Coach Sandelin brought in a large recruiting class led by 1st-round pick Isaac Howard to fill the open positions and, despite the uncertainty, UMD was expected to continue its high level of play.

[2] Freshman Ben Steeves filled in admirably and led the team with 21 goals, however, he was the only consistent scoring threat that the Bulldogs had.

Neither Zach Stejskal nor grad transfer Matthew Thiessen played particularly well and the decline in the crease caused Duluth no small measure of problems.

UMD got swept in the second weekend of the season, however, as that came on the road against last year's national runner-up, Minnesota State, no one was ready to hit the 'panic button'.

The Bulldogs were able to arrest their slide by taking advantage of Cornell in the Big Red's season debut but that reprieve didn't last.

By the beginning of December the team was going nowhere and, as they sunk further down the national rankings, the program's 7-year run of NCAA tournament appearance was getting ready to end.

When the Bulldogs began the second half of their season, they showed a renewed vigor against Bemidji State but that level of fight didn't last.

Zach Stejskal turned in a masterful game, stopping 30 shots in the final two periods to lead the Bulldogs to a win.