After being idle the past two weekends, the University of Minnesota Duluth returns to the ice -- and National Collegiate Hockey Conference warfare -- this Friday and Saturday (Dec. 9-10) when the Bulldogs pay a visit to Denver, Colo., for a two-game showdown series with the University of Denver. Opening faceoff is set for 8:07 p.m. (CT) both nights at Magness Arena (6,026) on the Denver campus.

Complete release (pdf)

THE RECORDS: UMD, which has won seven of its last eight games (7-1-0), is 10-2-2 overall and leads the NCHC at 7-1-0-0 while Denver, owners of a 14-game unnbeaten streak (14-0-2), sports an 11-2-3 mark in all games to go with a 5-0-3-2 conference mark (second place, one point back of the Bulldogs).

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

            uscho.com    USA Today    PairWise
UMD       No. 1          No. 2    No. 1    
Denver    No. 2          No. 8    No. 2
            
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Denver clashes 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. and KQ 106.7 FM in Ely/Virginia, 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 televised locally on My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9), which has been the Bulldogs' television home for the last nine seasons. Friday's series will be aired nationally on the American Sports Network (and in Canada on TSN 3 and 5) with Tim Neverett and Pat Micheletti serving as the on-air talent. The two telecasts are available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv/umd.


THE RIVALRY: UMD and Denver have collided on 205 occasions previously -- mostly (189 times ) while both were members of the WCHA. The Pioneers hold a 117-76-12 lead in the rivalry, which began on Dec. 28, 1961 in Denver, and went 3-0-1 against the Bulldogs last season. That included a pair of victories (3-2 and 2-1) on Jan. 22-23 at Magness Arena. Pioneer netminder Evan Cowley stopped 73 of 74 shots on the weekend en route to being named the NCHC Goalie of the Week.
The two clubs met earlier that year (Nov. 13-14) in Duluth where the Pioneers took four of six NCHC points via a 3-0 victory and 1-1 tie (UMD prevailed in the 3-on-3 overtime).

LAST WEEKEND: UMD has been off since sweeping the University of Nebraska Omaha in a two-game NCHC road set on Nov. 18-19. Six different Bulldogs scored in a 6-2 series-opening victory, including sophomore center Adam Johnson, who also added a pair of assists, as UMD blew open a 2-2 second-period deadlock by tallying four straight times. Second-period goals by Johnson, senior center Dominic Toninato and senior left winger Kyle Osterberg put UMD up 3-0 the following night and the Bulldogs withstood a late Maverick rally to prevail 3-2.

Denver remained on a roll by upending long-time rival Colorado College twice. The Pioneers kicked off the home-and-home series by skating to a 3-1 triumph Friday night in Colorado Springs, Colo., before downing the Tigers by that same score 24 hours later at Magness Arena.

THE OLD 1-2 PUNCH: This weekend will mark the fifth time ever -- and second time this season -- the Bulldogs have ever been involved in a No. 1 versus No. 2 matchup. Six weeks ago (Oct. 28-29) at AMSOIL Arena, No. 2 UMD swept No. 1 North Dakota. Prior to that, the last No. 1 vs. No. 2 matchup UMD had been involved in came on Feb. 1-2, 1986 when the top-ranked Bulldogs and No. 2 Denver traded WCHA wins in Denver. On Feb. 2-3, 1979 after they had secured their first No. 1 ranking in program history (in the WMPL-Radio Poll), the Bulldogs went on to split at two-game WCHA road series with No. 2 North Dakota. Six years later in the semifinal round of the NCAA Frozen Four at Detroit's Joe Louis Arena, No. 2 UMD fell 6-5 in three overtimes to No. 1 Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute.

LEAD 'DOG: Alex Iafallo will bring a career-high eight-game scoring streak into Friday's bout with Denver. During that run, the senior left winger has generated 15 points on seven goals and eight assists. Iafallo is currently tied for third in the NCHC in points (19), for fourth in goals (nine) and for first in game-winners (three) and is one of seven NCHC combatants with a hat trick on his 2016-17 resume. In fact, by scoring three times in UMD's 5-2 win over North Dakota on Oct. 28, Iafallo became the first Bulldog to record a hat trick since current Tampa Bay Lightning winger J.T. Brown struck for four goals at Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 3, 2012.

ROAD SHOW: UMD is unbeaten in its last eight regular season road outings, going 6-0-2 since being shaded 2-1 by North Dakota on Feb. 20, 2016. Thus far in 2016-17, the Bulldogs are 4-0-2 away from AMSOIL Arena, having swept both St. Cloud State (by identical 5-3 counts on Nov. 4-5) and Omaha, and playing the University of Massachusetts-Lowell to a pair of draws (4-4 and 1-1) on Oct. 7-8.

