The No. 4 University of MInnesota Duluth women's hockey team will resume its Western Collegiate Hockey Association schedule this weekend when it travels to Mankato, Minn. to face Minnesota State University, Mankato. The Bulldogs will drop the puck at the Mayo Clinic Health System Event Center Friday night at 6:00 p.m. before wrapping up the series at 3:00 p.m. Saturday.
GABBY KRAUSE HANGS UP HER SKATES: Senior forward Gabby Krause announced last week that she has decided to medically retire from hockey.
Here is Krause's statement regarding her decision: "Dear hockey You've given me more than I ever could have imagined. You gave me unforgettable memories, lifelong friends, and the strength to overcome challenges on and off the ice. You'll always be a part of me. I'll carry the lessons and experiences you gave me for the rest of my life. To my parents, coaches and trainers I can't thank you enough for everything you've done throughout my hockey journey. From the countless hours spent at the rink, to the sacrifices, guidance, and constant support, you've all been there for me through every goal, injury, and challenge. Having to medically retire is something I never wanted to face. But I know this is the right decision for my health and career. Still, that doesn't make this goodbye any easier. Thank you to everyone who has made this sport so special for me."
Head coach Laura Schuler on Krause: "We have been so fortunate to have such an amazing person and hockey player be apart of our program. Gabby's passion for excellence in all areas of her life has had such a profound impact on all aspects of UMD women's hockey. Although we'll miss her presence on the ice, we are excited that she will continue to play a valuable role for us off the ice."
CHASING THE CENTURY MARK: Both graduate forwards Clara Van Wieren and Oliva Wallin are chasing the 100 career point plateau. Wallin, who skated for three seasons with Penn State, is sitting at 93 career points currently (45g, 48a in 129 games), while Van Wieren is also at 93 (42, 51a in 143 games).
The pair are chasing Olivia Mobley, who currently has 116 career points (45g, 70a in 140 games).
UMD's last trio of 100 career point players? Ashton Bell, Naomi Rogge and Gabbie Hughes in 2022-23. The season before that (2021-22), Hughes joined Elizabeth Giguere and Anna Klein, another trio of Bulldogs in the club.. In all, UMD has had three or more players on a team with 100 or more points nine times prior to start of this season.
UMD has had 25 players wear the sweater that have had 100 or more points over their career, including 24 that reached that mark or more only in a Bulldog sweater.
SENIOR MOMENTS: For all the attention that the Bulldogs rookie class has understandably had so for this season, its the seniors and upperclassmen that have compiled the most offense so far.
Graduate forward Clara Van Wieren leads UMD with with four goals and four assists for eight points through the first four games, while three players have logged five points -- senior forward Olivia Wallin (2g, 3a), defenseman Hanna Baskin (5a) and redshirt junior Mary Kat O'Brien (1g, 3a).
Freshman center Caitlin Kraemer does ring in tied for fifth overall with four points, and is tied for the second most goals (3).
RANK AND FILE: UMD enteres the weekend ranked fourth nationally in both the USCHO.com poll and the USA Hockey/The Rink Live poll.
The Bulldogs reached as high as No. 3 after they upset swept Ohio State to begin the season.
Minnesota State is not ranked in either poll.
THE SERIES: UMD owns a 89-9-10 record all-time against the Mavericks since their first meeting back on Nov. 20, 1999 a 10-4 Bulldog win at the DECC. Over the past decade, UMD is 35-3-6 against the Mavericks, including 14-2-4 in Mankato. Currently, the Bulldogs will enter the weekend unbeaten against MSU in nine games (8-0-1), having outscored the Mavericks 29-16 over that span, including three shutouts.
Graduate forward Clara Van Wieren leads all currently rostered UMD players with eight points (four goals, four assists) over 19 games. Newly retired Gabby Krause has also scored four goals and added an assist for five points against MSU in 13 outings. In all, five playes have three or more points against the Mavericks over their careers.
Last season, UMD went 4-0 against MSU, outscoring the league foe 12-3 in four games. Last season, UMD went 4-of-9 on its power play against the Mavericks for a 44.4% conversion rate while holding them to just 1-of-8 their own power play.
