Complete Release (pdf)

Armed with a four-game winning streak, the University of Minnesota Duluth will put the finishing touches on its 2017-18 regular season this Friday and Saturday (March 2-3) when the Bulldogs host the University of Nebraska Omaha in a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference series. The puck drops at 7:07 p.m. both nights at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.

THE RECORDS: UMD is 18-13-3 overall and 12-10-0-0 in NCHC play (third place) while Omaha sports a 16-14-0 record in all games to go with an 9-12-1-0 NCHC mark (tied for fifth place with Colorado College and Western Michigan University).

HOW THEY RANK: This is how the Bulldogs and Mavericks stacked up in 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. 7	No. 7	No. 8
Omaha	No. 14	No. 15	No. 15

 
ON THE AIR: The two UMD-Omaha clashes will be carried live on KDAL-Radio (610 AM and 103.9 FM) with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities and Bulldog hockey alumnus Kraig Karakas the color commentary. This marks the 50th year KDAL has been the radio home for Bulldog hockey. The broadcast can also be heard at: kdal610.com.

Both ends of this weekend's series will also be televised -- Friday on My9 (KBJR DT 6.2/KRII DT 11.9), which has been the Bulldogs' television home for the last 10 seasons, and Saturday on FSN Plus. 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 Omaha will collide for the 30th and 31st times ever this weekend. The Bulldogs hold a 16-10-3 lead in the all-time series, which began on Dec. 5, 1997 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, and traded wins with the Mavericks earlier this season in Omaha (Dec. 8-9). The hosts outslugged the Bulldogs 7-5 in the series opener before the Bulldogs rebounded with a 6-2 triumph the following night.

LAST WEEK: The Bulldogs passed their final two regular season road assignments of 2017-18 with flying colors by sweeping Western Michigan University. On Friday night, UMD held a slim 2-0 advantage at the second intermission before erupting for five goals in the opening 8:32 of the third period en route to an 8-0 triumph. Senior right winger Karson Kuhlman scored three times and senior center Jared Thomas chipped in three assists while Hunter Shepard rejected all 22 shots the Broncos sent his way. UMD kept its foot firmly on the pedal in the series opener, staking itself to a 3-0 first period lead) and throttlng Western Michigan 6-1. Junior left winger Billy Exell potted a pair of goals and sophomore left winger Riley Tufte scored once and assisted on two other tallies.

THIS IS YOUR NIGHT: Saturday's regular season finale with Omaha has been designated as the Bulldogs' annual Senior Night and UMD will recognize its six seniors during a special pre-game ceremony. That group, who are on track be part of a program-best four straight NCAA Tournament qualifiers, includes right winger and 2017-18 team captain Karson Kuhlman, defenseman Nick McCormack, left winger Avery Peterson and Blake Young, and centers Jared Thomas and Sammy Spurrell. This season, UMD's senior class has been credited with 58 points (30 goals and 28 assists), the second highest figure in the NCHC behind Omaha (130 pts.).

PUCK HUNTER: Hunter Shepard had himself quite a February and the sophomore goaltender was recognized for his efforts by being selected the NCHC Player of the Month. (This marks the first time in 2017-18 that a netminder has been so honored).

Shepard led the nation in shutouts (three), tied for the NCAA Division I lead in goals against average (1.01) and registered the second-best saves percentage (.963) during the month while going 4-2-0 in six outings. He equaled a UMD record by posting three consecutive shutouts and held the opposition scoreless for 222:00 before giving up a power goal in his final February appearance (last Saturday night at Western Michigan). Shepard, who twice received NCHC Goaltender of the Week honors (Feb. 19 and 26) over that stretch, also collected his first collegiate assist this past Friday.

DOUBLE TROUBLE: Both Shepard and rookie defenseman Scott Perunovich were cited by the NCHC for their exemplary performances in UMD's double takedowns of Western Michigan last weekend.

Perunovich, the NCHC Defenseman of the Week, led all league blueliners as well as rookies in scoring over the weekend with four points on one goal and three assists while also going a NCHC-best +5. The Hibbing, Minn., native scored once and helped set up another goal on Friday before chipping in a pair of assists the following night as UMD took down the Broncos 6-1.

This marks the fifth weekly league honor for Pernunovich as he was previously chosen the NCHC Rookie of the Week on Oct. 9 and Jan. 22 and the Defenseman of the Week on Oct. 21 and Dec. 11.

Shepard, stopped 41 of 42 shots in the sweep on is way to collaring the NCHC Goaltender of the Week award for the second straight week (and league-best fifth time this season). In the series' opener, he set a UMD single-season record with his sixth shutout of the year -- and equaled another club with his third straight shutout -- in an 8-0 triumph. He allowed but one goal the entire weekend, a power play tally during the second period Saturday, after he had gone 222:00 of keeping the opposition off the board.

