The Bemidji State women’s hockey team returns to Sanford Center for the first time since Nov. 19 to host No. 2 University of Minnesota Duluth in a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series. The Beavers (9-12-1, 5-12-1 WCHA) host the second-ranked Bulldogs (15-4-3, 12-4-2-1 WCHA) a week after the Bulldogs swept then No. 2 University of Minnesota.

The Beavers and Bulldogs series this weekend will be the 81st and 82nd meeting between the two teams with Minnesota Duluth owning the series record at 65-12-3. The Beavers went 0-1-1 at Minnesota Duluth in their earlier meeting Oct. 21-22 with the Beavers falling in the shootout Saturday, Oct. 22. Emma Terres led the Beavers with two goals and three points in the series after totaling all three points on Saturday. Head coach Jim Scanlan is 8-6-1 in his career against the Bulldogs while UMD head coach Maura Crowell 3-4-1 against the Beavers.

With an assist against OSU Jan. 13, senior Madison Hutchinson continues to lead BSU blueliners in scoring. She has a total of 11 points (4g-7a) and is tied for eighth among defensemen in the WCHA.

Three freshmen forwards for the Beavers have begun to find their strides this season. Haley Mack, Kiki Radke and Abby Halluska rank sixth, seventh and eighth in scoring for the Beavers this season.

Mack leads the freshmen with 10 points (2g-8a) and is seventh in the conference among freshman scoring. Radke and Halluska have each totaled eight points this season and are tied for 10th.

The Beavers’ power-play unit was able to score in both games against Ohio State going 2-for-8 over the weekend. Bemidji State has now scored a power-play goal in five consecutive games and are fourth in the WCHA with a .136 percentage (12-of-88).