The ninth-ranked Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team opens the 2018-19 season with an exhibition at 4 p.m. Saturday against a familiar foe from the previous two seasons, though one that has undergone major changes in the last year.

The Bulldogs and Minnesota Whitecaps will meet for the sixth time in three seasons Saturday at Amsoil Arena, though now the Twin Cities-based organization isn’t just an elite senior team. The Whitecaps are now a professional franchise after becoming the fifth and Western-most member of the National Women’s Hockey League.

“I’m really excited for them to be in the NWHL this year because it just enhances their viability and credibility,” said UMD coach Maura Crowell, whose team went 2-0-1 in three exhibitions with the Whitecaps last year and 1-1 in two games in 2016-17. The teams meet for one more exhibition this season on Nov. 3 in Duluth.

“I personally like it as a good tune-up, otherwise we’re going right into (Boston College) the following weekend, followed by Minnesota, followed by Wisconsin,” Crowell said. “To get an opportunity to get our feet wet a little bit is huge.”

Coached by Jack Brodt and Ronda Engelhardt - not Robb and Shivaun Stauber as originally reported - the Whitecaps’ inaugural NWHL roster is loaded with three 2018 Olympic gold medalists from Pyeongchang in defenseman Lee Stecklein and forwards Kendall Coyne Schofield and Hannah Brandt.

The squad also features a pair of former Bulldogs in Emma Stauber (2011-15) of Duluth and Katie McGovern (2013-17).

Of course, UMD features an Olympic gold medalist of its own in junior goaltender Maddie Rooney. The WCHA Preseason Player of the Year, who redshirted last season to backstop Team USA, is expected to return to the Bulldogs’ crease Saturday for the first time since March 11, 2017. She’ll play part, but not all, of the exhibition.

Crowell said Friday during the team’s media day that all nine freshmen are expected to play as well with No. 4 Boston College visiting Amsoil Arena next weekend.

WCHA play begins Oct. 5-6 with a visit by No. 3 Minnesota, followed by a trip to No. 2 Wisconsin on Oct. 13-14.

“We have three massive weekends coming up after (this weekend) with BC, Minnesota and Wisconsin so we want this to be a good, tough game,” Crowell said of tonight’s exhibition.

MINNESOTA WHITECAPS AT UMD

What: Exhibition

When: 4 p.m. Saturday

Where: Amsoil Arena

Internet: flohockey.tv (video)

Twitter: @UMDWHockey