The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will celebrate the 2014 World Girls' Hockey Weekend this Friday and Saturday when the Bulldogs host the No. 1 University of Minnesota Gophers at AMSOIL Arena.    Both games will begin at 6:07 p.m.  UMD is also offering all girls hockey players free tickets to attend both games. Tickets must be reserved in advance at www.umdbulldogs.com/girlshockeyweekend. 

THE SERIES:  The Bulldogs are due for some good fortune against Minnesota, with the Gophers winning all five of the two teams skates last season.  In fact, UMD has suffered 11-straight setbacks against Minnesota since beating the Gophers 4-2 back on Jan. 13, 2012 at AMSOIL Arena.

The two squads last face each other on March 7, 2014 at the Sanford Center in the semifinals of the WCHA's Final Face-Off.  UMD struck first on a goal from Katerina Mrázová 7:30 into the first period.  The Gophers equalized at the 13:40 mark and the game would stay 1-1 until the third period.  Minnesota then scored a power play goal at 7:47 and added two more goals, including one late in the skate with 50 seconds remaining to pick up the 4-1 win.

Senior winger Jenna McParland has put the most points up against the Gophers in her 14 games against them, scoring four goals and adding two assists for six points.  McParland was just a freshmen when the Bulldogs beat Minnesota 4-2, but the rookie contributed two goals in the triumph.  

Senior defenseman Brigette Lacquette has a goal and two assists in nine skates against the Gophers

ABOUT MINNESOTA: The No. 1 Gophers (and 2014 NCAA runner-up) have played just two games so far this season, and UMD will be Minnesota's first taste of the WCHA.  Last weekend, the Gophers beat Penn State 8-0 on Oct. 3 and then beat then No. 6 Boston Univesity 5-2 on Oct. 4 at Ridder Arena.

UMD has four players who picked up four points in last weekend's outings, including senior forward Meghan Lorence, who netted a team-high tie three goals in addition to her assist.

Head coach Brad Frost is in his eigth season with the Gophers, where he is 226-38-17 overall with two NCAA titles (2012 and 2013).

LAST TIME OUT:   The Bulldogs were swept on the weekend by No. 2 Wisconsin by scores of 4-1 Friday night and 6-2 Saturday at AMSOIL Arena.

UMD was within a single goal late into the third period after senior winger Zoe Hickel scored at the 16:15 mark to pull the Bulldogs to 2-1, but Wisconsin finished two empty net goals to dash any UMD upset hopes in the final 50 seconds of play.  UMD was a perfect 6-of-6 on the power play.

Saturday night, the Bulldogs scored first on another goal by Hickel, but the Badgers scored four unanswered goals over the course of seven minutes to blow the game open 4-1 by the 5:16 mark of the second period.  

NOTES FROM THE WISCONSIN SERIES:  UMD is  now 29-33-11 all-time against Wisconsin.  The Bulldogs are also 16-14-5 when hosting the Badgers in Duluth all-time.

--After averaging 46.5 shots heading into the series against Wisconsin, UMD averaged just 19.5 last weekend.

MCPARLAND EYES UMD'S 100-POINT CLUB:  Jenna McParland is now just four points shy from becoming the 19th player to join UMD's 100 career point club after scoring against the Badgers last Saturday. McParland is sitting at 96 points with 44 goals and 52 assists.

BULLDOG NOTES: Senior forward Zoe Hickel has now notched a point in her first four games, having netted three goals and an assist for a team-high tie of four points.  

Sophomore center Lara Stalder also has four points on two goals and two assists.

--With an assist in last weekend's series against Wisconsin, senior defenseman Brigette Lacquette is now sitting at 45 career points — just three shy of cracking into UMD's top-10 all-time scoring defenseman. Lacquette was already ranked ninth among all Bulldog blueliners with 13 career goals prior to the season starting.  It should be noted Lacquette broke into the top-10 scoring defenseman as a sophomore and having played just 70 games.  Only Brittny Ralph, who nettted 19 goals in a 70 game career, found a place in the top-10 in fewer skates.

--UMD has scored five of its 10 goals so far this season in the third period, but 50 of the 132 total shots its taken in the second period.

--The Bulldogs have had fewer shots taken against them (124 for their opponents, 132 for UMD), but have been outscored 14-10 in their first four skates.

--UMD is 0-1-1 when they fall behind in the first period and 0-2-1 when they trail after two stanzas.

--The Bulldogs have eight players listed as defenseman after Lara Stalder's move to center, but it is the most defenseman UMD has had on it's roster since they had eight blueliners during the 2006-07 season.

--The Bulldogs will have a total of four Olympians on their roster this season.  Returners Lara Stalder (Switzerland), Tea Villila (Finland) and Maria Lindh and Michelle Lowenhielm (Sweden).  Four is the most since UMD had four current Olympains on their roster during the 2011-12 season, with Haley Irwin (Canada), Pernilla Winberg (Sweden), Mariia Posa (Finland) and Jennifer Harss (Germany).

--Duluth native Emma Stauber, who will wear the "C" this season with forward Zoe Hickel, has become the first Duluthian to captain the Bulldogs.  Stauber, who was an alternate captain last season, is just the second Duluth product to have worn the "A".  Tawni Mattila was an alternate captain in both 2007-08 and 2008-09.

Online Radio: http://www.kumd.org/HomeListenLivePopUp.html

Online Video:  www.umdbulldogs.com/whkonline

Twitter Updates:  UMDWHockey

For a the full PDF version of this release, click here.