Shepard, who has now made 29 consecutive starts, currently ranks third in the nation with those six shutouts, is tied for seventh in wins (18), and 11th in both in saves percentage (.924) and goals against average (2.04). His 18-11-1 record is a bit deceiving in that in three of his losses he's allowed just one goal.

MAVERICK BUSTERS: The Bulldogs are unbeaten in eight of their 10 lifetime matchups (5-2-3) with Omaha at AMSOIL Arena.

YOU'RE KILLING ME: UMD's streak of consecutive penalty kills ended at 41 (which encompassed at least parts of some 10 games) in the second period last Saturday night in Kalamazoo. UMD's opponents are still a mere 2-for-46 with the man advantage over the past 11 outings (4.3 percent). On Jan. 19 (prior to their series opener with North Dakota), the Bulldogs ranked 52nd out of 60 NCAA I schools in penalty kill percentage at 77.3. They'll come into this weekend owning the 15th best mark in the country (83.2 percent).

IT'S MILLER TIME: Despite missing one game, Jade Miller still finished as the Bulldogs' top scorer in February. While taking shifts in five outings, the sophomore center generated six points (one goal and five assists) -- which is more than half of his entire career scoring harvest (11 points).

TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Since falling 4-3 in overtime at Miami on Feb. 21, 2015, the Bulldogs are 51-0-3 when taking a lead into the third period. They were 17-0-2 in that situation last year and are 17-0-1 thus far in 2017-18. On the flip side, UMD is a mere 1-13-2 when it hasn't held a lead at the second intermission this season.

GREAT SCOTT!: UMD scoring leader Scott Perunovich is currently fifth among all NCAA freshmen in points (29 -- the highest total of any first-year defenseman in the country), first in plus-minus rating (+17) and fourth in assists (21).

MORE POWER TO THEM: After going just 1-18 on the power play in its previous seven appearances, the Bulldogs cashed in on four of their 10 opportunities with the man advantage last weekend.

MORE POWER TO THEM II: The Bulldogs are scoring at a 24.0 percent clip on the power play this season -- a figure bettered by only five other NCAA clubs.

MORE POWER TO THEM III: Some 16 different Bulldogs have scored a power play goal in 2017-18, including junior right winger Parker Mackay (who has been sidelined with an injury the past five games), and sophomore left winger Riley Tufte, who each have a team-leading -- and career-best -- four.

IRONMAN KUHLMAN: Last Friday night senior team captain Karson Kuhlman became just the second Bulldog since Feb. 12, 2012 to post a hat trick (Alex Iafallo accomplished that feat one year ago). Kuhlman, leads all current Bulldogs in career goals (36), assists (39), points (75) and plus-minus rating (+42), has not missed a game since joining the Bulldog program in 2014-15. His active ironman streak of 156 consecutive appearances is the longest in NCAA I hockey at the moment. Kuhlman is one of 10 finalists for the 2017-18 Lowe's Senior CLASS Award, which is presented annually to an NCAA I athlete in 10 different sports based on achievement in the "Four C's" -- classroom, character, community and competition.

WHEN FIVE AIN'T ENOUGH: This past Dec. 8, Omaha did something that no other UMD opponent had done in nearly 11 years – give up five goals and still skate away with a victory. The Mavericks prevailed that night 7-5 and those five goals were the most the Bulldogs had scored in a loss since Jan. 20, 2007 when they fell 6-5 at St. Cloud State

ROOKIES ON THE RISE: The Bulldogs continue to sport the NCHC's highest-scoring freshmen class as that ensemble has collectively amassed 107 points on 24 goals and 83 assists. Omaha's rookies, on the other hand, have mustered an NCAA-low one goal and eight assists.

ROOKIES ON THE RISE II: In addition to amassing the fifth most points in the country, the UMD rookie class also ranks second nationally in blocked shots (5.59 per game),third in power play points (38) and fourth in both shots (9.62 per game) and power play goals (12).

OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE: Junior center Peter Krieger, who is debuting with the Bulldogs this season after transferring from the University of Alaska Fairbanks one year ago and sitting out all of 2016-17, is currently tied for second among all NCAA combatants in game-winning goals with five.

OH, FOR PETE'S SAKE II: Avery Peterson, who played one-and-a-half seasons at Omaha before joining the Bulldog program in Jan. 2016, has collected three points (two goals and one assists) and is a +3 in four outings against his former club.

COMING UP EMPTY: The Bulldogs have posted seven shutouts this season, which is the most in program history (and two more than the previous record).

