For the fifth time this season, the University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will hit the road for a two-game series.  This weekend, the Bulldogs will travel to Grand Forks, N.D. for a Western Collegiate Hockey Association showdown with the No. 7/8 University of North Dakota at Ralph Engelsted Arena.  The first game will get underway Friday night at 7:07 p.m., while Saturday's matinee will start at 4:07 p.m.

USCHO RANKING:  UMD-- N/A, North Dakota-- No. 7
USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY MAG: UMD-- Receiving Votes, North Dakota-- No. 8

THE SERIES:  UMD is an impressive 36-12-15 all-time against North Dakota, and went 1-2-1 against UND a season ago.  Two of the four Bulldogs games against North Dakota went into overtime, a trend which has emerged between the two programs over the past three previous seasons.  

Since the 2012-13 season, UMD and UND have needed extra time on six occassions in their last 12 meetings, and seven dating back to 2011-12.  Over the past three seasons, the Bulldogs have gone 0-2-4 in those extra five minutes, with two of those ties resulting in WCHA shootout wins for the additional league point.   In fact, dating back to the 2012-13 season, UMD and North Dakota have had one game in every series -- six series in all -- go into overtime to attempt to decide a winner.

The last meeting between the two programs was in Duluth back on Jan. 30-31, a loss and tie for the Bulldogs.  On Jan. 30, UMD suffered its first shutout to UND since Nov. 23, 2008.  In the 1-0 setback, both teams posted 30 shots on goal, and UMD outshot North Dakota 15-6 in the third period, with 34 of its total game shots of 56 attempted in the final 20 minutes of play.

The following night, the Bulldogs scored midway through the third period to draw the game even at 2-2.  Ashleigh Brykaliuk scored UMD's first goal with 55 seconds remaining in the first period, while Zoe Hickel -- who had an assist on the first goal -- netted the tying goal at 10:45 of the third period.  Lara Stalder had assists on both goals, and Bulldog goaltender Kayla Black had 32 saves for a series total of 61.

LAST TIME OUT:  The Bulldogs (4-8-0, 2-6-0 WCHA) effort wasn't apparent on the scoreboard last Friday, where the No. 1 University of Wisconsin  scored a goal in each period and outshot the Bulldogs 37-17.  Freshman goaltender Maddie Rooney got the start in goal and made 34 saves.

Saturday the Bulldogs were hampered by a deflected own goal and three UW power play tallies before Maria Lindh put UMD on the board at 3:03 of the third period, snapping the Badgers NCAA-record scoreless streak.  Defenseman Lynn Astrup then scored her first-ever collegiate goal to cut the UW lead to 4-2.  The Bulldogs, though outshot 40-22 in the game, outshot UW 13-8 in the second period.  While the Badgers were 3-of-6 on their power play, UMD, forced to kill off a five-minute major midway through the third period, was 0-of-4.  Senior goaltender Kayla Black got the start and turned in a 36 save performance.  UW outshot UMD 77-39 in the series.

NOTES FROM THE WISCONSIN SERIES:  With the Badger sweep, UMD falls to 29-33-12 all-time against Wisconsin.  The Bulldogs are winless in their last 12 games against UW.

--UMD struggled with an extra skater in the series, going scoreless in eight attempts.  The Badgers, by contrast, went 3-of-7.

--Wisconsin outshot the Bulldogs 77-39 on the weekend, and in five of the six periods played.  UMD outshot UW Saturday in the second period by a 13-8 margin.

--Two Bulldog goaltenders had starts against Wisconsin, with freshman Maddie Rooney making 34 saves on 37 shots Friday night, and senior Kayla Black stopping 36 shots on 40 attempts.

RANK AND FILE:  Without question, the Bulldogs have played one of the top-three hardest schedules in the NCAA so far this season.

Eight of UMD's last 12 games have come against teams ranked in the top-five or higher.  The Bulldogs last four games alone have been against the No. 1 teams in the country (Minnesota and Wisconsin, respectively).  

UMD again faces a top-10 team this weekend in No. 7/8 North Dakota, which will push the Bulldogs into 10 games in their first 14 against nationally ranked sides.  According to the latest KRACH poll, UMD ranks No. 3 in strength of schedule with 238.2 points, a mere point behind the second ranked team, Ohio State, which owns a SOS of 239.8.  

A key feature of KRACH is that strength of schedule is calculated directly from the ratings themselves, meaning that KRACH, unlike many ratings (including RPI) cannot easily be distorted by teams with strong records against weak opposition.

ROAD WARRIORS:  In addition to having one of the hardest schedules so far in all of college hockey, the Bulldogs have also been without the comforts of home for all but four games.

UMD, back out on the road this weekend in Grand Forks, spent the opening first three weeks of the season away from AMSOIL.  In fact, UMD has still not played in Duluth, Minn. on back to back weekends.

BULLDOG NOTES:  Ashleigh Brykaliuk continues to lead UMD in scoring over the season's first 12 games with three goals and seven assists for 10 points.  Junior Lara Stalder sits second with a team-high six goals and two assists for eight points.  Stalder also owns a team-best three power play tallies.

--The Bulldogs are 4-0 with a lead after the first two periods of play ... 15 of the 38  goals scored against the Bulldogs have been scored in the second period, while 11 of the 25 goals UMD has netted were recorded in the third period. 

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TV: Midco Sports Net (Friday only)