After a four-week layoff from regular season activity, the University of Minnesota Duluth will return to the ice and embark on the second half of its 2015-16 schedule this Friday and Saturday night (Jan. 8-9) when the Bulldogs pay a visit to Oxford, Ohio, for a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference series against Miami University. The puck drops at 6:35 p.m. (CT) on Friday and 6:05 p.m. the following night at Steve Cady Arena (3,642) on the Miami campus.

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THE RECORDS: UMD, which is unbeaten in five of its last seven outings (4-2-1), owns an even 7-7-3 overall record and a 4-5-1-1 NCHC mark (third place) while the reigning NCHC playoff champion RiverHawks, are 6-10-2 in all games and 2-7-1-1 in league play (seventh place).

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

    USCHO.com    USA Today/USA Hockey
UMD    No. 19    NR
MU       NR        NR
    
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Miami bouts will be carried live on 92.1 FM The Fan with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities. 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 be streamed and are available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv/umd.

THE COACH: The runnerup for the 2010-11 Spencer Penrose Award (American Hockey Coaches Association NCAA Division I Coach of the Year) and recipient of that honor in 2003-04, Scott Sandelin is in his 16th season behind the UMD bench where he has compiled a 275-268-73 overall record -- including a 153-108-36 mark since the 2008-09 opener. Besides capturing the school's first NCAA championship four years ago, his Bulldogs have won 20 or more games in five of the last seven seasons while advancing to five NCAA tournaments (2004, 2009, 2011,2012 and 2014), two Frozen Fours (2004 and 2011) and seven of 11 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five playoff events between 2002-13. He has also helped produce a pair of Hobey Baker Memorial Award winners (Jack Connolly in 2011-12 and Junior Lessard in 2003-04), six NCAA All-Americans and 17 different All-WCHA selections. In addition, Sandelin has seen 16 of his UMD pupils go on to do time in the National Hockey League and one take part in the Winter Olympic Games (Justin Faulk for Team USA in 2014). During the course of the 2011-12 season, the Bulldogs set a team record by going unbeaten in 17 straight games and were ranked first in both major weekly polls (USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine for a program-best nine consecutive weeks. In March 2009, UMD became the first play-in game participant to ever claim the Final Five title and, later that spring, strung together a school-record six-game postseason winning streak before it fell to Miami University 2-1 in the NCAA West Regional final. Nine years ago, Sandelin, 50, turned UMD into a NCAA Frozen Four participant for the first time in nearly a generation, marshaling his troops to their most victories (they were 28-13-4 overall) and highest WCHA finish (second place on a 19-7-2 mark) since 1992-93. For his efforts, the Hibbing, Minn., native was chosen the WCHA Coach of the Year as well as the national coach of the year by both insidecollegehockey.com and uscho.com. In 2002-03, Sandelin's charges went 22-15-5 overall and captured fifth place in the WCHA with a 14-10-4 mark while experiencing the greatest one-season turnaround of any league member that winter. One year earlier, he guided UMD to a 13-24-1 record in all games -- nearly doubling the number of victories from the previous season (7-28-4). Sandelin officially signed on with the Bulldogs on March 31, 2000 following six years of assistant coaching deployment at North Dakota (which won two NCAA titles during his tenure). Prior to that, Sandelin spent the 1993-94 season head coaching the Junior Elite Hockey League's Fargo-Moorhead Junior Kings after working in that same capacity (and doubling as general manager) the previous winter with the Fargo-Moorhead Express of the American Hockey Association. He capped off his four-year playing career at North Dakota in 1985-86 by being named one of 10 finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award. An All-American second team selection and All-WCHA first team pick as a senior, Sandelin went on to play professionally for seven years, which included National Hockey League stints with the Montreal Canadiens (1986-88), Philadelphia Flyers (1990-91) and Minnesota North Stars (1991-92). Sandelin, one of just two active NCHC coaches to do time in the NHL (Denver's Jim Montgomery is the other), was the Montreal Canadiens' second-round pick in the 1982 NHL draft (40th choice overall). He served as Team USA's head coach at the 2005 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships, directing that club to a fourth-place finish, and was an assistant coach for the U.S. entry at that same event in 2011-12.

