The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will put a young three-game unbeaten streak on the line this weekend when the Bulldogs host Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival Bemidji State University at AMSOIL Arena. Game-time for Friday is set back to 7:37 p.m., while Saturday's contest is at 6:07 p.m. Saturday UMD, along with the Duluth and Superior Police Departments, have invited area school patrol members and their families to attend the game as part of the 2nd Annual "Safety Patrol Night at AMSOIL Arena"Â
UMD NOTES VS BEMIDJI STATE FULL PDF
THE SERIES:Â UMD is 56-3-2 all-time against Bemidji State and swept the Beavers in all four games they played during the 2012-13 season.
In their last series back on Jan. 18-19 at AMSOIL, the Bulldogs shutout BSU 3-0 on Jan. 18 with goals from then juniors Brienna Gillanders, Jamie Kenyon, and senior Pernilla Winberg. Eight different players in all picked up points and Kayla Black turned away all 17 shots she faced.
The following night (Jan. 19), UMD was boosted by a three-goal second period. The Bulldogs received goals from Jenna McParland, Brigette Lacquette, Gillanders and Winberg. Eight players again recorded points in the skate and UMD held the Beavers scoreless seven power-play attempts for a total of 12 in the series. The Bulldogs set a regular season attendance record with 4, 095 fans in the triumoh.
UMD owns more all-time wins against BSU than any other team in both the WCHA and NCAA (56).
LAST TIME OUT:Â UMD picked up its second WCHA series sweep on the road last weekend against Ohio State, beating the Buckeyes by scores of 3-2 and 2-0. Â
Friday afternoon the Bulldogs used three first period goals by Jamie Kenyon, Lara Stalder and Jenna McParland to jump out to a 3-0 lead after the first 20 minutes. Despite OSU outshooting UMD 31-22 in the game, including 12-8 in the opening period, the Bulldogs held on for a 3-2 win.
On Saturday, the Bulldog rookies stepped up to the scoring table, with a first period score from Ashleigh Brykaliuk and a second stanza goal from Bailey Wright. Those two goals ended up being more than enough for UMD, with sophomore goaltender Kayla Black impressive between the pipes and saving all 36 shots she faced for her sixth career shutout. Â
Kenyon has a goal and two assists in the series, while Tea Villila, back from Team Finland duty had three assists on the weekend. Wright figured in both of UMD's goals Saturday with a goal and an assist.
NOTES FROM THE OHIO STATE SERIES:Â With the sweep last weekend, UMD is now 52-11-4 all-time against the Buckeyes.
--Kayla Black's shutout Saturday was the sixth of her 40-game Bulldog career and second of the 2013-14 season. It was her first of the year against a WCHA opponent.
--Black's shutout was also the first by a goaltender on the road since Jennifer Harss blanked Bemidji State 1-0 back on Feb. 10, 2012.
--OSU outshot UMD 67-47 in the series, the first time the Bulldogs have been outshot in both games and still won the series since UMD did it last Jan. 25-16 -- also against OSU. UMD won 7-5 and 3-2 in Duluth despite being outshelled 63-57. Â
OFFENSIVE BULLDOGS: Junior winger Jenna McParland and senior linemate Jamie Kenyon currently both have 14 points to top the Bulldogs in scoring, with McParland at seven goals and seven assists and Kenyon with six goals and eight assists. Rookie blueliner Lara Stalder ranks third with 13 points on four goals and nine assists. Both Kenyon and McParland have two game-winning goals, good for fourth in the NCAA, while Kenyon's four power-play tallies continues to lead the nation in extra skater goals. Stalder ranks fourth among defensemen and rookies in the NCAA in scoring with a 1.08 points per game average. Currently Stalder is also the highest scoring defenseman in the WCHA with her 13 points.
With a goal and two assists in the series, senior winger Kenyon has now notched a point in her last three games (1g, 3a).  Overall, Kenyon has registered a point in nine of the first 12 games the Bulldogs have played so far this season. Â
Junior blueliner Tea Villila had three assists against OSU, while rookie forward Bailey Wright figured in both UMD scores Saturday with a goal and an assist.
UMD NOTES:Â Goaltender Kayla Black now ranks fifth all-time in saves at UMD with 1089 in 42 games...As a team, UMD ranks eighth in the country with a 3.17 goals per game average and fifth in penalty minutes with 12.8 a game...Last weekend's opponent, OSU sits in first with 26.6 infraction minutes a game while the Bulldogs upcoming opponent Bemidji State ranks second with a 19.2 penalty minute per game average...UMD is unbeaten when it scores the first goal of the game this year, with an impressive 4-0-1 record...The Bulldogs have also been more successful on the road through their first 12 games, going 4-1-1 on the road compared to just 2-3-1 at home.
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