The University of Minnesota Duluth will enter the second half of National Collegiate Hockey Conference play this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 13-14) by hosting St. Cloud State University in a two-game series. Opening faceoff is set for 7:07 p.m. both nights at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.

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THE RECORDS: UMD is 12-4-4 overall and leads the NCHC at 8-3-1-1 while St. Cloud State sports a 9-10-1 record in all games to go with a 4-7-1-0 NCHC mark (tied for fifth place with Miami University).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Huskies 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. 3    No. 2    No. 4(t)
SCSU    RV    NR    No. 21
            
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-St. Cloud State clashes will be carried live on 92.1 FM The Fan with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities and Bulldog hockey alumnus Kraig Karakas doing color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard at: network1sports.com/station/kqds.

Both ends of this weekend's series will also be televised -- Friday on Fox Sports North and Fox College Sports (Central) and Saturday on My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9), which has been the Bulldogs' television home for the last nine seasons. KBJR-TV sports director Zach Schneider and former UMD standout forward Judd Medak will serve as the on-air talent both nights. The two telecasts are available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv/umd.

THE RIVALRY: UMD and St. Cloud State have met on 119 previous occasions in a rivalry which stretches back to the 1946-47 season. The Huskies hold a 63-47-9 lead in the all-time series and are 60-43-8 versus the Bulldogs since joining the NCAA Division I ranks in 1987-88. The two clubs squared off earlier this year (Nov. 4-5) in St. Cloud, Minn., where the Bulldogs prevailed twice by identical 5-3 scores.

LAST WEEKEND: The Bulldogs returned from a 19-day layoff and came away with two of a possible six NCHC points in a two-game home set with Colorado College. The long-time rivals battled to a 2-2 tie on Friday night with UMD picking up the extra point in the 3-on-3 overtime. Sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk not only forced the extra session by scoring with 41.7 seconds to go in regulation, but struck again 18 seconds into the 3-on-3 overtime.  In its first NCHC deadlock of 2016-17, UMD outshot the Tigers 45-18 on the night and 24-3 from the third period on. In the rematch 24 hours later, sophomore center Adam Johnson's 5-on-3 power play goal early in the second period was all the scoring the Bulldogs could muster in a 2-1 setback.  That snapped UMD's 11-game winning streak against the Tigers and gave Colorado College its first-ever win at AMSOIL Arena (1-7-1).  
 
St. Cloud State ushered in 2017 with a pair of defeats (2-1 in overtime on Friday and 4-1 the following night) at the hands of Miami University in Oxford, Ohio.

GO FIGURE: Over the past few years, home ice advantage has been basically non-existent in the UMD-St. Cloud State series. The Bulldogs are just 1-4-1 in their last six engagements with the Huskies at AMSOIL Arena but 6-0-0 in their last six visits to St. Cloud State's Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.

THEY'RE CERTAINLY NO STRANGERS: St. Cloud State has made more lifetime visits to AMSOIL Arena (12 heading into this weekend) than any other Bulldog opponent. UMD has compiled a 57-41-14 record at AMSOIL Arena since that $80 million facility opened its doors for business on Dec. 30, 2010. That includes a 5-5-2 mark against St. Cloud State.

CLOSING IN ON 300: One more victory would be career win No. 300 for UMD head coach Scott Sandelin. Of all-time Bulldog bench bosses, only Mike Sertich served longer and has rolled up more victories than Sandelin (he closed out his 18-year UMD career in 1999-200 with a 350-328-44 lifetime record). Sandelin's 17 seasons is also the second longest continuous tenure of any NCHC head coach. (Enrico Blassi is in his 18th year at Miami).

Sandelin's Milestone Victories
First Win - UMD 5, Michigan Tech 3 (11/11/00)
100th Win - UMD 7, Alaska-Anchorage 4 (12/2/06)
200th Win - UMD 5, Minnesota State 2 (11/18/11)
300th Win - ???

GOLDEN BOYS: Both UMD freshman winger Joey Anderson and St. Cloud State rookie defenseman Jack Ahcan skated for the gold medal-winning Team U.S.A. at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships, which wrapped up earlier this month. That club was coached by St. Cloud State head coach Bob Motzko, who joined UMD's Scott Sandelin (2005) and Dean Blais (2010) as the only three active NCHC bench bosses to serve in that role.

