Seawolves hope to end skid

Both Western Collegiate Hockey Association teams have too much keeping them up nights.

UAA is mired in a season-worst, seven-game losing streak that has dropped it to the basement of the 12-team circuit and represents the program's longest skid since 2006. The Seawolves are also 1-7-0 in league games on their home ice this season.

All that makes for a club in desperate need of victory, not just for its confidence but to fashion the beginnings of an escape from the cellar.

Minnesota-Duluth, despite its No. 1 national ranking in one poll and No. 2 designation in another, is not exactly coming off a feel-good weekend.

The Bulldogs last Friday dropped four first-period goals on visiting Michigan Tech -- and promptly were fed a 4-4 tie. Didn't get any better the next night, when Michigan Tech dropped a 5-0 anvil on the Bulldogs. That made for ugly math on the shores of Lake Superior -- the defending national champions surrendered nine unanswered goals.

That one-point weekend cost Minnesota-Duluth precious points in the WCHA standings, where it sits in second place, five points behind Minnesota, though with two games in hand.

Also, Minnesota-Duluth's power play checks in at 0 for 21 in the last six games.

All in all, one thing that shouldn't be lacking for either team this weekend is motivation.

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Find Doyle Woody's blog at adn.com/hockeyblog or call him at 257-4335.

Bullish against the bulldogs

In coach Dave Shyiak's seven seasons behind UAA's bench, Minnesota-Duluth is one of two WCHA opponents the Seawolves own a winning record against in league games on their home ice at Sullivan Arena. The Seawolves have gone 4-3-1 in that span against the Bulldogs at Sullivan, a mark second to their 5-2-3 mark against Michigan Tech. Here's how the Seawolves have done in WCHA games at Sullivan in Shyiak's tenure:

Opponent UAA's Home-Ice Record Vs. Winning %

Michigan Tech 5-2-3 .650

Minn.-Duluth 4-3-1 .563

Nebraska-Omaha 1-1-0 .500

Colorado College 4-6-0 .400

North Dakota 4-6-0 .400

Minn. St.-Mankato 2-6-4 .333

Wisconsin 2-5-1 .313

St. Cloud State 3-7-0 .300

Minnesota 1-8-1 .150

Denver 1-10-1 .125

TOTALS 27-54-11 .353

Today and Saturday

HOCKEY: No. 1 / 2 Minnesota-Duluth (17-5-4, 11-4-3 WCHA) at UAA (6-16-2, 3-16-1 WCHA) Tonight and Saturday night, 7:07, Sullivan Arena

RADIO: LIVE, AM-550 KTZN

TV: Tape delayed, GCI cable Channel 1, 10:30 p.m.