As it had 12 other times this season, the No. 8 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team skated off the ice Friday with a defensive shutout in hand. But for the first time in seven years, the all-time program shutout leader left the ice too.

The Bulldogs blanked Bemidji State University 6-0 at the Sanford Center in Bemidji, Minn. in the opening game of their last regular season Western Collegiate Hockey Association series. UMD, which tied a program record for most team shutouts in a season with 12 (and currently is tied for the most clean sheets in the NCAA), helped hold the Beavers to just 12 shots on goal, while postgraduate senior goaltender Emma Soderberg did the rest en route to the 21st shutout of her record-breaking career.

"Just thinking back, you know, to the first two years where she sat behind Maddie (Rooney) and waited for her opportunity, and the way that she just took it and ran with it, what she has done for our program," said UMD head coach Maura Crowell about Soderberg. "The back-to-back Frozen Fours certainly don't happen without her. And what we're trying to do this year, she's everything, and it couldn't happen to a better person. I just, you know, adore that kid, and everybody does, and we're so happy for her, it's a special moment."

While Soderberg impacted the defense, it was UMD's offense that came to life in the second period. The only goal of the opening frame was super senior Naomi Rogge's eighth score of the season, a far-side snipe that beat BSU goaltender Hannah Hogenson for the 1-0 lead at 19:12.

But the Bulldogs blew it open in the second period, starting with sophomore Mary Kate O'Brien's redirect in the slot at 1:14. Fifth-year Anneke Linser followed that up at 7:25 with a backhanded rebound to push the lead to 3-0, but UMD was just getting started. The Bulldogs cashed in three power play goals over a five-minute span, and it began with Ashton Bell's 12th goal and sixth power play tally of the season at the 14:56 mark. Rogge buried her second of the game 1:27 later, and O'Brien doubled her in-period goal total at 19:12. All told, UMD scored three power play goals over a 4:16 frame, and a total of five in the period to take a 6-0 lead into the second intermission.

The third period was scoreless for both sides, and with an additional five saves for the Bulldogs in the final stanza and 12 overall in the game, Soderberg grabbed her 10th shutout of the season, tying the program's single season record while setting the all-time mark at 21 in just 82 games – an average of one shutout for every 3.9 games of the Jarved, Sweden native's career. Soderberg also notched the 51st victory of her career and became just the 10th Bulldog netminder to turn in 18 or more wins in a single season – also a career-high.

UMD outshot BSU 35-12 on the day, and Hogenson made 29 stops for the Beavers, who were scoreless in four power play attempts while the Bulldogs went 3-of-5.

The Bulldogs, who are unbeaten in their last four games (and have allowed just a single goal during that span), will look to sweep the series tomorrow afternoon at 2:00 p.m., the final regular season action for both sides.

BULLDOG NOTES: UMD is now  (22-8-3, 16-8-3), and has played back-to-back games without giving up a single goal … the Bulldogs have allowed just one goal in their last four games … UMD will take aim at surpassing a program team record of 12 shutouts in a season after tying it Friday … that record was previously set over the 2010-11 season … Emma Soderberg assumes the program's career shutout record from Kayla Black, who had 20 shutouts in 121 games … Soderberg broke the record in just 82 … with 10 saves this season, Soderberg is tied with Black for the single season record … Black set the record in 2014-15 …Soderberg now leads the NCAA with 10 shutouts … she was already the active NCAA goaltender leader … UMD also moves into a tie for the most shutouts in the NCAA with 12 … with a power play goal Friday, Ashton Bell now stands alone in third with 12 goals by a defenseman in a single season … Bell is just three away from the single-season record mark of 15 held by Krista McArthur (2002-03) and Jessica Wong (2010-11) … Bell also moved into a three-way tie with Jessica Wong and Julianne Vasichek for the fourth most career points by a UMD defenseman … Wong posted 77 (29g, 48a) in just 83 games, while Vasichek reached 77 (11g, 66a) in 124 … Bell has skated in 87 games as a defenseman at UMD, and is now just three goals away from the career blueliner mark, currently held by Wong, of 29 goals in a career … Bell has 26 career goals … Bell also has now put up the sixth most points by a defenseman in a single season (31), ... Bell owns the fifth most points by a blueliner in a season with 32 in 2019-2020 ... with three assists against the Beavers, Gabbie Hughes moved into sole possession of third in all-time assists … Hughes sits at 130, seven away from the second spot … Hughes now has 210 career points (80g, 130a) as UMD's fifth all-time scorer … with two assists, defenseman Maggie Flaherty took over the fifth slot for all-time assists by a blueliner with 58 … Bell sits in eighth with 49.