It was an exhibition all right -- an offensive exhibition by the University of Minnesota Duluth Sunday night at AMSOIL Arena.

The No. 2 Bulldogs erupted for six unanswered second-period goals and put 50 shots on net while cruising to a 6-1 exhibition victory over Lakehead University of Thunder Bay, Ontario.  Six different Bulldogs picked up a goal and a dozen finished with at least one point as UMD upped its all-time record against Canadian universities to 36-3-2, including a perfect 15-0-0 vs. Lakehead.

The Thunderwolves cashed in on their first shot attempt of the night at 3:39 into game when Carson Dubchack one-timed a power play shot from the slot past Bulldog starting netminder Kasimir Kaskisuo. After that, it was all Bulldogs. Senior center Tony Cameranesi and sophomore defenseman Nick McCormack scored 45 seconds apart early in the second period to give UMD the lead for good. Then, at the midway point of that same period, senior right winger Austyn Young, freshman center Billy Exell and junior right winger Alex Iafallo added goals in a span of 63 seconds to put the game away. Sophomore left winger Blake Young capped off the scoring on a wrister from the left faceoff circle at the 14:54 mark. Exell, who celebrated his 20th birthday Sunday, was one of three Bulldogs with a two-point night, joining Cameranesi and senior defenseman Andy Welinski.

"At first, I was a little nervous out there," said Exell, a native of Thunder Bay. "I actually knew about five guys on the team, so seeing them out there was kind of funny. Growing up watching the Thunderwolves play -- it's definitely a little different now  playing against them."

Kaskisuo (three), senior Matt McNeely (three) and freshman Nick Deery (four) each took a period and combined for 10 saves for the Bulldogs, who are 18-1-0 in exhibition games under 16^th year head coach Scott Sandelin.
 
UMD will officially usher in its 72^nd year of intercollegiate hockey this Friday night (Oct. 9) by hosting former Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival Bemidji State University in the front end of a home-and-home series.