SPEAKING OF JOEY ...: The last time UMD and St. Cloud State collided (Nov. 4-5), both Joey Anderson (Rookie of the Week) and senior Carson Soucy (Defenseman of the Week) were cited by the NCHC for their performances in the Bulldogs double 5-3 takedowns of the Huskies.  Anderson potted the first two goals -- including the game-winner -- of his young collegiate career and assisted on another score in the series opener. He then opened the scoring for UMD the next night and also helped set up the final goal of the weekend. Soucy registered his first two-goal night as a Bulldog in the rematch, and closed out the series with three points.

TOP 'DOG: Alex Iafallo, who tops the Bulldogs in scoring with 22 points (the fifth highest output in the NCHC), needs one more goal to equal his career high of 11 set during his debut UMD season in 2013-14). Iafallo is also one of eight NCHC combatants with a hat trick on his 2016-17 resume. In fact, by scoring three times in UMD's 5-2 home 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.

ON THE HOME FRONT: The Bulldogs are unbeaten in 12 of their last 15 home outings, going 10-3-2 since last March.  This winter, UMD has compiled a 6-3-2 record at AMSOIL Arena and have outscored the opposition 32-20 in the process (including 13-6 in the second period).

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: Rookie goaltender Hunter Miska, who has now made 14 consecutive starts, owns the NCHC's second-best saves percentage (.919) and third-best goals against average (2.17. The first Bulldog puckstopper to ever begin his career by going 6-0-0, Miska has already set a UMD record for shutouts by a freshman (he has three -- all at AMSOIL Arena). Miska is 11-3-2 on the year and that .750 winning percentage takes a backseat nationally to only four other puckstoppers (and none from the NCHC). In nine home starts this season, Miska is 5-2-2 with a 1.54 goals against average, a .935 saves percentage and those three aforementioned shutouts.

THREE'S A CHARM: The Bulldogs are an even 2-2-0 all-time in 3-on-3 NCHC overtimes with sophomore defenseman Neal Pionk (last Friday night) and Tony Cameranesi (on Nov. 14, 2015) being the lone Bulldogs to score during that session. Cameranesi's goal, which came against Denver at AMSOIL Arena, was the NCHC's first 3-on-3 tally ever

FOR PETE'S SAKE: Junior forward Avery Peterson, who transferred to UMD from the University of Nebraska Omaha one year ago and sat out the next two semesters, took his first shift as a Bulldog on Dec. 17 against Bemidji State. The following game (last Friday night versus Colorado College) the former Minnesota Mr. Hockey and Grand Rapids, Minn., native scored 13:56 into the first period to give UMD its only lead of the weekend (1-0). Later that night, Peterson became the first Bulldog to be assessed a major penalty (checking from behind) -- as well as a game misconduct. Peterson's final appearance with Omaha came on Dec. 5, 2015 at St. Cloud State where he collected his lone career point (and assist) in eight lifetime games against the Huskies.

HERE WE GO AGAIN: Colorado College was the first opponent UMD faced this season that, at the time, was not ranked or received votes in the USCHO.com Poll. 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, No. 2 Denver on Dec. 9-10 and No. 15 Bemidji State just before holiday break. The Bulldogs rank first in the country in strength of schedule this winter after placing second in that department during the 2015-16 regular season.

A ROOKIE ON THE RISE: Right winger Joey Anderson, currently ranks ninth nationally and is third among his NCHC colleagues in freshmen scoring with 18 points on six goals and 12 assists. The Roseville, Minn., native and NCHC Rookie of the Month for November trails only senior left winger Alex Iafallo on the Bulldog scoring charts and leads the club in even-strength points (16).

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 31.39, but the Bulldogs' goals output and shooting percentage have both increased:

Year       Shots/Game    Shot%    Goals/Game
2015-16    34.52             .077       2.67
2016-17    31.85             .113       3.20

Both the 82 total shots and 45 shots the Bulldogs put on target last Friday against Colorado College were both 2016-17 single-game highs. UMD also allowed the fewest shots on goal (18) that night since yielding that same amount to St. Cloud State in the Frozen Faceoff championship last March.

