Nov. 6-7, 2009 • 6:07/6:37 pm CT • John J. MacInnes Ice Arena (4,128) • Houghton, Mich.
RADIO: 96.1 The Fox (KQHT-FM) • Webcast: FightingSioux.com
TV: None

THIS WEEK: After a week off, the third-ranked Fighting Sioux return to action this weekend when they travel to Michigan Tech on Friday and Saturday at John J. MacInnes Ice Arena in Houghton.

The puck drops at 6:07 p.m. Central on Friday and 6:37 p.m. Central on Saturday. Saturday's is MTU's Hall of Fame Game.

UND enters the weekend in a four-way tie for third place in the WCHA with five points, two points behind first-place Colorado College and Denver. MTU is tied for ninth with two points.

MEDIA INFORMATION: 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 returns for his 30th season as the voice of the Fighting Sioux. Please note that Saturday's game will be heard on 100.3 FM (Cat Country) due to a programming conflict with UND football.

Video webcasts of this weekend's games will be available at FightingSioux.com, courtesy of the Michigan Tech sports information department.

FREE live stats are available at MichiganTechHuskies.com and FREE audio is available at FightingSioux.com.

TICKET INFORMATION: For ticket information, call the MTU ticket office at (906) 487-2073 or visit MichiganTechHuskies.com.

ABOUT MICHIGAN TECH: The Huskies are coming off of a home split last weekend with St. Cloud State, winning the opener 3-1 before falling by the same 3-1 score ... Freshman G Kevin Genoe earned his first collegiate win Friday, stopping 26 of the 27 shots he faced ... Sophomore F Brett Olson had a three-point weekend (1g, 2a) against SCSU to extend his point streak to four games. Olson currently ranks tied for fourth in the WCHA in scoring with a team-high 10 points (4g, 6a) ... Senior F Malcolm Gwilliam (right) had a goal and an assist against SCSU and is on a four-game point streak. He is tied for third in the WCHA with five goals ... MTU will induct seven new members into its Sports Hall of Fame this weekend, including three hockey inductees: former player and coach Herb Boxer, former sports information director Dave Fischer, and long-time supporter John Opie.

MICHIGAN TECH COACHING STAFF: Jamie Russell (MTU ‘89) is in his seventh year at the helm of his alma mater and is 63-141-32 (.335) overall entering the weekend.

Russell is assisted by Chris Tok (Wisconsin ‘96) and Pat Mikesch (MTU ‘96).

SERIES HISTORY: UND holds a 136-90-9 (.598) edge in the all-time series with MTU and is 57-55-5 (.509) all-time in Houghton.

Last season UND went 3-1-1 against Michigan Tech, including a first-round sweep in the WCHA playoffs. The Sioux took three of four points from the Huskies in a January trip to Houghton, tying 3-3 and winning 5-0.

Senior F Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead, Minn.) and senior D Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) lead all active Sioux with 10 career points in 13 games against MTU.

POLL POSITION: UND remains ranked No. 2 in this week's USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and No. 3 in the USCHO.com/CBS College Sports poll. The Sioux are also ranked No. 2 in this week's Inside College Hockey Power Rankings.

Please refer to page three for complete national poll information.

UND'S LAST ACTION: The Sioux last played Oct. 23-24 at Alaska Anchorage, earning a WCHA road split with the Seawolves.

Five different players scored in Friday's 5-0 win, while freshman G Aaron Dell (Airdrie, Alberta) stopped all 16 shots he faced to nab a shutout in his first career start. Dell also added an assist for good measure, while VandeVelde chipped in with a pair of assists. UND went 3-for-7 on the power-play and 7-for-7 on the penalty kill.

The Seawolves built a 2-0 second-period lead on Saturday and held on for the 2-1 win. Senior F Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) scored the lone goal for the Sioux, who were held without a power-play goal for the first time this season and gave up a power-play tally for the first time. Sophomore G Brad Eidsness (Chestermere, Alberta) was tagged with his first loss of the year.

DUDE, WE'VE GOT A DELL: With the 16-save shutout on Oct. 23 at UAA, freshman G Aaron Dell (Airdrie, Alberta) joined Billy Kriski (11/04/72 at Michigan) as the only Sioux ever to record a WCHA road shutout in their first collegiate start.

