The Bulldogs welcome No. 5 Minnesota back to its first AMSOIL series in more than a decade this weekend

For the first time in more than a decade, the University of Minnesota Duluth men's ice hockey team and No. 6 University of Minnesota will drop the puck in a series at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minnesota at 7:07 p.m. before kicking off on Saturday ends with a puck drop at 6:07 p.m.

NEW POINTS ON THE BLOCK: Six rookies and one transfer Bulldog have already gotten on the scoresheet in just three official games this season.

Callum Arnotts first college goal last Friday and Blake Bechens Assist Saturday against the University of Massachusetts Lowell became the fifth and sixth Bulldog freshman to record a point in UMD's first three official games. Arnott joins in Jayson Shaugabay (2g) and Zam Plante (1g) becomes the third rookie to score a goal as Bechen joins that trio plus Ty Hanson (2a) and Max Plante (2a) in the Freshman Point Club.

Forward Joe Molenaar In last Friday's win, he also scored his first point as a Bulldog – a short-handed goal at that.

GAJAN CONTINUES THE RECENT TREND of the UMD goalkeeper's first start and first win: Adam Gayanlike his current teammate Zach Sandy before him last season, picked up his first career win last Friday night in his first collegiate start against UMass Lowell.

In fact, before Gajan and Sandy, UMD's last four goaltenders earned victories in their first official appearances, including Zach Stejskal, Matthew ThiessenBen Patt and Ryan Fanti.

The last goaltender to fail to win in his first career start? Hunter Shepard, who started two games as a freshman in the 2016-17 season, including his debut at Notre Dame on October 16, 2016. (In his defense, Shepard later set UMD's career wins record of 119.) While Shepard While he wasn't the only rookie goaltender on the 2016-17 NCAA national runner-up squad, Hunter Miska won his first game and posted a 27-5-5 record on the season.

THE SERIES: For the first time in 13 seasons, Minnesota will visit the city of Duluth for a series rather than a single game. The two programs last played a series at the same location in Minneapolis on November 22 and 24, 2013 (a series split). Since then, the Bulldogs have either played single games, multiple home series, or met the Gophers in tournaments like the 2017 IceBreaker Tournament or the North Star College Cup – or not had them on the schedule at all (2020). -21).

No wonder, the Bulldogs and Gophers are a draw for fans at AMSOIL. The five highest-attended games at AMSOIL Arena (which opened on December 30, 2010) came against Minnesota, the highest-attended contest in program history, with a whopping 7,596 on October 23, 2021. UMD's record against Minnesota at AMSOIL is 6 -2-3, including 5-0-1 in that span. In fact, the Bulldogs haven't suffered a loss since October 15, 2011 in AMSOIL, a 5-4 setback.

While UMD trails Minnesota 95-136-19 in the all-time series, a streak that began on December 12, 1952 (a 14-2 loss to UMD) and will see its 251st game Friday night, that streak has grown over the course of the Season turned upside down head coach Scott Sandelin.

Sandelin has led UMD to a 29-25-8 record against Minnesota since he was named bench boss in 2000. What's even more impressive is that while UMD won three national titles during Sandelin's era (2011, 2018, 2019), Minnesota only won two at the start of Sandelin's career (2002, 2003). Additionally, UMD has beaten Minnesota both times they have met in the NCAA Tournament: 3-1 in the Midwest Regional in 2004 and 4-1 in the Northeast Regional in 2015.

The Bulldogs have had an even better winning percentage since the Gophers joined the Big Ten – 13-4-2 since 2013.

Among the UMD returnees Carter Loney has played in the most games against Minnesota (four with one goal), but its defender Owen Gallatin Who has the most points after scoring a goal and two assists in two games last season?

Last season, UMD went 1-5 in its first home game on November 3, 2023 before settling for a 3-3 tie and a shootout win at AMSOIL on November 4.

In Friday night's game, the Gophers gave up four unanswered goals – two in the first and two in the fourth before UMD got into the game with a goal late in the third Lonely at 4:03 p.m. With 25 seconds left, Minnesota scored with an empty goal, sealing the one-sided defeat.

