It's a new season -- the postseason -- to be exact -- for the No. 10 University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey team, who will host a National Collegiate Hockey Conference playoff series at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn. this weekend for the first time since 2019. The Bulldogs will welcome St. Cloud State University for the best-of-three series that will get underway Friday night at 7:07 p.m. Saturday's game two will drop the puck at 6:07 p.m., and if needed, game three will take place Sunday night at 6:07 p.m.


UMD Men's Hockey Press Conference, March 4, 2026 -- Head coach Scott Sandelin, freshman forward Hunter Anderson


 

UMD IN THE NCHC POSTSEASON: UMD is 12-10 all-time in the NCHC Quarterfinals, and 9-2 quarterfinal games at AMSOIL Arena. All-time, all games played, the Bulldogs are 19-14 overall in the conference postseason. 

UMD has not advanced out of the quarterfinals since the 2021-22 season -- the last time they won the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. Since then, UMD has gone 2-5, losing in three games to St. Cloud State in 2022-23, the University of Denver in 2023-24, and Arizona State University in 2024-25 -- all three away series.

All-time, UMD owns three NCHC Frozen Faceoff titles -- 2022, 2019 and 2017.

HOME SWEET HOME PLAYOFFFS: UMD will host an NCHC playoff game at AMSOIL for the first time since the 2018-19 season. 

Of note, UMD did clinch home ice in 2019-20 and was set to host Omaha when the collegiate hockey season was cancelled due to COVID-19.

The Bulldogs also technically would have hosted in 2020-21 after finishing third in the league, but the NCHC elected to play the Frozen Faceoff that year in one spot, making less travel for most teams. 

SPECIAL TEAM STEP-UP: The Bulldogs have spent most of the season with the nation's top power-play, which currently sits at an NCAA-best 30.6. 38 of UMD's 110 goals so far this season have been scored with an extra skater, and nine goals have come from Zam Plante and eight from Max Plante. Callum Arnott has also added six power play goals this season.

The Bulldogs on the other hand are almost as equally good on the penalty kill as they are on the power play. UMD sits third nationally with a 88.3 kill rate, and has not allowed a power play goal over its last four games, holding opponents scoreless in their last 14 attempts. In fact, the Bulldogs have allowed just two power play goals over their last 26 attempts.

WINNING IS IN: UMD's 20 wins is the most it's posted in a season since the 2021-22. That year, the Bulldogs went 22-16-4 overall, and that included four wins in the NCHC postseaon (and NCHC Tournamnet title) and two NCAA games.

THAT'S THE GOAL: UMD has scored 110 goals so far this season -- the most since 2019-20. The Bulldogs scored 114 that seson over COVID-19 cancelled 34 game season for a 3.35 goals per game average. This season, far from complete, UMD has scored 110 in 32 games -- a 3.23 goals a game average.

The last team to average three or more goals a game? The 2020-21 team, who averaged 3.0. UMD's current goals a game average (3.23) ranks them in 17th in the the NCAA and fourth in the NCHC.

TO THE MAX: Max Plante has spent almost the entire season as the nation's top scorer.

Currently tied for third in the nation with 44 total points, Plante's 22 goals rank second in the NCAA. He also sits fourth with five game-winning goals, sixth with eight power play goals, as well and tied with a 1.35 points per game average.  

Plante has posted 13-multiple point games, including three games with four points and five with three points or more.

A TRIO OF 40?: Three players have either crossed the 40 points threshold -- Max Plante (45) and Zam Plante (41) and one is just a single point away from the mark -- Jayson Shaugabay (39).

The last time the Bulldog program had three players register 40 or more points? 2011-12, when Jack Connolly (60), Travis Olesuk (53) and J.T. Brown (47) all blew past the 40-point mark.

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, currently tops in the NCAA and is now at 122 combined points.

While Max Plante has 44 points in 32 games this season (22g, 22a), Zam has 41 points (16g, 25a) and Shaugabay has 39 points (10g, 29a). 

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 3.87 points a game.

