo topped the circuit in shots on goal average (2.89).

4 – Size of UMD's 2014-15 senior class. Of that group, three players -- Justin Crandall, Derik Johnson and Adam Krause --- were part of the Bulldogs' six-member rookie clan three years ago. Goalie Alex Fons came to UMD as a sophomore in 2012-13, having been with the University of Minnesota program during the second half of the 2010-11 season.

2 – Former UMD pucksters who will be inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame this year. All-American center Matt Christensen (1982-86) and former U.S. Olympian defenseman Brett Hauer (1989-1993) are part of a distinguished six-member class that will enter that Hall on Jan. 17, 2015.