The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will dive into the Western Collegiate Hockey Association portion of the 2013-14 season this weekend when the No. 9 Bulldogs travel to Grand Forks, ND to face the No. 6 University of North Dakota.  Game time for both the Saturday and the Sunday skates has been set for 2:07 p.m.

USCHO RANKING:  UMD-- No. 9, North Dakota--  No. 6

USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY MAG: UMD-- No. 10, North Dakota-- No. 6

 THE SERIES: UMD is 35-8-2 all-time against UND and went 0-3-1 in 2012-13.  The Bulldogs have gone just 2-4-2 over the past two seasons against North Dakota, accounting for half of the program's eight all-time setbacks versus UND.

UMD Notes vs North Dakota
 
In UMD's last encounter with North Dakota back on Feb. 22-23, the Bulldogs trailed UND by two goals in both games out of the gate.  UND took a 2-0 lead early on Feb. 22 in the first period, and trailed by one goal until they pulled goalie Karissa Grapp, with some confusion, 56 seconds left in the game.  North Dakota scored a second open net goal with 16 seconds remaining to reach the 4-1 final score. Grapp, making her first-ever start for injured goaltender Kayla Black made 26 saves in her starting debut. UMD held UND scoreless in four power play attempts.
 
On Feb. 23 the Bulldogs took to the ice needing a win or shootout win to regain first round home WCHA playoff ice. Despite holding UND without a shot for the first 9:27 of the game, UMD gave up a power play tally 3:44 into the second period and then a second goal just 1:15 later to fall behind 2-0. Then senior Katie Wilson continued her success against North Dakota with a goal high-stick side at 8:28 of the second stanza and junior forward Jamie Kenyon rebounded in the equalizer with 3:11 remaining in the second. UMD then withstood 20 shots in the third period, including a penalty kill with less than three minutes left in regulation and then another nine shots in overtime to earn the 2-2, and eventual shootout win.  Then rookie goaltender Black made a total of 46 saves in the game, the a career-best but also the third most saves by a Bulldog goaltender in a single contest ever.
 
The Bulldogs led UND for just 14:22 out of a possible 148:08 minutes last season.  UMD also fell behind by two goals in each of the games it played against North Dakota, finding equalizers in two of them to force overtime.

LAST TIME OUT:  The Bulldogs started the season out with a bang at AMSOIL last weekend, drubbing the University of Connecticut by scores of 7-0 and 6-1, respectively. 
 
Junior winger Jenna McParland scored the fastest goal in UMD history to start both a game and a season when she struck just 13 seconds into the first period last Friday night.  Zoe Hickel added a shorthanded goal and Meghan Heurtas netted the first goal of her UMD career to help the Bulldogs take a 3-0 lead after 20 minutes of play.  UMD never looked back, netting seven goals in all to roll to a 7-0 win over the Huskies.  Sophomore goaltender Kayla Black had 22 stops for the Bulldogs en route to picking up her fifth career shutout.
 
Saturday night was more of the same, with senior forward Jamie Kenyon scoring back-to-back power play goals in the first period to help the Bulldogs beat UConn 6-1.  Karissa Grapp made 15 saves in net for UMD.
 
NOTES FROM THE CONNECTICUT SERIES:  With last weekend's sweep, UMD is now 6-0 all-time against the Huskies and 19-4-2 against Hockey East opponents.
 
--17 of the 20 players who hit the ice for UMD in the series notched at least a point, including goaltender Kayla Black, who with an assist Friday night now has four assists to her credit in her 32-game collegiate career.  10 players picked up two or more points and four recorded three or more.  Rookies Ashleigh Brykaliuk and Lara Stadler both led the Bulldogs in points with four each (1g, 3a).  Six of UMD's seven freshmen registered a point in the series, with five grabbing two or more.
 
--Despite taking 12 penalties in the series, UMD was a perfect 12 for 12 down a skater.  The Bulldogs are averaging a blistering 55 shots a game.
 
--UMD not only outscored the Huskies 13-1 over the weekend, but unloaded 110 shots to UConns 38.
 
--The Bulldogs are now 13-3 on opening night and 12-4 all-time at home in series openers.

MILLER HITS 350 WIN MILESTONE:  Head coach Shannon Miller became only the third NCAA Division I women's hockey head coach to earn 350 wins in UMD's 6-1 triumph Saturday night.  Miller, who did so the second fastest in history (15 seasons) has an overall record of 350-117-39.
 
With 506 career games coached at UMD, Miller is already one of only two active coaches to have coached in 500 contests.
 
Most impressively, most of Miller's win have come in the nation's toughest league and home every single NCAA title -- the WCHA.  In fact, to be exact, 257 of those wins came in WCHA play over the past 14 seasons.  Another 30 triumphs the result of WCHA playoff games, four in NCAA Regional play and an NCAA-best 11 in the NCAA Frozen Four. 
 
All told, 312 of Miller's 350 wins came against unquestionably strong competition.

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