Bulldogs Set to Clash with No. 10 St. Cloud State in Thrilling NCHC Showdown at AMSOIL This Weekend!

The University of Minnesota Duluth men’s hockey squad will be hosting its initial National Collegiate Hockey Conference series of 2025 when No. 10 St. Cloud State University comes to AMSOIL Arena this weekend. The schedule for Friday’s game is set for 7:00 p.m., while Saturday’s event will commence an hour earlier at 6:07 p.m.

SOPHIE’S SQUAD SATURDAY: On Saturday, UMD will stage its fourth-annual Sophie’s Squad event in conjunction with a double-header alongside the men. The initiative aimed at promoting dialogue on mental health was established in 2021, spearheaded by a team that includes former UMD All-American and current PWHL star Gabbie Hughes. Hughes subsequently earned the 2023 Hockey Humanitarian Award for her contributions to the organization. For additional details on Sophie’s Squad, click here. To look back on Gabbie Hughes and her efforts related to this cause, click here.

KLEBER AND PLANTE SHINE: This past Sunday, Bulldog freshman defenseman Adam Kleber along with freshman forward Max Plante achieved distinction as the first UMD athletes since Joey Anderson in 2017 to secure a IIHF World Junior Championship gold medal, contributing to the U.S. team’s 4-2 overtime victory against Finland in Ottawa, Ontario.

Plante, who recorded a primary assist on the second goal during the gold medal game, tallied one goal and two assists in six tournament games, while Kleber provided one assist and achieved a +5 rating across the same number of matches.

THE SERIES: UMD and St. Cloud State have clashed 159 times before the upcoming weekend, with 150 of these confrontations occurring since the Huskies became a D1 program in the 1987-88 season. Historically, the Bulldogs trail in the overall series with a record of 65-83-11—a rivalry that commenced in the 1946-47 season with an 8-1 defeat for UMD against the Huskies.

In more recent encounters, the two squads have been evenly matched over their last 10 games, each winning five. The Bulldogs also carry a streak of four consecutive home victories against St. Cloud into this weekend, which began on January 27, 2023.

In the previous season, UMD averaged 4.00 goals per match against the Huskies and concluded their regular season with a series sweep of SCSU at AMSOIL on March 8-9, 2024.

The initial game was a high-scoring 6-5 overtime battle that featured three goals in both the first and second periods, as well as a chaotic four-goal third period that sent the match into overtime. The Bulldogs, who trailed by as many as two goals on two occasions, notably in the third period, managed to pull ahead when they scored three goals in that frame, including Owen Gallatin’sLuke Loheit then tied the score at 17:12, and Ben Steeves netted the game-winning goal on the power play with just seven seconds remaining in overtime, securing a 6-5 victory for UMD. Both Steeves (2g, 1a) and Aaron Pionk (1g, 2a) finished with three points to lead the Bulldogs.

In the second game on Saturday night, UMD never fell behind. Following two goals in the second period, which included another by Gallatin, the Huskies also found the net twice in that segment, leaving the score tied at 2-2 after 40 minutes.

However, Aiden Dubinsky scored a power play goal at 8:37 of the third period, and Loheit sealed the series triumph with an empty-net goal just a second before the buzzer, resulting in a 4-2 victory. Gallatin was among three UMD players recording two points (1g, 1a)—Loheit (1g, 1a) and Connor McMenamin (1g, 1a) being the others. Andrew Thiessen delivered an impressive performance with 52 saves in the match, with the Huskies outshooting UMD 54-27.

UMD’s leading returning scorer is senior Dominic James, who has achieved an average of 1.00 points per match over his career facing SCUS. Gallatin is second with 11 points in 17 contests, including six goals. Here’s an overview of UMD’s top-five scorers against the Huskies:

Top-5 UMD Players vs St Cloud State

Dominic James GP=13 G=4 A=9 P=13

Owen Gallatin GP=17 G=6 A=5 P=11

Kyle Bettens GP=11 G=2 A=4 P=6

Aaron Pionk GP=4 G=1 A=5 P=6

Carter Loney GP=17 G=4 A=0 P=4

Only Zach Sandy has previously played in goal for the Bulldogs among their three current goaltenders—Sandy holds a record of 1-0-0 with a .868 save percentage.

