Armed with a six-game winning streak, the University of Minnesota Duluth will make its first-ever National Collegiate Hockey Conference Frozen Faceoff appearance this Friday (March 18) when the No. 4 seed Bulldogs take on top seed University of North Dakota in a semifinal round clash. Opening faceoff is set for 4:38 p.m. at the Target Center (16,492) in Minneapolis, Minn. No. 2 seed St. Cloud State University and No. 3 seed University of Denver will collide in the other semifinal with the two winners advancing to Saturday night's championship bout (which will be preceded by the third place game).

Complete Release (pdf)

THE RECORDS: UMD owns a 17-14-5 overall record and finished in fourth place in the NCHC standings with a 11-10-3-1 mark. North Dakota, winners of eight straight, is 30-5-3 in all games and went 19-4-1-1 in league play to capture the NCHC regular season title.

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 as well as the PairWise rankings:

        USCHO.com    USA Hockey    PairWise
UMD    No. 16            No. 15                No. 13
UND    No. 1              No. 1                    No. 1
    
ON THE AIR: Both of UMD's NCHC Frozen Faceoff engagements will be carried live on 92.1 FM The Fan with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities and 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 via the iHeartRadio app.

CBS Sports Network will televise the two semifinal matchups as well as the Frozen Faceoff title game with Ben Holden, Dave Starman and Shireen Saski serving as the on-air talent. Saturday's third place game will be available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv.

THE RIVALRY: UMD and North Dakota will meet for the 231st time ever Friday afternoon. North Dakota holds a 144-77-9 lead in the all-time series, which began on Nov. 26, 1954 at the old Duluth Curling Club, and is unbeaten in 16 of its last 20 engagements with the Bulldogs (15-4-1). North Dakota swept UMD twice during the 2015-16 regular season, posting a pair of 3-0 triumphs on Dec. 11-12 at AMSOIL Arena before downing the Bulldogs twice by identical 2-1 scores (the first of which came in overtime) two months later (Feb. 19-20) in Grand Forks, N.D.,

LAST WEEKEND: UMD punched its ticket to the NCHC Frozen Faceoff by ousting Miami University in a best-of-three quarterfinal round playoff series at AMSOIL Arena. The Bulldogs, who swept those same RedHawks one week earlier in Duluth to close out the regular season, trailed 4-2 with 15:06 to go in the third period Friday before striking for three unanswered goals and holding on for a 5-4 victory -- their first ever in the NCHC postseason. The next night, UMD prevailed 3-1 and got all three of its goals via special teams, sandwiching a pair of shorthanders by junior left winger Kyle Osterberg and senior center Tony Cameranesi around senior defenseman Andy Welinski's power play score. Sixteen different players marked in the points column over the weekend for the Bulldogs, who went 3-for-11 on the power play against a Miami club that ranked second in the nation in penalty kill efficiency.

North Dakota also hosted an opening round NCHC playoff series and made quick work of Colorado College, throttling the Tigers 7-1 Friday and 5-1 Saturday.
Sophomore Nick Schmaltz racked up a league-leading seven points over the weekend while Cam Johnson turned aside all but two of the 39 shots Colorado College sent his way in the two-game sweep.
 
PLAYOFF PASTS: Although this will be their inaugural NCHC postseason confrontation, the Bulldogs and North Dakota butted heads on 16 occasions in the WCHA playoffs. The last of those came in the opening game of the 2010 WCHA Final Five Tournament at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, where North Dakota skated off with a 2-0 victory. North Dakota was 10-5-1 in those 16 WCHA playoff encounters with UMD, but 2-2-0 in neutral site contests (Xcel Energy Center and the old St. Paul Civic Center).

FAMILIAR FOES, INDEED: The Bulldogs have faced both North Dakota and Minnesota more times (230) in their 72-year history than any other opponent. Michigan Tech University is next (227).

ON A ROLL: Since enduring back-to-back 2-1 setbacks in Grand Forks, N.D. on Feb. 19-20, the Bulldogs have reeled off six straight wins (the last time they pieced together a longer victory streak was between Nov. 5-Dec. Dec. 3, 2011 when they won seven in row in the midst of a school-record 17-game unbeaten run). Over those last six games, UMD has outscored the opposition 22-8 (8-1 in both the first and third periods), connected on five of 22 power plays (22.7 percent), and registered a .136 shot percentage (compared to a .052 mark by its foes). The Bulldogs have also scored as many times shorthanded (two) as the opposition has with the man advantage (2-for-18; .111). In addition, UMD has gotten points from 19 of a possible 20 players who hit the ice during that stretch, including sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo (two assists). The only Bulldog to be blanked is rookie Billy Exell, who filled in at right wing for injured senior Austyn Young in UMD's two-game sweep of St. Cloud State (Feb. 26-27).

