Box Score It wouldn't be back at AMSOIL Arena for another five weeks, so the University of Minnesota Duluth made the most of its home appearance Saturday night.

The Bulldogs turned in perhaps its strongest first-period of the season, scoring three times in a span of 3:25 and went on to turn back the University of Notre Dame 4-1, handing the No. 2 Irish their first loss of 2013-14. UMD, which outshot the Irish 14-3 in the opening 20 minutes of play, got on the board at the 6:36 mark when senior right winger Joe Basaraba roofed a backhand past Notre Dame goaltender Chad Katunar for his second goal of the year. Junior center Caleb Herbert scored the eventual game winner, stuffing in a loose puck, just nine seconds later (three seconds shy of the program record for fastest two goals) before rookie center Dominic Toninato made it a 3-0, with his first collegiate goal. Freshman left winger Kyle Osterberg rounded out the UMD scoring, finishing off a 2-on-1 with Herbert midway through the second period.

Notre Dame, a 3-2 victor Friday night, spoiled senior goaltender Aaron Crandall's bid for a fifth career shutout -- and the Bulldogs' first-ever blanking of the Irish -- by scoring on the power play with 6:38 remaining in regulation.

Crandall, making his third straight start, finished with 20 saves while improving to 2-1-0 on the year. Katunar had 11 stops before being replaced at the start of the second period by Steven Summerhays, who turned back 15 of Bulldog shots.

"I think this is as well as we have come out this season," said Crandall, who is now 18-12-3 with the Bulldogs. "Getting those three goals in the first were huge. Personally, I felt really good all weekend and saw the puck well."

The Bulldogs will pay a visit to Columbus, Ohio, next weekend for a pair of non-conference matchups with Ohio State University.