Mannon McMahon led all scorers against MSU in 2023-24 (1g, 3a), while Mary Kate O'Brien and Danielle Burgen each added two goals and an assist for three points. On the goaltending front, last year as a freshman in two games against MSU, Eve Gascon posted a record of 2-0 with a saves percentage of.960, and stopped 49 of 51 shots.
UMD vs. Minn. St. 89-9-10 All-Time
(Last 10 Games)
Feb. 3, 2024 2-1 Win Home
Feb. 2, 2024 3-0 Win Home
Oct. 21, 2023 4-1 Win Away
Oct. 20, 2023 3-1 Win Away
Feb. 4, 2023 0-0 Tie Away
Feb. 3, 2023 4-3 Win OT Away
Oct. 8, 2022 2-0 Win Home
Oct. 7, 2022 2-1 Win OT Home
Feb. 27, 2022 3-2 Win Home*
Feb. 26, 2022 1-3 Loss Home*
*WCHA Quarterfinals
In their last series last February, UMD swept MSU at AMSOIL by scores of 3-0 and 2-1.
Friday night, Danielle Burgen led the Bulldogs with two goals, one in each of the first two periods of play to bookend a goal by Mannon McMahon in the first.
Both Burgren and McMahon (1g, 1a) had two points on the night, while goaltender Hailey MacLeod had saves on all 16 shots she faced.
Saturday afternoon, UMD had two power play goals from Olivia Wallin in the first period and one from Clara Van Wieren in the third to beat the Mavericks 2-1. Rookie netminder Ève Gascon made 28 saves in the contest
The Bulldogs went 3-of-5 on their power play in the series. Three different players (Walling, Van Wieren and Burgen all had power play tallies.)
LAST TIME OUT: UMD blanked St. Thomas at in their first action at AMSOIL Arena back on Oct. 18-19 by scores of 3-0 and 2-0.
In game one, UMD, who outshot the Tommies 19-5 in the first period an broke through midway through the frame when Caitlin Kraemer score on the power play for a 1-0 lead
UST managed to outshoot UMD in the second frame 12-10, but the third period was all Bulldogs, beginning with a second power tally 5:43 in on a one-time wrist shot from Olivia Mobley in the slot to push the lead to 2-0. Exactly two minutes later, Clara Van Wieren pocketed her own goal and extended UMD's lead to 3-0.
Eve Gascon picked up her eighth career shutout and first of the season with 27 saves. The Bulldogs, who outshot the Tommies 44-27 in the skate, went 3-of-4 on their power play while holding UST scoreless in two attempts.
On Saturday, UMD's opening goal came from junior Danielle Burgen's first tally of the season at 13:46 of the first period.
That one goal advantaged was enough for the Bulldogs until almost midway through the third period when freshman forward Zoey Krock, from the boards, fed Devyn Millwater at the top of the circle. Millwater's one-time wrist shot beat UST goaltender Dani Strom at 9:22 to double the UMD lead to 2-0 – more than enough for the defense UMD executed down the stretch.
Senior goaltender Tindra Holm earned both her first win as a Bulldog and first shutout with 19 saves in her AMSOIL debut. UMD outshot the Tomies 32-19 and neither team scored on its power play, with the Bulldogs going 0-of-2 and UST 0-of-1.
NOTES ON THE ST. THOMAS SERIES: UMD remains unbeaten all-time against UST in 14 games with a record of 13-0-1 after the sweep. It's the sixth time the Bulldogs have swept the Tommies and sixth time UMD has shut out UST. It also marks the second series the Tommies have been unable to record a goal against the Bulldogs in.
--Game two had a bunch of UMD firsts -- Tindra Holm claimed her first shutout and win as a Bulldog, while junior defenseman Devyn Millwater's first goal of her UMD career came from the first career assist and point of Zoey Krock.
NATIONALLY RANKED DOGS: The Bulldogs currently own the nation's eighth best power play at 26.9% and are in a six-way tie for the most shorthanded goals with two. UMD is also averaging the 14th most shots on goal a game (31.0), while scoring the 20th most goals (20)
UMD also has a few players with nationally ranked stats eight games into the season. Rookie Caitlin Kraemer is in a lengthy tie for fifth with two game-winning goals, while Olivia Mobley ranks 10th with two power play tallies. Sophomore goaltender Eve Gascon is tied for sixth with four wins (4-2 overall), and Gascon ranks ninth with 184 in six games.
