After a week off from competition, the University of MInnesota Duluth men's hockey team will enter conference play this weekend when its hosts the No. 10 University of North Dakota. The Friday-Saturday series will take place at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. and gets underway Friday night at 7:07 p.m. before wrapping up on Saturday with a 6:07 p.m. puck drop.


MILITARY APPRECIATION GAME ON FRIDAY: UMD will host its annual Military Appreciation Night on Friday.

The Minnesota Warriors will play a game during the afternoon followed by their participation in the on ice flag ceremony for the national anthem. During the game, UMD will honor its guest of honor --- Clinton Mattson who joined the U.S. Army in 1968 and completed basic training at Fort Campbell Kentucky along with receiving the Bronze Star and Combat Infantryman Badge for his meritorious service in combat in Vietnam.

IT'S CONFERENCE TIME: UMD opens up National College Hockey Conference play this weekend against North Dakota, entering play 135-107-23 through its first 11 seasons. While the Bulldogs have never finished the regular season in higher than second place (three times), they have claimed three conference playoff titles (2017, 2019, 2022).

NCHC TOP DOGS: Senior forward Dominic James currently ranks second in the NCHC in goals with six in seven games, sits third in goals per game (.86). James also sits sixth in total points with 10, fifth in points per game 1.43 and is tied for second in game-winning goals with two.

James isn't alone in the top-10 -- sophomore defenseman Aaron Pionk ranks sixth in assists per game (1.14), and fifth in total assists with eight in seven skates.

Rookie forward Jayson Shaugabay owns the best shot percentage in the league at .40 (four goals on 10 shots), and sits eighth in goals (4).

Of note, James and sophomore forward Matthew Perkins  are in a tie for the most penalties (4).

DOMINATE DOMINIC: Dominic James – who figured in five of UMD's seven goals against Stonehill College – finished the series with five points, including back-to-back two game Saturday was his third collegiate two-goal outing

.

THE SERIES: North Dakota owns the all-time series -- 257 total games -- between the two programs with a 89-157-11 record on a rivalry that began on Nov. 26, 1954 at the old Duluth Curling Club (a 0-11 UMD loss). 

Under head coach Scott Sandelin, the Bulldogs have gone 27-52-5 against the Fighting Hawks, and 16-21-1 in NCHC play. UMD is also 7-12-0 at home under Sandelin against UND, as well as 3-3-5 in overtime skates.

Dominic James owns the most points against UND of any other currently roster player. The senior center has five points, including two goals and three assists, in  six career games. Senior defenseman Owen Gallatin has skated in the most games against the Fighting Hawks, Gallatin is one of five players that has logged two points -- Aaron Pionk (4 games, 2 assists), Joey Pierce (5 games, 2 assists), Kyle Bettens (5 games, 2 goals), and Aiden Dubinsky (6 games, 1 goals, 1 assist).

UMD's Last 10 Games vs UND

Feb. 24, 2024 2-4 Loss Away

Feb. 23, 2024 0-6 Loss Away

Nov. 11, 2023 0-2 Loss Home

Nov. 10, 2023 2-4 Loss Home

Jan. 21, 2023 2-1 Win Away

Jan. 20, 2023 2-4 Loss Away

Feb. 19, 2022 2-3 Loss Home

Feb. 18, 2022 3-4 Loss Home

Nov. 20, 2021 1-2 Loss Away

Nov. 29, 2021 4-1 Win Away

UMD last suited up against the Fighting Hawks Feb. 23-24 in Grand Forks. UND swept the Bulldogs 6-0 in the first game  after scoring three goals -- including two in the first four minutes -- of the first period. The Fighting Hawks were 2-of-5 on the power play and outshot UMD 29-17.

In game two Saturday, UMD fell 4-2. The Fighting Hawks struck at the end of the first and added a second goal at 5:20 of the second period, but the Bulldogs scored two unanswered tallies less than three minutes apart at 7:29 from Aiden Dubinsky and 10:51 by Jack Smith to draw even. UND scored goals in the third period to seal the series sweep. The Bulldogs outshot North Dakota 28-21 in the game.

