Armed with a five-game unbeaten streak, the University of Minnesota Duluth will close out the calendar year -- as well as the first half of its 2015-16 regular season schedule -- this Friday and Saturday (Dec. 11-12) when the Bulldogs play host to the University of North Dakota. Opening face off for both nights of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference series is set for 7:07 p.m. at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.

Complete Release (pdf)

THE RECORDS: UMD, which has won four straight and is 4-0-1 in its last five outings, owns a 7-5-3 overall record and a 4-3-1-1 NCHC mark (third place) while the Fighting Hawks, also winners of their last four, are 14-2-2 in all games and 7-1-0-0 in the NCHC (first place).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Fighting Hawks stacked up in this week's USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls:

    USCHO.com    USA Today/USA Hockey
UMD    No. 17    RV
UND    No. 4    No. 4
    
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-North Dakota bouts will be carried live on 92.1 FM The Fan with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities and ex-Bulldog winger Kraig Karakas providing color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard on KQ 105.5 FM in Grand Rapids/Hibbing, Minn.; KQ 106.7 FM in Ely/Virginia, Minn.; 105.7 FM The Fan Siren/Pine City, Minn., and Red Zone Sports Radio 930 in Aitkin, Minn., as part of the Bulldog Radio Network and at: 921thefan.com or free via the iHeartRadio app.

Both ends of this weekend's series will also be aired on My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9) with Tom Hansen and former UMD standout forward Judd Medak serving as the on-air talent. The two telecasts are available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv/umd.

THE RIVALRY: This weekend's series will mark the 227th and 228th meetings ever between UMD and North Dakota. North Dakota holds a 140-77-9 lead (57-39-5 in Duluth) in the all-time series, which began on Nov. 26, 1954 at the old Duluth Curling Club, and is unbeaten in 12 of its last 16 engagements with the Bulldogs (11-4-1). The two clubs traded wins in their lone series one year ago in Grand Forks (Jan. 9-10) with UMD taking the opener, 4-1, before falling the next night, 5-2. North Dakota is 57-39-5 all-time in Duluth

LAST WEEKEND: The Bulldogs throttled Western Michigan University twice at AMSOIL Arena for their third sweep of the 2015-16 season. UMD kicked off the weekend by cruising to a 7-0 victory as six different Bulldogs picked up goals, including sophomore right winger Karson Kuhlman, who scored two minutes apart midway through the third period. Senior defenseman Andy Welinski was credited with three assists and sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo rejected all 27 shots he faced. The Bulldogs outshot the visitors 51-27 on the evening (24-6 in the first period alone) and cashed in on four of their five power play opportunities. The next night, senior linemates Austin Farley (two goals and two assists) and Tony Cameranesi (one goal and three assists) helped end Western Michigan to its eighth straight loss. Eleven skaters marked in the points column for UMD, which went 3-for-7 with the man advantage and never trailed the entire game.

North Dakota likewise turned in a pair of home victories (including one via the shutout), toppling the University of Denver 5-1 and 4-0 on Friday and Saturday.
Cam Johnson finished the weekend with 40 saves (on 41 shots), a 0.50 goals-against average, and did not allow a goal over the final 98:38 of the series en route to being chosen the NCHC Goaltender of the Week. Austin Poganski collected three goals -- all on special teams -- including the game-winner both nights,

A TIP OF THE HAT: For their spirited performances against Western Michigan, Austin Farley and Kasimir Kaskisuo were both recognized by the NCHC with a weekly award. Farley was selected the NCHC Offensive Player of the Week after finishing with six points in the twin takedowns of the Broncos. Welinski, the NCHC Defenseman of the Week, contributed four points (all assists) to the Bulldog offensive coffers. He also blocked a team-leading five shots over the weekend, helped anchor a power play unit that went 7-for-12 and a penalty killing crew that held the Broncos scoreless in all three of their opportunities.

ON A ROLL: UMD's five-game unbeaten streak is the eighth longest in the nation at the moment. Since the 2011-12 season the Bulldogs have gone five or more games without a loss only one other time and that came last year when they reeled off six straight wins between Nov. 1 and Nov. 21, 2014.

A NIGHT TO REMEMBER: Last Friday's 7-0 triumph over Western Michigan was a milestone night for a quartet of UMD right wingers: Sophomore Karson Kuhlman turned in the first two-goal outing of his career, rookies Adam Johnson and Parker Mackay picked up their first collegiate goals and senior Austyn Young scored shorthanded for the first time as a Bulldog.

