Jan. 14-15, 2011 • 7:37/7:07 pm CT • Ralph Engelstad Arena (11,634) • Grand Forks, N.D.
RADIO: 96.1 The Fox (KQHT-FM) • WEBCAST: FightingSioux.com
TV: Fighting Sioux Sports Network, Midco Sports Network, Fox College Sports Central (Friday), Fox College Sports Atlantic (Saturday), Fox Sports North, DirecTV 617 (Friday only)

THIS WEEK: The first-place Fighting Sioux (16-5-2, 11-3-0 WCHA) return to WCHA play this weekend with a home series against Minnesota (9-8-3, 6-6-2 WCHA) on Friday and Saturday.

With 22 points, UND holds a two-point lead over Denver and Minnesota Duluth in the WCHA standings. The Gophers have 14 points and are tied with Wisconsin for sixth place.

UND enters the week riding a seven-game winning streak and a nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1), and has just one loss in the last 13 games (11-1-1). That lone loss came with 0.1 seconds left in regulation in a 1-0 loss at Nebraska Omaha (Nov. 20).

MEDIA COVERAGE: All Fighting Sioux men's hockey games, home and away, can be heard on 96.1 FM (The Fox) and on stations across the Fighting Sioux Hockey Network. Veteran broadcaster Tim Hennessy is in his 30th season as the voice of the Fighting Sioux. He is joined during home games by color analyst Steve Olson.

This weekend's games will be broadcast live on the Fighting Sioux Sports Network, the Midco Sports Network, Fox College Sports (FCS Central on Friday, FCS Atlantic on Saturday), Fox Sports North and DirecTV 617 (Friday only).

Live video webcasts can be purchased at FightingSioux.com, where FREE audio and live stats are also available.

New this year, 'Inside Fighting Sioux Hockey' airs every Tuesday on the Fighting Sioux Sports Network and nationwide on Fox College Sports. Head coach Dave Hakstol also appears weekly on the Green Mill Coaches Show every Wednesday at 6:30 p.m. on the Fighting Sioux Radio Network.

GAME PROMOTIONS: The UND-UM series is tabbed as "Whiteout Weekend," with Fighting Sioux fans encouraged to wear white to both games. It is the third straight year UND has promoted a Whiteout Weekend. Fans can purchase commemorative Whiteout t-shirts at the Sioux Shop at Ralph Engelstad Arena and at SiouxShop.com.

Also, fans who show their Sioux-Gopher hockey ticket at the box office can recieve a ticket to the UND women's and men's basketball games against South Dakota on Saturday for only $5.

TICKET INFORMATION: Tickets for both games against Minnesota this weekend are sold out.

ABOUT UM: The Gophers most recently defeated the U.S. Under-18 Team 9-0 last Friday. Seven different players lit the lamp for Minnesota, including Mike Hoeffel and Jacob Cepis, who each scored twice.

Minnesota has gone to overtime in each of its last three regular season games, earning ties against Minnesota Duluth (Dec. 12) and Ferris State (Jan. 1), and falling to Union (Dec. 31).

The Gophers are 5-3-3 against teams ranked ahead of them in the USCHO.com rankings.

Minnesota has allowed an average of 3.05 goals per game through 20 contests this year. However, in the past seven games the Gophers have allowed a combined 15 goals for an average of 2.14 per game.

UM Coaching Staff: Don Lucia (Notre Dame '81) is in his 12th season as Minnesota head coach and is 283-153-50 (.634).

He is assisted by John Hill (Alaska Anchorage '88) and Grant Potulny (Minnesota '04).

SERIES HISTORY: Minnesota leads the all-time series with the Sioux by a 132-127-14 margin. However, the Sioux are 11-4-3 (.694) in the last 18 meetings.

UND is 14-8-3 (.620) against Minnesota under head coach Dave Hakstol.

The two teams met seven times last season, with UND going 3-2-2, including a three-game series win in the first round of the WCHA playoffs.

