Minnesota–Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey


The Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs men's ice hockey team is a NCAA Division I college ice hockey program that represents the University of Minnesota Duluth. The Bulldogs are a member of the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The team plays home games at the 6,800-seat AMSOIL Arena at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center.
The Bulldogs program has produced many NHL players such as Glenn 'Chico' Resch, Jim Johnson who is currently the assistant coach for the San Jose Sharks, Tom Kurvers, Dave Langevin, and Bob Mason. Perhaps the best known alumni of Minnesota-Duluth include Hockey Hall of Fame member Brett Hull, as well as Mark Pavelich and John Harrington, both of whom were members of the Miracle on Ice gold-medal winning 1980 U.S. Olympic Hockey Team. On April 9, 2011, the Bulldogs defeated the University of Michigan, 3–2 in overtime, to win its first NCAA Division I Championship. UMD captured its second national championship on April 7, 2018 with a 2–1 win over the University of Notre Dame, and its third championship on April 13, 2019, with a 3–0 win over the University of Massachusetts Amherst.

History

Early history

Duluth started its ice hockey team in 1930 but shuttered the program after only two years. Once the depression and World War II had ended, the Bulldogs rekindled the team and played as a minor independent for a few seasons before joining the MIAC as a provisional member. When UMD joined the MIAC fully in 1952 it coincided with the Bulldog's dominance of the conference. In its first two eligible seasons Minnesota–Duluth won the MIAC crown, going 15–2 in league play. After Bob Boyat's one season behind the bench where the team finished 2nd in conference, Connie Pleban took over and the Bulldogs ran roughshod over the MIAC. Duluth won six consecutive MIAC titles without losing a single game in league play. UMD also began to win against some of the major programs by the early 1960 and in 1962, with Ralph Romano now at the helm, the Duluth hockey team left the MIAC and played as an independent looking to promote itself as a major program.

WCHA

After four seasons the WCHA invited Minnesota–Duluth to join as its 8th member school. The addition of the Bulldogs allowed the WCHA to hold an 8-team conference tournament which meant that UMD would participate in the first championship in program history. Predictable the Bulldogs didn't fare well the first time out but that trend held for several seasons and it wasn't until 1971 that Duluth got its first postseason victory. More concerning was that, in its first 15 seasons in the WCHA, UMD could produce only 2 winning seasons and never finished above 5th place in the conference. All of that was set to change, however, when Mike Sertich was promoted to head coach in 1982.

1980s success

Under Sertich UMD made the NCAA Tournament three straight seasons from 1983 to 1985. The Bulldogs advanced to the NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament for the first time in school history in 1983, but were defeated by Providence College in a two-game series by the scores of 3–7 and 2–3.
In 1983–84 UMD won its first conference regular season title and conference postseason tournament to receive the program's second bid to the NCAA tournament. UMD defeated Clarkson University in the quarterfinals and advanced to the 1984 Frozen Four in Lake Placid, New York. UMD reached the title game by defeating WCHA foe, University of North Dakota, 2–1 in overtime. The championship game featured a match-up between Minnesota–Duluth and Bowling Green. After 60 minutes of hockey, the game remained tied, 4–4. Bowling Green's Gino Cavallini scored a goal in the fourth overtime to defeat UMD in the longest NCAA Division I ice hockey championship game in history, 97 minutes and 11 seconds of playing time.
For the third season in a row, the Bulldogs reached the NCAA tournament and for the second straight season UMD reached the Frozen Four. The team had their hopes for a national championship lost in another overtime game, this time a 6–5 semi-final loss in three overtimes to Rensselaer. The Bulldogs would rebound in the third place game to defeat Boston College, 2–1 in overtime.
Minnesota–Duluth next bid to the NCAA tournament would come in 1993. The Bulldogs faced Brown University in the first round, winning 7–3. UMD was defeated by Lake Superior State in the quarterfinals, 4–3. Lake Superior State would go on to the Frozen Four, losing in the national title game to Maine.

