The No. 6/7 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team will play host to No. 3 Western Michigan University this weekend at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., a National College Hockey Conference showdown with big implications for both sides. The Friday-Saturday series will get underway at 7:07 p.m. on Friday before concluding Saturday with a 6:07 p.m. start.


UMD WEEKLY PRESS CONFERENCE -- January 21, 2026 -- Head Coach Scott Scandelin, Sophomore Ethan Dahlmeir



RACE TO THE TOP: The Bulldogs, who currently sit one place ahead of the Broncos by a single point in the NCHC standings in third, (24 points to 23), are hoping to stay in contact with the two teams ahead of them in the conference race -- the University of Denver in second with 27 points, and the University of North Dakota in first with 32. The defending NCAA champions have played just 12 games compared to the three teams ahead of it with 14.


FIRST TO 40: Max Plante begins the weekend at 38 points -- just two shy from becoming the first NCAA player to reach the mark this season and the first UMD player to hit the total since UMD defenseman Scott Perunovich rang up 40 (6g, 34a) over 34 games in his Hobey Baker winning season of 2019-20.

Over that past 15 seasons, only two other players besides Perunovich -- Alex Iafallo in 2016-17 (51 points in 40 games, 21g, 30a) and Jack Connolly in 2011-12 (60 points in 41 games, 20g, 40a) have hit 40 or more points.

TOP DOG OF ALL: Sophomore winger Max Plante has spent almost the entire season as the nation's top scorer.

Currently sitting on top with 38 points on an NCAA-best 20 goals in 24 games and owns a 1.58 ppg average. 

Second in power play goals, (8) and game-winning goals (6), Plante has posted 12-multiple point games, including three games with four points and five with three points or more.

In fact, foes have kept him off the scoring sheet just five times out of 24 games so far this season -- most recently against St. Cloud State last Friday.

HE'S ON POINT: Max Plante is currently averaging 1.58 points per game on 38 points (20g, 18a) through 24 games so far this season. 

While Plante's point output is the most by an UMD player since Scott Perunovich put up 40 in 34 games over the 2019-20 season, his points per game average is a blistering 1.58 ppg. The last Bulldog to surpass 1.40 ppg? Jack Connolly over the 2011-12 season (1.46 on 60 points, 20g, 40a).

In fact, there have only been three players over the past 25 years to average 1.40 ppg or more over a season -- Connolly twice, in 2011-12 and 2010-11 (1.40), and Junior Lessard in 2003-04 (1.40).

Notably, Connolly and Lessard both won the Hobey Baker Memorial Award during the highest scorings seasons of their careers (Connolly in 2011-12 and Lessard in 2003-04), while Perunovich, the last UMD player to score 40 or more points, also did so in a postseason deprieved 2019-20 season, in which the defenseman was also awarded the Hobey Baker.

IT'S ON THE LINE: UMD's top line of Max Plante, Zam Plante and Jayson Shaugabay continues to be one of the most dangerous in the NCAA this season, and has retaken the points lead (103 points) and added nine points to it last weekend in St. Cloud.

While Max Plante has 38 points in 24 games this season (20g, 18a), Zam has 33 (the third most in the NCAA) on 11 goals and 21 assists. Shaugabay sits fifth in the NCAA with 32 points off seven goals and a team-high 25 assists.

That offensive haul has again pushed UMD's top line to the top of the NCAA's best scoring lines. Currently, the trio together is averaging 4.21 points a game.

A SPECIAL TEAM ON SPECIAL TEAMS: The Bulldogs currently own the best power play in the nation with a 33.7 success rate, and they own the fifth-best penalty kill at a 88.2 rate.

UMD is the only team in the country with both its special teams units in the top-five.

WINNING IS IN: The Bulldogs 

UMD's 17 wins are the most since they had 22 in the 2021-22 season. That season, UMD finished 22-16-2. 

So far this season, the Bulldogs are 17-7-0.

THE SERIES: The two sides have three of the NCHC's eight NCAA titles since the conference has existed. All-time, the Bulldogs are 29-21-3, but as of late, the Broncos have won four of their alst five games. 

At AMSOIL, UMD is 13-12-2 against the Broncos all-time, and will be looking for its first win in Duluth since Jan, 28, 2022.  Since that 5-4 triumph, the Bulldogs have lost five straight games at home to WMU, including most recently last season on Nov. 22-23, 2024 by scores of 5-2 and 4-1.

In December, the two sides split on WMU's home rink, with UMD taking a 4-1 win on Dec. 5 and the Broncos winning a 3-2 overtime tilt the following night on Dec. 6.

UMD scored three power plays in the opening win, including two from Scout Truman. UMD outshot WMU 30-23, and Adam Gajan had 22 stops in the win. Saturday, the Broncos outshot the Bulldogs 30-20, and UMD had just one power play. The Bulldogs had a 2-1 lead heading into the third period but the Broncos scored the lone goals in the third period and 3:04 into the overtime.

Last 10 Games vs WMU (3-7)

Dec. 6, 2025 2-3 Loss Away OT

Dec. 5, 2025 4-1 Win Away

Nov. 23, 2024 1-4 Loss Home

Nov. 22, 2024 2-5 Loss Home

Jan. 20, 2024 2-5 Loss Away

Jan. 19, 2024 6-3 Win Away

Feb. 4, 2023 1-4 Loss Home

Feb. 3, 2023 2-3 Loss Home OT

Nov. 19, 2022 3-5 Loss Away

Nov. 18, 2022 5-4 Win Away

Top UMD Scorer vs WMU

Max Plante, 4 GP 1G, 2A, 3 Points

COMMON DOGS: WMU Associate head coach Jason Herter was on the Bulldog coaching staff for nine seasons as both an assistant coach and associate head coach, helping UMD win titles in 2018 and 2019. 

 

LAST TIME OUT:  UMD split with St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn. last weekend with a 6-0 loss Friday night before rebounding to a 5-3 win Saturday night.

The Bulldogs heavily outshot the Huskies Friday night 42-26, but could not score. While Adam Gajan took the loss on four goals again, two of SCSU goals were on the empty net, including a power play tally.

Saturday, UMD again outshot the Huskies 29-23 and this time had the goals to back it up. Jayson Shaugabay led all scorers with four points on the night (1g, 3a), his third-four point game so far of the season. Zam Plante's three point game (2g, 1a) was his fifth three or more point game this year and second game with two goals. Five players had two or more points: Shaugabay, Zam Plante, Max Plante (1g, 1a), Callum Arnott (1g, 1a) and Adam Kleber (2a).

Sophomore netminder Ethan Dahlmeir earned his second win and second in three games on 20 saves.

NOTES FROM THE ST. CLOUD STATE SERIES: UMD is now 71-85-11, and the Bulldogs have won four of their last five games against the Huskies.

--Jayson Shaugabay has now led the Bulldogs and the NCHC in scoring the past weekends ... the sophomore winger had a goal and three assists in St. Cloud after compiling a goal and six assists for seven points last weekend.