Senior defenseman Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) and junior winger Jason Gregoire (Winnipeg, Manitoba) lead all active Sioux in career scoring against Minnesota with nine points each.

UND'S LAST ACTION: UND is coming off of a non-conference sweep of Robert Morris last weekend, kicking off a six-game homestand with an 8-0 win on Friday and a 2-1 victory on Saturday.

Aaron Dell (So., Airdrie, Alberta) stopped all 32 shots he faced to earn the shutout on Friday, while the line of Danny Kristo (So., Eden Prairie, Minn.), Jake Marto (Sr., Grand Forks, N.D.) and Corban Knight (So., High River Alberta) accounted for three points each. Kristo had three assists, Marto had a goal and two assists and Knight had two goals and an assist. Freshman Brock Nelson (Warroad, Minn.) had the first two-goal effort of his career, while Evan Trupp (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska), Matt Frattin (Sr., Edmonton, Alberta) and Brett Hextall (SHG) (Jr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.) added single tallies.

Dell stopped 30 of 31 shots on Saturday, coming within 20 seconds of a third straight shutout, while Frattin broke a scoreless tie with 4:01 left in regulation. Kristo scored an empty-netter that ended up being the game winner.

RANK AND FILE: UND remained ranked No. 2 in both the USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polls released on Monday.

The Sioux were also ranked No. 2 in the most recent INCH Power Rankings released on Sunday.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: UND's nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) is the team's longest in the regular season since going unbeaten in 17 straight (14-0-3) to end the 2007-08 regular season.

The Sioux have won seven in a row and are seeking their first eight-game winning streak since 2007-08.

NO REST FOR THE WEARY: UND has won an NCAA-best 16 games despite having faced the toughest strength of schedule (SOS) in the nation to date, according to the latest KRACH ratings:

RK Team SOS
1. North Dakota 231.1
2. Alaska Anchorage 217.3
3. Denver 209.6
4. Minnesota Duluth 195.6
5. Bemidji State 191.7
6. Michigan Tech 181.8
7. Colorado College 176.2
8. Minnesota 162.7
9. Nebraska Omaha 161.4
10. Notre Dame 160.1

UND faced a top-13 team in seven of the first eight weekends of the season, including a stretch of six straight weekends at one point.

UND's first-half schedule included (ranking at time of matchup) No. 2 Minnesota Duluth (home), No. 4 Nebraska Omaha (road), No. 11 Notre Dame (home), No. 12 Alaska (neutral), No. 12 Denver (home), No. 12 Maine (road) and No. 13 Wisconsin (road).

DUDE, WE'VE GOT A DELL: Sophomore goalie Aaron Dell (Airdrie, Alberta), the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week, stopped 62 of 63 shots in UND's sweep over Robert Morris last weekend and came within just over a full period of toppling one of the oldest records in Sioux hockey history.

Dell came into that series having blanked Minnesota Duluth on Dec. 30. In the Friday game against RMU, Dell stopped all 32 shots he faced for his second straight shutout. In Saturday's series finale, he stopped the first 30 shots he faced until RMU scored an extra attacker goal with 20 seconds remaining.

That goal ended Dell's shutout streak at 224 minutes and 31 seconds, the second-longest in school history. Gerald "Spike" Schultz set the record of 249:41 in 1953-54 when he shut out Michigan Tech four straight times.

Dell, who leads the NCAA with 15 wins, has started UND's last 10 games and is 8-1-1 during that stretch with a 1.49 goals against average and a .945 save percentage.

Dell's 1.94 GAA during conference games leads the WCHA.

