OPENING DRAW The University of Minnesota Duluth is traveling outside of Minnesota for the first time since the National Collegiate Hockey Conference Pod. The Bulldogs are headed down to Oxford, Ohio to take on the Miami University Redhawks. This will be the third and fourth time these two teams are meeting. UMD has beatin MU in the previous two meetings in the Pod earlier this season, winning 5-3 and 4-2. In those two contests, the Bulldogs had 12 different point getters. Senior forward Kobe Roth finished with three goals and an assist. Senior forward Nick Swaney finished with two multi point games, grabbing two assists in the first game and a goal and two assists in the second. Other note worthies are junior forward Cole Koepke, finishing with a goal and two assists, junior forward Noah Cates grabbing a goal and an assist, sophomore forward Quinn Olson grabbing a goal and an assist and freshman defenseman Wyatt Kaiser nabbing two assists.

MIAMI UNIVERSITY AT A GLANCE MU has had a tough go at it this year. The Redhawks currently sit at the bottom of the NCHC standings with a 4-10-2 record thus far. MU took the ice this past weekend, taking on the No. 6 ranked St. Cloud State Huskies. The Redhawks fell in both contests by scores of 3-2 and 8-2. Miami is 1-3-2 in their past five contests, taking down Western Michigan University (5-1), but also tying (3-3, SO loss) and losing (1-4) to the Broncos. Forward Matt Berry has been leading the charge for Miami, grabbing 10 points on the year. He has two goals and eight assists on the season. Defenseman Derek Daschke has been the leader in goals for the Redhawks, grabbing four on the season.
In his second season with MU, Chris Bergeron is in his 11th season as a head coach. He carries a 12-31-7 record with the Redhawks, and a 191-206-56 overall record as a head coach. Bergeron spent nine season with Bowling Green prior to his start with Miami University. While at Bowling Green, Bergeron went 171-154-44.

LAST TIME OUT The Bulldogs found their way back into the win column this past weekend, topping Western Michigan twice in the teams first weekend series sweep of the year. UMD started the weekend off in fashion, topping WMU 5-1. In the victory, two Bulldogs had four points. Junior forward Jackson Cates had a natural hat trick with an assist, while senior forward Kobe Bender finished the night with four assists. UMD had seven different point getters in the contest. Sophomore goaltender Ryan Fanti was able to grab his sixth win on the season with 17 saves on 18 shots.
The second game was more of the same, with UMD beating the Broncos 4-1. The Bulldogs again had big nights from two separate players. Sophomore forward Ben Almquist and freshman defenseman Connor Kelley each netted their first career collegiate goals in the contest. Junior forwards Noah Cates and Cole Koepke also got back in the goal column with one goal each. Freshman goaltender Zach Stejskal grabbed his second win this season with 24 saves on 25 shots.

BULLDOGS IN THE POLLS UMD moved up a spot in the last  national polls, claiming the No. 6 in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO.com) Division I Men's poll and No. 7 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs were ranked 7/8 in the previous polls. UMD has cracked every USCHO.com weekly poll since March 7, 2016.

THE RIVALRY In the past eight seasons, the Bulldogs have been able to best the Redhawks, holding a 22-4-2 record. That record is the all time record UMD holds against MU. While grabbing both victories earlier in the season, UMD has won the past nine of 10 games and are currently carrying a three game win streak. In the two games last year, junior forward Tanner Laderoute had two goals while senior Nick Swaney and junior forward Noah Cates each had a goal. The Bulldogs fell 3-1 in the first game and beat the Redhawks 3-2 in the second game.

STARTING STRONG The Bulldogs have produced points this year left and right. Senior forward Nick Swaney is at the forefront, leading the charge for UMD and sitting in a three way tie for second in the NCHC with 18 points (6g, 12a) on the season up to this point. His 12 assists on the season is tied for fourth in the NCHC.

STARTING STRONG II Sophomore goalie Ryan Fanti has had a stellar start to the season and his career thus far, sitting with six wins under his belt (fourth in the NCHC). He's been a rock solid back stop for the Bulldogs with a .906 save percentage (fifth in the NCHC) and a 2.38 goals against average (fifth in the NCHC).

