FACEOFF The University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey program officially opens its 76th overall season and celebrates the 10-year anniversary of the opening of AMSOIL Arena as it embarks on the quest for a third-straight NCAA National Championship in 2019-20. The team will raise its 2018-19 NCAA Frozen Four Championship banner ahead of Friday night's season opener against UMass Lowell.

BROADCAST INFO Friday night's game will air live on Fox Sports North as part of a UMD doubleheader immediately following the Bulldog women's game against Minnesota State University. Saturday night's game will air on My9 locally and Fox9+ in the greater Twin Cities area. Both games can be heard on AM-610 KDAL or 610kdal.com.

LAST TIME OUT A preseason tune-up did not produce the result the Bulldogs wanted on the scoreboard but did provide an opportunity for UMD to face outside competition ahead of this week's opening series with the River Hawks. Highly-rated Canadian rival the University of Alberta knocked off the Bulldogs 5-3 in a hard-hitting battle on the AMSOIL Arena ice sheet. All three UMD goaltenders played a period between the pipes, and the Bulldogs got scores from Justin Richards, Dylan Samberg, and Nick Swaney in the effort.

TALKIN' BOUT PRACTICE An exhibition defeat for UMD may be rare in the team's history, but the Bulldogs have actually dropped an exhibition contest each of the past two seasons (4-2 vs. U.S. National Under-18 Team on Jan. 5, 2019 and 4-3 against Alberta on Sept. 30, 2017) en route to winning the National Championship each season.

LET'S DO THE HOCKEY UMD will look to set the tone for the season with a victory in the opener on Friday night. In the past five years, the Bulldogs are 2-2-1 in season-opening games and 3-1-1 in their home opener. Additionally, the team rides an eight-game winning streak dating back to last year's postseason. 

BULLDOGS IN THE POLLS No. 1 UMD maintained poll position ahead of the team's official start of the 2019-20 season, receiving the top ranking in each of the USCHO.com Division I Men's and the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls released on Monday. Despite not playing an official game, the defending champions relinquished ten first-place votes, now with 39, in this week's USCHO poll. NCHC rival and No. 2-ranked Denver added to its total. The two teams lead five NCHC teams in the top 20 this week, including No. 7 St. Cloud State, No. 14 Western Michigan, and No. 18 North Dakota. This week's opponent, UMass Lowell, stands among the teams receiving votes just outside the top 25.

LEADING THE PACK UMD stood atop the NCHC Preseason Poll released Wednesday, Sept. 19, receiving 23 of 28 first-place votes and 218 points overall, 40 more than second-place Denver (178) and 62 more than third-place Western Michigan (156), teams which received two and three first-place votes respectively. North Dakota (143) and St. Cloud State (138) round out the top five.

BEST OF THE BEST Four Bulldogs landed on the seven-man Preseason All-NCHC Team. Hunter Shepard was the lone unanimous selection as the goaltender on all 27 ballots, joined by junior forwards Justin Richards and Nick Swaney, and junior defenseman Scott Perunovich. Each member of the quartet had previously earned NCHC All-Conference designation in the postseason.

AGAINST THE COMPETITION The Bulldogs and River Hawks have skated to a draw in each of their last two meetings, a two-game series in Lowell on Oct. 7-8, 2016. No current skaters for UMD have points against UMass Lowell, but the series has ultimately fallen in the Bulldogs' favor to this point, owning a 13-3-3 record all-time against the River Hawks.

NCAA SUPERLATIVES Unsurprisingly, the defending champions ranked in the top 15 in each of the major statistical categories tracked by the NCAA and in the top 10 for 7-of-9. UMD finished third in the nation in scoring defense, allowing just 1.88 goals per game. The Bulldogs ranked sixth in scoring margin (+1.29), eight in both assists (217) and points (350), no. 10 in penalty kill (85.8 percent) and offense (3.17). The power play ranked no. 14 (21.8 percent) in conversion percentage and no. 15 in goals (32).

