After a six-week absence, the University of Minnesota Duluth hits its home ice as this Friday and Saturday (Jan. 10-11) the Bulldogs will host Western Michigan University in a two-game National Collegiate Hockey Conference series. Opening faceoff is set for 7:07 p.m. both nights at AMSOIL Arena (6,756) in downtown Duluth.  

THE RECORDS: The two-time defending NCAA champion Bulldogs, winners of four straight,  are 11-6-1 overall and 6-1-1-0 in NCHC play (second place) while Western Michigan, which is mired in a five- game winless funk (0-4-1) sports a 7-8-3 record in all outings  and a 3-4-1-1 NCHC mark (fourth place).

HOW THEY RANK: Here is how UMD and Western Michigan stacked up in the most recent USCH0.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls as well as the PairWise rankings:

ON THE AIR: The two Bulldog-Bronco clashes this weekend will be carried on KDAL-Radio (610 AM and 103.9 FM) with Bruce Ciskie handling the play-by-play responsibilities and UMD hockey alumnus Kraig Karakas the color commentary. The broadcast can also be heard at: kdal610.com.

Both ends of this weekend's series will also be televised -- Friday on Fox Sports and Saturday on both My 9 (locally), Fox 9+ (Twin Cites metro area) and KTTC-TV (Rochester, Minn.-La Crosse, Wis.).  Zach Schneider,  former UMD standout forward Judd Medak and KDLH-TV Sports Director Kelly Hinseth (rinkside) will serve as the on-air talent both nights. The two telecasts are available on-line at:  nchc.tv/umd.

THE SERIES: UMD and Western Michigan have butted heads on 29 occasions previously. The Bulldogs hold a commanding 18-9-2 lead in the all-time series, which began on Nov. 17, 2008 at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, but managed just one point in the two clubs' lone series one year ago (a 1-1 deadlock and 3-2 setback on Dec. 7-8, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Mich.)

LAST WEEKEND: UMD has been idle since throttling Merrimack College twice (4-1 and 5-1 on Dec. 29-30) for its fourth series sweep of the season. In the opener, the Bulldogs got goals from four different skaters after spotting the Warriors a 1-0 second period lead.  UMD came out firing -- literally, as it outshoot the hosts 16-1 in the first period alone. Sophomore right winger Cole Koepek put the Bulldogs up 1-0 late in the first period  the following afternoon and they never looked back, striking four more times before the second intermission to put the game away.

SERVING THEIR COUNTRY: Both UMD head coach Scott Sandelin and veteran equipment manager Chris Garner bypassed the Merrimack College series while serving in those same capacities for the U.S.  at the 2020 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship in the Czech Republic. estern Michigan sophomore defenseman Mattias Samuelsson served as Sandelin's team captain at that 10-nation event.

HERTS SO GOOD: For the second straight year, Associate Head Coach Jason Herter filled in for Scott Sandelin during the Holiday Break. With Herter behind the bench, the Bulldogs have gone 3-1-0 over the last two seasons.

HERTS SO GOOD II: Herter and Western Michigan Associate Head Coach Pat Ferschweiler started the Russell Stover AAA midget U16 and U18 teams out of Overland Park, Kansas. Herter spent five years with that program and coaching the U16 club before moving on to the Fargo Force of the United States Hockey League.

THE MARK OF ZERO: Each of the last five clashes between UMD and Western Michigan in Duluth has involved a shutout. The Bulldogs have blanked the Broncos four times during that stretch while being held off the scoreboard once themselves

COLE IS ON A ROLL:  Sophomore  right winger Cole Koepke, who will carry a five-game scoring streak into Friday's encounter with Western Michigan, has marked in the points column in 11 of the last 12 outings. He's also potted a goal in four straight games, the first Bulldog to do that since Riley Tufte (March 2-15, 2019).

OFF AND RUNNING: At 6-1-1, UMD is enjoying its second best start ever in NCHC play, bettered only by the 7-1-0 mark turned in by the 2016-17 Bulldogs.

