Fresh off a bye week, the University of Minnesota Duluth will put its seven-game unbeaten streak on the line this Friday and Saturday (Feb. 17-18) when the Bulldogs pay a visit to Colorado Springs, Colo. for a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference with Colorado College. Opening faceoff is set for 8:07 p.m. (CT) on Friday and 8:07 p.m the following night at the Broadmoor World Arena (7,380).
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THE RECORDS: UMD is 18-5-5 overall and occupies second place in the NCHC standings (one point back of league-leading University of Denver) at 12-4-2-2 while Colorado College owns a 7-19-2 record in all games to go with a 3-13-2-0 NCHC mark (eighth place).
HOW THEY RANK: Here is how the Bulldogs and Tigers stacked up in this week's USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls as well as the PairWise rankings.
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|
USCHO.com |
USA Today |
PairWise |
| UMD |
No. 1 |
No.1 |
No. 1 |
| CC |
NR |
NR |
36th(t) |
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ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Colorado College clashes will be carried live on 92.1 FM The Fan with Bruce Ciskie on the call. 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 Ed and Colby Cohen serving as the on-air talent.
My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9), which has been the Bulldogs' television home for the last nine seasons. will carry the Saturday night matchup with KBJR-TV sports director Zach Schneider handling the play-by-play responsibilities. That telecast is available on-line for a fee at:
nchc.tv/umd.
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THE RIVALRY: UMD and Colorado College have collided on 186 previous occasions in a rivalry which began on Jan. 4, 1961 at the old Duluth Curling Club. The Bulldogs lead the all-time series 96-81-9, but managed just two of a possible six NCHC points in their two-game set with the Tigers last month in Duluth. The long-time rivals battled to a 2-2 tie on Jan. 6 (with UMD picking up the extra point by prevailing in the 3-on-3 overtime) before the Tigers upended the hosts 2-1 in the rematch the next night. The Bulldogs came into that series having been off the previous 19 days.
LAST WEEKEND: UMD has been idle since throttling the University of Nebraska Omaha 5-0 on Feb. 4 at AMSOIL Arena. That came on the heels of a 2-2 overtime tie in which the Bulldogs secured the additional league point by striking in the sudden death shoot out.
Colorado College was toppled twice by Denver, dropping a 2-1 decision to the host Pioneers on Friday night before falling 5-1 in Colorado Springs 24 hours later.
TIGER TAMERS: The Bulldogs have registered more wins at Colorado College's expense (they are 96-81-9 against the Tigers all-time) than any opponent in their 73-year history.
TIGER TAMERS II: UMD has endured just one loss in its last 11 bouts with the Tigers (8-1-2) and had reeled off seven straight victories over Colorado College prior to the two clubs' 2-2 deadlock last month.
BIG ICE IS NICE: Since falling 5-3 to St. Cloud State University on Feb. 14, 2014, the Bulldogs have gone 12-1-0 on Olympic-sized sheets. During that stretch the UMD is 2-0 at Colorado College, 2-0 at the University of Minnesota, 6-0 at St. Cloud State, 1-0 at Minnesota State University-Mankato and 1-1 at Northern Michigan University. The loss to the Wildcats came last winter (4-3 on Jan. 29).
SOME KIND OF ROAD SHOW: UMD has generated a 10-1-2 record away from AMSOIL Arena in 2016-17 and that .846 road winning percentage is the best in the country while the one loss is the fewest of any NCAA club. The Bulldogs are unbeaten in 14 of their last 15 regular season road assignments, going 12-1-2 since being upended by North Dakota 2-1 on Feb. 20, 2016. The lone loss during that run came at the hands of the University of Denver (4-3 on Dec. 9, 2016).
WHERE SHOTS GO TO DIE: In UMD's most recent outing (Feb. 4), goaltender
Hunter Miska backstopped the Bulldogs to a 5-0 takedown of visiting Omaha. That gave the rookie out of Stacy, Minn., five shutouts on the season, equalling the program record held by
Kasimir Kaskisuo one year ago Alex Stalock in 2008-09 and
Brant Nicklin in 1997-98. Miska, who has now made 22 consecutive starts, currently is tied for first among all NCAA I puckstoppers in shutouts, is third in winning percentage (.771 off a 17-4-3 record), eighth in victories and and ninth in goals against average (1.98) and victories. He also owns the NCHC' s second-best saves percentage (.928) and goals against average. The first Bulldog netminder to ever begin his career by going 6-0-0, Miska is a four-time NCHC Goalie/Rookie of the Week honoree and was the league's Rookie of the Month for January. In his last five starts, he has compiled a 4-0-1 record, an 0.97 goals against average and a .967 saves percentage with two shutouts.
