The University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team will take its first trip to Tempe, Arizona this weekend to face No. 19 Arizona State University inside Mullet Arena. The National College Hockey Conference series will get underway on Friday at 8:00 p.m. CST before wrapping up Saturday at 6:00 p.m. CST.


KLEBER NAMED TO U.S. PRELIMINARY ROSTER: UMD freshman defenseman Adam Kleber is one of 28 players that was named by USA Hockey today to the preliminary roster of its 2025 U.S. National Junior Team. The group will convene for a training camp at USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Mich., from Dec. 16-17.

The Chaska, Minn. native is also one of 10 defensemen who earned a spot on the roster. Players are auditioning for a spot on the final 25-player roster that will represent the United States in the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship Dec. 26, 2024 – Jan. 5, 2025, in Ottawa, Ontario.

Currently, Kleber has skated in all 13 games for the Bulldogs, and has logged one assist and 29 shots. 

SEEING/SCORING DOUBLE: In eight games so far this season, the Bulldogs have had player six different players score two or more goals, including two players -- Anthony Menghini and Dominic James, that have done it twice.

Those players include Blake Bechen (vs Miami, Nov. 16),Aiden Dubinsky (vs Minnesota, Oct. 18), James (vs Stonehill, Oct. 25 and 26), Anthony Menghini ((3) vs. UND Nov. 11, (2) vs Miami, Nov. 16),  Zam Plante (vs WMU, Nov. 22), abd Jayson Shaugabay (vs Bemidji St., Oct. 5).

In fact, UMD has had six players score two or more goals over six of its last nine games.

POWERED PLAY: The Bulldogs currently rank eighth in the NCAA and second in the NCHC with 12 power play goals through 13 games. UMD sits third in the conference and 16th in the NCAA with a 23.1 conversion rate.

Dominic James leads the Bulldogs with four power play goals the third most in the NCHC and seventh most in the country. Anthony Menghini ranks fifth in the conference with three, while Jayson Shaugabay owns two.

The Bulldogs are 3-5-0 when they score at least on power play goal in a game.

THE SERIES: UMD is 2-0 all-time against ASU in the single series it played on Oct. 1-2, 2022 prior to the Sun Devils joining the NCHC. The ninth member of the NCHC, ASU is currently in its inaugural season as a member. This weekend will mark the first time the two sides will meet at NCHC foes.

Ironically, neither team has played a common opponent yet this season, but ASU is coming off a sweep of then the No. 1 University of Denver back on Nov. 22-23 on the road by scores of 3-2 and 5-2.

While UMD is 2-4-0 in NCHC play so far, ASU is sitting at 3-3-0

Eight current players hit the ice in at least one game against ASU that weekend at AMSOIL, with two players, Carter Looney (2a) and Owen Gallatin 1g, 1a) logging two points. Here are all the UMD returners who notched points against the Sun Devils in that series --

Returning Players vs Arizona State

Carter Loney GP=2 G=0 A=2 P=2

Owen Gallatin GP=2 G=1 A=1 P=2

Dominic James GP=2 G=1 A=0 P=1

Aiden Dubinsky GP=2 G=0 A=1 P=1

In the first-ever game between the two programs on Oct. 1, 2022, the Bulldogs used overtime to get past the Sun Devils as each side exchanged two goals in regulations, including a UMD power play goal at 3:44 of the third period by Issac Howard that tied the game up at 2-2. Just 1:50 into OT, Derek Daschke scored the game-winner. The Bulldogs outshot ASU 41-28 in the skate, with each side landing a power play tally.

Game two again saw the Sun Devils strike first, this time early in the second period, but the Bulldogs rolled out four unanswered goals, including three in the same period, to defeat ASU 4-1. The Bulldogs had two power play goals in the skate, with Gallatin netting the second to give UMD a 4-1 lead at 11:29 of the third period. The Bulldogs again outshot ASU, this time 43-30.

