The No. 6/7 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will jump right into Western Collegiate Hockey Association action this weekend with a Friday-Saturday matinee series against No. 2 Ohio State University. The puck will drop on both games at 3:00 p.m.

HUGHES HEADS TO THE RAFTERS: On Saturday, 2023 Hockey Humanitarian winner Gabbie Hughes will have her very own banner raised to the ceiling of AMSOIL Arena.`

Hughes, a native of Lino Lakes, Minn., was the 28th honoree of the award dating back to 1996, the first-ever for any Bulldog hockey program, men or women's, and the third student-athlete from the Western Collegiate Hockey Association to be selected.  

Hughes made an impact statewide in Minnesota as an integral part of the Sophie's Squad organization, a non-profit that she helped co-found, to combat mental health that to date has earned more than $300k for mental health resources and advocacy in its less than two years existence.

CROWELL KEEPS CLIMBING: UMD's bench boss Maura Crowell earned her 250th win Friday night in UMD's opener against Long Island University.

In her ninth season, Crowell  is 155-101-24 over that span. Overall, Crowell is 251-162-32 over her 14 season career -  the 15th most wins among all active coaches, and one of only two women in the top-15.

Crowell and the Bulldogs are coming off back-to-back 25 or more win seasons.

THE SERIES:  UMD is 74-27-9 all-time against OSU after going 1-4 against the Buckeyes last season. After every game between them was decided by a single goal last year, including two that went into overtime, UMD and OSU have now played in six-straight games that have been decided by just a single goal.

In 2022-23, current Bulldog senior defenseman Nina Jobst-Smith led the Bulldogs with six points (2g, 4a) in those five games with the Buckeyes, while senior forward Clara Van Wieren led UMD last season with a team-high three goals -- including the overtime game-winner at AMSOIL on Dec. 3, a 5-4 win for the Bulldogs. Graduate senior Mannon McMahon added four points (1g, 3a) in five games in 2022-23.

UMD averaged 2.20 goals against the Buckeyes a year ago, while the Buckeyes, who spent almost the entire season with NCAA's most goals per game average, only put up 2.80 against the Bulldogs.

In their last meeting in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Final Face-Off semifinal on March 3, 2023, UMD fell 2-1 to OSU at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn.

After a scoreless first period that UMD fought through two Buckeye power plays to maintain, the Bulldogs had a 7-2 shots on goal advantage early in the second period. UMD fended off its third OSU power play of the game until 7:36 of the second, but just over three minutes later, the Buckeyes finally broke through on goaltender Emma Soderberg. Brooke Bink capitalized on a rare UMD mishap in front of its own net at 10:50, and 1:04 later, Emma Maltais made it a 2-0 game. 

UMD refused to go away however, and after pulling Soderberg at 16:13 of the third period, Jobst-Smith broke through the Buckeye defense to cut the lead to 2-1 at 17:12. Skating from the top of the left circle to the slot, Jobst-Smith sniped it through the lane for her second goal against the Buckeyes in as many games. But despite the Bulldogs late efforts and a 8-7 shots on goal advantage in the period, UMD would get no closer. Soderberg had a brilliant 34 save performance, while OSU's Amanda Thiele had 26. The Buckeyes outshot UMD 36-27 overall, but the Bulldogs held the nation's No. 1 power play in check, holding OSU scoreless in three attempts with the extra skater.

UMD vs. Ohio State - 74-27-8 All-Time

(Last 12 games)

March 3, 2023 2-1 Loss Neutral*

Dec. 3, 2022 5-4 OT Win Home

Dec. 2, 2022 1-2 Loss Home

Oct. 22, 2022 2-3 Loss Away

Oct. 21, 2022 2-3 OT Loss Away

Mar. 20, 2022 2-3 Loss Neutral+

Jan. 22, 2022 1-3 Loss Away

Jan. 21, 2022 1-0 Win Away

Dec. 4, 2021 2-6 Loss Home

Dec. 3, 2021 5-2 Win Home

Mar. 6, 2021 2-7 Loss Neutral*

Jan. 16, 2021 0-1 Loss Home

Jan. 15, 2021 4-2 Win Home

+NCAA Frozen Four Championship 

*WCHA Final Face-Off Semi

A LOOK AT OSU: The Buckeyes are 1-1 after splitting with No. 4 Colgate University in Hamilton, NY on Sept. 29-30.