FRATT PARTY: With a goal in each game against Robert Morris last week, senior forward Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta) ran his NCAA-leading goal total to 20:

Frattin has now scored a goal in eight straight games, a streak topped by only three players in Sioux history:

Rk. Player Games
1. Gordon Christian (12/29/48 to 2/18/49) 12
Ben Cherski (1/11/52 to 2/19/52) 12
3. Chris Jensen (1/03/86 to 1/31/86) 9
4. Matt Frattin (11/27/10 to present) 8
7 others tied w/ 8

Frattin, who is also riding a career-long nine-game point streak (8g, 5a), has scored an incredible 30 goals in his last 35 games dating back to last Feb. 13 at St. Cloud State. His 19 points during WCHA play this season is tied for the league lead.

GENOWAY ON HIS WAY: Like Frattin, senior captain Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) also enters the week riding a career-best nine-game point streak, amassing two goals and eight assists during that stretch.

Only two defensemen in the nation have more assists than Genoway's 17, and only four rearguards have outscored his 21 points. Genoway leads the WCHA with 14 points during league games.

Genoway leads all active NCAA defensemen with 111 career points, a total that ranks eighth all-time among Sioux defensemen:

A three-assist weekend against Robert Morris gave Genoway 87 for his career, moving him in to a tie for seventh all-time among defensemen at UND, while his 24 goals tie him for eighth all-time (see charts at top right):

Genoway scored the game-winning goal on Nov. 26 against No. 11 Notre Dame, the seventh GWG of his career, one shy of Nick Fuher's (2001-05) school record for defensemen:

ON THE PLUS SIDE: Genoway and defense partner Ben Blood (Jr., Plymouth, Minn.) are a combined +27 over UND's last nine games.

Blood leads the team with a +14 this season

OH DANNY BOY: Sophomore forward Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie, Minn.), whose empty net goal on Saturday against Robert Morris turned out to be the game-winner, is riding a six-game point streak with two goals and nine assists during that time.

Prior to his current streak, Kristo had accounted for only five points (1g, 4a) in his first 17 games.

Kristo was the 2009-10 WCHA Rookie of the Year after leading all conference rookies in points (36) and goals (15).

KILL OR BE KILLED: UND's penalty killing units have successfully thwarted 20 straight opponent power-plays dating back to the second period at Minnesota State on Dec. 12.

The Sioux PK went a perfect 9-for-9 in the Robert Morris series.

UND ranks second in the WCHA in penalty killing (all games) at 86.8 percent, trailing only Colorado College's 87.1 percent.

THE 'PONY EXPRESS' DELIVERS: During UND's seven-game winning streak, the "Pony Express" line of seniors Matt Frattin (Edmonton, Alberta), Brad Malone (Sr. Miramichi, New Brunswick) and Evan Trupp (Sr., Anchorage, Alaska) has combined for 31 points and a +25 plus/minus rating.

Both Malone and Trupp had career-best six-game point streaks snapped last Saturday. Malone recorded five goals and seven assists during that stretch, while Trupp accounted for four goals and four assists.

OH WHAT A KNIGHT: Sophomore center Corban Knight (High River, Alberta), who has a career-high 23 points, has won 50 of 69 faceoffs (72.5 percent) over his last four games. He won a blistering 29 of 36 (80.1 percent) in the Robert Morris series last weekend.

As a team, UND is winning 56.5 percent of its faceoffs this season.

THE TWO JAKES: Senior defenseman Jake Marto (Grand Forks, N.D.) has played forward for each of UND's last seven games.

During those seven games, Marto has two goals (one GWG) and three assists with a +5 rating.

In last Friday's 8-0 win over Robert Morris, Marto had a goal and two assists for his third career three-point game and first of the season.

Marto played four games at forward as a freshman in 2007-08.

HEX MARKS THE SPOT: Junior winger Brett Hextall (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) returned to the Sioux lineup last Friday after missing five games due to an injury and immediately provided a boost.

Hextall scored a shorthanded goal on Friday, the first allowed this season by Robert Morris, and helped UND go 3-for-4 on the power-play.

During Hextall's career, UND's power-play is at 20.4 percent when he is in the lineup (94 games) compared to just 10.0 percent without him (15 games).

