The University of Minnesota Duluth will engage in its final non-conference activity of the 2016-17 season this weekend beginning on Friday (Jan. 27) when the Bulldogs and the University of Minnesota hook up in the opening round of the fourth -- and final -- North Star College Cup. The puck drops at 7:05 p.m. at the Xcel Energy Center (18,568) in St. Paul, Minn., and will precede the other semifinal clash between Bemidji State University and St. Cloud State University. The North Star College Cup championship is scheduled for 7:05 p.m. the following evening with the third place game set to go at 4:05 p.m.

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THE RECORDS: UMD is 15-5-4 overall and leads the National Collegiate Hockey Conference at 11-4-1-1 while Minnesota owns a 14-6-2 record in all games to go with a 6-2-0-0 Big Ten mark (first place).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Gophers 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. 2           No. 1            No. 1
UM           No. 6           No. 6             No. 7 
           
ON THE AIR: UMD's two North Star Cup 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 at: network1sports.com/station/kqds.

Friday's bout with Minnesota will be televised on Fox Sports North and Fox College Sports (Central) and videostreammed at: www.btn2go.com/game/um-duluth-at-minnesota-on-01272017 while Saturday's matchup against Bemidji State or St. Cloud State will be not be televised, but videostreamed at: nchc.tv.

THE RIVALRY: Friday evening's matchup will mark the 231st meeting ever between the Bulldogs and Gophers. Minnesota holds a 134-79-17 lead in the rivalry, which began way back on Dec. 1, 1952 at the Hippodrome in Eveleth, Minn. The two clubs last met on Oct. 17, 2015 in Duluth where the Bulldogs completed a home-and-home series sweep with a 3-0 triumph (in front of an AMSOIL Arena-record crowd of 7,569) after they had toppled Minnesota 3-1 one night earlier in Minneapolis.

LAST WEEKEND: The Bulldogs took down North Dakota twice, opening up the two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference road set with a 5-3 triumph before throttling their long-time rivals 4-0 the ensuing evening. Rookie left winger Riley Tufte scored twice in the series opener while his linemates -- junior center Avery Peterson (one goal and one assist) and junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (two assists) -- also produced two-point nights. On Saturday, freshman netminder Hunter Miska pitched a 4-0, 29-save shutout for UMD, which got goals from four different players, including Tufte.

Minnesota traded Big Ten wins with the University of Wisconsin in Madison, skating away with a 4-3 overtime triumph on Friday before succumbing to the Badgers 5-3 the ensuing evening.

GOOD THINGS COME IN THREES: For just the second time in the four-year history of the NCHC, three Bulldogs claimed a weekly conference award as goaltender Hunter Miska (Rookie of the Week), senior Willie Raskob (Defenseman of the Week) and freshmen left winger Riley Tufte (Offensive Player of the Week) were all cited by for their stellar performances in UMD's road sweep of the North Dakota over the weekend. The only other time this kind of trifecta occurred for UMD was on Feb. 3, 2014 (versus Western Michigan University).

YOU AGAIN?: UMD has butted heads with Minnesota on more lifetime occasions (230) during its 73-year history than all but one opponent (North Dakota with 235 times). The Bulldogs and the Gophers have met on an annual basis since the 1961-62 season, making it the longest continuous rivalry for both programs.

TOURNEY TIDBITS: The Bulldogs have been beaten in back-to-back games only once in their 35 lifetime regular season tournaments. That happened four years ago at the Florida College Hockey Classic in Estero, Fla. (1-0 to the University of Maine and 6-2 to Ferris State on Dec. 28-29, 2012).

TOURNEY TIDBITS II: The last time UMD laid claim to a regular season tournament title was in 2001-02 when it launched that season with successive victories over host Nebraska-Omaha (5-2) and the University of Michigan (3-2) on its way to capturing the Maverick Stampede championship. The Bulldogs have taken part in 10 tourneys since and have posted runnerup finishes five times -- at the 2014 North Star College Cup, the 2010 Sheraton/TD Bank Catamount Cup in Burlington, Vt., the 2009 Shillelagh Tournament in Hoffman Estates, Ill., the 2005 Florida College Hockey Classic in Estero, Fla., and the 2001 Silverado Shootout in Duluth.

X MARKS THE SPOT: The Bulldogs are 11-7-1 in 19 lifetime engagements (all under current head coach Scott Sandelin) at the Xcel Energy Center. That includes a 2-1-1 record against Minnesota and a 2-1-1 mark in the North Star Cup.

