Umdbulldogs.com North Dakota Series Preview

The old sports adage that says a team is only as good as its last game need not apply to the No. 4 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team. The Bulldogs aren't looking back, and are ready to hit the ice this weekend when they travel to Grand Forks, N.D. to face the University of North Dakota. The puck will drop in both WCHA contests at 2:07 p.m. on Saturday and Sunday in the Ralph Englestad Arena.

THE SERIES: The Bulldogs (5-2-1, 4-2) own a 16-1 all-time advantage over the Sioux (2-3-3, 2-1-1), including a current seven-game winning streak. The one and only time UMD has ever dropped a contest to UND was in the DECC on Feb. 11, 2006, when North Dakota broke a nine-game winless streak against the Bulldogs, handing them a 2-0 setback.

UMD swept the Sioux twice last season, and netted a total of 18 goals while allowing UND only one in four outings. The Bulldogs averaged 4.5 goals per game against the Sioux during the 2006-07 campaign, and then freshman Emmanuelle Blais racked up seven points in four games (1-6=7) to help the Bulldogs reach that mark. Blais netted a career-high four assists against North Dakota in UMD's Oct. 15 5-0 bashing at the DECC.

LAST WEEK: The then No. 1 Bulldogs lost twice at the hands of the Minnesota Gophers last weekend in Ridder Arena, dropping their all-time record in Ridder to a lowly 3-7-1. In Friday night's 3-1 defeat, sophomore goaltender Kim Martin made a career-high 40 saves en route to posting double-digit saves in each regulation period for the third time in her career. Saara Tuominen has now notched more assists (five) against the Gophers than any current UMD player after assisting on Emmanuelle Blais' second period goal Friday night. Saturday's 5-1 loss was the most goals the Bulldogs have given up in 35 contests.

North Dakota played to a 0-0 overtime tie last Friday before dropping a 4-3 decision to Ohio State on Saturday in Grand Forks. The Sioux, who have never beaten the Buckeyes, earned their first tie against OSU since Nov. 18, 2005. Sophomore netminder Brittany Kirkham, who has recorded three shutouts this season against WCHA opponents, stopped 75 of 79 shots over the weekend.

THE COACHES: Shannon Miller, who currently is the only coach in the WCHA to have racked-up 205 wins, is in her ninth season behind the Bulldog bench.

As the only head coach UMD has ever employed, Miller has amassed an impressive overall record of 204-59-24 and has led the Bulldogs to six NCAA playoff appearances and three straight NCAA Championship titles (2001, 2002 and 2003). She has led UMD into four NCAA Frozen Four berths, including the 2007 NCAA Championship game. No other hockey program in the country has won three consecutive NCAA titles.

For her efforts, Miller was named the 2000 and 2003 Western Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year and the 2003 American Hockey Coaches Association (AHCA) Women’s Division I Coach of the Year. Along with the incredible NCAA runs, her Bulldogs have captured two WCHA regular season titles (2000 and 2003) and three WCHA playoff titles (2000, 2001 and 2003).

During Miller’s time at the Bulldog helm, UMD has produced eight first-team All-Americans, 11 Patty Kazmaier Award Finalists, two WCHA Players of the Year, three WCHA Student-Athletes of the year and one CoSIDA Academic All-American.

The Sioux are coached by first-year head coach Brian Idalski. Idalski was an assistant at St. Cloud State University prior to his hiring at North Dakota last April.

WHERE ARE THEY NOW?: The Bulldogs will be without the services of sophomore goaltender Kim Martin and her Team Sweden mate, Elin Holmlov this weekend. The two are gearing up for the 2007 Four Nations Cup in Leksand, Sweden, where they will face UMD assistants Caroline Ouellette (Team Canada), Julie Chu and Jessica Koizumi (Team USA). Saara Tuominen and Heidi Pelttari will play for Team Finland, but will play for the Bulldogs this weekend before heading to Sweden.

HOLDING THE SIOUX SCORELESS: The Bulldogs have held North Dakota scoreless seven times out of their 17 meetings, including three times last season. In all, the Sioux have only scored 14 goals against UMD total all-time, while the Bulldogs scored 18 goals against UND during the 2006-07 season alone.

EMPTY NETS: UMD, who went its first 262:42 minutes of action this season without allowing a single point, has found common ground with North Dakota's Brittany Kirham, who played 201.23 minutes before her scoreless streak was snapped in last Saturday's loss to Ohio State.

LEADING LINE: UMD's first line, which consists of sophomores Saara Tuominen, Elin Holmlov and freshman Iya Gavrilova, has accounted for 24 of the Bulldogs 56 points. The three have tallied seven goals and 17 assists between them.

BRUSING BULLDOGS: UMD is third in the nation in penalty minutes with 135, averaging 16.9 minutes in the box a game. The Bulldogs affection for infractions has led to a penalty kill unit which is 47-of-49, for 95.9 percent, good enough for second in the nation.

Freshman forward Iya Gavrilova has been booked seven times for 25 penalty minutes, the most of any Bulldog so far this season.

North Dakota currently ranks No. 10 nationally with a 89.7 penalty kill effectiveness, having held opponents scoreless 35-out-of-39 violations.

NORTH DAKOTA NICE: Three Bulldogs have tallied up career-highs against the Sioux, including sophomore Emmanuelle Blais. who dished out a career-topping four assists last season on Oct. 15 to help UMD beat UND 5-0. Senior forward Karine Demeule knotched a career-best three points against North Dakota on Feb. 6, 2005, and junior defenseman Myriam Trepanier netted a career-high two goals against the Sioux on Feb. 10, 2006.

BULLDOG NOTES: UMD has been held to a single goal a contest four times this year, and is 2-2 in those outings...The Bulldogs two goals this weekend was the fewest goals UMD has scored in a series since netting just two against Wisconsin last season on Feb. 2-3...The Bulldogs are averaging 2.75 goals a game, while allowing just 1.25...In the nine series sweeps UMD has ever been on the losing end on, five have come at the hands of Minnesota...Sophmore linemates Saara Tuominen and Elin Holmlov are tied at the top as the Bulldogs leading scorers with nine points each (3-6=9), tying them at No. 7 in the WCHA...Kim Martin ranks first in save percentage in the WCHA, registering .951...Martin is No. 2 in goals against average, coming in at 1.49 goals a game.

KIRKHAM AWARDED USCHO.COM HONOR: North Dakota sophomore goaltender Brittany Kirkham was named the USCHO.com's National Defensive Player of the Week following her performance against Ohio State last weekend. Kirkham stopped 75-of-79 shots and held the Buckeyes scoreless in Friday night's battle. Kirkham has only allowed four goals in WCHA play so far this season.

SIOUX NOTES: UND leads the conference after only allowing only four goals against them four games into WCHA play....Brittany Kirkham shattered North Dakota's old scoreless streak of 112:01 when she stood between the pipes for 201:23 minutes of play without allowing a point...The Sioux earned their first conference sweep ever two weeks ago when they beat Bemidji State in two outings.