After a 19-day layoff, the University of Minnesota Duluth will return to the ice for its 2017 debut this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 6-7) when the Bulldogs host Colorado College in a pair of National Collegiate Hockey Conference confrontations. Opening faceoff is set for 7:38 p.m. Friday and 7:07 p.m. the following night at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.

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THE RECORDS: UMD is 12-3-3 overall and leads the NCHC at 8-2-0-0 while Colorado College sports a 5-12-1 record in all games to go with a 1-6-1-0 NCHC mark (eighth place).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Tigers 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. 1              No. 1    
CC         NR                NR               No. 37(t)
           
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Colorado College 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.

Friday's series opener will be televised nationally on the CBS Sports Network with Ben Holden, Dave Starman and Shireen Saski serving as the on-air talent.

Saturday's game will be aired locally 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 (play-by-play) and former UMD standout forward Judd Medak (analyst) will be on the call and that telecast is available on-line for a fee at: nchc.tv/umd.

THE RIVALRY: UMD and Colorado College have collided on 184 previous occasions in a rivalry which began on Jan. 4, 1961 at the old Duluth Curling Club. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 96-80-8, and swept the Tigers twice one year ago (5-0 and 6-0 on Nov. 21-21 in Colorado Springs, Colo. and 5-3 and 3-2 on Feb. 5-6 at AMSOIL Arena).

LAST WEEKEND: UMD has been idle since downing host Bemidji State University 2-1 on Dec. 17 after the two former WCHA rivals had ground out a 1-1 tie previous night in Duluth. Sophomore right winger Parker Mackay accounted for the Bulldogs' lone goal in the series opener while junior right winger Karson Kuhlman and senior center Dominic Toninato each scored the ensuing evening after UMD spotted the Beavers a 1-0 lead just 44 seconds in. The Bulldogs allowed just 19 shots on goal (a season-low) in the rematch while putting the skids on a seven-game winless skid against Bemidi State (an 0-5-2 drought that dated back to Dec. 8, 2012).

Colorado College reigned as 2016 Florida College Hockey Classic champions by toppling Cornell University 2-1 in overtime in the title game on Dec. 29. The Tigers posted a 3-0 opening-round victory over Merrimack College one day earlier behind a 26-save performance from freshmen netminder Alex Leclerc, who went on to be named that event's Most Valuable Player.

FAR AND FEW BETWEEN: Heading into Friday's matchup with the Tigers, the Bulldogs will have played only four games in the previous 42 days.

THEY JUST KEPT COMING: This weekend will mark the first time this season UMD's opponent 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, No. 2 Denver on Dec. 9-10 and No. 15 Bemidji State just before break. The Bulldogs rate first in the country in strength of schedule this winter after ranking second in that department during the 2015-16 regular season.

TIGER TAMERS: The Bulldogs have registered more wins at Colorado College's expense (they are 96-80-8 against the Tigers all-time) than any opponent in their 72-year history.

TIGER TAMERS II: UMD has endured just five losses in its last 27 bouts with the Tigers (19-5-3) and currently sports an eight-game winning streak against them. It's also 9-0-1 versus the Tigers since falling 3-1 in Colorado Springs, Colo., on Oct. 18, 2013.

TIGER TAMERS III: Colorado College is the only NCHC opponent that has never tasted victory at AMSOIL Arena, going 0-7-1 in eight lifetime visits to that downtown facility, which opened its doors for business on Dec. 30, 2011. UMD is 8-0-1 in its last nine overall home engagements versus the Tigers with the most recent loss coming on March 13, 2010 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (a 5-3 decision in the first round of the WCHA playoffs).

CLOSING IN ON 300: One more victory would be career 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 - ???

THE PUCK STOPS HERE: Rookie goaltender Hunter Miska, who has now made 12 consecutive starts, owns the NCHC's second-best saves percentage (.920) and third-best goals against average (2.19). 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 11-2-1 on the year and that .821 winning percentage takes a backseat nationally to only two other puckstoppers. In seven home starts this season, Miska is 5-1-1 with a 1.42 goals against average, a .942 saves percentage and those three aforementioned shutouts.

DUTY CALLS: Right winger Joey Anderson, who been competing for the U.S. at the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships, missed both ends of the Bemidji State series but will be available for this Friday night's clash with Colorado College. Anderson ranks seventh nationally and second in the NCHC in freshmen scoring with 17 points on six goals and 11 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).

HOMEWARD BOUND: The Bulldogs, who have played just once at AMSOIL Arena since Nov. 12 (versus Bemidji State on Dec. 16), own a 6-2-1 home record this season, outscoring the opposition 29-16 in the process (including 12-4 in the second period). Their penalty kill at home thus far is 87.2 percent compared to 75.6 percent away from Duluth.