 

THE NCHC POSTSEASON VS SCSU: In NCHC post season play against St. Cloud State, the Bulldogs are an even 4-4 all-time since the league's first postseason run in 2014.

The two program's first NCHC postseason head-to-head action came in the 2016 NCHC Frozen Faceoff Championship game in St. Paul, Minn., a 3-1 win for the Huskies over UMD in its first NCHC postseason title game inside the Target Center.

Three years later, the Bulldogs defeated SCSU 3-2 in double overtime en route to their second NCHC Frozen Faceoff championship trophy in three years in 2019, knocking off the top-ranked Huskies.

In 2021, the Huskies knocked UMD out the semifinals with a 3-2 win, but the following season, the Bulldogs swept SCSU in St. Cloud, Minn. in the 2022 NCHC Quarterfinals by scores of 5-2 and 4-3, the begining of what would eventually end as a third NCHC Frozen Faceoff title for the Bulldogs.

Most recently, the Huskies defeated UMD in the best-of-three series 2023 NCHC Quarterfinals in St. Cloud (1-3, 5-1, 1-3).

Senior captain Joey Pierce is the only player still on the Bulldog roster that skated in that  best-of-three quarterfinal against the Huskies in 2023.

REGULAR SEASON VS THE HUSKIES: UMD went 3-1 against the Huskies over the regular season but just outscored them 12-11. The Bulldogs averaged 3.00 goals per game, while SCSU was right behind at 2.75. UMD did have a hefty shots on goal advantage this season of 33.7-24.7 per game, and the Bulldogs also went an impressive 23.1 on its power play while holding the Huskies to a 11.1 conversion rate.

Last 10 Games, UMD vs SCSU (8-2-0)

Jan. 17, 2026 UMD 5, SCSU 3

Jan. 16, 2026 UMD 0, SCSU 6

Nov. 8, 2025 UMD 3, SCSU 2 OT

Nov. 7, 2025 UMD 4, SCSU 0

Mar. 9, 2025 UMD 3, SCSU 2

Mar. 8, 2025 UMD 2, SCSU 3

Jan. 11, 2025 UMD 5, SCSU 2

Jan. 10, 2025 UMD 2, SCSU 0

Mar. 9, 2024 UMD 4, SCSU 2

Mar. 8, 2024 UMD 6, SCSU 5 OT

Top UMD Career Scorers vs SCSU

Max Plante, 6 GP 6 points (5g, 3a)

Zam Plante, 6 GP 7 points (2g, 5a)

Jayson Shaugabay, 6 GP 7 points (3g, 4a)

Adam Gajan, 4-2-0 record, 12 goals against in six games 

UMD split with St. Cloud State in St. Cloud, Minn. back on Jan. 16-17 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). Zam Plante's had a three point game (2g, 1a) and 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.

COMMON DOGS: St. Cloud State head coach Brett Larson and Ty Hanson's dad Greg Hanson were teammates at UMD for three seasons (1992-95) Larson, a Duluth native, skated in 133 games for UMD, scored 24 goals and dished out 43 assists for 67 career points in four seasons (1991-95). 

Larson was also a teammate of Zam and Max Plante's dad Derek Plante for two seasons (1991-1993), and an assistant coach (along with Plante) for Scott Sandelin from 2008-11 and 2015-18, winning NCAA titles with UMD in both 2011 and 2018.

LAST TIME OUT:  UMD suffered a 4-1 loss to Colorado College last Friday night before rebounding for a 2-2 overtime and shootout win.

Friday night, with a pregame nod to Dale "Hoagie" Haagenson, UMD fell behind 1-0 after the first period and finally pulled even on a goal from Scout Truman 11:41 into the third frame. But the Tigers scored 25 seconds later, and added another two empty net goals in the final minute to seal the 4-1 Bulldog loss. UMD outshot CC 40-19, and Ethan Dahlmeier had 15 saves in the game. The Bulldogs dominated the faceoff dot 41-27, led by Kyle Gaffney's 10-3 advantage.