A ROOKIE ON THE RISE: Right winger Joey Anderson, the NCHC Rookie of the Month for November, has picked up 14 of his 15 points thus far in even-strength situations. (Only North Dakota's Troy Jost, with 15 points, has more among all NCHC skaters). Among league newcomers, Anderson has amassed the most assists (11) and the second-most points per game (1.07). Earlier this week, the Roseville, Minn., product was one of 27 individuals who were named to the preliminary roster for the 2017 U.S. National Junior Team. The group is auditioning for a spot on the final 23-man roster that will represent the United States in the 2017 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship from Dec. 26, 2016 - Jan. 5, 2017, in Montreal and Toronto, Canada. The 27 hopefuls willl attend training camp on Dec. 16-20 in Buffalo, New York, meaning Anderson will bypass UMD's last two assignments of the 2017 calendar year (a home-and-home series with Bemidji State on Dec. 16-17).

HOW SWEEP IT IS: This weekend the Bulldogs will attempt to do something no UMD club has done in nearly 31 years-- sweep three consecutive road series. The last time that happened was between Nov. 22, 1985 and Jan. 18, 1986 when the Bulldogs, who were swept the University of Maine, the UMass-Lowell and Providence College.

SPEAKING OF SWEEPS: Denver is the only league club UMD has not swept since the NCHC began play in 2013-14.

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: Rookie goaltender Hunter Miska, who has now made eight consecutive starts, owns the NCHC's second-best saves percentage (.914) and third-best goals against average (2.37). Miska, the first Bulldog puckstopper to ever start out his career 6-0-0, has already set a UMD record for shutouts by a freshman (he has three -- all at AMSOIL Arena -- in just 11 career starts.) Miska is 9-1-0 on the year and that .900 winning percentage takes a backseat nationally only to Penn State University freshman Peyton Jones' .958 mark. In five road appearances this winter, he has compiled a perfect 4-0-0 mark while posting a 3.50 goals against average and a .887 saves percentage. In contrast, Miska is 6-1-0 at home with 1.50 and .940 marks, respectively.

AND THEY'RE OFF: The Bulldogs's current conference winning percentage (.875 off a 7-1-0 record) is the best they've ever owned through the opening eight league games in any of their 52 seasons of Western Collegiate Hockey Association/NCHC play.

AND THEY'RE OFF II: The last time the Bulldogs were unbeaten in 12 of their opening 14 games (10-2-2) of the season was in 2010-11 when they compiled an 11-1-2 mark at the juncture before eventually going on to win the school's first NCAA title.

THAT'S A PLUS: Of the NCHC's top six plus-minus leaders, four are Bulldogs -- junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (first at +12), senior left winger Alex Iafallo and sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk (tied for second at +11) and senior center Dominic Toninato (tied for fifth at +10).

THEY JUST KEEP COMING: UMD has yet to face a club this season that was not ranked or received votes in the USCHO.com Poll at the time they played them. Then-No. 17 Michigan Tech paid a visit to AMSOIL Arena for the 2016-17 season openers back on Oct. 1-2 while No. 8 UMass Lowell hosted UMD the ensuing weekend. On Oct. 15-16, it was No. 5 Notre Dame's turn to take on UMD in Duluth and No. 1 North Dakota followed suit on Oct. 28-29. UMD then took on No. 8 St. Cloud State, Western Michigan (receiving votes), and Omaha (receiving votes) the ensuing three weekends.

ZEROING IN ON 300: 17th-year UMD head coach Scott Sandelin needs just three more wins to hit the the 300 milestone for his career. Of all-time Bulldog bench bosses, only Mike Sertich (18 years between 1982-2000) served longer and has rolled up more victories than Sandelin (he closed out his UMD career with a 350-328-44 lifetime record). Sandelin's 17 seasons is the second longest continuous tenure of any NCHC head coach. (Enrico Blassi is in his 18th year at Miami). Sandelin and Denver's Jim Montgomery are two of the three NCHC head coaches to do time in the NHL (North Dakota's Brad Berry is the other). Sandelin took part in 25 NHL games with Montreal, Philadelphia and the Minnesota North Stars before calling it quits in 1992 due to nagging injuries while Montgomery's NHL career spanned 121 outings between 1993-2003 with stops in St. Louis, Montreal, Philadelphia, San Jose and Dallas.

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY: Last year, UMD finished fifth nationally in shots on goal average (34.52 -- the fourth best output in program history). In 2016-17, that number has dropped to 31.92, yet the goals and shooting percentage has increased:

Year    Shots/Game    Shot%    Goals/Game
2015-16    34.52         .077           2.67
2016-17    31.92        .110            3.50

A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD sports the country's third-highest scoring senior class as that seven-member ensemble has combined to rack up 56 points on a nation-best 27 goals and 39 assists. The Bulldogs' 2016-17 senior class is their second largest since the 2004-05 season, eclipsed only by last year's group (eight) during that stretch.