UMD IN THE NORTH STAR CUP
Date        Round      Result
1/24/15    Semis       UMD 5, Minnesota State 4 (OT)
1/25/14    Champ.     Minnesota* 2, UMD 2
1/23/15    Semis        Bemidji State 4, UMD 0
1/24/15    3rd Place    UMD 2, Minnesota 1

*won in a shootout (2-0)

GOPH BUSTERS: The Bulldogs will come into the weekend armed with a program-best six-game winning streak against Minnesota. UMD is now also unbeaten in eight of its last nine outings with the Gophers (7-1-1) with that lone loss coming two seasons ago in the opening round of the Ice Breaker Tournament (4-3 on Oct. 10, 2014 in South Bend, Ind.)

FEELING AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME: The Bulldogs have gone unbeaten in 12 of their last 13 regular season road engagements, going 10-1-2 since being shaded 2-1 by North Dakota on Feb. 20, 2016. Thus far in 2016-17, UMD is 8-1-2 away from AMSOIL Arena and that includes sweeps over St. Cloud State (by identical 5-3 counts on Nov. 4-5), Omaha (6-4 and 3-2 on Nov. 18-19) and North Dakota (5-3 and 4-0 last weekend). UMD's lone road loss this season came at the hands of Denver (4-3 on Dec. 9). The Bulldogs' road winning percentage of .818 this season is bettered by only one other NCAA club at moment (Omaha is at .833 off a 9-1-2 record).

FEELING AT HOME AWAY FROM HOME II: All six of senior center Dominic Toninato's goals this season have come on the road as have 10 of his 13 points.

WHAT A GRIND: Colorado College (Jan. 6-7) is the only opponent UMD has 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. St. Cloud State (receiving votes) came to town on Jan. 13-14 before No. 8 North Dakota hosted UMD last weekend. The Bulldogs currently rank first in the country in strength of schedule after placing second in that department during the 2015-16 regular season and first one year earlier.

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: Rookie goaltender Hunter Miska, who has now made 18 consecutive starts, owns the NCHC's third-best saves percentage (.920) and fourth-best goals against average (2.13).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 four, which is one shy of the over all program mark set by Kasimir Kaskisuo last year, Alex Stalock in 2008-09 and Brant Nicklin in 1997-98. Last Saturday, he became the first Bulldog to blank North Dakota twice in a career (he backstopped UMD to a 3-0 victory over the Fighting Hawks on Oct. 29 at AMSOIL Arena). Miska, the reigning USA Hockey Dave Peterson Goaltender of the Year, is 14-4-2 on the year and those 14 victories are unsurpassed by any NCAA I rookie puckstopper at the moment.

SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST: The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 25-10 in the third period this season and that +15 goal differential is the second-best figure in the country (to Notre Dame's +20 mark).

SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST II: Since falling to host Miami 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 21, 2015, the Bulldogs are 26-0-0 when taking a lead into the third period. They were 14-0-0 in that situation last winter and 10-0-0 so far in 2016-17.

STILL THE TOP 'DOG: Alex Iafallo, who tops the Bulldogs in scoring with 25 points (the sixth-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, he 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.

THE BIG 3-0-0: Two week's ago (Jan. 14) in a 4-3 overtime triumph over St. Cloud State, UMD's Scott Sandelin became the 16th active NCAA I coach to reach the 300-win mark. 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).

TAKE THAT TO THE BANK: Going back to a 5-4 loss to visiting Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in 73 of the 74 games they've struck for more than three goals (67-1-6). The sole setback during that stretch was inflicted by Minnesota StateMankato on Oct. 17, 2014 in Duluth (5-4 in overtime).

A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD sports the country's fourth-highest scoring senior class as that seven-member ensemble has combined to rack up and 87 points on 34 goals and 53 assists -- all NCHC bests. 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.

HITTING HIS STRIDE: After being held pointless in his first 14 collegiate games, freshman left winger Riley Tufte has accumulated six points (four goals and two assists) in the six outings since. The first round pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2017 NHL draft, Tufte turned in back-to-back two-point nights last weekend at North Dakota en route to landing the NCHC Offensive Player of the Week honor.

FREE HOCKEY: UMD's 4-3 triumph over St. Cloud State on Jan. 14 was its first overtime victory since it downed defending national champion Providence College 2-1 in two overtimes in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals last March. The Bulldogs have now prevailed in just five of its last 31 games that have gone beyond regulation, going 5-6-20. Only three active Bulldogs -- senior left wingers Kyle Osterberg (two) and Alex Iafallo and junior right winger Karson Kuhlman -- have a sudden death goal on their collegiate resume.