Sophomore forward Sloane Matthews leads the Buckeyes with two goals on just six shots. Nine other players have recorded a point. Senior goaltender Amanda Thiele and Robert Morris transfer senior Raygan Kirk split time between the pipes for OSU. Thiele took the opening game loss, while Kirk earned the win on Sept. 30.

LAST TIME OUT: UMD swept Long Island University at AMSOIL over the weekend by scores of 6-0 Friday night and 4-0 Saturday afternoon.

Behind a four-goal game from graduate senior forward Mannon McMahon, the Bulldogs scored two goals in the first period (Olivia Wallin, Mannon McMahon), three in the second (two from McMahon and one from Nina Jobst-Smith, and a goal in the third period by McMahon. McMahon had a power play goal and a shorthanded tally, helping UMD to a perfect 2-of-2 with the extra skater, while the Bulldogs outshot LIU 52-12. 

Rookie goaltender Ève Gascon made 12 saves in her Bulldog debut, becoming just the second UMD goaltender to earn a shutout in the first game played in program history.

In game two Saturday, UMD topped the Sharks 4-0 behind a hat trick from senior forward Clara Van Wieren. The Bulldogs netted two more power play goals, including one from Van Wieren and one from graduate senior transfer Reece Hunt, whose goal 26 seconds into the third period marked her first in a Bulldog sweater.

Sophomore goaltender Hailey MacLeod picked her second career shutout, making 10 saves to keep the Bulldogs scoreless in 120 minutes of action over the weekend.

NOTES FROM THE LIU SERIES: UMD is now 4-0 against the Shark all-time and over the past two seasons, and has now outscored them 19-1 in those four skates.

--The Bulldogs not only outscored LIU 10-0 on the weekend, they outshot the Sharks 107-22.

--As a program, UMD has now swept 15 opening series all-time. The Bulldogs are 36-9-2 all-time in season opening weekends, and 12-4 in the Maura Crowell era. 

--Clara Van Wieren and Mannon McMahon become the first pair of Bulldogs to pin back-to-back hat tricks since Pernilla Winberg (Feb. 18, 2011) and Audrey Cournoyer (Feb. 19, 2011) did it against St. Cloud State University.

--In addition to Ashton Bell's hat trick last season against LIU on Sept. 25, 2022, UMD has now recorded three hat tricks by three different players against the Sharks in four games.

--McMahon is the first player to score four goals in a game for UMD since Pernilla Winberg recorded four against St. Cloud State on Feb. 19, 2011.

--Ève Gascon is now one of two UMD goaltenders every to record a shutout in  their first start. The other? Boston College transfer and Cloquet, Minn. native Joanna Ellison, who turned away 34 shots against Bemidji State University on Oct. 14, 2007 in her first game as a Bulldog.

--McMahon and Van Wieren now lead UMD in scoring against LIU in four all-time games -- McMahon had four goals and three assists for seven points in four skaters, while Van Wieren has had three goals and four assists for seven points.

--Multiple players picked up their first points as a Bulldog last weekend -- Reece Hunt (1g, 3a) over both games, rookie blueliner Ida Karlsson (2a) on Saturday, and senior forward Oliva Wallin (1g) Friday night.

LEAD FROM THE TOP: UMD's top four scorers after the first weekend are all seniors, including all three captains. 

Mannon McMahon and Clara Van Wieren each have five points (McMahon 4g, 1a), (Van Wieren 3g, 2a) after two games, while Reece Hunt has a goal and three assists for four points. Nina Jobst-Smith rounds out the scoring with a goal and two assists.

Hunt and McMahon our graduate seniors, while Van Wieren and Jobst-Smith are seniors. McMahon is UMD's captain for the season, while Van Wieren and Jobst-Smith are alternate captains.