The University of Minnesota Duluth will put its six-game home unbeaten streak on the line this Friday and Saturday nights (Oct. 25-26) when the Bulldogsplay host to the University of Notre Dame in a pair of non-conference confrontations. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. both nights at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.

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THE RECORDS: UMD is 2-1-1 overall and 1-1-0 in National Collegiate Hockey Conference play this season while Notre Dame sports a perfect 4-0-0 in all games (it's best start in 15 years) and has yet to make its Hockey East debut.

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and Notre Dame stacked up in the latest USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls:

        USCHO.com    USA Today    
MD        RV    RV
UND        No. 2    No. 2

ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Notre Dame outings will be carried locally on 94X (94.1/104.3 FM) with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play and UMD hockey alumnus Kraig Karakas providing color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard on KQ 105.5 in Grand Rapids/Hibbing and KQ 106.7 in Ely/Virginia as part of the Bulldog Sports Radio Network and is available on the internet at: 94xrocks.com.

In addition, My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9) is airing the series opener this weekend while Saturday's game will be televised on KBJR-TV (Channel 6). Tom Hansen and former UMD standout forward Judd Medak will serve as the on-air talent. My9, which is scheduled to carry at least 21 games during the 2013-14 regular season, is also available locally on Charter and Mediacom cable. Both telecast this weekend will be videostreammed as well and can be viewed for a fee at: americaonesports.com.

THE COACHES: The runnerup for the 2010-11 Spencer Penrose Award (American Hockey Coaches Association NCAA Division I Coach of the Year) and recipient of that honor in 2003-04, Scott Sandelin is in his 14th season behind the UMD bench where he has compiled a 233-230-64 overall record -- including a 111-70-27 mark (for a .598 winning percentage) since the 2008-08 opener. Besides capturing the school's first NCAA championship three years ago, his Bulldogs have won 22 or more games in four of the last five seasons while advancing to four NCAA tournaments (2004, 2009, 2011 and 2012), two Frozen Fours (2004 and 2011) and seven of the past 11 WCHA Final Five playoff events. He has also helped produce a pair of Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (Jack Connolly in 2011-12 and Junior Lessard in 2003-04), six NCAA All-Americans and 17 different All-WCHA selections. Sandelin has also seen 16 of his UMD pupils go on to do time in the National Hockey League, with the latest being winger Justin Fontaine earlier this month (Minnesota Wild). During the course of the 2011-12 season, the Bulldogs set a club record by going unbeaten in 17 straight games and were ranked first in both major weekly polls (USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine for a program-best nine consecutive weeks. In March 2009, UMD became the first play-in game participant to ever claim the Final Five title and, later that spring, strung together a school-record six-game postseason winning streak before it fell to Miami University 2-1 in the NCAA West Regional final. Nine years ago, Sandelin, 49, turned UMD into a NCAA Frozen Four participant for the first time in nearly a generation, marshaling his troops to their most victories (they were 28-13-4 overall) and highest WCHA finish (second place on a 19-7-2 mark) since 1992-93. For his efforts, the Hibbing, Minn., native was chosen the WCHA Coach of the Year as well as the national coach of the year by both insidecollegehockey.com and uscho.com. In 2002-03, Sandelin's charges went 22-15-5 overall and captured fifth place in the WCHA with a 14-10-4 mark while experiencing the greatest one-season turnaround of any league member that winter. One year earlier, he guided UMD to a 13-24-1 record in all games -- nearly doubling the number of victories from the previous season (7-28-4). Sandelin officially signed on with the Bulldogs on March 31, 2000 following six years of assistant coaching deployment at North Dakota (which won two NCAA titles during his tenure). Prior to that, Sandelin spent the 1993-94 season as the head coach of the Fargo-Moorhead Junior Kings of the Junior Elite Hockey League after working in that same capacity (and doubling as general manager) the previous winter with the American Hockey Association's Fargo-Moorhead Express. He capped off his four-year playing career at North Dakota in 1985-86 by being named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. An All-WCHA first team pick and an All-American second team selection as a senior, Sandelin went on to play seven years of professional hockey, which included National Hockey League stints with the Montreal Canadiens (1986-88), Philadelphia Flyers (1990-91) and Minnesota North Stars (1991-92). Sandelin, one of just two active National Collegiate Hockey Conference coaches to do time in the NHL, was the Montreal Canadiens' second-round pick in the 1982 NHL draft (40th choice overall). He served as Team USA's head coach at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships, directing that club to a fourth-place finish, and was an assistant coach for the U.S. entry at that same event in 2011-12.