Recent history

UMD's next NCAA post-season berth came after an 11-year drought in 2004. The Bulldogs won the first game in the Midwest Regional, shutting out Michigan State 5–0. The win over Michigan State set up a game against WCHA rival and the defending back-to-back national champions, Minnesota. UMD advanced to the Frozen Four by defeating Minnesota 3–1 and faced another WCHA rival, Denver, in the semi-final game. After two periods, with UMD leading, it was looking very likely that UMD would make it into the NCAA Championship game since UMD hadn't lost all season when leading after two periods, but the Bulldogs lost to the Pioneers 5–3 after a four-goal third period by Denver.
The 2008–09 season marked a historic season for the Bulldogs. The 5th-seeded Minnesota–Duluth swept through the 2009 WCHA playoffs. UMD swept Colorado College in the opening round by scores of 4–1 and 3–1. The Bulldogs advanced to the WCHA Final Five and won 2–1 against Minnesota in the opening game at the Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minnesota; In the next game, the team beat North Dakota with a 3–0 shutout victory and advanced to the WCHA championship against Denver. Playing in the third game in three days, the Bulldogs shocked the crowd when the team defeated Denver with a 4–0 shutout win. The win over DU was the program's third WCHA Playoff Championship in the school's history and marked the first time that a 4th or 5th-seeded team had won the WCHA Final Five. The historic playoff run by UMD was punctuated by winning three games against ranked teams in three consecutive nights, including back-to-back shutouts from goaltender Alex Stalock; in addition to the shutouts, the Bulldogs allowed only three goals against through the entire WCHA playoffs.
With the WCHA title, Minnesota–Duluth secured an automatic bid to the 2009 NCAA Tournament. The Bulldogs entered tournament play and amazingly forced overtime by scoring two goals in the last 40 seconds of regulation and then scored in overtime for a 5–4 overtime win over Princeton. The team advanced to the West Regional final against first-ranked Miami. In the game the RedHawks took a 2–0 lead into the third period when the team rallied back and scored late in the game.
The 2010–11 season marked a historic year for the UMD program. On December 30, 2010, the Bulldogs moved into the new 6,800-seat AMSOIL Arena located at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. In 2011, the Bulldogs earned an at-large NCAA Tournament bid. They reached the Frozen Four for the fourth time in the school's history with 2–0 and 5–3 wins over Union College and Yale University, respectively. UMD was the only Minnesota team competing in the 2011 Frozen Four at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, essentially making it a home series for the team. On April 7, the Bulldogs defeated Notre Dame by a score of 4–3 to secure its first trip to the championship game since the 1983–84 season. On April 9, the Bulldogs beat the Michigan Wolverines 3–2 in overtime to win their first men's ice hockey championship in school history.
In the summer of 2011, Minnesota Duluth, along with five other schools, announced the formation of a new conference, known as the National Collegiate Hockey Conference. The conference will begin competition for the 2013–14 season with six founding members: Colorado College, University of Denver, Miami University, University of Minnesota Duluth, University of Nebraska Omaha and University of North Dakota. In the 2011–12 season, the Bulldogs would again make it to the NCAA Tournament. The team defeated Maine by a score of 5–2, but lost to Boston College 4–0 the following evening in the regional finals. Jack Connolly was awarded the 2012 Hobey Baker award on April 6, 2012 for his performance during the season.
Minnesota-Duluth returned to the NCAA Tournament during the 2014–2015 season where they defeated the University of Minnesota 4–1 in the Northeast Regional Semi-final before losing to Boston University, 3–2, in the Northeast Regional Final.
In 2016–17, the Bulldogs compiled a 28–7–7 record and advanced to their first Frozen Four since 2011, but lost to Denver 3–2 in the national championship game.
In the 2017–2018 season, the Bulldogs defeated the Notre Dame Fighting Irish 2–1 to win the national championship.
In the 2018–2019 season, the Bulldogs defeated the UMass Minutemen 3–0 to win the national championship for the second year in a row, the first back-to-back national champions since Denver repeated in 2004 and 2005 and the first team to play in three straight National Championship games since Boston College Eagles in 2006, 2007, and 2008.

Season-by-season results

Coaches

As of April 30, 2020

Statistical Leaders

Career points leaders

PlayerYearsGPGAPtsPIM
1976–198014679143222
1989–199313896123219
1982–198616876143219
1982–198510889121210
1979–198314899107206
1978–198214787116203
1972–197614610098198
2008–201216666131197
1963–196710275121196
1980–198416443149192

Career Goaltending Leaders

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Minimum 30 games
PlayerYearsGPMinWLTGASOSV%GAA
2016–202011970747637522917.9221.94
2014–2016754464372981566.9202.10
2009–20129454335226112159.9122.37
2006–200910160683944172519.9102.48
2012–201641228115184792.9022.66

Statistics current through the start of the 2020–21 season.

Players

Current roster

As of September 8, 2019.

Olympians

This is a list of Minnesota–Duluth alumni who have played on an Olympic team.

