The No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will continue its Western Collegiate Hockey Association postseason run Friday when it faces No. 1 Ohio State University Friday afternoon at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. Game one of the WCHA's Final Face-Off semifinals will get underway at 1:00 p.m.
Date: March 3, 2023, 1:01 p.m. Friday
Site: Ridder Arena (3, 400) Minneapolis, Minn.
UMD: 25-8-3 (17-8-3 - WCHA Finish, Fourth)
OSU: 30-4-2 (15-1-2 - WCHA Finish, First)
TV: My9 Duluth area, Fox9+ in Minneapolis
Video: https://www.bigtenplus.com
Live Stats: https://gophersports.com
UMD IN THE WCHA POSTSEASON:
UMD is 47-25 in all WCHA postseason games and a dominant 34-10 in WCHA quarterfinal skates after sweeping St. Cloud State last weekend.
WCHA Quarterfinal games -- 34-10
WCHA Semifinal games -- 8-11
WCHA Third Place games -- 2-0
WCHA Championship games -- 5-3
In all, UMD owns five WCHA playoff crowns (2010, 2008, 2003, 2001, 2000).
Since the WCHA went to a quarterfinal game (2005) or series (since 2006), UMD has advanced 16-out-of-19 times. (The 2005 quarterfinal game was held in Minneapolis, Minn., a neutral site, and there was no WCHA first round playoffs held during the COVID season of 2020-21.) All told, UMD has made 21 WCHA semifinal appearances in its program history -- the third most in the WCHA.
BULLDOGS/BUCKEYE WCHA PLAYOFF HISTORY: OSU may be the defending WCHA Final Face-Off champion, but it's UMD that has the advantage all-time in league postseason meetings. The Bulldogs have a 12-4 overall record, which includes eight quarterfinal games, two WCHA Final Face-Off semifinalsl, two third place games, and one WCHA title tilt.
The programs have met just twice in the WCHA semifinals, most recently on March 6, 2021 at Ridder Arena. The Bulldogs suffered a 7-2 loss to then No. 3 Ohio State, a game that 12 currently rostered juniors and seniors were a part of. UMD has not give up more than five goals since this Buckeye breakout two seasons ago.
UMD took a 1-1 tie into the first intermission, courtesy of a breakaway goal from then freshman Katie Davis, the first of her career, but was overwhelmed offensively by the Buckeyes offense in the second frame.
The second period ice tipped entirely in the favor of the Buckeyes, however, and OSU used four goals over a 5:37 span to dig a hole the Bulldogs would not recover from. It started with a power play goal from OSU's Jennifer Gardiner at the 2:20 mark, followed by another goal off a rebound at 3:40 to give the Buckeyes a 3-1 advantage. OSU scored two more tallies at 6:02 and 7:57, and when the dust settled, UMD found themselves trailing 5-1. Then freshman Clara Van Wieren cut into the Buckeyes lead at 10:22 to make it a 5-2 game, but OSU added another goal in the period and a seventh in the third period to push the game out of reach.
In the only other semifinal showdown on March 3, 2000, UMD defeated OSU 7-1 in Bloomington, Minn. on the way to its first-ever (and the first ever) WCHA playoff crown. Here's the all-time breakdown of the Bulldogs and Buckeyes in the league postseason:
WCHA FF Semifinal (Ridder Arena)
March 6, 2021 OSU 7, UMD 2
Quarterfinal (AMSOIL Arena
March 2, 2014 UMD 5, OSU 1
March 1, 2021 OSU 3, UMD 2
Feb. 28, 2021 UMD 1, OSU 0
Quarterfinal (AMSOIL Arena)
March 2, 2013 OSU 3, UMD 0
March 1, 2013 OSU 4, UMD 2
Quarterfinal (AMSOIL Arena)
Feb. 25, 2012 UMD 3, OSU 2 OT
Feb. 24, 2012 UMD 4, OSU 3
Third Place (Ridder Arena)
March 6, 2005 UMD 5, OSU 0
Quarterfinal (Grand Forks, N.D.)
March 7, 2003 UMD 6, OSU 1
Third Place (Blaine, Minn.)
March 9, 2002 UMD 6, OSU 2
Championship (Rochester, Minn.)
March 10, 2001 UMD 3, OSU 0
Semifinal (Bloomington, Minn.)
March 3, 2000 UMD 7, OSU 1
This is the second WCHA postseason meeting of UMD/OSU in the Maura Crowell era.
A BULLDOG AND BUCKEYES REGULAR SEASON, ALL-TIME SERIES BREAKDOWN: It's been a few months since the two sides met, notably finishing up their fourth and final regular season series back at AMSOIL on Dec. 2-3, 2022, a series split.