COMING UP EMPTY II: On the flip side, after entering the 2017-18 season having gone 66 straight games without being shut out, the Bulldogs have already been held scoreless by the opposition on six occasions this year. That gives them a share (with the 2007-08 club) of the team record for most times shut out in a single season.

LIFE OF RILEY: Sophomore left winger Riley Tufte,one of two Bulldogs to reach the double-digit mark for goals this season (15), has generated 16 points (seven goals and five assists) over his last 14 games

HITTING HIS STRIDE: After managing just two goals and three assists in his first 11 appearances of the season, Joey Anderson, a 2016-17 NCHC All-Rookie Team pick, has amassed 16 points (five goals and 11 assists) in his 15 games since.

WORKING OVERTIME: The Bulldogs are unbeaten in the last 17 games that have gone beyond regulation, going 7-0-10 since falling 2-1 to North Dakota on Feb. 19, 2016 in Grand Forks, N.D. That includes a 1-0-3 in four extra sessions this season. Just two current Bulldogs -- senior team captain Karson Kuhlman and junior assistant team captain Parker Mackay (one each) -- have an overtime goal to his collegiate credit..

BLOCK PARTY: Defenseman Dylan Samberg has blocked 58 shots this season. That not only leads UMD but it's the third highest total of any NCAA rookie.

FIRST THINGS FIRST: UMD is 16-6-0 when it has scored first this season and just 2-7-3 when it hasn't done so.

FIRST THINGS FIRST II: Those 22 occasions the Bulldogs have struck first this season takes a backseat only to Notre Dame's 23 times on the NCAA leader board.

FIRST THINGS FIRST III: The Bulldogs have amassed the fourth-most first period goals (37) in the nation this season and their +17 goal differential during that period ranks second among all NCAA schools.

OH SHOOT(OUT): UMD is 4-3 lifetime in NCHC shootouts, but hasn't competed in one since Feb. 18, 2017 (when it won 1-0 at Colorado College). No current Bulldog has ever participated in that post overtime event.

LONG IN THE TOOTH: The 18 seasons Scott Sandelin has presided over the UMD puck program is the second longest tenure of any NCHC head coach. (Enrico Blasi is in his 19th year at Miami). It also ties him with Mike Sertich (1982-2000) as the longest-serving bench boss in Bulldog history. Sandelin currently ranks 15th among all active NCAA I coaches in career victories.

GET SHORTIE: The Bulldogs have allowed just three shorthanded goals in their last 99 games (at Denver on Feb. 3, 2018 at Denver, at St. Cloud State on Nov. 4, 2017 and versus Colorado College on Jan. 6, 2017 in Duluth).

GET SHORTIE II: Senior right winger Karson Kuhlman (four, including two this year) and junior right winger Parker Mackay (one) are the only two 2017-18 Bulldogs who have ever scored while a man down as a collegian.

MAKING THEMSELVES FEEL RIGHT AT HOME: Rookie right winger Nick Swaney (four goals and 10 assists in 13 games) and sophomore right winger Joey Anderson (five goals and nine assists in 14 outings) pace the 2017-18 Bulldogs in home scoring this season.

NOT SO SWEEP: UMD has been swept only three times in their last 32 regular season series overall (going back to Feb. 19-20, 2016) and all three of those have come this year -- at St. Cloud State (5-3 and 5-0 on Nov. 3-4) and against Denver (1-0 and 2-1 on Dec. 1-2 and 1-0 and 4-3 on Feb. 2-3). Last winter marked just the third time 56 years of competing at the NCAA I level that UMD went through an entire regular season without being beaten on back-to-back nights by the same opponent. UMD also accomplished that feat in 2010-11 (when it won its first, and only, NCAA championship) and in 2014-15.

HATS OFF TO HOAGIE: The UMD Athletic Hall of Fame's Class of 2017 will be enshrined this Saturday afternoon (March 3) and among the four inductees is veteran assistant equipment manager and inspirational leader Dale "Hoagie" Haagenson. A fixture on the UMD hockey bench for well nearly four decades, Haagenson joined the Bulldog staff in 1981-82. He is the longest serving volunteer in UMD athletics history as 2017-18 marks his 37th year of involvement. Haagenson, along with fellow enshrinees Bob Nielson (football coach and athletic director), Jenny Potter (women's hockey) and Tom Waitrovich (golf) will be recognized during the first intermission of Saturday night's game.

STAYING PUT: For the fourth time in the NCHC's five-year existence, the Bulldogs will host a first-round league playoff game. The best-of-three series begins on March 9 against a yet-to-be-determined opponent.