WINNING BIG: In their seven wins to date, the Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 32-4 (including 8-0 in the opening period of play) while going 12-for-33 on the power play (37.6 percent). They've connected at just 8.3 percent (3-for-36) with the man advantage in their other eight games.

IT HAD TO END SOMETIME: Sophomore Kasimir Kaskisuo, who has now made 27 consecutive starts, had gone 263:58 (a UMD record) without being scored upon before Western Michigan's Oliwer Kaski struck for a second-period goal Saturday. This came one night after Kaskisuo had posted his third consecutive shutout setting another program mark. The Vantaa, Finland, product and 2014-15 NCHC All-Rookie Team honoree already has four shutouts this season, which is one whitewash shy of the team record held by both Alex Stalock (2008-09) and Brant Nicklin (1997-98). In his last five appearances, Kaskisuo is 4-0-1 with a 0.59 goals against average and a .975 saves percentage during that stretch. He has tended goal for all of his team's NCHC games (32 thus far) since the start of the 2014-15 season -- the only individual who can make that claim.

MAKING THEMSELVES FEEL RIGHT AT HOME: North Dakota is 4-1-0 in five lifetime visits to AMSOIL Arena and that .800 winning percentage tops all NCHC clubs. The Fighting Hawks downed the Bulldogs 5-0 on AMSOIL Arena's opening night (Dec. 30, 2011) and their lone loss to date at that downtown Duluth facility came on Feb. 11, 2012 -- a 5-4 decision.

HOT 'DOG: Austin Farley owns the Bulldogs' longest active scoring streak at four games and over that stretch has amassed 13 points (six goals and seven assists). He currently paces the country in power play goals with seven, is third in game-winners (three), ninth in scoring (19 points) and 13th in plus-minus rating (+13). He trails just three players on the NCHC scoring charts, two of whom will be at AMSOIL Arena this weekend -- North Dakota's Drake Caggiula (25 pts.) and Nick Schmaltz (24 pts.).

FOUR'S A CHARM: Going back to a 5-4 loss to visiting Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in 57 of the 58 games they've struck for more than three goals (52-1-5). The sole setback during that stretch was inflicted by Minnesota State University-Mankato on Oct. 17, 2014 in Duluth (5-4 in overtime).
    
A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD currently sports the nation's 5th-highest scoring senior class. The eight, fourth-year Bulldogs have combined for 23 goals and 38 assists for 61 points and includes forwards Tony Cameranesi, Cal Decowski, Austin Farley, Charlie Sampair and Austyn Young, defensemen Willie Corrin and Andy Welinski and goalie Matt McNeely. The last time a Bulldog roster was comprised of more seniors than the current one was in 2004-05 (11).

THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT THOSE FIGHTING HAWKS: Junior defenseman Willie Raskob has enjoyed more offensive success against North Dakota than any other foe. In his six lifetime outings with the Fighting Hawks, he as generated one goal and six assists for seven points -- exactly one fifth of his entire career output -- and is a +5 to boot. One year ago, in the lone series between the two clubs (Jan. 9-10 in Grand Forks), Raskob was chosen the NCHC Defenseman of the Week -- a first for him -- after he figured in on half of the UMD's six goals on the weekend.

THE SHORT END OF THE STICK: UMD has already given up two more shorthanded goals this season (three -- all on the road, including a pair on Nov. 7 in Omaha) than it did all of 2014-15 (in 40 games). Among NCAA I clubs, only the University of Alaska Anchorage, Bemidji State University, Holy Cross, and Sacred Heart University (all with four) have been scored on more times while on the power play than the Bulldogs in 2015-16.

THE SHORT END OF THE STICK II: UMD senior team captain Andy Welinski, who has taken shifts in all 129 games since joining the Bulldog program in 2012-13, is one of two NCHC defensemen (Denver's Will Butcher is the other) with a shorthanded goal to his credit this season. That came in the 2015-16 opener at Bemidji Stte -- the second shortie of his career. Last winter, Welinski became the first individual in 31 years to lead all Bulldog blueliners in scoring for a third straight winter. (Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Tom Kurvers did it four times from 1980-84). Included in

FIRE AWAY: UMD is averaging 37.47 shots on goal per night -- the third highest average in the country, taking a backseat to only Penn State University (44.87) and  the University of Michigan (37.67) Senior center Tony Cameranesi is 20th nationally in shots per game (3.85) and ranks third among NCHC skaters in that department. Junior center Dominic Toninato sits right behind Cameranesi in fourth with a 3.80 mark. The Bulldogs have held the upper hand in shots in 12 of their 15 games this season and are 0-3-0 when they've not done so. On the flip side UMD has allowed the seventh fewest shots in NCAA I hockey (26.13), an average bettered by just one other NCHC club -- North Dakota (23.67). UMD's shot margin (+11.33) ranks second nationally to Penn State's +15.80 figure.