Dell became just the sixth UND goalie overall to post a shutout in his collegiate debut. None of the previous five went on to repeat the feat in their second start.

With an assist in the same game at UAA, Dell became the first goalie in Sioux history to record both a shutout and an assist in his collegiate debut.

38 SPECIAL: Dell's start on Oct. 23 ended a streak of 38 consecutive starts by sophomore G Brad Eidsness (Chestermere, Alberta), which goes in the books as the third-longest starting streak in UND history (right).

In five games this season, Eidsness is 3-1-1 with a 1.78 goals against average and .906 save percentage.

He ranks fourth all-time at UND in career goals against average (2.47), fifth in save percentage (.906) and ninth in winning percentage (.656.)

KILL OR BE KILLED: UND enters the series at Michigan Tech boasting the best penalty-killing team in the nation, killing opposing power-plays at a 96.4 percent rate (27-for-28) through the first six games.

The Sioux opened the season with 23 consecutive kills before finally allowing a goal to UAA early in the second period of their Saturday game (Oct. 24).

POWER HUNGRY: The Sioux power-play has also been extremely effective early in the year, clicking at a 24.3 percent rate (9-for-37) to rank second in the WCHA and 13th in the country.

UND had scored at least one goal in each of its first five games before going 0-for-4 in the Saturday, Oct. 24, loss at Alaska Anchorage.

Senior D Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) leads the team with four PPG, tying his career high. Junior D Jake Marto (Grand Forks) has two PPG.

ON THE DEFENSIVE: UND enters this weekend's play tied with Colorado College as the top defensive team in the WCHA, allowing only 1.50 goals per game through the first month of the season.

UND has allowed an average of just 18.7 shots per game and has yet to yield more than 22 shots in a single game this season.

Through the first six games of the season, UND has averaged a 34-19 edge in shots on goal, including a 23-12 advantage over the final two periods.

BALANCING ACT: UND has scored 21 goals through the first six games despite just one multi-goal performance by any individual (two goals by Chay Genoway on Oct. 17 vs. Minnesota).

Twelve different Sioux have already scored goals this season and 16 of the 20 skaters who have seen game action have already notched at least one point. That does not include sophomore G Aaron Dell (Airdrie, Alberta) and his one assist.

WE'RE GOING STREAKING: Linemates Mario Lamoureux (So., Grand Forks) and Darcy Zajac (Sr., Winnipeg, Manitoba) are each riding career-best four-game point streaks, the longest current streaks on the team.

Lamoureux has two goals and two assists during that stretch and is already approaching the six points he scored in 24 games as a freshman last year.

Zajac has a goal and three assists during his current four-game run. When Zajac scored UND's lone goal in an Oct. 24 loss at Alaska Anchorage, it marked the first time the Sioux had ever lost when Zajac scored a goal. UND is now 12-1-2 all-time when Zajac finds the net.

QUICK ON THE DRAW: North Dakota has held the edge in faceoffs in each of its first six games this season and has won 59.2 percent of its faceoffs overall.

Junior F Brad Malone (Miramichi, New Brunswick) has been outstanding in the faceoff circle, winning a team-leading 69.5 percent (66-for-95) of his draws.

Senior F Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead, Minn.) has won 59.1 percent of his faceoffs and senior F Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba) has won 57.1 percent.

CAPTAIN CLUTCH: Senior D and Sioux captain Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) tied for the lead among all DI defensemen during the month of October with four power-play goals, already matching his career high.

Genoway, the UND leader in points (seven), goals (four) and power-play goals, is the leading scorer among active WCHA defensemen with 87 career points and is bidding to become only the 11th rearguard in UND history to reach the 100-point plateau.

Genoway has already topped the three goals he scored last season when he was a second-team All-American and the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year.

Genoway's six career game-winning goals are tied for second all-time by a Sioux defenseman, trailing only the eight scored by Nick Fuher from 2001-05, and his 12 career power-play tallies rank seventh among Sioux defensemen.

CLIMBING THE COACHING LADDER: UND head coach Dave Hakstol enters this weekend with 134 career victories, fourth most in UND history and 15 shy of Rube Bjorkman (1968-78) for third all-time.

