On the most appropriate of afternoons to showcase the value of experience, the No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey senior class delivered.

 

Led by senior goaltender Emma Soderberg's ninth shutout of the season and program record-tying 20th, the Bulldogs defeated No. 12 St. Cloud State University 2-0 on Senior Day. Offensive experience cashed in when it was most needed in the form of a power play goal from fifth-year Ashton Bell and an empty-netter from graduate student Taylor Anderson. UMD's 21st win of the season doubled as its 11th clean sheet, just one shy of the top-spot in the NCAA. 

 

After a low shooting first period for the Bulldogs that left both teams scoreless, UMD used its power play to get on the board at 15:52 of the second period. The tic-tac-toe play started with a feed from Gabbie Hughes along the boards and across the crease to Naomi Rogge, who put the puck past a Huskies defenseman and onto the stick of a waiting Bell on the doorstep. The goal, the 21st power play tally of blueliner's career, also moved Bell into a tie for the third most goals in a season by a defenseman (11). Subsequently, Hughes' secondary assist on score secured her 207th career point – pushing the graduate into sole possession of the fifth most career points by any player in program history.

 

The Bulldogs tacked on to that lead late in the third period, taking advantage of SCSU's empty net at the 17:54 mark. A head's up pass from Bell in UMD's defensive zone popped off the boards at center ice, and Anderson did the rest with a wrist shot just inside the Huskies blueline to secure UMD's lead at 2-0.

 

UMD posted its 11th shutout of the season – just one shy of the program record of 12 set in 2010-11. The Bulldogs, who scored a power play goal in each game of the series, went 1-of-4 Saturday afternoon and outshot SCSU 32-15 overall. Soderberg, who has turned in two shutouts in her last three games and allowed just one goal over that span, made 15 saves for UMD to add to her career-best single season shutout mark of nine.

 

St. Cloud St. goaltender Sanni Ahola had 30 stops for the Huskies, who fall to 16-16-1 and 9-16-1 in Western Collegiate Hockey Association action.

 

The Bulldogs (21-8-3, 15-8-3),  will look to put the wraps on the regular season portion of 2022-23 schedule next weekend when they travel to Bemidji, Minn. to take on Bemidji State University on Feb. 17-18.

BULLDOG NOTES: Gabbie Hughes, who has put up the most points by a Bulldog since the 2007-2011 career of Haley Irwin, also moved into a tie for the third most career assists in program history with 127 … the graduate center shares the third spot with Irwin … Hughes surpassed Irwin with 80 career goals Friday night and now ranks eighth all-time … Emma Soderberg is now sweetly sitting in a tie with Kayla Black for the most career shutouts … Black reached the mark in 121 games while Soderberg hit it in just 81 … Soderberg also picked up her 50th career win, just the sixth goaltender in program history to get to the mark … Soderberg also matched her single-season best of 17 wins in a year, set just last season … Soderberg is already the only active goaltender in the NCAA with 20 shutouts … with a goal Saturday, Ashton Bell jumped into a tie for the third most goals by a defenseman in a single season in program history … Bell, who previously reached the mark for a career best in 2019-20, also moved into a tie for the eighth most assists by a Bulldog blueliner (49) … Bell is already the seventh-highest scoring defenseman at UMD and is one point shy of reaching the sixth spot of 76 points currently held by former Bulldog stalwart Jamie Rasmussen.