THE BIG 1-0-0: Senior center Tony Cameranesi, who scored the NCHC's first-ever 3 x 3 power play goal against Denver on Nov. 14), became the 55th member of UMD's career 100-point club last Saturday night. The last Bulldog to crack the 100-point career plateau prior to that was center Travis Oleksuk during the 2011-12 season. The Bulldogs leading scorer in two of the past three seasons, Cameranesi now has 35 goals and 67 assists in 127 outings. This season is one of just 12 NCHC skaters who is averaging a point or better tonight (1.31 --the fourth best figure in the league).

OHHHH-VERTIME: UMD has won just three of the last 22 games that have required overtime, going 3-5-14. Only three active Bulldogs -- junior left wingers Alex Iafallo and Kyle Osterberg and senior center Cal Decowski -- have an overtime goal on their collegiate resume. UMD's last extra-session victory came on Dec. 5, 2014 -- a 3-2 decision over Colorado College at AMSOIL Arena in which Osterberg scored the overtime winner.

OH, SHOOT: UMD is 2-3 lifetime in NCHC shootouts (all of which have been contested at AMSOIL Arena) and junior left winger Alex Iafallo (twice -- the first of which came at the hands of Denver on Jan. 17, 2014 at AMSOIL Arena) and junior center Dominic Toninato (once) are the lone current Bulldogs to score in the post-overtime event.

HOW SWEEP IT IS: Five of UMD's seven lifetime NCHC sweeps have been registered on the road -- Colorado College (Nov. 20-21, 2015), St. Cloud State (Nov. 7-8, 2014), Miami (Feb. 28-March 1, 2014), Western Michigan (Jan. 31-Feb. 1, 2014) and Omaha (Jan. 10-11, 2014). The Bulldogs' other two sweeps  came last weekend vs. Western Michigan and on Dec. 5-6, 2014 against Colorado College -- both in Duluth.

BULLDOG BITS: UMD head coach Scott Sandelin and rookie Fighting Hawks bench boss Brad Berry were teammates -- and fellow defensemen -- at North Dakota for three seasons (1983-86).

• Senior Austyn Young has scored once in each of the past three games and now has a career-best five goals on the season.

• This weekend's series will feature the NCHC's top two team defense leaders in North Dakota (1.89 goals per game) and UMD (2.07 gpg)

• UMD is 7-1-1 when it's gotten on the board first this season.

• The last time the Bulldogs held down first place in the NCHC standings was on Jan. 9, 2015 following their 4-1 triumph at North Dakota.
 
• The double 4-2 setbacks to Omaha earlier this year marked first time the Bulldogs had been swept in a regular season series since Feb. 21-22, 2014 (North Dakota at AMSOIL Arena). Last winter, UMD did something last winter it had done only one other time (2010-11) in 54 years of competing at the NCAA I level -- go through an entire regular season without being swept. North Dakota was the only other 2014-15 NCHC school to accomplish that feat.

• Senior center Tony Cameranesi currently paces all active Bulldogs in lifetime points (102) while senior left winger Austin Farley ranks first in both career goals (35) and power play scores (22). Both Cameranesi and junior defenseman Carson Soucy, the lone Bulldog to ever be drafted by the Minnesota Wild (fifth round in 2013), sport UMD's best career plus-minus figure (+18).

• Of the eight NCHC head coaches, only one (Miami's Enrico Blasi with 17 seasons) has been at his current school longer than Scott Sandelin (16 seasons).

• Freshman left winger Adam Johnson, who scored once in each end of the Western Michigan series, is part of the 11th father-son combinations that have been part of the UMD program. His dad, Davey Johnson, was a four-year letterman and captained the Bulldogs as a senior center in 1980-81. Junior center Dominic Toninato also followed in his father's footsteps (forward Jim Toninato, 1982-86).
 
WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT YEAR: The Bulldogs won't return to the ice until Jan. 2 when they host the U.S. National Under-18 Team. After that exhibition clash, it's off to Miami and a resumption of NCHC play on Jan. 8-9.