Awards and honors

[Hockey Hall of Fame]

Individual Awards

Hobey Baker Award
Spencer Penrose Award
Tim Taylor Award
Derek Hines Unsung Hero Award
NCAA Division I Ice Hockey Scoring Champion
Tournament Most Outstanding Player
AHCA First Team All-Americans
AHCA Second Team All-Americans

Individual Awards

Player of the Year
Outstanding Student-Athlete of the Year
Coach of the Year
Freshman of the Year
Most Valuable Player in Tournament
First Team All-WCHA
Second Team All-WCHA
Third Team All-WCHA
All-WCHA Rookie Team

Individual Awards

Rookie of the Year
Goaltender of the Year
Offensive Defenseman of the Year
Defensive Forward of the Year
Sportsmanship Award
Tournament MVP
First Team All-NCHC
Second Team All-NCHC
NCHC All-Rookie Team
PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Joey AndersonRight WingNJD2018–Present0
Greg AndrusakDefensemanPIT, TOR1993–20000
Pat BoutetteCenterTOR, HFD, PIT1975–19850
J. T. BrownRight WingTBL, ANA, MIN2011–Present0
Ron BusniukCenterBUF1972–19740
Mike ConnollyCenterCOL2011–20120
Chad EricksonGoaltenderNJD1991–19920
Justin FaulkDefensemanCAR2011–Present0
Jesse FibigerDefensemanSJS2002–20030
Rusty FitzgeraldCenterPIT1994–19960
Justin FontaineRight WingMIN2013–20160
Jason GarrisonDefensemanFLA, VAN, TBL, VGK, EDM2008–20190
Curt GilesDefensemanMNS, NYR, STL1979–19930
Guy GosselinDefensemanWPG1987–19880
Brett HauerDefensemanEDM, NSH1995–20020
Mark HeaslipRight WingNYR, LAK1980–19920
Rick HeinzGoaltenderSTL, VAN1980–19850
Phil HoeneCenterLAK1972–19750
Greg HubickDefensemanTOR, VAN1975–19800
Brett HullRight WingCGY, STL, ', ', PHO1985–20062
Alex IafalloLeft WingLAK2017–Present0
Adam JohnsonCenterPIT2018–Present0
Jim JohnsonDefensemanPIT, MNS, DAL, WSH, PHO1985–19980
Karson KuhlmanCenterBOS2018–Present0
Tom KurversDefenseman', BUF, NJD, TOR, VAN, NYI, ANA1984–19951
Dave LangevinDefenseman', MNS, LAK1979–19874
Walt LedinghamLeft WingCHI, NYI1972–19770
Junior LessardRight WingDAL, TBL2005–20080

PlayerPositionTeamYearsStanley Cup|
Chris LindbergLeft WingCGY, QUE1991–19940
Norm MaciverDefensemanNYR, HFD, EDM, OTT, PIT, WPG, PHO1986–19980
Chris MarinucciCenterNYI, LAK1994–19970
Bob MasonGoaltenderWSH, CHI, QUE, VAN1983–19910
Hunter MiskaGoaltenderARI2018–Present0
Jerome MrazekGoaltenderPHI1975–19760
Rick MrozikDefensemanCGY2002–20030
Matt NiskanenDefensemanDAL, PIT, '2007–Present1
Evan ObergDefensemanVAN, TBL2009–20120
Dylan OlsenDefensemanCHI, FLA2011–20160
Mark PavelichForwardNYR, MNS, SJS1981–19920
Mike PelusoRight WingCHI, PHI2001–20040
Neal PionkDefensemanNYR2017–Present0
Derek PlanteCenterBUF, ', CHI, PHI1993–20011
Shjon PodeinLeft WingEDM, PHI, ', STL1992–20031
Mason RaymondLeft WingVAN, TOR, CGY, ANA1975–19850
Chico ReschGoaltender', COR, NJD, PHI1973–19871
Jon RohloffDefensemanBOS1994–19970
Jay RosehillLeft WingTOR, PHI2009–20140
MacGregor SharpCenterANA2009–20100
Carson SoucyDefensemanMIN2017–20180
Alex StalockGoaltenderSJS, MIN2010–Present0
Tim StapletonRight WingTOR, ATL, WIN2008–20120
Dominic ToninatoCenterCOL2017–Present0
Dennis VaskeDefensemanNYI, BOS1990–19990
Bill WatsonForwardCHI1985–19890
Andy WelinskiDefensemanANA2017–Present0
Craig WellerLeft WingPHO, MIN2007–20090

WHA

Several players also were members of WHA teams.
PlayerPositionTeamYearsAvco World Trophy|
Ron BusniukCenterMFS, NEW, EDM1974–19780
Keith ChristiansenCenterMFS1972–19740
Murray KeoganForwardPHX, CAC1974–19780
Dave LangevinDefensemanEDM1976–19790
Thomas MilaniRight WingMFS1976–19770
Mike StevensDefensemanPHX, HOU1972–19750