LAST 10  GAMES VS ST. CLOUD (5-5)

Mar. 9, 2024 UMD 4, SCSU 2

Mar. 8, 2024 UMD 6, SCSU 5 OT

Nov. 18, 2023 UMD 5, SCSU 6

Nov. 17, 2023 UMD 1, SCSU 2

Mar. 12, 2023 UMD 1, SCSU 3*

Mar. 11, 2023 UMD 5, SCSU 1*

Mar. 10, 2023 UMD 1, SCSU 3*

Mar. 4, 2023 UMD 3, SCSU 4 OT

Mar. 3, 2023 UMD 4, SCSU 3

Jan. 28, 2023 UMD 6, SCSU 3

*NCHC Tournament Quarterfinals

FAMILIAR FACE: Bulldog alumnus and former UMD assistant Brett Larson, a Duluth native, is currently in his seventh year as the head coach of the Huskies.

Larson, who recently joined Max Plante and Adam Kleber as an assistant coach for the U.S. at the Junior World Championship, has had two tenures as an assistant with UMD, first from 2008-11 and then from 2015-18. He played a pivotal role in UMD’s two NCAA championship victories in 2011 and 2018, and the Bulldogs made five NCAA tournament appearances during Larson’s time, achieving a runner-up finish in 2017.

As a four-year defenseman for the Bulldogs from 1991-95, Larson accumulated 24 goals and 43 assists across 133 games. He served as captain during his senior year in 1994-95.

LAST TIME ON ICE: UMD tied and lost to Alaska Fairbanks in two overtime matches last weekend at AMSOIL, with final scores of 2-2 and 2-1.

On Friday evening, Carter Loney provided the Bulldogs with their initial lead of the game at 9:14 in the first period.

After maintaining that lead throughout the first period, Alaska Fairbanks equalized just 2:27 into the second frame, making the score 1-1. However, UMD regained the lead thanks to Aaron Pionk’s first goal of the season at 15:43 of that period.

Nonetheless, UMD’s 2-1 advantage did not withstand the third period, as Alaska Fairbanks evened the score to 2-2 at the 5:00 mark—a score that remained unchanged for the following 15 minutes, including the five-minute overtime.

UMD reluctantly ended with the tie just before their fourth shooter in the shootout, Anthony Menghini, finally managed to hit the net against Lehit. Freshman goaltender Klayton Knapp, who was impressive throughout the game for UMD, kept a clean sheet during the shootout and ended the match with a career-high 34 saves, with the Nanooks outshooting the Bulldogs 36-20.

On Saturday, despite limiting Alaska Fairbanks to the fewest shots on goal by a Bulldog opponent since November 21, 2021—coincidentally, also against the Nanooks—UMD succumbed to the first goal of the game at 9:50 during the second period on Alaska Fairbanks’ fourth shot of the night.

The score of 1-0 remained until the end of the second period and lasted all but 18:58 of the third frame until Bulldog freshman forward Blake Bechen finally broke through. With

an open net and additional skater, Dominic James sped past the Nanooks from the red line, and handed the puck off to Bechen inside the right circle. Bechen firmly dispatched the puck for his third goal of the season and, more crucially, the equalizing score.

UMD’s rally was halted by Broten Sabo in overtime, however, after Sabo completed the odd-man break to send Alaska Fairbanks ahead of the Bulldogs 2-1.

The Nanooks were spearheaded by goalkeeper Nicholas Grabko, who made 39 saves on 40 UMD shots. The Bulldogs outshot Alaska Fairbanks 40-10 during the match, while neither side succeeded on their power plays (UMD 0-of-3, UAF 0-of-2). UMD freshman goalie Klayton Knapp recorded eight saves during the game.

NOTABLES FROM THE ALASKA FAIRBANKS SERIES: UMD’s record against the Nanooks is now 6-1-1 historically.

–The Bulldogs hold a record of 0-2-1 in overtime competitions this season… indeed, three of UMD’s last four matches have extended into extra time.

–First-year goalie Klayton Knapp, who achieved a career-high 34 saves in Friday’s tie and shootout victory, secured his first collegiate shootout win following his debut win three nights prior against Bemidji State University on the road.

–Sophomore defenseman Aaron Pionk extended his point streak to four games Saturday night with a secondary assist on Blake Bechen’s goal… Pionk has amassed four points (1g, 3a) during that four-game stretch.

–UMD was missing Max Plante, Adam Kleber, Adam Gajan, Joe Molenaar, and Will Francis for the weekend.

YOUNG STARS: The Bulldog freshman class has so far contributed 21 of UMD’s 52 goals this season over 18 games.

Two freshmen have netted four or more goals — Jayson Shaugabay (6g), the third highest scorer for UMD, and Zam Plante (4g).