Minnesota-Duluth struggled coming out of the Omaha Pod, going 0-4-1 in its first five games at campus sites.
But the Bulldogs appeared rejuvenated last weekend, as they swept Western Michigan in Kalamazoo by four- and three-goal margins.
Including a pair of losses already this season, the RedHawks have struggled heinously vs. UMD. They are 5-22-2 against the Bulldogs overall, 1-9 in their last 10 meetings and 2-19-2 since the beginning of 2016.
WHO: No. 6 Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs (8-5-2) at Miami RedHawks (4-10-2).
WHERE: Cady Arena (0), Oxford, Ohio.
WHEN: Friday – 7:05 p.m.; Saturday – 5:05 p.m.
TV: None.
STREAMING: NCHC.tv ($).
NOTES: Minn.-Duluth, fourth in the NCHC with an average of 2.87 goals per game, has relied almost exclusively on its forwards for scoring
The Bulldogs have an experience-laden class up front, with their top six points producers being juniors or seniors.
Minnesota draftee Nick Swaney is having an exceptional senior season, leading the team with 12 assists and 18 points.
Brothers Jackson and Noah Cates have rolled up 12 points apiece, and Kobe Roth and Cole Koepke have notched 10 each. Noah Cates is a Philadelphia selection and Koepke was drafted by Tampa Bay.
UMD has three other drafted forwards: Quinn Olson (Boston) 1-5-6, Luke Loheit (Ottawa) 2-2-4 and Blake Biondi (Montréal) 1-2-3.
The Bulldogs’ blueliners have combined for just two goals and 16 assists. Freshman Chicago draft pick Wyatt Kaiser has seven helpers, Edmonton selection Matt Cairns is 0-4-4, and Hunter Lellig and Connor Kelley have the team’s defensemen goals.
In net, Ryan Fanti has logged 80 percent of the team’s goaltending minutes. Fanti is 6-4-2 with a 2.38 goals-against average and a .906 save percentage.
Freshman Zach Stejskal is 2-1 with a 1.30 GAA and save percentage of .944.
Miami went 0-2 against UMD in the Omaha Pod, and were outscored, 9-5 in those matchups.
After a solid start defensively, the RedHawks have allowed 18 goals in their last four games and are 0-3-1 in that span.
Matt Barry has been the best offensive threat this season for Miami, leading the team in points with 14 and assists with 12.
This series was originally scheduled for two weeks ago but was postponed because of COVID cases at UMD.
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Any recruiting updates? Mich in year 4 of current (new) coach and is rolling.first couple years are tight with most good players already committed elsewhere. Thoughts?
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