THE COMEBACK KIDS: UMD has trailed the opposition 11 times at the second intermission this season and has suffered only three losses in those outings (4-3-4). The Bulldogs' four comeback wins are tops in the nation at the moment (Union College and Miami University both also have four victories) while their .545 winning percentage in that situation is without rival among all 60 NCAA I clubs.
TRIPLE DIGITS: Senior left winger and current Bulldog scoring leader
Alex Iafallo needs one more point to become the 57th member of UMD's Century Club. In 138 lifetime outings, the Eden, N.Y, product has generated 40 goals and 59 assists. The last Bulldog to reach that 100-point plateau for a career was
Austin Farley one year ago.
Iafallo continues to top the Bulldogs in points (29, the sixth-highest total in the NCHC) and goals (13) -- both career highs. He's also one of nine 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 the University of Alaska Anchorage on Feb. 3, 2012
TOP 'DOGS: UMD is ranked first in the USCHO.com Poll for the third straight week and for a program-best 11th time this season.
HITTING HIS STRIDE: After being held pointless in his first 14 collegiate games, freshman left winger
Riley Tufte has accumulated nine points (five goals and four assists) in the 10 outings since. The first round pick of the Dallas Stars in the 2016 NHL draft, Tufte also has posted two-point nights in three of the past six games.
LOVE THAT FREE HOCKEY: UMD is unbeaten in its last eight games that have gone beyond regulation (3-0-5). Only three active Bulldogs -- senior left wingers
Kyle Osterberg (three) and
Alex Iafallo (one) and junior right winger
Karson Kuhlman (one) -- have a sudden death goal on their collegiate resume. This season, UMD has outshot the opposition 31-8 in seven overtime sessions and those 31 shots (and irs 4.43 shots per OT average) leads the nation.
BETTER THAN BEFORE: Ten out of a possible 18 Bulldog veterans have already established or equaled career bests for points this winter:
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... while another is knocking on the door:
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NO WALK IN THE PARK: 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 faced 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 and one week later No. 8 North Dakota hosted UMD. Minnesota (No. 6) and St. Cloud State (received votes) were the Bullldogs' two North Star College Cup and on Feb. 3-4 Omaha (received votes) was at AMSOIL Arena. UMD currently ranks 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.
MAKING A POINT ON THE POINT: Sophomore
Neal Pionk has already set personal bests for goals (six) and assists (17) and his 23 points place him third on the NCHC defensemen scoring charts. Four of Pionk's six goals this year have been scored in the third period.
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 11 games, the Grand Rapids, Minn., native has contributed seven points (five goals and two assists) to the UMD scoring coffers and is a +10 to boot. Peterson's first goal in a Bulldog uniform came in a 2-2 tie with Colorado College on Jan. 6.
ON RECORD PACE: With still six games to go, UMD (12-4-2 in league play) is within one victory of attaining its highest NCHC win total ever. The Bulldogs went 12-9-3 against conference competition in 2014-15, the NCHC's second year of existence.
SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST: The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 29-12 in the third period this season and that +17 goal differential is the second-best figure in the country (Notre Dame is at +18).
SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST II: UMD has given up the fewest third-period goals (12 or just 0.43 per game) of any NCAA club to date.
SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST III: Since falling to host Miami 4-3 in overtime on Feb. 21, 2015, the Bulldogs are 28-0-1 when taking a lead into the third period. They were 14-0-0 in that situation last winter and 12-0-1 so far in 2016-17.
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 (on Jan. 6, 2017 vs. Colorado College) 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.
BLOCK PARTY: UMD has blocked more shots this season (14.36 per game) than any NCHC member and ranks 15th 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 fifth highest total in the NCHC at the moment).
GOOD LUCK CHARMS: The Bulldogs are 10-0-1 this season when senior left winger
Kyle Osterberg has collected a goal and 6-0-1 when senior center
Dominic Toninato has done so.
TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Going back to a 5-4 loss to visiting Minnesota on Oct. 15, 2011, the Bulldogs are unbeaten in 74 of the 75 games -- including the last 41 in a row -- they've struck for more than three goals (68-1-6). The sole setback during that stretch was inflicted by Minnesota State-Mankato on Oct. 17, 2014 in Duluth (5-4 in overtime).
