After a delayed start due to the current Covid-19 pandemic, the No. 8 University of Minnesota Duluth will face outside competition for the first time since March. The Bulldogs will travel to Mankato, Minn. to face Minnesota State University, Mankato this Friday and Saturday at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center. Puck drop for Friday's opener is set for 6:07 p.m., while Saturday's matinee is scheduled for 3:07 p.m.
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THE SERIES: UMD went 3-0-2 against MSU one season ago and is unbeaten in its last 13 games against the Mavericks, dating back to Dec. 10, 2017. All-time, the Bulldogs are 70-7-9 against the Mavericks.
UMD's unbeaten streak has taken extra time to hold on to as of late, however. The Mavericks have pushed the Bulldogs into overtime in six of their last 10 skates, including in three of their five match-ups in 2019-20.
In their last series back on Feb. 14-15, the Bulldogs picked up five WCHA points from MSU in Mankato, knocking off the Mavericks in overtime 5-4 on Feb. 14 before settling for a 1-1 tie and 3-on-3 overtime win the following afternoon.
No returning Bulldog had more points against the Mavericks last season than center Gabbie Hughes, who notched four goals and three assists for seven points in five games. Her wingmate last season, Anna Klein, turned in the second most points against MSU -- posting a goal and four assists for five points over those same five skates.
UMD outshot MSU 159 to 124 in five games last season, but the Mavericks did manage to outshoot the Bulldogs on two separate occasions (Oct. 11, a 2-0 UMD win and Feb. 15, a 1-1 official tie.)
WCHA COACHES PICK BULLDOGS TO FINISH FOURTH: The WCHA Preseason Coaches Poll tabbed UMD to finish exactly where it left off a season ago -- with a fourth place finish in the league. The coaches also voted senior defenseman Ashton Bell to the Preseason All-WCHA Team.
Junior center Gabbie Hughes received votes for both the All-WCHA Team, as well as the Preseason Player of the Year.
HUGHES EXPECTATIONS: Just the fourth Bulldog player ever to lead UMD in scoring in back-to-back seasons after she led the Bulldogs with 20 goals and 31 assists for 51 points, junior center Gabbie Hughes returns as UMD's most notable offensive threat. Hughes ranked fifth in the WCHA in points and tenth in the NCAA, and she ranked second in the conference with five game-winning goals. In the 35 games Hughes skated in for the Bulldogs last season, the center notched points in all but five, and 17 times compiled two or more points in skate. The Lino Lakes, Minn. product, who was also named to the All-WCHA Second Team and was a three-time WCHA Player of the Week, also led UMD with 21 points (8g, 13a) against ranked teams in 15 head-to-head games in 2019-20.
Hughes was just one of two players in the past eight years to register 51 or more points, as well as 30 or more assists. Only Lara Stalder has compiled more points in the past eight seasons -- Stalder turned in 56 points (23g, 33a) in 35 games in 2016-17.
Ironically, Stalder was the last Bulldog to become a member of the 100 career point club. Stalder hit the mark on on Oct. 8, 2016, and as Hughes begins the season at 88 points (39g, 49a), the watch is on for the junior to join the heralded club. If Hughes hits the mark this year, she will become the first junior since current UMD assistant coach Ashleigh Brykaliuk to get to the milestone. Brykaliuk reached 100 points on Feb. 27, 2016 of her junior campaign.
As a freshman, Hughes led UMD in scoring with 19 goals and 18 assists for 37 points in 33 games -- just the third freshman to lead the Bulldogs in scoring in program history. As the fourth player in UMD history to lead the Bulldogs in scoring in back-to-back seasons, Hughes joins two-time All-Americans Maria Rooth (2000-01, 2001-02) and Caroline Ouellette (2003-04, 2004-05), as well as Jenna McParland (2012-13, 2013-14) as the only four players ever to repeat as team scoring leaders.
BELL RETURNS AS DEFENSIVE LEAGUE LEADER: Anyway you look at it, Ashton Bell had a breakout season last year from the blueline. The current senior landed All-WCHA First Team honors and was a four-time WCHA Player of the Week, as well as led all WCHA defenseman with 32 points in 36 games. Bell, who ranked sixth in the NCAA among all defenseman in points, also led all WCHA blueliners in goals (11), power play goals (7) (where she was third in the nation), and game-winning goals (5)--which also led the NCAA.
In a UMD historical context, Bell notched the most points by a Bulldog defenseman since the 2010-11 season, and piled up the fifth most points by a blueliner in a single season. The Deloraine, Manitoba native also scored the third most goals by a defenseman in a single season in program history.
The team captain, who has demonstrated brilliant leadership over the course of the pandemic, was selected to the Preseason All-WCHA Team.
AN OFFENSIVE RETURN: The Bulldogs return four of their top-five scorers from a season ago, including Gabbie Hughes, (20g, 31a) Ashton Bell (11g, 22a), Anna Klein (13g, 14a) and Kylie Hanley (7g, 11a). The quartet accounted for more than half of UMD's goals -- or 51 of the Bulldogs 99 goals in 2019-20.
After missing last season due to injury, UMD junior Naomi Rogge finally returns to give the Bulldogs an offensive boost. The redshirt junior ranked third in scoring in 2018-19 with 12 goals and 11 assists for 23 points. As a rookie in 2017-18, Rogge led UMD with 24 points on 16 goals and eight assists.
UMD's lone missing impact scorer from last season? Sydney Brodt, who compiled a career-best 41 points on 19 goals and 22 assists in 36 games in her final chapter.
EMPTY-NETTER: For the first time in three seasons, UMD will have a new starting goalkeeper. The Bulldogs graduated gold medalist Maddie Rooney in May, which opens the door for junior Emma Soderberg, who will make her sixth start on Friday. Soderberg has game experience, and has played in nine career games and owns a record of 4-1-0.