UMD is 74-26-9 all-time against OSU. For the regular 2022-23 season, the Buckeyes edged the Bullodgs with a 3-1 record. While OSU has averaged the second most goals in the NCAA at 4.39 over the regular season, the Bulldogs held them to a 3.00 average.
In the last head-to-head, UMD's split with then top-ranked Ohio State at AMSOIL in the last national championship rematch series of the regular season with a 2-1 loss Friday before knocking off the Buckeyes in overtime Saturday 5-4.
On Dec. 2, a power play goal late in the first period put OSU 1-0, and the Buckeyes doubled that lead at 15:57 of the third period. UMD cut the deficit to 2-1 with 59 seconds left after pulling goaltender Emma Soderberg on Kylie Hanley's third goal of the year. But it was too little, too late for UMD, who outshot OSU 34-27. Soderberg had 25 stops in the game.
Saturday, the Bulldogs never trailed, going up 2-0 in the first period on goals by Taylor Anderson (8:49) and Clara Van Wieren (9:37). After OSU tied the game at 2-2 with a late first period goal and power play midway through the second frame, Nina Jobst-Smith answered with a power play goal of her own to retake the 3-2 lead.
An early OSU goal in the third period was answered by a goal from Hanley at 8:55, but a late power play goal by the Buckeyes forced UMD into overtime for a sixth time this season.
Overtime was no issue for UMD, who outshot OSU 4-1 and saw Van Wieren call game at 3:37 to knock of the Buckeyes 5-4. Soderberg had 31 saves in the game.
UMD/BUCKEYES REGULAR SEASON NOTABLES: Over the regular season, Mannon McMahon and Jobst-Smith led all scorers against the Buckeyes this season, with four points in four games - both players posted one goal and three assists
--Van Wieren scored three goals in four games against the Buckeyes this season, and four total against teams ranked No. 1.
--The final regular season was also the fifth-straight game a UMD/OSU game has been decided by one goal. Two of their four meetings this season went into extra time.
--Dec. 3, with UMD's five goals, was the Bulldogs biggest goal output on OSU since they dropped five on them in a 5-2 win on Dec. 2, 2021.
A QUICK LOOK AT THE BUCKEYES: Since meeting the Bulldogs in the NCAA championship game last March, the Buckeyes have stayed ranked towards the top of the national rankings since. Where the Bulldogs have the hardest defense to score against in the NCAA, OSU has one of the highest scoring teams in the nation. The Buckeyes are averaging 4.39 goals a game -- the second most in the country. They also boast the No. 1 power play, checking in at 34.4.
While Jennifer Gardiner leads OSU with 54 points (21g, 33a), its Sophie Jaques, the 2022-23 WCHA Defender of the Year who leads the Buckeyes with 22 goals.
SOMETHINGS GOTTA GIVE: The Bulldogs will enter Friday's contest with the third-fewest goals allowed in the entire NCAA, allowing just 1.33 goals a game and three goals given up over their past seven skates. Along with the stingy goals allowed per game has been the antics of graduate goaltender Emma Soderberg, who leads the NCAA with 11 shutouts (UMD has NCAA-best and program record 13 so far), and ranks third among all goaltenders with a 1.35 GAA. The Buckeyes will carry in the NCAA's second highest-scoring defense, averaging 4.39 goals a game behind the nation's top power play, converting 34.4 of all chances (UMD owns the nation's fourth-best power play at 26.9).
LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs locked in their spot in the WCHA Final Face-Off by sweeping St. Cloud State University in two games last weekend at AMSOIL Arena.
In the Friday afternoon skate, UMD defeated the Huskies 1-0 behind a late third period power play goal from Maggie Flaherty. The play, which began from goaltender Emma Soderberg leaving the puck for Flaherty ended after the graduate senior defenseman skated end to end and sniped the game-winner at 17:26. Soderberg, who had 23 saves in the game, picked up her first career assist on the goal.
Game two was a 5-1 blowout for the Bulldogs on Saturday, propelled by a three-goal second period. The UMD was led by Naomi Rogge's two goals and Kylie Hanley's game-high three points (1g, 2a), and extended their current unbeaten streak to an impressive eight games in the process.
Hanley, Mary Kate O'Brien and Taylor Anderson all contributed goals in the second period before Rogge bookended the scoring with an empty-net goal at 17:51 of the third. Soderberg made 23 saves in the game.
NOTES FROM THE ST. CLOUD STATE SERIES: With the series sweep, UMD finished the season 5-0-1 (with a shootout win) against St. Cloud State, and allowed just three goals over those six games.