SIOUX-PER MARIO: The Sioux are 9-0-0 all-time when junior forward Mario Lamoureux (Grand Forks, N.D.) scores a goal.

In 21 games this season, Lamoureux has a goal and six assists for seven points, with five of those points (1g, 4a) coming in the last six games.

ROAD WARRIORS: With a 5-0 win at UMD on Dec. 30, the Sioux ran their 2010-11 road record to 8-3-1, including a 7-1-0 mark in the WCHA.

Last season the Sioux were 8-7-1 on the road, including a 7-6-1 conference record.

EIDS WIDE SHUT: Junior goalie Brad Eidsness' (Chestermere, Alberta) enters the week with 87 career apperances between the pipes, which ranks him sixth all-time at UND. Toby Kvalevog (1993-97) is the program's all-time leader with 121 career games played:
Eidsness is also just one win from becoming only the seventh Sioux goalie to win 50 career games.

In nine career games against Minnesota, Eidsness is 5-2-2 with a 2.08 goals against average and a .910 save percentage.

300: Senior center Brad Malone (Miramichi, New Brunswick) is on the verge of becoming only the seventh player in Sioux history to amass 300 career penalty minutes (see right):

With 20 points (7g, 13a) in 22 games this season, Malone is well on his way to eclipsing the career-high 25 points (11g, 14a) he registed last season.

Malone ranks fourth on the team in scoring and is tied with Corban Knight (So., High River, Alberta) for the team lead with three game-winning goals.

PROVING THEIR MEDAL: Freshmen Derek Forbort (Duluth, Minn.) and Brock Nelson (Warroad, Minn.) helped the United States win the bronze medal at the 2011 IIHF World Junior Championship in Buffalo, N.Y.

Forbort and Nelson, both first-round NHL draft picks last summer, became the 30th and 31st players to represent UND on the U.S. National Junior roster dating back to 1979.

The Sioux hockey program has now had 45 total participants in the prestigious World Junior Hockey Championship, representing the United States, Canada and Slovakia.

SCOUTS HONOR: One current Sioux and three future Sioux appeared in the midseason NHL draft rankings released by Central Scouting on Monday.

Freshman defenseman Dillon Simpson (Edmonton, Alberta), who has one goal and four assists in 17 games for UND this season, was ranked No. 115 among North American skaters.

The rankings also included three Sioux recruits: forwards J.T. Miller (No. 13), Rocco Grimaldi (No. 25) and Colten St. Clair (No. 83).

FEELING A DRAFT: UND's 2010-11 roster includes 16 players who have been drafted by National Hockey League teams. The group includes goalie Brad Eidsness (Buffalo), defensemen Ben Blood (Ottawa), Derek Forbort (Los Angeles), Joe Gleason (Chicago) Derrick LaPoint (Florida) and Andrew MacWilliam (Toronto), and forwards Brett Bruneteau (Washington), Mike Cichy (Montreal), Matt Frattin (Toronto), Jason Gregoire (New York Islanders), Brett Hextall (Phoenix), Corban Knight (Florida), Danny Kristo (Montreal), Brad Malone (Colorado), Brock Nelson (New York Islanders) and Derek Rodwell (New Jersey).

A total of 26 Sioux have been drafted during the tenure of seventh-year head coach Dave Hakstol, including first-rounders Forbort (Los Angeles, 2010), Nelson (New York Islanders, 2010), Jonathan Toews (Chicago, 2006), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis, 2005), Brian Lee (Ottawa, 2005) and Joe Finley (Washington, 2005).

ALL IN THE FAMILY: UND's 2009-10 roster features four players who have had family members previously play for the Fighting Sioux: defenseman Chay Genoway (Sr., Morden, Manitoba) and forwards Mario Lamoureux (Jr., Grand Forks, N.D.), Brett Hextall (Jr., Manhattan Beach, Calif.), Brock Nelson (Fr., Warroad, Minn.).