SAVING THEIR BEST FOR LAST: The Bulldogs have outscored the opposition 27-17 in the third period so far in 2019-20. A total of 48.2 percent of UMD's goals have been produced in the final 20 minutes of regulation, a figure bettered nationally by only one other institution (Canisius College at 48.8 percent).

BRONCO BUSTER: Senior All-American goaltender Hunter Shepard has made nine career starts against Western Michigan, shutting out the Broncos in four of those. He's generated a 1.27 goals against average and a .941 saves percentage while going 5-3-1 lifetime versus Western Michigan.

BRONCO BUSTER II: Junior defenseman Dylan Samberg's and sophomore center Jess Jacques' first collegiate goals came at the expense of  Western Michigan (on Feb. 23, 2018 and Dec. 7, 2018, respectivley) while junior left winger Kobe Roth registered his first point as a Bulldog against the Broncos (an assist on Nov. 10, 2017).

NO POWER SHORTAGE HERE: UMD has collected more of its total goals on the power play this season -- 37.5 percent (21 of 56) -- than all but three NCAA I clubs in the country, trailing only Bowling Green (39.7 percent), Canisius College (39.0 percent) and Mercyhurst College (38.9). The Bulldogs currently are fourth nationally in power play efficiency (.284) and sixth in power play goals.

NO POWER SHORTAGE HERE II: UMD has scored at least once with the man advantage in 15 of their 18 games to date. The Bulldogs were last blanked on the power play  against Omaha on Dec. 6, but still went on score their most goals in one game since a 6-5 takedown of visiting Miami University on March 2, 2019.

NO POWER SHORTAGE HERE III: The Bulldogs' 21 power play goals to date have been generated by eight different players, including sophomore center Jackson Cates, who has struck a team- and career-high five times with the man advantage.

NO POWER SHORTAGE HERE IV: Going back to Dec. 4, 2015, UMD is 27-3-2 when scoring multiple times on the power play. One of those losses occurred earlier this year -- on Oct. 18 at Wisconsin when UMD went 2-for-3 with the man advantage in a 6-2 setback. 

NO POWER SHORTAGE HERE V: UMD is an impressive - and a league best -- 12-for-35 (34.3 percent) with the man advantage in NCHC play this season.

HE KEEPS GOING, AND GOING AND ...: Junior center Justin Richards, the reigning NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year, has skated in all 104 outings since joining the UMD program two years ago. He is the fourth active Bulldog to eclipse the century mark for appearances, joining senior center Jade Miller (111), senior goaltender Hunter Shepard (103) and senior defenseman Nick Wolff (140).

Richards has picked up a goal in three straight games, including four of the last five.

PUCK HUNTER: Senior All-American Hunter Shepard Shepard, the reigning NCHC Goaltender of the Year, has now made 99 consecutive starts (which is five shy of the NCAA record set by Cornell University's Ben Scrivens from 2007-10). Shepherd's ironman streak dates back to Oct. 21, 2017.

PUCK HUNTER II: Hunter Shepard has a school-record 17 shutouts to his collegiate credit (more than any active NCAA puckstopper), including a pair this season. The only two NCHC clubs Shepard has yet to blank are Omaha and St. Cloud State.

PUCK HUNTER III: This past November, Hunter Shepard became UMD's career leader in victories (the old mark was 60 wins, held by both Rick Kosti, 1983-85, and Taras Lendzyk, 1992-96). Shepard now sports a 65-33-4 lifetime record as a Bulldog.

THE EARLY GOAL GETS THE WIN: Going back to March 6, 2018, the Bulldogs have won 35 of the last 37 games in which they have gotten on the scoreboard first. Their two losses in that situation were inflicted by St. Cloud State on March 9, 2019 and Jan. 12, 2019. UMD is 8-0-0 when it has taken a 1-0 lead in 2019-20.

GREAT SCOTT:  Two-time All-American junior Scott Perunovich, who is expected to skate in his 100th collegiate game this Friday night against Western Michigan, is tied for the NCAA lead in scoring among defensemen with 23 points while his 21 assists are the second-most generated by any skater in the country.