STARTING STRONG III Senior forward Kobe Roth is tied for seventh in the NCHC this season in goals, scoring seven on the year in 15 games. He also has three assists, giving him 10 points on the season. He carries a .233 shooting percentage this year, his best so far in his career.

SPECIAL TEAMS ARE INDEED SPECIAL UMD started the strong on the special teams, and have slowed down as of late, but are looking to return to form. The Bulldogs are currently clipping at an 19.7% (12-61) on the season. The penalty kill has been running at an 78.6% (44-56) on the season and will look to continue to improve.

SPECIAL TEAMS ARE INDEED SPECIAL II Junior forward Jackson Cates leads the way with four power play goals on the year (tied for fourth in the NCHC) and three power play assists. His brother, junior forward Noah Cates, and has three power play tallies and four assists while on the man advantage. Senior forwards Kobe Roth and Nick Swaney each have two power play goals on the year, with Swaney grabbing eight assists on the man advantage (second in the NCHC) while Roth has one.
Junior forward Cole Koepke has the other power play tally.

SPECIAL TEAMS ARE INDEED SPECIAL III The Bulldogs have two short handed goals on the season, tied for first in the NCHC.
Senior forward Nick Swaney and junior defenseman Hunter Lellig have the two shorties on the season, with Lellig's being his first collegiate career goal.

STRONG FINISH UMD has scored 44.2% (19 of 43) goals in the third period thus far in the season. Those 16 goals in the third are the second best in the NCHC.

CHASING 400 Head Coach Scott Sandelin is on the verge of becoming just the eighth active head coach to reach the 400 win milestone. Currently Sandelin sits at 399. He would be the 33rd coach in DI to hit the 400 DI wins mark.

KEEPING IT 100 There are a plethora of players on this years roster that are either past, or close to breaking the 100 game mark for their careers. Senior defense men Matt Anderson (126) and Louie Roehl (129), forwards Kobe Roth (121) and Nick Swaney  (121) all passing the mark last season. Four Juniors, forwards Jackson Cates (83), Noah Cates (89), Cole Koepke (91) and Tanner Laderoute (84) all have the milestone within reach.

NEAR THE TOP UMD came in third in the NCHC preseason media poll, sitting behind UND (223), who grabbed 27 out of a possible 28 first place votes, DU (185), who grabbed the last first place vote possible. The Bulldogs donned 173 points and were followed by SCSU (126), WMU (116), UNO (96), CC (45) and Miami (44)

BEST OF THE BEST a Pair of Bulldogs landed on the seven-man Preseason All-NCHC Team. Noah Cates and Cole Koepke were both named to the Preseason squad.
So far this season, the Bulldogs have snagged one player of the week. Sophomore goalie Ryan Fanti was the NCHC's first Goalie of the Week this season (Dec. 7).

CAPTAIN CATES Noah Cates (5g, 7a) is stepping into the season with a 'C' on his chest. He looks to step into the roll with pride, taking over for the departed former captain Nick Wolff, who signed with the Boston Bruins. Cates returns as UMD's second top point getter, finishing last year with 33 (14g, 19a) points, and a career mark of 68 (28g, 40a) points.

'A' FOR EFFORT After a stellar sophomore season, Cole Koepke (4g, 6a) will be one of three captains. He comes into his junior year with a career mark of 62 (27g, 35a) points, while finishing last year with a team second best 33 (16g, 17a) points.

'A' FOR EFFORT II Senior Louie Roehl is another will also sport the 'A' this season. Roehl looks to have another productive year for UMD, as he's been with the Bulldogs for two championships and played in 129 games. Roehl has 25 (7g, 18a) points in his career as a Bulldog and has a +30 rating for his career.

'A' FOR EFFORT III Senior Nick Swaney (6g, 12a) is the final 'A' for the team this season. Swaney is another player who has been with UMD for two championships, He has been on a slow climb in points, producing at a 0.75 points per game pace for his career. in 121 games, Swaney has put up 91 points (39g, 52a) points while sporting a solid +42 rating. He's produced seven game winners in his career with the Bulldogs.