Genoway's brother, Colby, was a forward at UND from 2002-05 and scored 81 points in 115 career games. He played professionally in the Czech Republic and Finland last season.

Lamoureux's family ties to the program are extensive. His brother, Jean-Philippe, was a goalie at UND from 2004-08 and is the school's all-time co-leader in goals against average (2.14). His father, Pierre, was a goalie for the Sioux from 1979-82 and was a member of UND's 1982 NCAA championship team. Another brother, Pierre-Paul, is in his second year on UND's coaching staff as an assistant video coordinator, while twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique are sophomore forwards on the Fighting Sioux women's hockey team. Additionally, mother Linda was a swimmer at UND.

Hextall's great uncle, Dennis, was a forward at UND from 1964-66 and scored 101 career points in 63 career games. Hextall's hockey bloodlines extend to his father (Ron), grandfather (Bryan Jr.) and great grandfather (Bryan Sr.), each of whom enjoyed lengthy NHL careers. His father, Ron, is currently the assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.
Nelson had two uncles and one great uncle don the Kelly Green and White. Uncle Dave Christian played at UND from 1977-79 and won Olympic gold with the United States' famed "Miracle on Ice" team in 1980 before going on to play in more than 1,000 career NHL games with Winnipeg, Washington, Boston, St. Louis and Chicago. Another uncle, Eddie Christian, played for the Sioux from 1980-84. Nelson's great uncle, Gordon "Ginny" Christian played at UND from 1947-50 and won Olympic silver with the United States in 1956.

FOREVER SIOUX: Every member of UND's coaching staff and support staff is a graduate of the University of North Dakota.

Head coach Dave Hakstol (1989-92), associate head coach Cary Eades (1978-82), assistant coach Dane Jackson (1988-92) and volunteer assistant Karl Goerhing (1998-2001) each played for the Fighting Sioux.

Additionally, director of hockey operations Pat Swanson (2002), athletic trainer and strength coach Mark Poolman (1992), team physician Dr. Greg Greek and media relations director Jayson Hajdu (2000) are also UND graduates.

PRO-FILES: When former Sioux defenseman Taylor Chorney made his season debut with Edmonton on Tuesday, he became the 14th former Sioux to play in the National Hockey League in 2010-11: Jason Blake (Anaheim Ducks), Taylor Chorney (Edmonton Oilers), Mike Commodore (Columbus Blue Jackets), Matt Greene (Los Angeles Kings), David Hale (Ottawa Senators), Ryan Johnson (Chicago Blackhawks), Brian Lee (Ottawa Senators), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis Blues), Zach Parise (New Jersey Devils), Chris Porter (St. Louis Blues), Matt Smaby (Tampa Bay Lightning), Drew Stafford (Buffalo Sabres), Jonathan Toews (Chicago Blackhawks), Travis Zajac (New Jersey Devils).

Toews captained the Blackhawks to a Stanley Cup championship last season, while also leading Canada to a gold medal at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver, where he was named the tournament's top forward.

An additional five former Sioux are currently in the NHL coaching ranks: reigning Jack Adams Trophy winner Dave Tippett (head coach, Phoenix Coyotes), Brad Berry (assistant coach, Columbus Blue Jackets), James Patrick (assistant coach, Buffalo Sabres), Steve Peters (video coach, Phoenix Coyotes) and Rick Wilson (assistant coach, Minnesota Wild). A sixth coach, Edmonton Oilers head coach Tom Renney, graduated from UND but did not play for the Sioux.

Also of note:

Former Sioux defenseman, Brad Bombardir, is the director of player development for the Minnesota Wild.

Former Sioux assistant coach Don Boyd is the
Columbus Blue Jackets' assistant general manager.

Former Sioux forward Troy Murray is the radio color analyst for the Chicago Blackhawks.

Ron Hextall, father of current Sioux forward Brett Hextall, is the vice president/assistant general manager of the Los Angeles Kings.