Only John "Gino" Gasparini (392 wins from 1978-94) and Dean Blais (262 wins from 1994-04) won more games at UND than Hakstol.

HOME SWEET HOME: After taking three of four points from Minnesota Oct. 16-17 in Grand Forks, the Sioux are now unbeaten in their last 16 straight home games (including playoffs), posting a 13-0-3 record during that stretch. UND is 27-4-5 (.819) at home since the start of January 2008.

UND has played in front of a capacity crowd in 21 consecutive conference home games at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

The Sioux have sold out 37 of the last 45 home games over the past two-plus seasons at the 11,634-seat "Ralph."

BLINK AND YOU'LL MISS IT: Sophomore F Jason Gregoire's (Winnipeg, Manitoba) goal 39 seconds into UND's season opener was the second-fastest UND goal on record to open a season (UND's box score records are incomplete prior to the 1966-67 season).

The fastest Sioux goal to open a season is six seconds, scored by Lee Davidson on Oct. 13, 1989 against Alabama-Huntsville. That goal is also the fastest Sioux goal to open any period.

MANY HAPPY RETURNS: UND welcomes back 15 letterwinners from last year's team that captured the MacNaughton Cup and advanced to the NCAA tournament.

Highlighting the returnees are reigning WCHA Defensive Player of the Year and AHCA All-America defenseman Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) and All-WCHA third-team goaltender Brad Eidsness (Chestermere, Alberta).

Senior F Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead, Minn.), who scored a career-high 35 points last season, is the team's top returning scorer and is one of nine returning players who notched at least 10 points in 2009-10.

FAB FROSH: The Sioux roster also includes 10 freshmen in 2009-10, UND's largest incoming freshman class since 2005-06, when 13 rookies donned the Kelly Green and White.

That 2005-06 class included the likes of 2007 Hobey Baker Award winner Ryan Duncan and current NHLers Jonathan Toews (Chicago), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis) and Brian Lee (Ottawa).

In fact, 11 members of that 13-player 2005-06 freshman class, eight of whom graduated as seniors last season, are currently playing professional hockey.

:GENOWAY, CICHY HONORED: A pair of Sioux were recognized when InsideCollegeHockey.com announced its 2009-10 preseason All-America and all-rookie teams.

Senior D Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) was named to the INCH preseason All-America third team. Last season, Genoway was named a second-team All-American and the WCHA Defensive Player of the Year after collecting a career-high 32 points. He was also named an ESPN the Magazine Academic All-American and a WCHA Scholar-Athlete.

Said INCH: "Genoway is college hockey's version of Illinois quarterback Juice Williams-it seems like he's been at North Dakota forever. Fighting Sioux fans wouldn't mind a few extra years of his production. The reigning WCHA Defensive Player of the Year is also a dangerous threat on offense; he's scored 80 points in three seasons, including a career-high 32 points last season."

Genoway, this year's team captain, enters the season with 80 career points and is aiming to become just the 11th defenseman in school history to reach the 100-point plateau for his career.

Freshman F Michael Cichy (New Hartford, Conn.) was named to INCH's preseason All-Rookie team. A seventh-round draft pick of the Montreal Canadiens in the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Cichy led the Indiana Ice to a United States Hockey League championship and was named the league's playoff MVP with 25 points (including a USHL-record 16 assists) in 16 games. He totalled 76 points in 56 regular season games.

FEELING A DRAFT: UND enters the 2009-10 season with a roster that includes 15 players who have been drafted by National Hockey League teams. The group includes goalie Brad Eidsness (Buffalo), defensemen Andrew MacWilliam (Toronto), Derrick LaPoint (Florida), Corey Fienhage (Buffalo), Joe Gleason (Chicago) and Ben Blood (Ottawa) and forwards Danny Kristo (Montreal), Michael Cichy (Montreal), Corban Knight (Florida), Brett Bruneteau (Washington), Jason Gregoire (New York Islanders), David Toews (New York Islanders), Brad Malone (Colorado), Brett Hextall (Phoenix) and Chris VandeVelde (Edmonton).