Individually, Hunter Shepard's seven shutouts ranked second nationally, his 1.76 goals against average fourth and his 71.4 winning percentage fifth. Offensively, rising juniors Nick Swaney and Kobe Roth matched teammate Parker Mackay with four game-winning goals each, tied for no. 13 in the NCAA. Rising junior defenseman Scott Perunovich ranked no.31 nationally with his 0.67 assists per game.

ICE CHIPS While the team's been known for its late season runs in recent years, UMD has gone 21-10-7 in October over the past five seasons ... the Bulldogs return 68.9 percent (241/350 points) of their scoring from a season ago, including 90 goals (67.7 percent) and 156 assists (71.8 percent) ... in Hunter Shepard alone, UMD returns 98.7 percent of its goalie minutes from a season ago ... the Bulldogs seek history in 2019-20 as the first team to produce three-straight NCAA Championships since Michigan did so in 1951-53 ...  the last two back-to-back champions (Denver 2004-05 and Minnesota 2002-03) were each eliminated by UMD in the postseason (the Pioneers in the 2006 WCHA Tournament first round and Minnesota in the 2004 NCAA Regional Tournament final).

SHEP, NO, CAPTAIN SHEP! The reigning team MVP and one of his strongest defenders will lead the Bulldogs this season as senior goaltender Hunter Shepard and senior defender Nick Wolff were selected team captains. Wolff served as an Alternate Captain in 2018-19, setting a new career high in points on the blue line as he scored five goals to go with 13 assists in UMD's historic season. Shepard becomes the first UMD goalie since Rick Heinz in 1976-77 to serve as a team captain.

A NICE 'RING' TO IT The Bulldogs received their  NCAA National Championship rings in a special ceremony at AMSOIL Arena on August 22. The title was the third overall and second in as many years for UMD.

AWARD SZN Shepard received the prestigious Keith "Huffer" Christiansen Award as the Bulldogs' Most Valuable Player last season. He set a program record with his 1.76 goals against average and nearly matched his own program high with seven shutouts on the season. Additionally, Noah Cates received the Jerry Chumola Rookie of the Year Award, Parker Mackay received the Goldie Wolfe Award (Most Inspirational Player), and rising junior forward Justin Richards earned the Mike Sertich Award as the Most Improver Player. Rising senior forward Jade Miller added the Pat Francisco Community Service Award to his career accolades.

SERVING HIS COUNTRY UMD head coach Scott Sandelin will serve as the head coach of the U.S. Junior National Team at the 202 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2019 - Jan. 5, 2020. Sandelin has been a part of three previous U.S. National Junior Team coaching staffs, including as head coach in 2005 and as an assistant coach in both 2012 and for last year's silver medal-winning club.

BULLDOGS IN THE LIMELIGHT The defending NCHC Frozen Faceoff Champions have been selected for a pair of showcase games on CBS Sports Network beginning later this season. UMD will host North Dakota on Friday, Jan. 24 at AMSOIL Arena before a national TV audience, while the Bulldogs will travel to Western Michigan on Friday, Feb. 20 for another national broadcast. Additionally, the NCHC Frozen Faceoff semifinals and championship game will air live on CBS Sports Network. UMD is 27-7-1 on national TV broadcasts in the last three seasons.

OWN THE NORTH The NCHC will be featured on Fox Sports North/Fox Sports North Plus through the winter with UMD featured on six different weekends, beginning with the season opener on Friday, Oct. 11 against UMass Lowell as part of a doubleheader with the Bulldog women. UMD will be on FSN again on Friday, Oct. 25 at Minnesota and hosting Western Michigan on Friday, Jan. 10. The Bulldogs will be on FSN+ at Wisconsin on Friday, Oct. 18 and Saturday, Oct. 19, on Jan. 18 at St. Cloud State as part of Hockey Day in Minnesota, and to wrap the season welcoming the Huskies to Duluth on Friday, March 6.

THE PUCK STOPS HERE Hunter Shepard raked in the accolades for his statistical achievements last season, receiving All-American honors from the AHCA in addition to being a top-5 semifinalist for the Mike Richter Award. During the NCHC, he earned the Goaltender of the Year award in addition to landing on the All-NCHC First Team. 
In the postseason, he represented UMD as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCHC Frozen Faceoff and landed on both the NCAA Midwest Regional and Frozen Four All-Tournament teams.