Saturday CC's Brandon Lisowsky scored two goals for the Tigers -- 1:50 into the first period and again 1:29 into the third period. But Zam Plante scored two goals in the third period, including a power play goal at 16:47 of the third to knot the game up at 2-2. UMD outshot CC 34-22 in the contest and Adam Gajan made 20 saves in his first game in between the pipes in almost a month.

NOTES FROM THE CC SERIES: UMD is now 112-91-13 all-time against the Tigers and finishes the regular season 1-2-1 against CC. At AMSOIL, the Bulldogs are now 38-60-6 all-time in Duluth against the Tigers.

--UMD had a 74-41 shots on goal advantage in the series, but the Tigers had the 6-3 goals scored statline.

--The Bulldogs also dominated from the dot -- 78-52 -- Kyle Gaffney went 22-10.

PLANTE, HANSON, KLEBER AND BODNARCHUK NAMED 2026 NCHC AWARD FINALISTS: Four University of Minnesota Duluth men's hockey players have been named finalists for five different NCHC Awards, announced by the conference Wednesday.

Sophomore forward Max Plante is both a finalist for NCHC Player of the Year and NCHC Forward of the Year, while sophomore defenseman Ty Hanson was named a finalist for the NCHC's Offensive Defenseman of the Year. Sophomore defenseman Adam Kleber was named a finalist for the NCHC's Defensive Defenseman of the Year, while senior defenseman Riley Bodnarchuk is a finalist for NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award.

Plante has spent almost the entire season as the nation's top scorer and is currently tied for fifth in the nation with 45 total points. The Hermantown, Minn. product's 22 goals rank fourth in the NCAA, and he also sits sixth with five game-winning goals, seventh with eight power play goals, as well as tied for seventh with a 1.32 points per game average. Plante has posted 13-multiple point games, including three games with four points and five with three points or more and been a crucial part of UMD's NCAA-best power play that currently boats a 30.6 conversion rate, and has registered eight power play goals and six assists for 14 power play points

The UMD alternate captain was the NCHC's October Forward of the Month, and was also named the HCA's Forward of the Month for October, and in addition to earning a NCHC Forward of the Week nod back on Oct. 7, 2025, was also named to the NCHC Preseason All-Conference Team. He was also a member of the 2025 U.S. World Junior Team.

Hanson has spent most of the season as one of the most offensive-defenseman in the NCAA. Currently fourth in the nation in scoring from the blue line, Hanson has a team-high on ice time average of 24:59, the Hermantown, Minn. has had seven multiple point games, including four contests with three points. On Nov. 14 against Omaha, Hanson became the first Bulldog defenseman in 25 years to score a hat trick, and he has three games with three or more assists and six games with two or more blocks. Also a critical part of UMD's NCAA-best power play, he has 10 assists on the power play to pair with one power play goal for 11 power play points

 A three-time NCHC Defenseman of the Week award winner this season (Jan. 13, Nov. 11 and Oct. 7), Hanson was also named the NCHC Defenseman of the Month for October. An alternate captain, Hanson has never missed a game in two seasons at UMD, now having played in 70 consecutive games. 

Kleber has had 11 games with two or more blocks in a game, and five with three or more. The Chaska, Minn. native is part of penalty kill unit that ranks first in the NCHC and third in the NCAA with a 88.3 successful kill rate. Part of defensive core allowing just 24.6 shots a game – fifth lowest in the NCAA and 26.3 in NCHC play and is averaging 21:44 minutes on the ice a game -- the third most on the team.

Bodnarchuk is a four-time NCHC Distinguished Scholar-Athlete and a four-time NCHC Academic All-Conference Team member. The Okotoks, Alberta native has a 3.96 GPA as a Exercise Rehab Science major at UMD. Having played 91 games over his four-year career, Bodnarchuk has two goals and two assists for four points from the Bulldog blueline.

The NCHC will announce the NCHC Offensive Defenseman and Defensive Defenseman of the Year Friday, March 13, and the NCHC Forward of the Year will be named on Monday March 16. The league will announce the NCHC Senior Scholar-Athlete Award Tuesday, March 17, while the NCHC Player of the Year will come out on Thursday, March 19.