--Three of UMD's 13 shutouts this season came against the Huskies, who ranked No. 12 nationally in four of their six games against the Bulldogs.
--UMD outscored the Huskies 16-3 overall and are now unbeaten in their last 18 games with the Huskies and 16-0-2 over that span, going back to Nov. 1, 2019.
--UMD is now 7-1 all-time in the WCHA post season against SCSU, and 6-1 in the quarterfinal round.
--With the sweep, UMD is unbeaten its last eight games and has allowed six goals over the streak, dating back to Feb. 3.
--The Huskies' power play goal last in the third period last Saturday broke a eight-game streak of a perfect UMD penalty kill, and is just the second power play goal allowed by the Bulldogs over their last 16 games.
NO GOAL GALS: The Bulldogs rank first in the NCAA with 13 shutouts -- a program record set last Friday against St. Cloud State. UMD sits third in the nation with a 1.33 goals against average (both double as the best in the WCHA). That goals against average, if it stands at the end of the season, would be the lowest in program history, topping the 1.48 mark set in 2007-08, which is also the 18th lowest GAA in league history. UMD's current mark of 1.36 would check in as the 14th lowest in the WCHA's tenure.
SODERBERG GLOVES PLETHRA OF AWARDS: It was quite a week for goaltender Emma Soderberg, who was named the WCHA Goaltender of the Year Wednesday for the second time in her career before being named the WCHA's Outstanding Student-Athlete Thursday. Soderberg was also named a Women's Hockey Commissioner Association's Goalie of the Year finalist, and was also a finalist for the WCHA's Player of the Year.
ROGGE'S ROAD TO THE RECORD: It took some hard work, but on Friday, after graduate senior Naomi Rogge skates in her first shift, she will take over the Bulldog program record of career games played with her 166th skate in a UMD sweater. The record -- set just last season by Anna Klein with 165 games -- was no easy feat for Rogge, who missed her entire junior campaign after suffering a season-ending injury prior to the 2019-20 season.
Currently rostered players have taken over six of the top-10 all-time games played spots. In addition to Rogge, Gabbie Hughes and Anneke Linser are tied for the third most games ever played (162), while Ashton Bell is at 161 in fifth (Bell also now has the second most consecutive games played in program history.
SPECIAL TEAM SPECIALISTS: UMD currently ranks fouth in the NCAA and third in the WCHA with a power play percentage of 26.9, and have the fifth-most power play goals in the NCAA with 28.. The Bulldogs also rank first in the WCHA and ninth in the nation in penalty kill percentage, which sits at 88.2, and the Bulldogs have allowed just two goals on its penalty kill over its past 16 games.
THE POWERED PLAY CAREER OF ASHTON BELL: No player in a decade has scored more goals on the power play for UMD than Ashton Bell, who has already rung up six this season -- the sixth most in the NCAA.
The senior blueliner has 22 over her 161 games career so far -- the most by a Bulldog player since Laura Fridfinnson posted 22 over 151 games from 2007-11. The last player to score more than 22 power play goals in a career? Noemie Marin and Jessica Koizumi, who posted 28 (Koizumi) and Marin (35) between 2003-2007. In fact, while Marin holds the UMD career power play record, including Bell, just nine players in program history have recorded 22 or more power plays over their careers -- Marin, Hanne Sikio (32), Emmanuelle Blais (30), Koizumi, Jenny Potter (27), Erika Holst (25), Caroline Ouellette (25), and Fridfinnson and Bell (22).
RINGING THAT SCORING BELL: Fifth-year and Olympic gold medalist Ashton Bell is chasing a number of defenseman scoring marks, including the most goals in a career. Bell currently sits second all-time at UMD with 26 goals in 88 games from the blueline, trailing all-time UMD scoring defenseman (and fellow forward to defense convert) Jessica Wong, who recorded 29 goals in 83 games from the backline. With 12 goals so far this season, Bell has a career-high and the third most in a single season.
RANK AND FILE: While the Bulldogs are now ranked seventh in both national polls and the PairWise, a number of players own top-10 spots nationally.
Emma Soderberg owns the NCAA's most shutouts at 11, as well as the third-lowest GAA (1.36) Soderberg sits at the top of the WCHA in saves percentage (.938), GAA and shutouts.
Gabbie Hughes assists per game average of 1.03 ranks fifth in the NCAA and tied for first in the WCHA, while she ranks seventh in the NCAA and second in the league with 443 face-off wins.
Anneke Linser has the eigth most game-winning goals in the NCAA and second most in the WCHA with five, Ashton Bell ranks fourth in the WCHA and 10th in the NCAA with six power play tallies.
