Luke Stauffacher couldn't ask for a better way to usher in the New Year.

The junior right wing scored twice and assisted on another score to help propel the University of Minnesota-Duluth to a 5-4 triumph over Bowling Green State University Saturday night to earn a sweep of its two-game non-conference series with the Falcons at the DECC.

Stauffacher, who had three goals -- for his first collegiate hat trick -- and an assist in Friday's 6-1 victory, collected both of his scores on the power play as the Bulldogs posted their fifth straight home victory.

Senior defenseman Beau Geisler, junior defenseman Neil Petruic and junior right wing Josh Miskovich (a shorthander) also added goals for the Bulldogs, who never trailed in the game. UMD capitalized on four of its nine power play opportunities while Bowling Green was two-for-five with the man advantage.

Junior Evan Schwabe picked up a first period assist to extend his scoring streak to nine games -- the longest by a Bulldog in three years. Junior defenseman Tim Hambly and Geisler each had a pair of assists to finish with five-point weekends.

The two teams combined for a total of 46 penalties for 105 minutes. Bulldog junior left wing Marco Peluso received a game disqualification penalty for punching and will now have to sit out the next two contests since this was his second such infraction of the 2003-04 season.

UMD, which is now 11-8-2 overall, outshot the Falcons 36-23, including 12-7 in the scoreless third period.

The Bulldogs will return to Western Collegiate Hockey Association play this weekend with a two-game set at the University of Denver.