USCHO RANKING:  UMD-- RV, Boston University-  No. 9

USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY MAG: UMD-- RV, Boston University- No. 9

THE SERIES:  Having played just two games in their head-to-head history, the Bulldogs are 0-0-2 against the Terriers all-time after a series in Duluth one year ago.

UMD played then-ranked No. 7 Boston University to two overtime ties on Dec. 8-9, 2012 at AMSOIL.  On Dec. 8, the Bulldogs trailed the Terriers for almost two periods of play before blueliner  Brigette Lacquette ripped a shot from the left point to beat BU and knot the game at 1-1.  Zoe Hickel scored a go-ahead goal on a pass from Lacquette with just 3:40 left in the third period, but the Terriers equalized 1:31 later to make the contest 2-2, the score that  would survive overtime.  UMD outshot BU 30-23 and fought off 17 minutes worth of penalties, including a five minute major to round out the second period.  

For the first time in their 14-year  history, the Bulldogs played to a 0-0 overtime draw on Dec. 9.  UMD shelled BU 38-19, but couldn't solve the Terrier's defense.  It was the Bulldogs third overtime game in six games and fourth on the season.  earned the shutout for UMD.  

All-time, the Bulldogs are 19-4-2 against Hockey East Association opponents and swept Connecticut in the first series of the season 7-0 and 6-1 back on Oct. 4 and 5 to start the year.

NOTES VS BOSTON UNIVERSITY -- FULL PDF VERSION

LAST TIME OUT: UMD faced Team Russia for the second time in six days Monday, suffering a 5-2 setback after pounding the Russians in their first encounter on Nov. 26 by a score of 8-0.  Both Jamie Kenyon and Meghan Huertas had two goals for UMD in the romp.

 The Bulldogs (7-6-3, 5-6-3-2 WCHA, 20 points) picked up two WCHA points on the weekend against No. 2 Wisconsin with a tie and a shootout win Friday and a 1-0 loss Saturday.

UMD's two goals against Wisconsin came from rookie Demi Crossman, who had a tip to secure the first score of the game, and senior winger Kenyon who netted her seventh goal of the season. Junior winger Huertas struck for the only score in the shootout and Kayla Black turned away all three Badgers shooters and had 35 saves on the evening to help pick up the two WCHA points.

Last Saturday night the Bulldogs put 28 shots on net, including 10 in the third period, but could not solve either Wisconsin goaltender in the skate. Black made 31 saves in the loss and Huertas had a team-high five shots.  

NOTES FROM THE WISCONSIN SERIES: Last Friday's game was the 22nd overtime skate between the two programs, and the Bulldogs are 29-29-11 all-time against the Badgers.

--The Bulldogs are 2-2 in their last four shootouts dating back to last season.  After beating Wisconsin, UMD is 1-1 this season, the same record they had in all of the 2012-13 season.

--Kayla Black turned away 68 shots in the series and blanked all three shooters she faced in the shootout for a total of 71 saves against Wisconsin.

--Junior winger Jenna McParland added an assist Friday night and now has compiled five goals and three assists for eight points  in 11 skates against the Badgers, a current Bulldog high.

--UMD is now 0-4-3 against teams ranked in the top-10 this season.

--The Bulldogs are also 2-1 against national team competition this year.

--Freshman winger Bailey Wright missed both games in the Wisconsin series last weekend and the exhibition Monday.

OFFENSE TAKEN:  The Bulldogs own the NCAA's 10th best defense, allowing just 2.00 goals per game, but UMD isn't lacking in offense.  

Currently lead by junior winger Jenna McParland leads the Bulldogs with 16 points (7g, 9a), while senior linemate Jamie Kenyon checks in with 15 (7g, 8a).  Kenyon is tied for the second most power-play goals in the NCAA with four.

Rookie blueliner Lara Stalder owns 14 points on four goals and 10 assists, and ranks seventh in scoring defensemen and sixth among all rookies with a .88 per game scoring average.

Stalder leads all rookies in WCHA play with 10 points (3g, 7a) in conference action and ranks second among all defensemen in league play.

Junior winger Zoe Hickel ranks second in the NCAA with two short-handed goals.

BULLDOG NOTES:  UMD ranks fifth in the nation in penalty minutes with a 12.4 minute average...Bulldogs are better on the road so far this season (4-1-1) than they have been at home (3-5-2), but have played six games at AMSOIL against top-10 teams...The Bulldogs are unbeaten when they net the first goal, now having gone 5-0-2 in games where they score first...UMD is also 6-1-3 when holding a leading heading into the third period but has not yet won a game when trailing the final stanza (0-3-0)...While the Bulldogs have spread their scoring out evenly across three periods, UMD has given up 14 of the 32 goal scored against them in the third period of play...UMD will be without the services of senior center Brienna Gillanders who will be out of the Bulldog line-up indefinitely due to injury.

OLYMPIC WATCH:  Current redshirt junior defenseman Brigette Lacquette may be centralized with the Canadian Olympic Team, but she is not the only Bulldog with a chance to crack a 2014 Winter Olympic roster.  Junior defenseman Tea Villila had a good showing at last month's Four Nations Cup for Finland, while Switerland is expected to call up UMD rookie defenseman Lara Stalder.  Sophomore forward Marie Delarbe is also in the German Olympic Team pool.  

23 former and current Bulldogs have suited up for the Olympics over the past 15 years UMD has had an NCAA Division I program.

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