DANDY ANDY: Two-time All-NCHC second team honoree and minutes-munching team captain Andy Welinski w is seeking to do something this winter only two other individuals have ever done in the 72-year history of Bulldog hockey -- lead all defensemen in scoring for four straight seasons. Welinski , who would join Hobey Baker Memorial Award winner Tom Kurvers (1980-84) and All-American Bob Hill (1962-66) in that exclusive group, currently tops the 2015-16 UMD blue line corps in points (19), goals (six) and plus-minus rating (+14) and is one of just three NCHC point men with a shorthanded goal to his credit this season. The 2012-13 WCHA All-Rookie Teams selection has taken a shift in all 150 games since joining the UMD program three years ago.

RIGHT ON TARGET: Friday will mark UMD's first visit ever to the Target Center, which opened in the October 1990, as well as its first neutral site game of the 2015-16 season.

WHERE PUCKS GO TO DIE: Sophomore goaltender Kasimir Kaskisuo reigned as the NCHC's goals against average leader (league games only) in 2015-16 with a 1.69 mark and turned in the second best league saves percentage mark (.932) while seeing more minutes of league crease time (1,384:42) of any puckstopper. The Vantaa, Finland, product and 2015-16 All-NCHC honorable mention pick became just the third Bulldog to ever pace his respective league goals against average (the others were Rick Kosti in 1983-84 and Stalock in 2008-09, both in the WCHA). Overall, the Vantaa, Finland, product has compiled a 1.89 goals against average and a .924 saves percentage -- marks which would both be UMD single-season records -- in 35 appearances this season. Two weeks ago (March 4) against Miami, he registered his fifth shut out of the year, tying the club single-season record held by both Alex Stalock (2008-09) and Brant Nicklin (1997-98).Kasklsuo, a member of the 2014-15 NCHC All-Rookie Team, also strung together three of those shutouts in back-to-back-to-back games between Nov. 20-Dec. 3 -- a UMD program first. A starter in 47 of the Bulldogs' last 48 outings, Kaskisuo has logged more crease time this season (2,091:10) than all but seven NCAA I netminders. Last spring, he became just the third NCAA I-era (1961-present) freshman to be named UMD's Most Valuable Player.

WHERE PUCKS GO TO DIE II: Over the past three weekends, Kaskisuo is 6-0-0 with a 1.33 goals against average and a .948 saves percentage (he's turned aside 147 of 155 shots).

LEAD 'DOGS: The Bulldogs have yet to be beaten this winter when they've led at the second intermission (they are 12-0-0 in that situation). The last team to defeat the Bulldogs after trailing through two periods was Miami, who rallied from a 3-2 deficit to take down visiting UMD 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 21, 2015.

POINT TAKEN: Senior center Tony Cameranesi (118) and senior left winger Austin Farley (103) are two of 39 current NCAA I pucksters who have reached the 100-point career mark. Eight of those 39 individuals compete in the NCHC and seven will be taking part in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff this weekend.

POINT TAKEN II: Tony Cameranesi will enter Friday night's semifinal toting a six-game scoring streak, matching the longest such run turned in by a Bulldog (himself between Jan. 22-Feb. 6 this winter.

SOME CLOSE SHAVES: UMD is 2-7 in one-goal games thus far and each of its last six losses have been by that margin.

HOME NO MORE: UMD's eight seniors -- the second largest class the Bulldogs have sported in 29 years. -- made their final AMSOIL Arena appearances as collegians last weekend. That group of fourth-year Bulldogs, who were freshmen during UMD's final year of competition in the WCHA, 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).

A REAL KILLJOY: The Bulldogs are tied for sixth nationally in penalty killing efficiency (86.0 percent) and have thwarted 30 of the opposition's last 32 opportunities (93.7 percent) with the man advantage.

FIRE AWAY: UMD is averaging 34.31 shots on goal per night this winter -- the seventh highest average in all of college hockey, taking a backseat to only Penn State University (41.89), the University of Michigan (37.71), Robert Morris University (35.97), Quinnipiac University (35.32), Boston University (34.76) and Minnesota State University-Mankato (34.64). The Bulldogs have held the upper hand in shots in 30 of their 36 games this season and are 2-4-0 when they've not done so (with the lone two wins coming on Feb. 26 in St. Cloud and March 5 vs. Miami). On the flip side, UMD has allowed the fourth fewest shots in the nation (25.33 shots per game, a mark bettered by only one NCHC member -- North Dakota's at 25.00), while its shot margin average (+8.97) ranks third nationally and first among NCHC schools.

... BUT MAKE THOSE SHOTS COUNT: UMD, however, is 50th among the 60 NCAA I clubs in shot percentage (.079).

FIRE AWAY II: The 2015-16 Bulldogs are on pace to break the school record for fewest shots allowed (the current mark of 27.5 was set in 2014-15, 2009-10 and 2007-08) and flirting with the shot differential mark (+9.1 in 2011-12). They've also put the fourth most shots on target (34.3 per night) of any UMD club since the 1983-84 season, surpassed only by the 2011-12 (36.6), 1992-93 (36.5), 1984-85 (35.5) and 1996-97 (34.7) units.

SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST: UMD has amassed more of its goals this season in the third period (outscoring the opposition 36-20), but was blanked by the Fighting Hawks in the final 20 minutes of regulation in each of its four meetings with them this season.