Jeff Jackson (Michigan State University, 1978) is in his ninth season with the Irish and has a 189-110-33 record to show for it. Jackson, who spent six years (1990-96) at the helm of the Lake Superior State University program where he won a NCAA championships in 1992, is 371-162-56 as a collegiate head coach. That figures out to be a .677 winning percentage -- the best mark among any active NCAA I bench boss. His Irish have made five NCAA playoff appearances and two trips to the NCAA Frozen Four, the last of those coming in 2011 when they were ousted 4-3 by UMD in the semifinal round. The recipient of the 2006-07 Spencer-Penrose Award, Jackson is 4-3-0 all-time against UMD (3-3-0 at Notre Dame and 1-0-0 at Lakes Superior State).
 
THE RIVALRY: UMD and Notre Dame have met 37 times previously, including at least once in each of the past two seasons. The Irish hold a 20-13-4 lead in the all-time series, which began in Duluth on Feb. 12, 1971 when both clubs were members of the WCHA. The Irish departed that circuit after the 1980-81 season and UMD is 5-4-2 versus Notre Dame since then. The two teams traded wins in UMD's 2012-13 road openers (Oct. 18-19) with the Bulldogs taking the front end of the series, 3-1 (getting a 29-save performance from then-rookie netminder Matt McNeely), before falling 4-1 in the rematch. In that victory, the Irish struck three times within a span of eight minutes to take a 3-0 lead early in the second period.

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs came away with a split in their first-ever NCHC series, throttling Colorado College 5-1 on Saturday in Colorado Springs, Colo., after the host Tigers had skated off with a 3-1 victory the previous evening. Freshman left winger Alex Iafallo and junior right winger Justin Crandall each scored twice Saturday while junior center Caleb Herbert added a pair of assists for the Bulldogs, who outshot the hosts 44-14. Sophomore left winger Austin Farley accounted for the lone UMD goal in the opener.

Notre Dame remained at home for the second straight weekend and bested Michigan Tech University 3-2 on Friday and 7-3 two days later to complete the non-conference series sweep. Sam Herr and Vince Hinostroza each had two goals on Sunday while three different players scored for the Irish in the 3-1 triumph.

NCHC FORECAST: In the inaugural NCHC Preseason Media Poll, UMD was projected for a sixth-place finish in the upstart league this winter while Mia--mi University received top billing among the conference's eight schools with 115 points and seven first-place votes. The RedHawks were followed by the North Dakota (109 pts., and five first-place votes), St. Cloud State University (99 and the remaining four first-place votes) the University of Denver (66 pts.), Western Michigan University (61 pts), UMD (43), Colorado College (42 pts.) and the University of Nebraska-Omaha (41 pts.).

AYE, AYE CAPTAIN: Both senior right winger Joe Basaraba and junior right winger Adam Krause will share team captaincy responsibilities. Krause is the first non-senior to serve as a UMD team captain since 2006-07.

WELL DONE: For his spirited performance last weekend in Colorado Springs, Alex Iafallo was bestowed with the NCHC Rookie of the Week Award. The Eden, N.Y., product was held off the score sheet Friday night, but then scored twice and assisted on another goal on Saturday for his first collegiate points while helping spark the Bulldogs to their first NCHC victory. Iafallo finished a +2 on the weekend and put a team-high nine shots on net as well.

HERE WE GO AGAIN. The last time the Irish paid a visit to AMSOIL Arena (Oct. 7-8, 2011), they did so toting a No. 1 ranking in that week's uscho.com poll and were slotted second in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine rankings. The No. 8/10 Bulldogs, inspired by the unveiling of their 2011 NCAA championship banner prior to the opening face off, claimed a 4-3 victory on the first night, but the Irish rallied to clip UMD 5-3 in the rematch.
 
HANKERING FOR HOME: Since falling 5-1 to Minnesota State University-Mankato on Feb. 9, 2013, the Bulldogs have pieced together a six-game home unbeaten streak, going 5-0-1. During that stretch, they have outscored the opposition 23-8 while posting two shut outs. This season marks the third full year UMD will call AMSOIL Arena home. The Bulldogs are 29-17-5 in 51 engagements since that $80-million downtown facility opened its doors for business on Dec. 30, 2010.

LET 'ER RIP: In the final four periods of play last weekend, the Bulldogs outshot Colorado College 59-20. The last time UMD allowed fewer shots on goal than the Tigers mustered Saturday night (14) was on Nov. 19, 2005 -- 13 in a 2-0 setback at the University of Alaska-Anchorage. What's more, the 30-shot differential Saturday was the largest by a Bulldog club on the road since they outshot RPI 51-21, but fell 4-1 to the Engineers on Dec. 29, 1998 in Troy, N.Y.

PUTTING AN END TO THAT NONSENSE: The 5-1 triumph Saturday at Colorado College drew an end to UMD's seven-game road winless skid. That 0-5-2 slump started with a 5-1 loss to those same Tigers on Jan. 19, 2013.