A total of 24 Sioux have been drafted during the tenure of sixth-year head coach Dave Hakstol, including first-rounders Jonathan Toews (Chicago, 2006), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis, 2005), Brian Lee (Ottawa, 2005) and Joe Finley (Washington, 2005).

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 Scott Koberinski (1985-89) each played for the Fighting Sioux.

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

SEA TO SHINING SEA: So much for the notion that hockey is a "regional sport." UND junior F Brad Malone (Miramichi, New Brunswick) is the first New Brunswick native to ever play for the Sioux while sophomore F Brett Hextall (Manhattan Beach, Calif.) is the first Californian to suit up for the Sioux.

Freshman Michael Cichy (New Hartford, Conn.) is just the second native of Connecticut to ever play for the Sioux and the first since Frank Morgan way back in 1951-52.

Below is a geographical breakdown of the entire 2009-10 Sioux roster:

• Minnesota (6): Ben Blood (Plymouth), Corey Fienhage (Apple Valley), Joe Gleason (Edina), Ryan Hill (Hermantown), Danny Kristo (Eden Prairie), Chris VandeVelde (Moorhead)
• Alberta (5): Aaron Dell (Airdrie), Brad Eidsness (Chestermere), Corban Knight (High River), Andrew MacWilliam (Calgary), Carter Rowney (Sexsmith)
• Manitoba (5): Brent Davidson (Morden), Chay Genoway (Morden), Jason Gregoire (Winnipeg), David Toews (Winnipeg), Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg)
• North Dakota (2): Mario Lamoureux (Grand Forks), Jake Marto (Grand Forks)
• Alaska (1): Evan Trupp (Anchorage)
• California (1): Brett Hextall (Manhattan Beach)
• Colorado (1): Tate Maris (Denver)
• Connecticut (1): Michael Cichy (New Hartford)
• Nebraska (1): Brett Bruneteau (Omaha)
• New Brunswick (1): Brad Malone (Miramichi)
• Wisconsin (1): Derrick LaPoint (Eau Claire)

ALL IN THE FAMILY: UND's 2009-10 roster features five players who have had family members previously play for the Fighting Sioux: defenseman Chay Genoway (Morden, Manitoba) and forwards Mario Lamoureux (Grand Forks), Brett Hextall (Manhattan Beach, Calif.), David Toews (Winnipeg, Manitoba) and Darcy Zajac (Winnipeg, Manitoba).

Genoway, Toews and Zajac each have older brothers who once played at UND, Lamoureux's father and brother played for the Sioux and Hextall has a great uncle who played for the Sioux.

• Genoway's brother, Colby, was a forward at UND from 2002-05 and scored 81 points in 115 career games. He most recently played for the Manitoba Moose of the AHL.
• 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.
• Lamoureux's 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 first year as UND's student-assistant coach while twin sisters Jocelyne and Monique are sophomore forwards on the Fighting Sioux women's hockey team. Both are currently pursuing rosters spots on the U.S. Olympic team.
• Toews' brother, Jonathan, was a forward at UND from 2005-07, scoring 85 points in 76 career games and earning All-America honors in 2007. He is now the captain of the Chicago Blackhawks.
• Zajac's brother, Travis, scored 96 points in 91 games from 2004-06 and currently plays for the New Jersey Devils.

WELCOME TO THE SHOW: Twelve former Sioux have seen action in the NHL this season: Jason Blake (Toronto), Taylor Chorney (Edmonton), Mike Commodore (Columbus), Matt Greene (Los Angeles), David Hale (Tampa Bay), Ryan Johnson (Vancouver), Brian Lee (Ottawa), T.J. Oshie (St. Louis), Zach Parise (New Jersey), Drew Stafford (Buffalo), Jonathan Toews (Chicago) and Travis Zajac (New Jersey).

Seventeen former Fighting Sioux played in the NHL last season, the most of any team in the WCHA and UND's most since sending 21 in 1993-94. Additionally, four former Sioux can be found in the NHL coaching ranks, including Phoenix head coach Dave Tippett, Tampa Bay assistant coach Rick Wilson, Buffalo assistant coach James Patrick and Phoenix video coach Steve Peters.

~Go Sioux~