DEBUTING IN STYLE: Right winger and IIHF World Junior Championship gold medalist
Joey Anderson currently is tied for 12th nationally and for second among NCHC rookies in scoring with 24 points on seven goals and a league-best 17 assists. The Roseville, Minn., native and NCHC Rookie of the Month for November paces the Bulldogs in even-strength points (18 -- the third highest total of any NCAA rookie).
A SENIOR MOMENT: UMD sports the country's fifth-highest scoring senior class as that seven-member ensemble has combined to rack up and 101 points on 40 goals and 61 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.
SHOOTOUT SKINNY: UMD is 3-3 lifetime in NCHC shootouts (all of which have been contested at AMSOIL Arena) and senior left winger
Alex Iafallo (three times -- 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: Five of the NCHC's top eight plus-minus leaders are Bulldogs -- sophomore defenseman Neil Pionk (second at +19), senior left winger
Alex Iafallo , senior center
Dominic Toninato and junior right winger
Karson Kuhlman (all tied for third at +17), and senior defenseman
Brenden Kotyk (tied for sixth at +16). Of the 23 Bulldog forwards and defensemen who have taken a shift this season, only junior center
Jared Thomas (-3) owns a negative plus-minus rating.
THE BIG 3-0-0: Last month (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).
AT THE HEAD OF THEIR CLASS: Fourteen Bulldogs earned NCHC All-Academic status for 2016-17 with one of those, senior defenseman
Dan Molenaar, collaring a spot on the NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team. Besides Molenaar, the group of honored Bulldogs included seniors
Alex Iafallo,
Brenden Kotyk,
Willie Raskob and
Carson Soucy, juniors
Karson Kuhlman,
Avery Peterson,
Sammy Spurrell and
Jared Thomas, sophomores
Billy Exell,
Adam Johnson,
Parker Mackay and Neal Poink, and red shirt freshman
Nick Deery. Deery (twice), Exell (twice), Iafallo (three times), Johnson (twice), Kotyk (three times), Kuhlman (three times), Mackay (twice), Molenaar (four times), Peterson (twice), Pionk (twice), Raskob (four times), Soucy (twice), Spurrell (three times) and Thomas (three times) are all repeat qualifiers.
The NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team includes any student-athlete who has been at their institution for a full year and has achieved a 3.50 cumulative grade-point average or better. the NCHC All-Academic Team recognizes any student-athlete that has accumulated a 3.0 GPA or better while having completed at least one year at their current institution. A total of 123 individuals from the eight league schools qualIfied for the NCHC All-Academic Team, and from that group 39 attained NCHC Scholar-Athlete Team acclaim. Those freshmen that achieve a cumulative 3.0 GPA or better at the conclusion of the 2016-17 academic year will be added to the NCHC All-Academic Team over the summer. Similarly, any freshmen who compile a 3.5 GPA or better will earn Scholar-Athlete Team honors
BULLDOG BITS: UMD's current seven-game unbeaten streak is the fifth longest in the country at the moment. It's also the longest such run by a Bulldog club since they reeled off seven straight victories between Feb. 26 and March 18 last year.
• 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)
• Junior right winger
Karson Kuhlman, who is a team-leading +38 for his career, has hit the ice in all 108 games over the last three seasons -- a claim no other Bulldog can make.
• The Bulldogs have already clinched a home berth for the opening round of the NCHC playoffs -- the third time they've done so in the league's four-year history.
• Sophomore right winger
Adam Johnson has picked up at least one point in nine of the past 12 games.
• UMD's opponents are connecting at 25.0 percent on the power play away from AMSOIL Arena thus far in 2016-17 (compared to 16.2 percent in Duluth). That .750 penalty kill rate on the road puts the Bulldogs at 55th out of 60 NCAA I schools.
• Nine different Bulldogs have received some kind of NCHC Player of the Week honor in 2016-17 with rookie goalie
Hunter Miska (four) and sophomore defenseman
Neal Pionk (three) both being multi-time recipients.
• 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 at North Dakota on Jan. 21 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 51 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.
• All three of
Willie Raskob's goals this season have come on the power play.
ON TAP: UMD will return to AMSOIL Arena on Feb. 17-18 (a rare Thursday-Friday series) for its 2016-17 regular season home finales against Miami.
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