UMD all-time vs. Arizona State (2-0)

Oct. 1, 2022 3-2 OT Win Home

Oct. 2, 2022 4-1 Win Home

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs had the holiday week off from outside competition, and last went head-to-head with NCHC rival Western Michigan University back on Nov. 22-23 at AMSOIL. The Broncos swept the series by scores of 5-2 and 4-1.

In game one Friday night, UMD heavily outshot WMU but it was the Broncos who landed the pucks in the back of the net.

After the Broncos were given a five minute major for slew footing just 3:44 into the opening frame, WMU intercepted a puck on its own blueline and struck for a breakaway shorthanded goal at the 3:59 mark. 

UMD answered just over under three minutes later on the same power play when rookie forward Max Plante – making his first appearance back in the line-up since the Bulldogs season opener back on Oct. 5 – found his brother Zam Plante on the back step to knot the skate at 1-1 at 6:18. 

Despite outshooting the Broncos – whose second shot of the game didn't come until 8:03 left in the first period – by a hefty 12-4, both teams were fit to be tied after the first 20 minutes.

WMU scored back-to-back at 2:39 and 9:48 of the second period to push ahead 3-1, and the Broncos added a power play tally at 17:30 to separate from the Bulldogs on the scoreboard heading into the final intermission. 

Spearheaded by UMD's gritty and netfront skating second line of the Plante brothers and Harper Bentz, the Bulldogs found the goal again 7:05 into the third period. Zam Plante scored his second of the night with a turning wicked wrister that cut into the Broncos lead 5-2. But 24 seconds later, WMU struck again for its fifth goal of the night.

In all, UMD outshot WMU 44-22 on the evening, including 23-5 in the final period. The Bulldogs were 1-of-5 on their power play, which spanned over 9:12 of time and generated 12 shots – the Broncos were 1-of-2 with four shots on theirs that lasted for a combined 6:40. UMD goaltender Adam Gajan had 16 saves in the loss.

In game two,  an emotional night where UMD honored the legacy of Adam Johnson, the Broncos used their power play to push past UMD 4-1 in series that left the Bulldogs still in search of its first home conference win.

Both sides were deadlocked until midway through the second period when rookie blueliner Ty Hanson finally broke through. After a scrum in front of the net resulted in the puck trickling out to the high slot, Hanson found his way to the twine the second time this season to give the Bulldogs the 1-0 lead at 12:25.

UMD's lead didn't reach the end of the frame, however. After Carter Loney was called for a five minute major and game misconduct at 13:55, the Broncos struck twice 1:29 apart to grab a 2-1 advantage into the second intermission, a momentum altering end to the period.

The Bulldogs went on their power play 29 seconds into the third period, but it was the Broncos that would strike again at the 5:54 mark to go ahead 3-1. WMU added a fourth goal at 15:17, condemning UMD to a 2-7 record at home for the 2024 portion of the season.

Gajan had 32 saves for the Bulldogs, who were just outshot 36-33 in the game despite out-shelling the Broncos in both the second (14-12) and third (13-9) frames. While UMD went 0-of-4 on its power play, WMU was 2-of-6 on its power play. 

NOTES FROM THE WMU SERIES: UMD is now 28-20-3 all-time against the Broncoes and has lost in its last three games against WMU since it defeated the Broncos back on Jan. 19, 2024 by a 6-3 score on the road.

--Friday's game was Zam Plante's first multiple goal game and third multiple point game of the season. Plante has now had two or more points over two of his last three games.

NCHC TOP DOGS: Dominic James ranks third in multiple categories, including face-offs won (154), power play goals (4) and game-winning goals (2). James also sits fourth in points per game (1.25).

Sophomore defenseman Aaron Pionk ranks fourth in assists per game (0.85 with 11 total), while Anthony Menghini is fourth in goals per game (0.64) and tied with 17 players nationally and first in the NCHC with a hat trick this season.