In addition, he and Providence College's Jack Dugan pace the nation in power play points with 16. Of Perunovich's 23 points,  more than half (12) have been registered in the third period which places him at No. 4 nationally.

NOT SO SWEEP: UMD has been swept only six times in its last 66 regular season series overall (going back to Feb. 19-20, 2016) -- twice to both St. Cloud State(4-3 in overtime and 4-3 on March 8-9, 2019 and 5-3 and 5-0 on Nov. 3-4, 2017) and against Denver (1-0 and 2-1 on Dec. 1-2, 2017 and 1-0 and 4-3 on Feb. 2-3, 2018) and once earlier this year to the University of Wisconsin (6-2 and 3-1 on Oct. 18-19) and to Minnesota State (Nov. 29-30).

HIS BEST YET: Sophomore center Jackson Cates is the lone Bulldog veteran who has already set a career high for scoring this winter. In 18 outings, Cates has accumulated 16 points -- two more than he did in his 39-game rookie season.

BONUS HOCKEY HAS BEEN A BONUS: UMD is unbeaten in 26 of the last 27 games that have required overtime, going 13-1-13 since falling 2-1 to host North Dakota on Feb. 19, 2016. The lone setback was inflicted by St. Cloud State on March 8, 2019 in St. Cloud.

BONUS HOCKEY HAS BEEN A BONUS II: Just two 2019-20 Bulldogs -- junior right winger Nick Swaney and sophomore left winger Cole Koepke -- have scored an overtime goal as a collegian. Swaney has three (all coming in 2018-19, which tied him for the NCAA lead) doing his damage in the double-over time triumph over St. Cloud State in the NCHC Frozen Four title bout, in UMD's 4-3 takedown of Minnesota State-Mankato in the 2018 Desert Hockey Classic semifinals and its 2-1 victory over Omaha on March 15. Koepke potted his OT winner in a 4-3 win at Denver on Nov. 17, 2018.

HUNGRY LIKE THE WOLFF: Nick Wolff, who has taken part in more lifetime games (140) than all but three players in the country, had his streak of 127 consecutive appearances snapped when he sat out the Nov. 30 home clash against Minnesota State-Mankato with an upper body injury. That ironman run started on Nov. 19, 2016 in Omaha.

NO WALK IN THE PARK: UMD ranked first nationally in regular season strength of schedule in 2018-19 and holds down the No. 8 spot this season. Here is how the Bulldogs have fared in that department since joining the NCHC:

Year Rank
2019-20 8th
2018-19 1st
2017-18 3rd
2016-17 1st
2015-16 2nd
2014-15 1st
2013-14 1st

TAKE IT TO THE BANK: Since falling 4-3 at Denver in the NCHC playoff opener on March 13, 2015, the Bulldogs are 80-1-3 when taking a lead into the third period. (They are 10-0-0 in that situation this season). The only loss during that stretch was came at the hands of Western Michigan -- 3-2 on Dec. 7, 2018 in Kalamazoo, Mich. 

STACKED IN THE MIDDLE:  UMD possesses the country's fourth-highest scoring junior class (78 points) and ninth-highest sophomore unit (58 pts.) while the senior (seven pts.) and rookie (10 pts.) groups rank 50th and 57th nationally, respectively.

GET SHORTIE: Junior right winger Nick Swaney (two, both in 2018-19), junior center Justin Richards (two, both in 2019-20) and sophomore right winger Cole Koepke (one in 2019-20) are the only three current Bulldogs with at least one shorthanded goal to their collegiate credit.

AT THE TOP OF THE HEAP : Scott Sandelin holds the title as the NCHC's all-time winningest coach (league games only) with an 82-56-14 record and has never finished a season (there have been six) with a sub-.500 NCHC record.

.... AND NEAR THE TOP OF THE HEAP: Since the start of the 2016-17 season, only one NCAA I head coach (Minnesota State's Mike Hastings with 101) has rolled up more victories than UMD's Scott Sandelin (93).

UP NEXT: The Bulldogs will hit the road to renew its intrastate rivalry with St. Cloud State University on Jan. 17-18.