THERE IS SOMETHING ABOUT THE FIGHTING HAWKS: Junior defenseman Willie Raskob has registered more of his 37 lifetime points against North Dakota than any other opponent. In 10 career bouts with the Fighting Hawks, Raskob has one goal and six assists for seven points. He collected three of points (all assists) in UMD's 6-3 triumph over North Dakota on Nov. 10, 2013 at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

BACK ON THE POWER GRID: Since putting the clamps on an 0-for-38 power play skid against Colorado College on Feb. 5, the Bulldogs have cashed in on eight of their last 39 opportunities (20.5 percent) with the man advantage over the past nine games..Senior left winger Austin Farley is tied for fourth nationally and paces the NCHC in power play goals with eight (although his last one came back on Dec. 5 against Western Michigan at AMSOIL Arena).

A ROOKIE ON THE RISE: Neal Pionk, who is one of only five Bulldogs to receive ice time in all 36 games thus far, has generated the second-most points of any NCHC first-year defenseman (17) and tops that group in shots (79), shot per game average (2.19) penalties (16) and penalty minutes (40).

WHEN IT RAINS IT POURS: The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 70-20 (22-3 in the opening period of play alone) in their 17 wins to date while going 18-for-72 on the power play (25.0 percent). They've connected at just 6.76 percent (5-for-74) with the man advantage in their other 19 games.

FREE HOCKEY: UMD has won just three of the last 25 games that have required overtime, going 3-6-16. 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 game winner. The Bulldogs are 0-2-9 in overtimes since (0-1-5 this winter).

AT THE HEAD OF THEIR CLASS: Thirteen Bulldogs earned 2015-16 NCHC All-Academic status (for maintaining a 3.20 cumulative grade point average or better) with three of those -- senior centers Tony Cameranesi and Cal Decowski and junior defenseman Dan Molenaar -- collaring a spot on the NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team.(3.50 GPA or above). Besides the trio of Cameranesi, Decowski and Molenaar, the group of honored Bulldogs included seniors Austin Farley and Charlie Sampair, juniors Alex Iafallo, Brenden Kotyk, Willie Raskob, Carson Soucy and Dominic Toninato, and sophomores Karson Kuhlman, Sammy Spurrell and Jared Thomas. Cameranesi (three times), Decowski (three times), Iafallo (twice), Kotyk (twice), Kuhlman (twice), Molenaar (three times), Raskob (three times), Sampair (three times), Spurrell (twice), Toninato (twice) and Thomas (twice) are all repeat qualifiers.

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

• UMD equalled a single-game record with its two shorthanded goals in Saturday's 3-1 triumph over Miami. The last Bulldog club to score twice while a man down was on Oct. 18, 2014 at Minnesota State University-Mankato (a 6-2 Bulldog win).

• Senior defenseman Andy Welinski pocketed a power play goal each night against Miami last weekend and the first of those scores snapped a seven-game pointless drought -- his longest since the 2012-13 season.

• Going back to a 5-4 loss to visiting Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in 61 of the 62 games they've struck for more than three goals (55-1-5). The sole setback during that stretch was inflicted by Minnesota State-Mankato on Oct. 17, 2014 in Duluth (5-4 in overtime).

• Senior right winger Austyn Young and sophomore right winger Blake Young are the only Bulldog veterans (there are 19 of them) who have established career scoring highs this winter. Austyn Young's seven points (five goals and two assists) are two more than his previous best, which he amassed one year ago, while Blake Young has been credited with one point (an assist) this winter after being blanked in the scoring column as a rookie. Senior center Tony Cameranesi (34 points), sophomore right winger Karson Kuhlman (18 pts.), senior defenseman Willie Corrin (nine points) have all match previous lifetime bests.

• Junior left winger Alex Iafallo has scored four of UMD's last six empty-net goals, including three of its four this season (sophomore right winger Karson Kuhlman has the other in 2015-16).

• Winger Adam Johnson, whose 16 points this winter rank second among UMD rookies, is part of the 11th father-son combination that has 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  Dominic Toninato also followed in his father's footsteps (forward Jim Toninato, 1982-86).

• UMD currently sports the nation's 10th-highest scoring senior class. The eight, fourth-year Bulldogs have combined for 40 goals and 66 assists for 106 points  -- the same amount as UMD's junior and sophomore classes combined.

•The Bulldogs are one of 10 schools in the country this season who haven't scored with an extra attacker this season. North Dakota has turned the trick three times.

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

•Last Saturday night in its NCHC playoff series victory over Miami, the Bulldogs set 2015-16 single-game lows for both shot attempts (32) and shots on goal (19).

•UMD posted the fifth best average attendance (6,111) in the nation this past winter while going 8-6-2 at AMSOIL Arena.

•The Bulldogs have both scored and given up four shorthanded goals this season. North Dakota was the last team to collect a shortie against UMD, doing so on Dec. 12 after the Bulldogs had pulled their goalie for an extra attacker.

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will learn of the NCAA I Tournament fate on Sunday (March 20) when the 16-team field is officially announced at 11 a.m. on ESPNU. UMD has advanced to NCAA postseason play in four of the past seven seasons, winning it all for the first time 2011-12. That's the last time an NCHC school has skated off with a NCAA national title.