The No. 7 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will host defending NCAA champion and the currently second-ranked University of Wisconsin this weekend at AMSOIL Arena. The matinee series will begin both Friday and Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

THE SERIES: 
All-Time Record: UMD trails 37-60-9-15
Last Meeting: Dec. 2, 2023 (3-2 Win, Away)
Last Series: Dec. 1-2, 2023 (Split, Away)
First Meeting: Oct. 8, 1999 (8-1 Win, Away)
Last Season: 3-1-0 
Record this Year: 1-1
Last 10 Meetings: 5-5-0

Notable:  UMD is now 5-3 in its last eight games against the Badgers and 4-2 in its last six games (over the past three seasons) in Madison.

UMD and Wisconsin have met 112 times over their rich histories -- which includes three NCAA Frozen Four showdowns and two NCAA title tilts (2007 and 2008). The all-time series record of 37-60-15 favors the Badgers, but the Bulldogs have had success against the defending NCAA champs over the past few seasons, which includes a series split just this past December in Madison.

The Bulldogs split with the then No. 2  Wisconsin back on Dec. 1-2, and on Saturday night, Ève Gascon had 48 saves on the 51 shots he faced in her first-ever action in LaBahn Arena, but it wasn't enough for UMD, which fell 3-0.

Sunday the Bulldogs again got outstanding netminding  between the pipes, this time from Hailey MacLeod, who had 42 saves, including 10 in the first six minutes of the game UMD was on its penalty kill.

Clara Van Wieren shattered that scoreless tie a mere 1:15 into the third period and the Bulldogs tacked on another tally at the 5:13 mark courtesy of Mannon McMahon to make it a 2-0 UMD advantage. The Badgers finally snuck one past MacLeod at 7:33 to draw within one, but the Bulldogs again struck for their third goal of the afternoon.

That goal came from Jenna Lawry, who stuffed the puck through for her third of the season – would also serve as the eventual game-winner for the junior forward, the first of her career.

UMD's defense did the rest, outlasting a late Badger power play in the final three minutes that Wisconsin turned into a 6-on-4. The Badgers did finally put one past MacLeod with 3.7 seconds left in the period, but it was no matter for the Bulldogs, who have taken four of their last six games against Wisconsin in Madison.

UMD vs. Wisconsin - 37-60-15 All-Time

(Last 10 games)

Dec. 2, 2023 3-2 Win Away

Dec. 1, 2023 0-3 Loss Away

Jan. 8, 2023 1-0 Win Away

Jan. 7, 2023 3-1 Win Away

Oct. 29, 2022 3-4 Loss Home

Oct. 28, 2022 2-1 Win OT Home

Feb. 5, 2022 1-5 Loss Away

Feb. 4, 2022 3-0 Win Away

Oct. 17, 2021 4-5 Loss OT Home

Oct. 15, 2021 0-3 Loss Home

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs were swept by top-ranked Ohio State in Columbus last weekend by scores of 3-0 and 1-0. 

Friday night, UMD blocked a season-high 27 shots in 3-0 setback. Hailey MacLeod had 35 saves against OSU, who did outshoot UMD 38-14 in the game.

Saturday the Buckeyes edged the Bulldogs in the final minutes of the third period on a power play goal to escape with a 1-0 win, but not before UMD pushed OSU to the brink. Ève Gascon made 32 stops for UMD, which again put their bodies in front of the puck and blocked 22 OSU shots.

NOTES OHIO STATE SERIES: The Bulldogs and Buckeyes all-time series is now at 74-31-9. UMD has lost five straight games against OSU.

--Over the past 10 seasons, UMD has been 14-6-2 against the Buckeyes at AMSOIL, but is 8-10-2 on the road in Columbus.

--After UMD and OSU's 1-0 game Saturday, seven of the last 10 games between them have been decided by a single goal. The Bulldogs are 1-9 against OSU in that span, which includes their 2022 NCAA title tilt went to OSU by a score of 3-2 (March 18, 2022). 

--UMD's penalty kill streak ended at 33-straight Saturday. The Bulldogs have allowed just six power play goals so far this season in 67 attempts, and just one since November 18.

 

BLOCK PARTY: UMD's combined shot blocking effort of 49 shots over the entire Ohio State series last weekend tied for the second most blocked shots in a series over the last 10 years. The Bulldogs blocked 52 against the Buckeyes back on Jan. 21-22, 2022 (20 and 32, respectively) -- UMD also blocked 49 against Wisconsin way back on Feb. 11-12, 2017 (24 and 25). The Bulldogs effort of 27 last Friday night is the second most in over 10 seasons in a single game.

Junior defenseman Hanna Baskin led all Bulldogs with nine blockes in the series, while both redshirt sophomore forward Mary Kate O'Brien and rookie blueliner Ida Karlsson added seven.

UMD currently ranks seventh in the WCHA with a total of 243 blocks on the season -- a 10.1 game over its fist 24 games.

PENALTY KILLERS: UMD's penalty kill streak ended at 33-straight last Saturday, seven short of what appears to be a program record of 40 set between Dec. 8, 2007 through Feb. 1, 2008 -- a streak that came against That streak has come against seven teams, six of which were ranked in the top-8, including a series against Wisconsin back in December. The Bulldogs have allowed just six power play goals so far this season in 67 attempts, and just one since November 18. 

The Bulldogs currently own the nation's third-best power play with a 91.00 success rate, which also sits UMD first in the WCHA.

MCMAHON FACES OFF: Graduate center Mannon McMahon ranks first in the WCHA and fifth in all of the NCAA with 325 face-off wins.

Overall, McMahon is 325-236 (and all but one player ahead of her has played at least three more games than McMahon.)

STRIKE FIRST: The Bulldogs are 12-2-2 when they score first, and unbeaten with the lead after the first period (9-0-1) and after two periods (11-0-2).

GOALTENDING GALORE: The Bulldogs have one of the best goaltending tandems in all of the NCAA between sophomore Hailey MacLeod and freshman Ève Gascon.

MacLeod -- whose current career GAA average of 1.18 is the lowest in program history and currently ranks second among all active NCAA goaltenders -- owns the NCAA's fourth-highest saves percentage of .952. With three shutouts, MacLeod has a record of 7-3-2 so far this season.

Gascon owns a .952 saves percentage -- the fifth nighest in the NCAA and had a career-high 48 saves against Wisconsin back on Dec. 2. 

Gascon is tied the second most shutouts recorded by a Bulldog freshman goaltender. With four shutouts, Gascon is in rare company, and trails only Jennifer Harss, who had five shutouts as a rookie in 2009-10.

Gascon has tied both Kim Martin (three shutouts in 2006-07) and Tuula Puputti (three in 1999-00), as well as Kayla Black (four in 2011-12). Martin piled up her three shutouts immediately -- the eventual All-American racked up three clean sheets in her first four starts at UMD.