The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will host the University of North Dakota in the 2006-07 home opener for the Bulldogs this weekend. The puck will drop at 3:07 p.m. on Saturday Oct. 14 and at 3:07 p.m. on Sunday, Oct. 15 at the DECC.



THE RECORDS: Minnesota Duluth enters the weekend WCHA series fresh of a two game sweep, 3-1 and 6-1, over Minnesota State University-Mankato last weekend. The win brings UMD to 2-0-0 overall and 2-0-0 in the WCHA. The upcoming series marks the 2006-07 Western Collegiate Hockey Association opener for North Dakota.

THE SERIES: The Bulldogs lead the all-time series against North Dakota 12-1-0. Last year, UMD went 3-1-0 against UND. North Dakota defeated Minnesota Duluth for the first time during the 2005-06 when the Bulldogs fell to UND 2-0 a the DECC.

BULLDOGS: Minnesota Duluth is coached by Shannon Miller, who is entering her eighth season at the helm of the Bulldogs, and has guided UMD to a 176-46-20 overall record during her seven seasons. The Bulldogs have their sights set on their fourth NCAA championship this season. Minnesota Duluth looked to be in mid season form last weekend sweeping Minnesota State 3-1 and 6-1. UMD was lead offensively by senior Noemie Marin (3-1=4) and sophomore Myriam Trepanier (1-3=4). In the nets, UMD has had outstanding play from senior goaltender Ritta Schaublin (1-0-0, .964) and freshman Kim Martin (1-0-0, .960). Martin won a silver medal with Team Sweden at the 2006 Olympic Games and was named that event's best netminder.

NORTH DAKOTA: After going winless in their previous season-openers, North Dakota found itself in unfamiliar territory last weekend when they swept Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute 3-1 and 3-2 l. Head Coach Shantel Rivard is entering her fifth season as head coach of the Sioux women’s hockey team and will lead North Dakota into their third season in the WCHA in 2006-07.

WCHA ROOKIE OF THE WEEK: The season may be young but the awards have already started coming in for the women’s hockey team this season with freshman forward Saara Tuominen earning the Western Collegiate Hockey Association Rookie of the Week nod this week. In the Bulldogs first WCHA series of the 2006-07 campaign against Minnesota State, Tuominen, from Vuorentausta, Finland, had two goals and an assist in two road victories.

ON THE AIR: For the eighth year, you can hear all the action for the Bulldogs home and away games live. This weekend the games will be covered on 710 AM (WDSM). Tom Hansen will be handling the play-by-play duties for his seventh season, the longest of any women’s hockey play-by-play announcer in the country. The broadcast can be heard via the internet at: www.umdbulldogs.com. Click on the “Bulldogs on the Air” link. Follow the link to WARP radio and enter in the call letter “WDSM,” then hit “Go.” Finally, click the “Click Here to Listen” link.