At AMSOIL on Saturday, UMD scored first with a goal Jack Smith The Gophers tied the score midway through the period nearly nine minutes into the second period. UMD answered that tally with a power play score of Cole Spicerbut Minnesota tied it again with a power play goal of its own at 15:26 of the frame. The Gophers took their first lead 23 seconds later and took a 3-2 lead into the second intermission. But just 53 seconds into the third period Ben Steeves scored a strong goal and, despite extra time, both teams finished the game with an even score of 3:3. Minnesota missed two more shooting attempts Quinn Olson and Steves tried to help UMD win the shootout. Matthew Thiessen made 47 saves in net for the Bulldogs, who also went 2 of 4 on the power play on the night. One more note about the second game: Looney had his best season of the season, winning 11 of 16 faceoffs.

UMD vs. Minnesota, last 10 games:

November 4, 2023 3-3 Tie OT SW Home

November 3, 2023 1:5 defeat away

Oct. 23, 2021 2:1 home win

Oct 22, 2021 5-3 away win

Oct. 26, 2019 2-0 home win

Oct. 25, 2019 5:2 away win

Oct. 7, 2018 4:7 away defeat

Oct 6, 2018 1-1 draw OT Home

Oct 6, 2017 4-3 Tie OT Home

January 27, 2017 3:2 win neutral*

Oct. 17, 2015 3-0 home win

*North Star College Cup semifinals

Rank and rank: The Bulldogs fell from the No. 18 spot they started the season with but are receiving five votes in the USA Hockey/The Rink Live poll this week and are also receiving votes (19) in the USCHO national poll. com

The Gophers are currently ranked sixth in Monday's USCHO.com rankings and sixth in the latest USA Hockey/The Rink Live poll.

LAST TIME: The Bulldogs are coming off a series split with UMass Lowell in Lowell, Massachusetts. After defeating the River Hawks 4-2 on Friday night, UMD dropped a 4-1 decision on Saturday.

The Bulldogs scored goals Joe Molenaar, Callum Arnott, Braden Fisher And Dominic James Friday night, as a rookie goalie Adam Gayan had 36 saves against 38 shots in his UMD netminding debut.

UMass Lowell scored the game's first goal at 12:36 of the opening period, but just 49 seconds later, Molenaar scored his first goal as a Bulldog – a shortened tally at that – after intercepting a pass below the red line. Rookie forward Arnott then followed Molenaar's lead and scored his first collegiate goal after snatching a rebound off a shot from James into the net to give the UMDs their first scoring advantage of the game at 13:27 of the period.

At 10:09 of the second period, UMD had the upper hand to make it 3-1 after Fischer's first goal of the season and buried the puck after a UML loss of possession. Just 35 seconds into the third period, James increased the Bulldogs' lead with his first goal of the season. With a wrist shot from the slot, James scored his first official goal since missing almost the entire 2023-24 season due to injury, and was assisted by a second-year forward Matthew Perkins and senior defender Owen Gallatin.

The River Hawks added one final goal at 11:18 to make the score 4-2, but they couldn't get any closer in their season-opening drive.

Gajan's 36 saves also came against four UNL power plays, but the freshman picked up his first win in his first official start between the posts. As a team, UMD blocked nine shots and the River Hawks blocked three, but were outscored 38-29 in the game.

On Saturday night, the Bulldogs allowed a River Hawks power play goal at 11:50 of the first period, UML scored three unanswered goals over an eight-minute span in the second period, building an insurmountable lead for UMD. The Bulldogs got a junior forward on the field midway through the third period Jack's Smith's first goal of the season after twisting and turning on a rebound in the bottom slot. First defender Ty Hanson And Blake Bechen Each received assists on the goal – the first of Bechen's college career.

For the second straight year, the River Hawks outscored the Bulldogs, this time by a score of 36-21 in the contest. UNL was 2 of 3 on the power play while UMD went scoreless in its only attempt. Gajan was blamed for the loss in his second collegiate appearance – the first-year goaltender made 32 saves in the game.

NOTES ON UNL SERIES: UMD is now 13-4-3 against the River Hawks.

– UNL edged the Bulldogs 74-50 in the series and added another score – 6-5.

–Graduate Joe Molenaars Friday night's shorthanded goal was the first by a Bulldog since then Carter Looney scored the first goal with just 11 seconds left in the first period against Colorado College on January 13, 2024 at AMSOIL Arena.

–Freshman forward Max Plante missed the series with an upper-body injury that is expected to keep him out for a few more weeks.