THE RIVALRY: UMD and Miami will square off for just the eighth and ninth times ever this weekend. The all-time series between the two clubs, which UMD leads 4-3, got its start at the 2008 West Regional title game in Minneapolis (where the RedHawks put the clamps on the Bulldogs' school-record six-game postseason winning streak with a 2-1 victory). One year ago (Oct. 31-Nov. 1), the Bulldogs and RedHawks traded one-goal wins at AMSOIL Arena with the hosts taking the rematch 4-3 after dropping a 3-2 decision the previous night. Three months later (Feb. 20-21), UMD split a two-game set in Oxford -- a 3-1 victory and 4-3 overtime setback (a game in which the Bulldogs led 3-1 heading into the third period).

LAST WEEKEND: The Bulldogs, who had been idle since Dec. 12, ushered in the New Year last Saturday by rallying for a 4-3 overtime exhibition victory over the U.S. National Under-18 Team at AMSOIL Arena. UMD dug itself a 3-0 hole before scoring three times in the third period and then capping off the comeback on junior center Dominic Toninato's third goal of the night (on the power play) 2:42 into the extra session. Toninato -- along with junior left winger Alex Iafallo and senior defensemean Andy Welinski (three assists each) -- turned in three-point evenings for the Bulldogs, who outshot the visitors 44-17, including 22-2 in the third period. Sophomore left winger Blake Young accounted for the other UMD goal.

Miami returned from a four-week hiatus and split a two-game non-conference home set with Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute Saturday and Sunday. After falling 3-2 to the Engineers in the opener, Miami snapped a seven-game winless skid the following night, striking for three unanswered goals in the third period to prevail 4-2. Fourteen diffferent RedHawks generated points on the weekend.

LOGGING SOME SERIOUS MILES: Beginning this weekend, the Bulldogs will be on the road for all but two of their next eight games. In that stretch are trips to Oxford, Denver and Marquette, Mich.

TOP 'DOG: Junior left winger Austin Farley, who paces the 2015-16 Bulldogs in scoring with 19 points on a team-high 10 goals and nine assists, ranks second in the country in power play goals (8 - one shy of the University of New Hampshire's Dan Correal, the NCAA leader). Among NCHC combatants, Farley is tied for fifth in game winners (three) and for 12th in points.

COMING UP EMPTY: UMD has gone 122:44 since its last regular season goal after getting shut out twice by North Dakota in its two most recent outings (3-0 on both Dec. 11 and Dec. 12 at AMSOIL Arena). On the other hand, the Bulldogs have not been scored upon in their last 122:13 of road actIvity. Sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo and his UMD mates blanked Colorado College on back-to-back nights (5-0 and 6-0 on Nov. 20-21) in their last activity away from Duluth.

ROAD, SWEEP ROAD: 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.

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES: UMD and Miami are the only two NCHC clubs to score a 3-on-3 overtime goal thus far in 2015-16. Senior center Tony Cameranesi did the honors for the Bulldogs following their 1-1 home tie with Denver on Nov. 14 and six days later, Miami's Louie Belpedio tallied in the 3-on-3 overtime session at Omaha.

A MILESTONE NIGHT: Junior defenseman Willie Raskob scored his first collegiate goal (and lone game winner to date) against Miami in a 4-3 Bulldog victory on Nov. 1, 2014 at AMSOIL Arena. The first of senior defensman Andy Welinski's two career shorthanded goals came at the expense of Miami that same night.

WIN 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 6.7 percent (3-for-45) with the man advantage in their other eight games.

BATTLED TESTED BENCH BOSSES: 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).

