#3 MINNESOTA DULUTH vs. #1 NORTH DAKOTA
Dec. 10, 2020
Baxter Arena
7:35 pm CT
All-time Series: UND leads 148-86-10 (.627)

TV
PxP: Alex Heinert
Analyst: Jake Brandt
Midco SportsNet
Web: nchc.tv

RADIO
PxP: Tim Hennessy
Radio: 96.1 FM (Flagship) & Home of Economy Radio  Network
Web: FightingHawks.com  

ON TAP
Top-ranked UND takes on rival third-ranked Minnesota Duluth Thursday evening in the NCHC pod. North Dakota suffered its first loss of the season in its last outing as No. 9/8 Denver used a late power play to sneak past the Fighting Hawks, 3-2. 

BROADCAST INFORMATION
All 38 games in the #NCHCpod will be telecast live on Midco Sports Network, the primary TV home of North Dakota hockey. Alex Heinert does the play-by-play for nine of UND's games, with former Fighting Sioux goalie Jake Brandt handling the color analysis. Ben Holden and Dave Starman will call one of North Dakota's games in the pod as well.  All games will also be available for purchase via streaming on NCHC.tv by buying a pod pass, a team-specific season pass or a full season pass which includes all NCHC games. See nchc.tv for pricing structures.

All UND men's hockey games, home and away, can be heard on stations across the UND Sports Home of Economy Radio Network, as well as through the iHeart Radio app. The flagship station for the network is 96.1 FM (The Fox). Longtime broadcaster Tim Hennessy, in his 42nd season as the voice of UND men's hockey, calls the action while Steve Olson will provide color analysis when the season resumes regular series play.

SOCIAL MEDIA
Follow the action live by following @UNDmhockey and @UNDInsider on Twitter. Fans can also read the action via live chat at GrandForksHerald.com with beat writer Brad Schlossman.

LAST TIME AGAINST THE BULLDOGS
These teams met just twice last season, a two-game series in Duluth, Minn., Jan. 24-25. UMD took a 7-4 win Friday before UND rallied for the split with a 3-2 victory Saturday, coming back from a third-period deficit. 

SERIES HISTORY WITH THE BULLDOGS
North Dakota has a 148-86-10 lead in the all-time series between the two teams. 

PAIR OF FRESHMEN D OFF WITH TEAM USA
Jake Sanderson was named to the preliminary roster for the US National Junior Team last Monday. Tyler Kleven was also recently added to that 29-man squad in the hopes of making the 25 that will travel to Edmonton, Alberta for the 2021 IIHF World Junior Tournament, Dec. 25-Jan. 2. 

NCHCPOD HONORS
Shane Pinto (Forward of the Week) and Ethan Frisch (Defenseman of the Week) picked up the first weekly honors for North Dakota after their play helped UND to a 3-0-0 start in the pod. Pinto talled a team-best five points with a pair of goals and three assists while Frisch had three points (G, 2A) and led the team with a +5 rating and 5 blocks. It was the second weekly award for Pinto in his career after being named the Rookie of the Week on Feb 3 last season while it marked the first for Frisch. 

POLL POSITION
Five NCHC teams are ranked in this week's USCHO.com poll once again. UND sits atop the poll with Minnesota Duluth third, Denver ninth, St. Cloud State 13th and Omaha 18th. 

SPREADING IT OUT
North Dakota's 16 goals have come from 12 different players. Four players lead UND with two goals through four games: Jordan Kawguchi, Grant Mismash, Riese Gaber and Shane Pinto.  

POWER PLAY PROWESS
North Dakota's power play has been humming along in the early portion of the season. Heading into Thursday, UND's power play is operating at an NCAA-best 35 percent (7/20). 
UND has a power play goal in all four games this season and has scored on five of its last 11 chances over the last two games.

HE'S A WINNER
Jordan Kawaguchi paced the NCAA in game-winning points last season with 13. Already this year, he's been in on all three game-winning goals with a pair of helpers and an OT game-winning goal. 

QUICK DRAW
North Dakota's centermen have been great in the faceoff dot, leading the NCAA in faceoff win percentage (.617). Shane Pinto's .711 win percentage leads the country among players that have taken at least a dozen draws.

PINTO PERFECTION
Shane Pinto won all 18 faceoff draws in Friday's prior meeting with Denver (Friday). The all-time leader in faceoff win percentage at UND, Pinto now is an impressive team-best  64/90 in the dot this season (.711)

PINTO POINTS
Shane Pinto leads North Dakota with seven points in the early going. He is already nearly halfway to his assist total from last season (12 last year, 5 in 2020-21). 

SCHEEL STANDARD
Scheel's career 2.06 goals against average currently ranks at the top of UND's record books for lowest GAA in a career. He sits well in front of leaders Cam Johnson and Zane McIntyre (2.10). His save percentage (.908) is just outside the top five in the UND record books.

DECEMBERS TO REMEMBER
In the Brad Berry era, the Fighting Hawks have recorded an impressive 16-4-1 record in the month of December. Only ONE of those wins is against an unranked team, the season-opening victory over Miami (2-0) this season. 

**Click here to view the complete game notes package (PDF)**