The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will welcome not only the University of Connecticut to AMSOIL Arena this Friday night, but also the NHL's very own Stanley Cup.  The Cup will be on display at AMSOIL from 4 p.m. until 6 p.m.  Admission to see the Cup, as well as to see the Bulldogs play the Huskies at 6:07 p.m. is free to the public.  Parking at AMSOIL is also free for both Cup visitation and the game.

THE SERIES:  The No. 10 Bulldogs are 4-0 all-time against UConn and last tangled with the Huskies during the 2011-12 season in Storrs, Conn. with UMD sweeping UConn on Oct. 14-15, 2011 by scores of 5-4 and 6-1.

Then rookie Jenna McParland netted the first two goals of her collegiate career in the Oct. 15 6-1 win, one of three players to pick up two points in the contest.

The first time the Bulldogs and Huskies met was in Duluth back on Oct. 22-23, 2010, another series sweep for UMD by scores of 4-0 and 8-0.  In their four meetings, the Bulldogs have outscored UConn 23-5.

In UMD's previous 14 seasons, the Bulldogs are 17-4-2 against Hockey East opponents.  UMD went 1-1-2 against WHEA foes Boston College and Boston University a year ago, with a 3-2 win and 2-3 loss to BC in Boston last October and two ties against BU (2-2, 0-0) in December at AMSOIL.

LAST TIME OUT:  The Bulldogs beat Team Japan 6-2 Saturday night at AMSOIL Arena in an exhibition skate, a first time meeting between UMD and Japan in program history.

The Bulldogs, who fell behind 2-1 after a Japan goal at 13:33 of the second period tied the game at 2-2 at the 19:42 mark on a short-handed tally by junior transfer Meghan Heurtas.

From there UMD rolled with four third period goals, including a hat-trick from senior forward Jamie Kenyon, who would have had a natural hat-trick if not for rookie Katherine McGovern's score at 8:35 of the final stanza.

Two players picked up four points during regulation, including Kenyon with a hat-trick and an assist and rookie center Ashleigh Brykaliuk, who turned in a goal and three assists in her first skate as a Bulldog.

UMD outshot Japan 50-16 in the contest.  Bulldog sophomore netminder Kayla Black made 14 stops and two saves in the Olympic-style shootout.

UMD'S HISTORY ON OPENING NIGHT:  The Bulldogs are 12-3 over their program history in the season's first skate.  

Last season was the first-ever opponent sweep of UMD in Duluth on opening weekend, 1-3 and 2-3 setbacks from Ohio State on Oct. 5-6, 2012.

This weekend's series against UConn will mark the eighth time in 15 seasons the Bulldogs have opened in Duluth.  UMD is 10-4 at home in opening series all-time.

RANK AND FILE:  The Bulldogs are ranked No. 10 in the current USA TODAY/USA Hockey Magazine's national poll.  It marks the first time UMD has jumped back in the national poll picture since the first week of Feburary last season.

COUNTDOWN TO 350:  Bulldog head coach Shannon Miller, who with 504 career games coached at UMD is already one of only two active coaches to have coached 500 contests.

Miller currently has an overall record of  348-117-39 -- just two shy of the 350 win mark -- a mark reached by only two other NCAA Division I coaches in history.  

With a .729 all-time winning percentage, Miller ranks among active coaches and fourth all-time.

Notably, Miller has made sure UMD has played one of the toughest schedules in the nation consistentally every year.  Despite that fact, Miller still owns a record five NCAA titles.