POWER SHORTAGE: The Bulldogs have killed off all but one of the opposition's 23 power play opportunities, but haven't fared much better themselves, going 2-for-22 with the man advantage. UMD held Colorado College scoreless on all seven of its power plays last Friday. In terms of chances, that was the Bulldogs'' most productive penalty-killing night since a 9-for-9 effort against Union College in the opening round of the 2012 NCAA East Regional. UMD possessed the country's fourth most efficient power play one year ago (23.4 percent) and produced 62.1 percent of its goals (41 of 99) with the man advantage. Notre Dame's opponents, incidentally, have cashed in on just one of their 24 power play opportunities his season.

BULLDOG BITS: Justin Crandall recorded the first multiple-goal outing of his UMD career last Saturday against Colorado College. Crandall, the younger brother of fifth-year senior Bulldog goaltender Aaron Crandall, has collected both of UMD's game-winning goals this season.

 • UMD is tied for second nationally (with five other clubs) in scoring defense, allowing just 1.50 goals per game thus far. Topping that department is Notre Dame (1.25 gpg).

• Senior defenseman Tim Smith leads all 2013-14 Bulldogs in career-plus minus rating at a +13 and is a team-leading +4 this season (he shares that honor with rookie blueliner Willie Raskob).

•  Sophomore Matt McNeely, who picked up his first collegiate victory against Notre Dame one year ago (3-1 on Oct. 18 in South Bend, Ind.), is unbeaten in six of his last eight starts (4-2-2) going back to last season. His goaltending comrade, fifth-year senior Aaron Crandall, is 3-0-0 in his last three regular season appearances and has allowed but one goal (last Saturday night at Colorado College) during that stretch while pitching a pair of shut outs (4-0 over the University of Alabama-Huntsville on March 2, 2013 and 6-0 vs. the University of Nebraska-Omaha one week later). Both of those blankings came at AMSOIL Arena -- his  most recent home starts. The last time UMD and Notre Dame butted heads (Oct. 19, 2012), Crandall made a career-high 36 saves in a 4-1 road loss.

• Of the 25 active players on the 2013-14 Bulldog roster, only one -- Joe Basaraba -- has taken part in more than 85 career outings. The senior team co-captain is expected to skate in his 118th outing as a Bulldog this Friday. Senior center Max Tardy is next on the list with 85 games.

• Going back to a 5-4 home loss to the University of Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten (30-0-4) when they have scored four of more goals. That includes a 9-0-2 mark last season and a 1-0-0 record in 2013-14.

• Cal Decowski's first goal in a Bulldog uniform came at the expense of Notre Dame on Oct. 18, 2012. Fellow sophomore center Tony Cameranesi scored for the first time (on the power play) as a collegian the following night against the Irish.

• Rookie center Dominic Toninato is part of the 10th father-son combination to skate for the Bulldogs. Dominic's dad, Jim Toninato, was a four-year winger/center (1982-86) at UMD. Junior defenseman Derik Johnson's father, Jim Johnson, is also a UMD hockey alumnus (1981-85) and now an assistant coach with the San Jose Sharks.

• UMD is unbeaten in 42 of its last 48 overtime games (15-6-27; 0-1-5 in 2012-13 and 0-0-1 this season) dating back to the 2008-09 season opener, but hasn't won an extra session outing since the 2012 WCHA playoffs against Minnesota State-Mankato (3-2 in double overtime on March 10 in Duluth). No current Bulldog has an overtime goal to his collegiate credit.

• The Bulldogs have collected just two shorthanded goals over the past three seasons with both coming on the road against Michigan Tech (by Adam Krause on Nov. 30, 2012 -- his first tally as a collegian -- and by Keegan Flaherty on Dec. 2, 2011). During that same stretch, UMD has been scored on seven times while a man up. Krause is the only 2013-14 Bulldog with a shorthanded goal to his collegiate credit.

• Of UMD's 12 regular season opponents, eight cracked the top 20 in the uscho.com preseason poll while the four others all received votes. No other school in the country can make that claim.

• Junior co-captain Adam Krause has skated in 58 consecutive games -- the longest ironman streak on the club.

• More current Bulldogs (six) have birthdays in October than any other month. Those include freshman center Sammy Spurrell (Oct. 5), junior goaltender Alex Fons (Oct. 10), junior center Caleb Herbert (Oct. 12), sophomore center Austyn Young (Oct. 16), senior center Max Tardy (Oct. 27) and sophomore left winger Charlie Sampair (Oct. 31).

MILITARY NIGHT: This Friday's game with Notre Dame has been designated as UMD's annual Military Appreciation Night. All former and active members of the U.S. Armed Forces can purchase a discounted ticket ($15 at the UMD Ticket Office and $17 ticket at the DECC Ticket Office) with a limit of four tickets per person.

ON DECK: The Bulldogs will be in Columbus, Ohio, next Friday and Saturday (Nov. 1-2) to take on Ohio State University. The Buckeyes are coached by former Bulldog assistant Steve Rohlik while his assistant coach, Brett Larson, was a member of the UMD coaching staff for three years (2008-11) and was a standout defenseman with the Bulldogs during the early 1990s.