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs swept Stonehill College in their first-ever head-to-head with the young D1 progarm by scores of 5-1 and 2-1.

In the opening game and behind a balanced offensive attack and a two-goal effort from Dominic James, UMD took game one 5-1.

The Bulldogs first win at home of the season came complete with nine players on the scoresheet, including three-point efforts from James (2g, 1a) and Aaron Pionk (3a). 

The Bulldogs jumped out to a 1-0 lead 5:46 into the first period on rookie center Callum Arnott's second goal of the season. Arnott redirected a shot from the point from junior defenseman Joey Pierce, with the secondary assist credited to Aaron Pionk. 

UMD doubled up that lead at the 15:48 mark when James picked a Skyhawks player clean at center ice and skated in alone, beating Stonehill goaltender Connor Androlewicz stick-side to push UMD ahead 2-0.

Stonehill made it a 2-1 game off a Bulldog turnover at 4:41 of the second period, but UMD quickly retook a two-goal lead less than three minutes later. Rookie Harper Bentz rocketed from his own defensive end all the way up to Stonehill's net with the puck and fed sophomore Anthony Menghini on the back post for the 3-1 lead at 7:05 of the frame. Just over three minutes later, James piled on another power play goal off a pass across the ice from Owen Gallatin from the right face-off dot that James one-timed for his second goal of the game. UMD tacked on one final power play tally in the third period from Jayson Shaugabay, the recipient of a brilliant pass from James from below the circle that the rookie forward buried from the slot at 8:40 to extend the Bulldogs to its eventual final 5-1 score.

The Bulldogs – who outshot the Skyhawks 43-17, including 20-4 in the final frame – went 2-of-5 on their power play on the night. Freshman goaltender Adam Gajan earned his second win of the season behind a 16 save effort, while his counterpart for Stonehill Androlewicz had 38 saves. The Skyhawks fell to 2-4-0 overall with the setback.

NOTES FROM THE SKYHAWKS SERIES: All-time, UMD is now 2-0-0 against Stonehill College after its first ever series with the program.

--Dominic James – who figured in five of UMD's seven goals on that weekend – finished the series with five points, including back-to-back two game nights. Saturday marked his third collegiate two-goal outing 

Aaron Pionk added a primary assist on the first power play goal Saturday, his fourth of the series and eighth over the past three games.

--UMD has scored four consecutive power play goals after goals No. 3 and 4 in Saturday's contest were with an extra skater. The Bulldogs overall were 4-of-12 on in the series while Stonehill was scoreless in five power play attempts in the series.

--On Saturay, after the Skyhawks put their first shot on goal at 1:02 of the first period, UMD held them without a single shot – including a 5-on-3 power play – for 20:22 straight minutes.

-- Owen Gallatin had assists on both Bulldog goals in game two, and now has five on the season

--Harper Bentz earned the first point of his Bulldog career with an assist on Anthony Menghini's goal on Friday night. 

RANK AND FILE: The Bulldogs fell out of the No. 18 spot they started the season with, and are no longer receiving votes in the latest USA Hockey/The Rink Live poll this week or this weeks USCHO.com national poll 

North Dakota is currently ranked 10th in both polls.

EXTRA BOOK ON THE BULLDOGS: 

UMD is 3-0 when leading after the first period so far this season

--The Bulldogs are 6-of-29 on its power play this season -- a whopping four of those goals with an extra skater against Stonehill College.

--UMD has twice scored five goals this season through seven games -- against Minnesota on Oct. 18 and Stonehill College on Oct. 25.

--Three different players have scored two goals in a game so far this season: Dominic James (twice, Stonehill), Aiden Dubinsky (Minnesota, Oct. 18) and Jayson Shaugabay (Bemidji State, Oct. 5).

--Freshman forward Max Plante and junior center Jack Smith will again be out due to injury this weekend.