FOR PETE'S SAKE: Junior center 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 at Bemidji State. In just seven games, the Grand Rapids, Minn. ,native has contributed five points (three goals and two assists) to the UMD scoring coffers and is a +7).

THE FIRST ONE IS ALWAYS SPECIAL: Senior defenseman Dan Molenaar (a goal on Nov. 14, 2014), junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (an assist on Nov. 14, 2014) and sophomore right winger Adam Johnson (an assist on Oct. 16, 2015) all registered their first collegiate points against Minnesota.

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 13 goals (which tops the NCHC) and power play tallies (8, which ranks third nationally).

DEBUTING IN STYLE: Right winger and IIHF World Junior Championship gold medalist Joey Anderson currently ranks 13th nationally and is fourth among NCHC rookies in scoring with 19 points on six goals and 13 assists. The Roseville, Minn., native and NCHC Rookie of the Month for November paces the Bulldogs in even-strength points (17 -- the third highest total of any NCAA rookie).

THAT'S A PLUS: Of the NCHC's top 11 plus-minus leaders, five are Bulldogs -- sophomore defenseman Neil Pionk (tied for second at +16), junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (fourth at +15), senior center Dominic Toninato (tied for fifth at a +14), senior left winger Alex Iafallo and senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk (both tied for seventh at +11). Of the 23 Bulldog forwards and defensemen who have taken a shift this season, only junior center Jared Thomas (-2) owns a negative plus-minus rating. Kotyk both paces the NCHC in road plus-minus rating at +13 while Toninato and Pionk are next at +12.

BLOCK PARTY: UMD has blocked more shots this season (14.21 per game) than any NCHC member and ranks 13th nationally after finishing 54th out of 60 NCAA I squads one year ago (10.9 bpg). Senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk paces the Bulldogs in the blocks department (2.04 a night -- the fourth-highest figure in the NCHC at the moment).

BULLDOG BITS: The Bulldogs' four-game regular season sweep of North Dakota this winter was a program first as is their current five-game winning streak against the Fighting Hawks.

• Junior right winger Karson Kuhlman has hit the ice in all 102 games over the last three seasons -- a claim no other Bulldog can make.

• Sophomore right winger Adam Johnson has picked up at least one point in seven of the past nine games.

• The Bulldogs have given up more power plays on the road (13) than any NCHC club heading into this weekend. Opponents are connecting at 24.5 percent with the man advantage in their own building thus far in 2016-17 compared to 16.1 percent at AMSOIL Arena

• Second-year defenseman Neal Pionk has already set a personal best for goals with five which places him second among NCHC blueliners.

• Nine different Bulldogs have received some kind of NCHC Player of the Week honor in 2016-17 with Neal Pionk and rookie goalie Hunter Miska both being two-time recipients.

• Senior left winger Kyle Osterberg has scored on 10 of the 46 shots he's put on target so far in 2016-17 which gives him a .217 shooting percentage. That ranks him third among NCHC skaters.

• UMD has trailed the opposition 10 times at the second intermission this season and has suffered only three losses in those outings (3-3-4).

• UMD has collected four shorthanded goals this winter, three of which have come at the expense of North Dakota. That includes a school-record tying two in the Bulldogs' 3-0 victory over the Fighting Hawks on Oct. 29. The most recent shortie came last Saturday night off the stick of senior center Dominic Toninato, his second of the year and sixth as a Bulldog.

• Conversely, the Bulldogs have given up just one shorthanded goal since Dec. 12, 2015 (a stretch of 47 games) and that was to Colorado College's Sam Rothstein on Jan. 6, 2017.

• 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.

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

• 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.

• All three of Willie Raskob's goals this season have come on the power play. The senior defenseman out of Hastings, Minn., snapped a 13-game pointless drought in Grand Forks last Friday when he helped set up UMD's final goal of the evening.

• 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 all made their collegiate goalie debuts in the same season.

• Sophomore right winger Parker Mackay, the cousin of Bulldog senior defenseman Carson Soucy, missed both ends of the North Dakota series with an upper body injury and will be out this weekend as well.

• The 2016-17 UMD roster contains two former Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award recipients in freshman left winger Riley Tufte (2015-16) and junior center Avery Peterson (2013-14).

UP NEXT: UMD will return to NCHC warfare to host Omaha on Feb. 3-4.