As a team, UMD ranks first in the nation in shutouts (13), and third in power play percentage (26.9), scoring defense (1.33), second in team goals against (1.31), and fifth in power play goals (28).
CAREER SEASONS ALL AROUND: 10 players are in the midst of career-offensive outputs, including four fifth-year players, including forward Taylor Anderson (13-10=23), defenseman Ashton Bell (12-21=33), forward Anneke Linser (17- 13=30), who also leads the Bulldogs in goals, defenseman Maggie Flaherty (9-16=25) and goaltender Emma Soderberg (wins 20, GAA, 1.36, saves percentage, .938, shutouts 11). Senior forward Mannon MacMahon (10-19=29), and junior blueliner Nina Jobst-Smith (4-20=24) are blown through their old marks, while junior forward Katie Davis (4-2=6,) sophomore forward Gabbie Krause (7-6=13), defenseman Hanna Baskin (1-10=11), and sophomore forward Mary Kate O'Brien (5-2=7) have all made big offensive contributions this season.
HUGHES HUNTING MORE HISTORY: Gabbie Hughes, who has put up the most career points by a Bulldog since Hanne Sikio recorded 220 between 1999-2003, ranks fifth place on the all-time scoring chart with 214 career points in 162 games, and owns the third most career assists in program history with 133, sitting just five helpers from the No. 2 spot held by Caroline Ouellette. With 46 points so far this season, Hughes, who had 59 a year ago, is looking to become the first Bulldog player to turn in back-to-back 50 point seasons since Ouellette did it in 2004-05 (80 points and 2003-04 (76 points). Currently, Hughes is the first player since Ashleigh Brykaliuk posted back-to-back 45 points-plus seasons in 2015-16 (47 points) and 2016-17 (45 points).
MAKING A CAREER OF IT: Gabbie Hughes ranks in the top-five among all active NCAA players in points at third (214), third in points per game (and first in the WCHA 1.32), third in assists (133) sixth in assists per game (0.82), and fifth in game-winning goals (17).
EXPERIENCED APPLICANTS ONLY: Along with Naomi Rogge, a plethora of other Bulldogs have now ascended on to the top-10 list for all-time games played in program history. While Rogge will set the second Friday afternoon, Gabbie Hughes and Anneke Linser are tied for the third most games ever played (160), while Ashton Bell is at 159 in fifth (Bell also now has the second most consecutive games played in program history, behind Klein's 165). Taylor Anderson, with 156 games, is seventh all-time in games played, while Kylie Hanley sits in 9th with 153, and Maggie Flaherty is in 11th with 148.
In all, UMD has nine players that have played over 124 or more career games. Even more impressive, UMD boasts 18 players who have played in an NCAA Championship game and 12 that have skated in back-to-back NCAA Frozen Fours.
BLUEPRINT BLUELINERS: In Ashton Bell and Maggie Flaherty, UMD has its most dominant defensive pair in a decade, and the numbers to back the claim.
Bell and Flaherty both rank in the top-10 for UMD defenseman over a career, with Flaherty at eighth with 76 points (16g, 60a) and Bell fourth with 79 points (26g, 53a) as a blueliner.
With 21 goals between them this season, they have scored the most goals by a pair of defensemen in a season since 2002-03. when since Krista McArthur scored 15, and both Larissa Luther and Navada Russell netted five apiece. Pick either bluliner to pair with McArthur, and the last time a defensive duo scored 20 or more points was the 2002-03 season.
WINNING WAYS: With 25 wins, the Bulldogs have tied the second-most wins of the Maura Crowell era and second-straight 20-plus win season. (UMD posted 27 last season and 25 in 2016-17.)
This marks the 17th time in program history a Bulldog squad has pocketed 20 or more triumphs.
ALL THE (EXTRA) TIME: The Bulldogs five overtime wins has put them in a tie for the second most in a single season in NCAA history. UMD has 10 overtime games -- one short of the program record of 11 set in 2019-20.
ALL THE ALL-AMERICANS: For the first time in program history, the Bulldogs are returning three All-Americans to their roster. An impressive feat, especially considering UMD has had a total of 26 All-Americans -- including 15 First Team selections.
Those returners are 2021-22 CCM/AHCA First Team All-American Gabbie Hughes, 2020-21 CCM/AHCA Second Team All-American, as well as a USCHO First Team All-American (and Olympic gold medalist) Ashton Bell and (olympian) Emma Soderberg, who was both a USCHO Second Team All-American and a 2020-21 CCM/AHCA Women's University Division Ice Hockey All-American.
