Defending NCAA Division I champion Minnesota Duluth begins its first full season at Amsoil Arena with a nonconference series against Notre Dame, which the Bulldogs beat, 4-3, in last month's Frozen Four semifinals, according to its schedule , which was released today by the university.
The series is Oct. 7-8 and comes after UMD's Oct. 2 exhibition home game against Lakehead University. The Bulldogs open Western Collegiate Hockey Association play Oct. 14-15 at home against Minnesota.
UMD plays its first road series of the season Oct. 21-22 against Providence in Providence, R.I.
"In terms of a home and away balance, this is certainly a unique schedule," Scott Sandelin, UMD's coach for 11 seasons, said in a news release. "We play 10 of our first 14 games in Duluth, but after Nov. 19, we won't be back home for almost two months. I don't think I've ever seen anything quite like that."
The Bulldogs also have home dates against Bemidji State, Alaska Anchorage, Minnesota State-Mankato, Alabama Huntsville, Michigan Tech, North Dakota and Colorado College.
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Road dates include games at Denver, Western Michigan and Nebraska-Omaha. UMD will face Alaska Anchorage, Michigan Tech and Minnesota State-Mankato four times next season.
Season-ticket information will be available in late May, with single-game tickets set to go on sale in mid- to late September.
The Bulldogs were 26-10-6 during the 2010-11 season and won their first NCAA men's hockey title with a 3-2 overtime victory against Michigan on April 9 in St. Paul. UMD was fourth in the WCHA regular-season standings.