QUALITY NOT QUANTITY II: Kyle Osterberg has scored on nine of the 39 shots he's put on target so far in 2016-17 which gives him an NCHCl-leading .231 shooting percentage . The senior left winger, however, was blanked in the shots department in both ends of the Colorado College series.

HE KEEPS GOING AND GOING ...: Junior right winger Karson Kuhlman has hit the ice in all 100 games over the last three seasons -- a claim no other Bulldog can make.

A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD sports the country's fourth-highest scoring senior class as that seven-member ensemble has combined to rack up and NCHC-leading 76 points on 30 goals and 46 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.

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:

THAT'S A PLUS: Of the NCHC's top 13 plus-minus leaders, five are Bulldogs -- sophomore defenseman Neil Pionk (tied for second at +14), senior center Dominic Toninato (tied for fourth at +13), and senior left winger Alex Iafallo,  junior right winger Karson Kuhlman and senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk (all tied for ninth at +11). Of the 23 Bulldog forwards and defensemen who have taken a shift this season, only junior center Jared Thomas (-1) owns a negative plus-minus rating.

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 the second most overall goals (11) and power play tallies (7) in the NCHC.

MAKING A POINT ON THE POINT II: Second-year defenseman Neal Pionk has already set a personal best for goals with five which place him second among NCHC blueliners. Seven different Bulldogs have received some kind of NCHC Player of the Week honor in 2016-17, but Pionk is the only one to do it twice.

BLOCK PARTY: UMD has blocked more shots this season (14.05 per game) than any NCHC member and all but 15 teams in the entire country. They ranked 54th out of 60 NCAA I squads one year ago (10.9 bpg). Senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk paces the Bulldogs in the blocks department (1.95 a night -- the sixth-highest figure in the NCHC at the moment).

BULLDOG BITS: UMD and St. Cloud State are the only two NCHC schools that have already played 12 league games.

• Junior defenseman Willie Raskob will miss Friday's  matchup with St. Cloud State after receiving a one-game suspension from the NCHC. The suspension  stems from an illegal hit last Saturday when Raskob was assessed a major penalty for contact to the head – elbowing and a game misconduct against Colorado College.

• Senior left winger Alex Iafallo has been credited with five of UMD's last 10 empty net goals (dating back to the 2014-15 season) while freshman right winger Joey Anderson has two.

• UMD has trailed the opposition nine times at the second intermission this season and has only been defeated twice in those outings (3-2-4).

• Denver remains the lone league club UMD has not swept since the NCHC began play in 2013-14. Conversely, the Bulldogs have swept both Colorado College and St.. Cloud State more times (three) than any other NCHC foe during that stretch. All three of those sweeps versus St. Cloud State have come on the road.

• 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).

• Colorado College forward Sam Rothstein's shorthanded goal last Friday was the first given up by the Bulldogs since North Dakota scored a man down on Dec 12, 2015 at AMSOIL Arena.

• UMD has never swept a four-game regular season series from St. Cloud State and hasn't posted a home sweep over the Huskies since winning two straight in the opening round of the 2011 WCHA  playoffs.

• Since falling to host Miami 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 21, 2015, the Bulldogs are 24-0-0 when taking a lead into the third period. They were 14-0-0 in that situation last winter and 8-0-0 so far in 2016-17.

• UMD has prevailed in just four of their last 30 games that have required overtime, going 4-6-20. 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.

• There is almost seven years age difference separating the oldest Bulldog (senior Brenden Kotyk, who turned 25 last Aug. 27 and is the oldest player in NCAA I hockey) and youngest Bulldog (freshman Joey Anderson, whose 19th birthday doesn't come up until June 19). Kotyk also holds the distinction of being only former NCAA Division III player who is competing in the NCAA I ranks this season. (He transferred to UMD in September 2013 after a one-season stint at the College of St. Scholastica).

UP NEXT: UMD will take its show on the road for a pair of pivotal NCHC confrontations with the University of North Dakota on Jan. 20-21.