The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team is hoping to trick St. Cloud State University this weekend at AMSOIL Arena as the Bulldogs step back into Western Collegiate Hockey Association action after stepping out last week. UMD will host the Huskies Friday night at 7:07 p.m., and then Saturday, Military Appreciation Day, the Bulldogs will drop the puck at 4:07 p.m. Both games will feature Teddy Bear tosses and there will be a post game skate after Saturday's game.

THE SERIES: UMD is 66-14-6 all-time against the Huskies. The Bulldogs have been unabe to sweep SCSU in a series since Nov. 3-4, 2017 after going 2-2 against the Huskies last season and outshooting the SCSU 191-89 in four games.

In UMD's last action against SCSU, the two sides split by scores of 4-2 and 2-3 back on Feb. 8-9 by scores of 4-2 and 2-3.
UMD -- without leading scorer freshman Gabbie Hughes in the series -- got four goals from four different players in the Feb. 8 win. The Bulldogs scored two goals in the first period (by McKenzie Hewett and Sydney Brodt) and two in the second period (by Lizi Norton and Ryleigh Houston). UMD out- shot the Huskies 47-23.

In game two, the Bulldogs simply couldn't capitalize on a 53-29 SOG ad- vantage, suffering a 2-3 loss. Naomi Rogge and Anneke Linser had the Bulldogs goals, and freshman goaltender Emma Soderberg had 26 saves in the first loss of her collegiate career.

LAST TIME OUT:  No. 10 UMD won the Ice Breaker Tournament last week- end in Buffalo, NY with a 4-1 win over Mercyhurst and a 3-1 triumph over Colgate.

Three players earned All-Tournament Team honors -- forwards Gabbie Hughes and Kasundra Betinol, and goaltender Maddie Rooney.

Three players logged three or more points in the tournament, including Hughes (3g), Ashton Bell 1g, 3a) and Sydney Brodt 3a). Freshman Betinol scored a goal in each game, including a game-winner -- the first two goals of her collegiate career.

NOTES FROM THE ICE BREAKER TOURNAMENT: With the wins, the Bull- dogs improve to 5-1-1 all-time against the Lakers and 2-0 all-time against the Raiders.

BETINOL AND ROONEY SNAG WCHA WEEKLY HONORS: Kasundra Betinol was named the WCHA's Rookie of the Week, while senior netminder Maddie
Rooney was named the WCHA's Goaltender of the Week after each played a role inUMD wins over Mercyhurst and Colgate in Buffalo, N.Y.

Betinol scored her first two collegiate goals over the weekend, the first against Mercy- hurst Friday afternoon and the second, a finished breakaway against Colgate that was the game-winning tally. With two goals, Betinol -- a product of Okotoks, Alberta -- led all WCHA rookies on the weekend in both goals and points and was named to the Ice Breaker All-Tournament Team for her efforts.
Rooney was unflappable in goal in the tournament, earning a spot on the All-Tourna- ment Team after making 52 saves on 54 shots and posting a WCHA-high among goaltenders who played two games of a .963 saves percentage. Rooney also post- ed a 1.00 GAA -- tying her for a league-low among netminders on the ice for both games. UMD -- with Rooney's help -- held their opponents power play to just 1-of-12 on the weekend.

HUGHES EXTENDS SCORING STREAK: Sophomore Gabbie Hughes has now re-skated in for the Bulldogs this season. In seven outings, the sophomore center has compiled seven goals and five assists for 12 points, and currently owns a 12-game scoring streak of 10 goals and eight assists for 18 points, dating back to Feb. 22 of this year.

Hughes has logged the longest scoring streak by a Bulldog since Lara Stalder ran up a 15-game run during the 2016-17 sea- son. Stalder had 15 goals and 15 assists for 30 points in 15 games from Dec. 10, 2016 through March 5, 2017. UMD assisstant coach Ashleigh Brykaliuk actually owns the second longest scoring streak in Bulldog history -- a 19-game span that ran from Oct. 29, 2016 through Feb. 11, 2017. Brykaliuk compiled 26 points over that streak.

SHARING THE WEALTH: UMD is aver- aging 2.2 goals per game through its first eight games, and has scored 21 goals over that span. The Bulldogs have shared the goal scoring duties -- eight different players have notched at least a goal, with six of those players having two or more tallies, and two -- Gabbie Hughes and senior for- ward Sydney Brodt -- having secured sev- en (Hughes) and four (Brodt).

Junior defenseman convert Ashton Bell ranks second in the WCHA among all defenseman with 11 points on two goals and nine assists in eight games. Bell ranks fourth among all blueliners in points in the NCAA, and third in assists.

ROONEY ON THE RISE: Maddie Rooney has made a number of moves on the career charts already so far this year. After eight games, (and 95 career games), Rooney has climbed into the No. 2 for all -time saves (2,666), No. 5 wins (47) and No. 3 minutes played (5595:21).

THEY HAVE A POINT: Three Bulldogs currently rank in the top-10 of the WCHA in points per game, including Gabbie Hughes at fifth with a 1.71 ppg average, Sydney Brodt, tied in tenth with Ashton Bell with a 1.38 ppg.

Hughes currently ranks fourth in the WCHA with a 1.71 points per game average and is tied for first with a 1.00 goals per game average. Bell sits second in the league
in scoring among all defenseman with 11 points (2g, 9a) in just eight games for a 1.38 ppg. Bell also ranks sixth in the NCAA among defensemen in scoring so far this season.

RANK AND FILE: UMD regained its national rankings Tuesday, claiming the tenth spot in the latest USA TODAY/USA Hock- ey Magazine's national poll one day after landing back in the top-10 in USCHO.com's national poll.

The Bulldogs won back-to-back games against Mercyhurst Friday (4-1) and Col- gate Saturday (3-1) to win the Ice Breaker Tournament last weekend in Buffalo, N.Y. Both the Lakers and Raiders were receiving votes in both national polls prior to the tournament.

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Stats: https://umdbulldogs.com/sidearmstats/whockey/summary