BOMBS AWAY: UMD is averaging 37.65 shots on goal per night -- the second highest average in the country, taking a backseat to only Penn State University (45.17). Senior center Tony Cameranesi is 18th nationally in shots per game (3.87) and ranks third among NCHC skaters in that department. Junior center Dominic Toninato sits right behind Cameranesi in fourth with a 3.82 mark. The Bulldogs have held the upper hand in shots in 14 of their 17 games this season and are 0-3-0 when they've not done so. On the flip side, UMD has allowed the fifth fewest shots in NCAA I hockey (25.53), an average bettered by just one other NCHC club -- North Dakota (24.45). UMD's shot margin average (+12.12) ranks second nationally to Penn State's +15.67 figure.

A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD currently sports the nation's sixth-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).

OHHHH-VERTIME: The last time the Bulldogs suffered an overtime loss was on Feb. 21, 2015 when Miami prevailed 4-3 in Oxford. 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 most recent 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.

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: Sophomore Kasimir Kaskisuo, who earlier this year cobbled together the fourth longest shutout run (263:58 -- a school record) in NCAA history) is expected to make his 30th consecutive start Friday night. The Vantaa, Finland, product and 2014-15 NCHC All-Rookie Team honoree already has four shutouts this season (including a program-high three in a row between Nov. 20-Dec. 4), which is one whitewash shy of the team record held by both Alex Stalock (2008-09) and Brant Nicklin (1997-98). Kaskisuo has tended goal for all of his team's NCHC games (34 thus far) since the start of the 2014-15 season -- the only individual who can make that claim. He currently ranks fourth in the NCHC in both goals against (1.91) and saves percentage (.923).

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).

THE SHORT END OF THE STICK: UMD has already given up two more shorthanded goals this season (four, including a pair on Nov. 7 in Omaha) than it did all of 2014-15 (in 40 games). Among NCAA I clubs, only Army and Bemidji State University (both 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 and 2014-15 All-NCHC second teammer Andy Welinski, who has taken shifts in all 131 games since joining the Bulldog program in 2012-13, is one of two league 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 State -- 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).

THE BIG 1-0-0: Senior center Tony Cameranesi, who scored the NCHC's first-ever 3-on-3 power play goal against Denver on Nov. 14), became the 55th member of UMD's career 100-point club last moth The last Bulldog to crack the 100-point 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 129 outings. This season, he and teammate Austin Farley are two of just 16 NCHC skaters who are averaging a point or better per night. Farley needs just six more points to hit the 100 mark (41 goals and 53 assists in 124 outings).

BULLDOG BITS: UMD is 7-1-1 when it has gotten on the board first this season and a perfect 7-0-0 anytime it's held a lead at the second intermission.

• Junior left winger Kyle Osterberg has scored more lifetime points (eight in six games) against Miami than any other 2015-16 Bulldog.

• 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). 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).

• The Bulldogs rallied from a second-intermission deficit to win on three occasions in 2014-15 (4-2 on Feb. 13 at St. Cloud State, 3-2 in overtime on Dec. 6 vs. Colorado College in Duluth and 3-2 at Omaha on Nov. 21 and). Coming into last year, the Bulldogs hadn't accomplished that feat since Nov. 10, 2010, going 0-43-3 in that situation prior to the Nov. 21, 2014 matchup with Omaha. They were 3-11-1 when trailing at the start of the third period last winter and are 0-5-2 this season.

• Freshman left winger Adam Johnson, whose eight points this winter are unsurpassed by any Bulldog rookie, 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).

•  UMD is 19-1-0 in exhibition games under 16th year head coach Scott Sandelin.
 
UP NEXT: UMD will return to AMSOIL Arena to host intrastate rival St. Cloud State on Jan. 15-16. On the second night of that two-game NCHC series, the Bulldogs will recognize the six newest additions to the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame, which includes former center Mike Peluso (1994-98). Peluso, who now serves as the head boy's hockey coach at his alma mater, Bismarck High School, is one of just four Bulldogs to ever attain All-Western Collegiate Hockey Association honors on three occasions (second team in 1996-97 and third team in both 1995-96 and 1997-98).