BLOCK PARTY: UMD has blocked more shots this season (15.14 per game) than any NCHC club and all but seven teams in the entire country. They ranked 54th out of 60 NCAA I squads one year ago (10.9 bpg). Senior defensemen Brenden Kotyk paces the Bulldogs in the blocks department (27 -- the fifth-highest figure in the NCHC at the moment).

MAKING A POINT ON THE POINT: UMD has more senior defensemen (four) on its 2016-17 roster than any other program in the country (It shares that distinction with Princeton University and St. Lawrence University). Overall, the Bulldog blueline crew has collectively generated 38 points (which ranks third in the NCHC) on a NCHC-best 10 goals and 28 assists. They also are second nationally in power play goals with seven -- one behind the University of Alaska.

SHOOTOUT SKINNY: UMD is 2-3 lifetime in NCHC shootouts (all of which have been contested at AMSOIL Arena) and senior left winger Alex Iafallo (twice -- including the league's first-ever successful attempt vs. Denver on Jan. 17, 2014) and senior center Dominic Toninato (once) are the lone two current Bulldogs to score in the post-overtime event. The following are all-time NCHC shootout statistics for current Bulldogs:
 
BULLDOG BITS: The Bulldogs are 0-4-0 in their last four visits to Magness Arena.

• Junior right winger Karson Kuhlman has skated in all 96 games over the last three seasons -- a claim no other Bulldog can make.

• Going back to a 5-4 loss to visiting Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in 70 of the 71 games they've struck for more than three goals (64-1-6). The sole setback during that stretch was inflicted by Minnesota State University-Mankato on Oct. 17, 2014 in Duluth (5-4 in overtime).

• Senior Alex Iafallo has been credited with five of UMD's last nine empty net goals (dating back to the 2014-15 season). Both freshman Joey Anderson and senior Carson Soucy picked up their first collegiate empty-netters last month at St. Cloud State.

• Since falling to host Miami 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 21, 2015, the Bulldogs are 23-0-0 when taking a lead into the third period. They were 14-0-0 in that situation last winter and 7-0-0 so far in 2016-17.

• Junior left winger Blake Young made his UMD debut against Denver on Oct. 25, 2014 while junior defenseman Nick McCormack registered his first collegiate point (an assist) that same night in Duluth.

• The Bulldogs penalty killing efficiency is 67.0 percent on the road this season (22 of 33) compared to 88.6 percent at home (39 of 44).

• Earlier this season (Oct. 29) against visiting North Dakota, UMD equaled a program single-game record by scoring two shorthanded goals with junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (the second of his career) and senior left winger Kyle Osterberg (his third) doing the honors. Senior center Dominic Toninato picked up UMD's third shortie of the year (his fifth as a Bulldog) in its most recent outing -- a 3-2 takedown of Omaha on Nov. 19. North Dakota is last team to collect a shorthanded goal against UMD, doing so on Dec. 12, 2015 after the host Bulldogs had pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.

• UMD has won 11 of its last 12 NCHC matchups going back to last February.

• Second-year defenseman Neal Pionk has already scored as many goals this season (four) as he did during his entire 40-game rookie campaign.

• The Bulldogs have prevailed in their last 28 games that have required overtime, going 4-6-18. Only three active Bulldogs -- senior left wingers Alex Iafallo and Kyle Osterberg and junior right winger Karson Kuhlman -- have an overtime goal on their collegiate resume.

• Prior to this year, the last time UMD sported only freshmen goaltenders on its roster was in 1985-86. That was also the last time three different Bulldogs goalies all made their collegiate netminder debuts in the same season.

• Senior center Dominic Toninato is the second straight Duluth East High School alumnus to serve as the Bulldogs' team captain. Defenseman Andy Welinski handled that responsibility in 2015-16.

• There is almost seven years age difference separating the oldest (senior Brenden Kotyk, who turned 25 last Aug. 27 and is the oldest player in NCAA I hockey) and youngest (freshman Joey Anderson, whose 19th birthday doesn't come up until June 19) 2016-17 Bulldog.

• There have been 11 father-son combination who have done time with the Bulldogs, with the most latest addition being sophomore center Adam Johnson, whose dad (Davey Johnson), was a four-year letterman and captained the Bulldogs as a senior center in 1980-81. Senior center Dominic Toninato also followed in his father's footsteps to UMD (Jim Toninato, 1982-86) as did assistant coach and former Bulldog defenseman Brett Larson (Robert Larson, 1968-69).

UP NEXT: UMD will close out 2017 by taking on Bemidji State in a home-and-home series, beginning with a Dec. 16 clash at AMSOIL Arena.