OPENING DRAW The University of Minnesota Duluth will have their home opener with a chance to fire back against St. Cloud State University. The Bulldogs are now sitting in a two way tie for second place in the National Collegiate Hockey Conference with the University of North Dakota with 20 points. The Huskies are sitting in lone first place with 22 points on the year.

ST. CLOUD STATE AT A GLANCE SCSU has come out of the gate firing this season. The Huskies currently sit with a 7-4-0 record, both beating (3-1) and losing (4-3, OT) to UMD so far this season. SCSU has also taken down the No. 17 University of Denver twice, No. 3 North Dakota and the No. 11 University of Nebraska Omaha once each. The Huskies have been able to outscore opponents 35-29 on the season. Forward Veeti Miettinen has been at the forefront for SCSU, grabbing 13 points on the year, with seven of those coming via goals. Those seven goals and 13 points sit T-2nd in the NCHC. Forward Nick Perbix is just behind him, with12 points on the season. Perbix is fourth in the NCHC with eight assists. Goalie David Hrenak has been a solid back stop for the Huskies, playing in eight games thus far. In those eight games, Hrnenak has been able to post a .912 save percentage and a 2.63 goals against average.
Head Coach Brett Larson is in his third season at the helm with SCSU. In that time, Larson has posted a 43-21-9 record. Lardson serves as head coach after a three year stint as an assistant coach to current head coach with the Bulldogs, Scott Sandelin.

LAST TIME OUT UMD comes back to Duluth to host their home opener of the 2020-21 season. The Bulldogs are coming off of the first weekend series of the season, a series which saw them split with the Huskies. UMD took the first game of two in overtime. The game was fast paced and special teams were key in this one. Junior Forward Noah Cates was able to net the game winner with 3:00 to go in the extra frame. SCSU got the better of UMD in the second contest, beating the Bulldogs 3-1 in a tight battle. No scoring took place

POD PLAYER Sophomore goalie Ryan Fanti was tabbed as the NCHC's first Goalie of the Week. Fanti started his first game of his collegiate career against the Omaha Mavericks. He was able to stop 26 of the 29 shots he faced. Over the first four games of the season and his career, Fanti put together a .922 save percentage (second in the NCHC), along with a 2.20 (second in the NCHC) goals against average and a 3-0-1 record. He has been able to take down three top-10 opponents thus far in (at the time) No. 5 Denver, (at the time) No. 1 North Dakota in a shootout and No. 6 St. Cloud State in overtime.
Fanti is sitting with five wins under his belt (second in the NCHC) and a 5-3-2 record. He's been a rock solid back stop for the Bulldogs with a .910 save percentage (fifth in the NCHC) and a 2.36 goals against average (fifth in the NCHC).

BULLDOGS IN THE POLLS UMD dropped in the last national polls, claiming the No. 5 in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO.com) Division I Men's poll and No. 5 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine Coaches Poll. The Bulldogs were ranked third in the previous polls. UMD has cracked every USCHO.com weekly poll since March 7, 2016.

MORE FOR THE MANTLE The Bulldogs had some noteworthy accolades last season, with Scott Perunovich taking home the Hobey Baker award, the NCHC Player of the Year, the USA Hockey Jim Johannson College Player of the Year, the NCHC Three-Star award and the Offensive Defenseman award. Hunter Shepard was named NCHC Goaltender of the Year and Justin Richards was named NCHC Defensive Forward of the Year. UMD looks to continue their excellence this season.

THE RIVALRY In the past eight seasons, the Huskies have fared well against the Bulldogs, holding a 15-17-1 record. In their entirety, SCSU has held UMD's number with a 73-55-6 record overall and a 70-49-8 record since joining the NCAA Division I ranks.
The Bulldogs split with the Huskies last time out, and have taken the last three of four against SCSU, outscoring the Huskies 15-8 in those four match ups.

GOALS? WE LIKE GOALS The Bulldogs have one of the top returning rosters in terms of goals. UMD is coming back with the fourth most goals on their roster with 90, with Bowling Green (96) sitting atop the charts, and Nor th Dakota (96) right there with them and the University of Minnesota (93) just behind them. UMD returns seven of their top-10 from last season, with junior forward Cole Koepke being the majority holder with 16, and junior forward Noah Cates following with 14.

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 the NCHC with 14 points (4g, 10a) on the season up to this point. His 10 assists on the season is leading the NCHC as well.

STARTING STRONG II Sophomore goalie Ryan Fanti has had a stellar start to the season and his career thus far, sitting with five wins under his belt (second in the NCHC). He's been a rock solid back stop for the Bulldogs with a .910 save percentage (fifth in the NCHC) and a 2.36 goals against average (fifth in the NCHC).

STARTING STRONG III Senior forward Kobe Roth is tied for  fifth in the NCHC this season in goals, scoring six on the year in nine games. He also has two assists, giving him eight points on the season. He carries a .250 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 21.7% (10-46) on the season. The penalty kill has been running at an 76.6% (36-47) 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 (second in the NCHC) and three power play assists. His brother, junior forward Noah Cates, has two power play tallies and three assists while on the man advantage. Senior forward Kobe Roth also has two power play goals on the year, wlong with one assist on the power play.
Senior forward Nick Swaney and junior forward Cole Koepke have the other power play tallies. Swaney has dished seven assists on the man advantage, second in the NCHC.

SPECIAL TEAMS ARE INDEED SPECIAL III The Bulldogs have two short handed goals on the season, tied for first in the NCHC with three other teams. 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 51.6% (16 of 31) goals in the third period thus far in the season. Those 16 goals in the third are the tops in the NCHC.

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 (122) and Louie Roehl (125), forwards Kobe Roth (117) and Nick Swaney  (117) all passing the mark last season. Four Juniors, forwards Jackson Cates (79), Noah Cates (85), Cole Koepke (87) and Tanner Laderoute (79) all have the milestone within reach.

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 (4g, 5a) 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 65 (27g, 38a) points.

'A' FOR EFFORT After a stellar sophomore season, Cole Koepke (3g, 4a) will be one of three captains. He comes into his junior year with a career mark of 59 (26g, 33a) 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 125 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 (4g, 10a) 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 0.74 points per game pace for his career. in 117 games, Swaney has put up 87 points (37g, 50a) points while sporting a solid +40 rating. He's produced seven game winners in his career with the Bulldogs.