PATENTLY OFFENSIVE In addition to attaining Second Team All-American status from the AHCA (his second consecutive year to receive top national honors), Scott Perunovich earned All-NCHC First Team honors last season while the league tabbed him as its best Offensive Defenseman for the second-straight season. Perunovich earned a spot on the NCAA Midwest Regional All-Tournament Team during the postseason. Despite playing on the blue line, Perunovich ranked third on the UMD scoring charts in 2018-19.

GETTING DEFENSIVE Rising junior forward Justin Richards book-ended Perunovich's award last season  as the NCHC's Best Defensive Forward in additional to notching an All-NCHC Second Team selection. He finished with 32 points, the second-highest output of any Bulldog, scoring 21 more points than his rookie output.

A ROOK' TO REMEMBER Rising sophomore Noah Cates   earned the distinction of top overall vote-getter on the NCHC All-Rookie Team, leading Bulldog newcomers in goals (9), assists (14), and points (23).

MORE HARDWARE Rounding out the returners to receive All-Conference honors, Nick Swaney represented UMD as an All-NCHC Honorable Mention. In addition to his four game-winners, Swaney totaled 15 scores on the year and 25 points. He came through in the clutch for the Bulldogs, tallying a nationwide-best three overtime goals.

HIT THE BOOKS Not just impressive on the ice, UMD saw nine student athletes land on the NCHC Academic All-Conference Team a year ago, including returners Matt Anderson, Koby Bender, Jade Miller, Ben Patt, Justin Richards, and Nick Swaney. Matt and Mikey Anderson each attained NCHC Distinguished Scholar Athlete honors.

ROSTER BREAKDOWN Along with a four-member senior class, the Bulldogs return eight juniors who know nothing but winning championships in their careers. The 12 upper classmen break down as six defensemen, five forwards, and one goaltender. Eight return for a sophomore go-around with UMD,  two blue-liner, five forwards, and one goalie. The five first-year Bulldogs are goalie Ryan Fanti and forwards Luke Loheit, Brady Meyer, Quinn Olson, and Brandon Puricelli.

WHERE THEY'RE FROM Exactly 60 percent of the UMD roster hails from the Land of 10,000 Lakes with 15-of-25 student athletes growing up in Minnesota. Five cross the border from Canada, including two from Ontario and two from Alberta. The remaining five  Bulldogs include one each from the states of California, Iowa, Missouri, North Dakota, and Ohio.

FEELING A DRAFT Incoming freshman Quinn Olson became the 112th all-time Bulldog to be selected in the NHL Entry Draft in 2019, selected by the Boston Bruins in the third round with the no. 92 overall pick. He joins Noah Cates (Philadelphia), Cole Koepke (Tampa Bay) Luke Loheit (Ottawa), Scott Perunovich (St. Louis), Dylan Samberg (Winnipeg), and Nick Swaney (Minnesota) among current Bulldogs.

A HEALTHY LOOK Last summer, 12 current Bulldogs had the chance to flash their skills at NHL Development camps. UMD sent three student athletes to both the Bruins (Quinn Olson, Justin Richards, Nick Wolff) and Flyers (Matt Anderson, Jackson Cates, Noah Cates) camps, while the Minnesota Wild took a look at both Louie Roehl and Nick Swaney. Rounding out the group were Cole Koepke in Tampa Bay, Luke Loheit in Ottawa, Scott Perunovich in St. Louis, and Dylan Samberg in Winnipeg.

PARTING IS SUCH SWEET SORROW In addition to graduating three seniors - Billy Exell, Peter Krieger, and Parker Mackay, UMD saw two underclassmen move on to the professional ranks as Mikey Anderson signed with the Los Angeles Kings and Riley Tufte with the Dallas Stars.

Follow UMD Athletics all season long by connecting with the Bulldogs on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, and subscribing to the Bulldog Productions channel on YouTube. Tickets for all Bulldog home contests are available by accessing your My Bulldog Account, or clicking here.