TOP 'DOG: Alex Iafallo, who tops the Bulldogs in scoring with 21 points (the fourth 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. In the last series between UMD and Colorado College (Feb. 5-6, 2016), Iafallo earned himself his first NCHC Offensive Player of the Week citation after collecting three goals in the Bulldogs' weekend sweep of the visiting TigersA SENIOR MOMENT: UMD sports the country's third-highest scoring senior class as that seven-member ensemble has combined to rack up 75 points on a nation-best 30 goals and 45 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.

THAT'S A PLUS: Of the NCHC's top 10 plus-minus leaders, five are Bulldogs -- sophomore defenseman Neil Pionk (tied for first at +14), senior center Dominic Toninato (third at +12), senior left winger Alex Iafallo and junior right winger Karson Kuhlman (both tied for fourth at +11) and senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk (tied for ninth at +10). Not one of the 23 Bulldog forwards or defensemen who have taken a shift this season own a negative plus-minus rating.

HE KEEPS GOING AND GOING AND GOING ...: Junior right winger Karson Kuhlman has hit the ice in all 98 games over the last three seasons -- a claim no other Bulldog can make.

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 power play goals (7) in the country and second most overall goals (10) in the NCHC.

MAKING A POINT ON THE POINT II: Second-year defenseman Neal Pionk has already scored as many goals this season (four) as he did during his entire 40-game rookie campaign. Those four goals place him second among NCHC blueliners while his 14 points rank fourth. 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 (14.39 per game) than any NCHC club and all but 14 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 (1.94 a night -- the fifth-highest figure in the NCHC at the moment).

WAITING NO MORE: When he took his initial shift against Bemidji State on Dec. 17, junior forward Avery Peterson became the first NCAA I transfer to make his UMD debut since defenseman Tim Smith in 2011-12. Peterson, the 19th Grand Rapids, Minn., product to enlist his services with the Bulldog program, had to sit out two full semesters following his transfer from the University of Nebraska Omaha last January. The one-time Minnesota Mr. Hockey award winner had one assist (in his final appearance in a Maverick sweater on Dec. 5 at St. Cloud State) in 14 games last winter with Omaha. Peterson racked up 21 points (11 goals and 10 assists) during a stellar rookie season and skated a regular shift on a Maverick club that advanced to the NCAA Frozen Four for the first time ever.

MEMORY LANE: A quartet of Bulldogs all registered their first collegiate points against Colorado College -- sophomore right winger Billy Exell (an assist on Nov. 12, 2015 -- his lone point that year), senior defenseman Brenden Kotyk (an assist on Dec. 6, 2014), senior defenseman Carson Soucy (an assist on Oct. 19, 2013) and senior center Dominic Toninato (an assist on Oct. 19, 2013). In addition, senior left winger Kyle Osterberg's first goal as a Bulldog came on Oct. 19, 2013 at Colorado College while the second of senior defenseman Dan Molenaar's two career tallies helped lead UMD to a 3-2 win over the Tigers on Feb. 6, 2016 at AMSOIL Arena.

IT'S DEJA VU ALL OVER AGAIN: The last time the Bulldogs were unbeaten in 15 of their opening 18 games of the season was in 2010-11 when they were also 12-3-3 at the same juncture before eventually going on to win the school's first NCAA title.

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.

SHARP SHOOTERS: Senior left winger Kyle Osterberg will enter this weekend's series armed with the NCHC's best shot percentage (.231). He shares that distinction with Colorado College's Mason Bergh (both have scored on nine of their 39 shots on target).

BULLDOG BITS: Denver remains the only 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 of those three sweeps against St. Cloud State have come on the road while a program-best two of the sweeps over the Tigers have taken place at AMSOIL Arena.

• 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 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 is now unbeaten in 10 of its last 11 regular season road matchups, going 8-1-2 since being shaded 2-1 by North Dakota on Feb. 20, 2016. Thus far in 2016-17, the Bulldogs are 6-1-2 away from AMSOIL Arena and that includes sweeps over St. Cloud State (by identical 5-3 counts on Nov. 4-5) and Omaha (6-4 and 3-2 on Nov. 18-19).

• 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 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.

• 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.

• 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.

• UMD has trailed the opposition seven times at the second intermission this season and has only been defeated once in those outings (3-1-3).

•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. Kotyk also holds the distinction of being only former NCAA Division III player (he transferred to UMD in September 2013 after a one-season stint at the College of St. Scholastica) who is competing in the NCAA I ranks this 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 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 hunker down at AMSOIL Arena for another weekend (Jan. 13-14) to face St. Cloud State, which the Bulldogs swept earlier this year.