The No. 4 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey will continue through its six-game road stand this weekend it opens up Western Collegiate Hockey Association action in Madison, Wisc. at LaBahn Arena against the No. 1 University of Wisconsin. The Saturday-Sunday series gets underway at 11:00 a.m. on Satuday morning before concluding at 1:00 p.m. Sunday afternoon.


Oct. 8 Press Conference featuring head coach Laura Schuler, Danielle Burgen and Grace Sadura



A MARQUEE GOALTENDING MATCHUP : Last season UMD goaltender Eve Gascon and Wisconsin's Ava McNaughton competed for almost every big goaltending award  possible. While Gascon was named a First Team 2024-25 CCM/AHCA Women's Division I All-American, a 2024-25 All-USCHO First Team selection and the 2024-25 WCHA Goaltender of the Year, McNaughton was named the 2024-25 HCA Goaltender of the Year (Gascon was also a finalist). This season, Gascon was named to the Preseason All-WCHA Team, and both netminders will be crucial for their teams this weekend.

Currently, Gascon sits tied atop of the NCAA with the most shutouts so far this season (two), but she shares that spot McNaughton -- both players have turned in two clean sheets in four games -- or half of their outings so far this season.

Both juniors, Gascon currently leads McNaughton with an all-time saves percentage of .943, while McNaughton sits right behind Gascon with a .942. McNaughton has more career shutouts (15 to Gascon's 13), and has a lower career goals against average (1.28 to Gascon's 1.73). But Gascon has stopped far more pucks than McNaughton, who has played in more career games than Gascon to this point. Gascon has 1.596 career saves in 55 games, while McNaughton has just 1.324 in 68 career games.

POWERED PLAY: Wisconsin enters the weekend the NCAA's second highest scoring team with a 6.0 goals against average. While UMD sits fourth with a 4.3 goals per game average, the Bulldogs own an impressive 27.3 power play conversion percentage, and have scored three times on just 11 attempts. The Badgers enter the weekend without a power play goal in 10 attempts.

Notably, UMD has had three different scorers on its power play this season and not one of the goals has been scored by sophomore forward Caitlin Kraemer, who led the Bulldogs with seven one season ago.

NEW BULLDOGS, BIG OFFENSE: 10 of UMD's 17 goals through their first four games have come from either transfers or rookies new to Duluth this season.

Thea Johansson (4) and Josie St. Martin (2) combined for six goals, while freshman forward Molly Cole and Rae Mayer each added two goals.

THE SERIES: All-time, UMD trails UW 37-65-15, and the Bulldogs were winless in five games last season against UW, including a painfully close series at AMSOIL on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1 that included one overtime stand and two games that UMD fell 2-1 in.

The two sides last tangled in the WCHA Final Faceoff semifinals on March 7, 2025 at AMSOIL Arena a 3-1 setback for the Bulldogs, who trailed 2-1 until late in the game -- 1:04 remaining in regulation late.

Wisconsin outscored the Bulldogs with 19 goals to just seven, and UMD averaged just 27 shots on goal to the Badgers 38.4 across all five skates. 

Last season, Olivia Mobley led all UMD scorers with three goals against the Badgers, while Grace Sadura added three tallies. Eve Gascon played in four of the five games, and had a whopping 149 saves for an average of 37.2 a game vs. UW. 

Top UMD Scorers vs Wisconsin

Ida Karlsson GP=9 G=0 A=5 P=5

Danielle Burgen GP=13 G=2 A=2 P=4

Grace Sadura GP=9 G=3 

UMD vs Wisconsin 

Last 10 games (2-8-0)

Mar. 7, 2025 1-3 Loss Home (WFF Semis)

Feb. 1, 2025 1-2 Loss Home

Jan. 31, 2025 1-2 Loss Overtime Home

Oct. 13, 2024 3-7 Loss Away

Oct. 12, 2024 1-5 Loss Away

Jan. 27, 2024 4-5 Loss Home

Jan. 26, 2024 1-2 Loss Home

Dec. 2, 2023 3-2 Win Away

Dec. 1, 2023 0-3 Loss Away

Jan. 8, 2023 1-0 Win Away

 

LAST TIME OUT: The Bulldogs dominated Syracuse University back on Sept. 25-26 by identical scores of 4-0 both days.

Caitlin Kraemer had a goal and an assist and Ashley Messier had two assists in game one. UMD used a power play goal in the second and one in the third to push past the Orange, who was outshot 48-33 in the outing. 

Thea Johansson scored two goals Friday in game two, including an empty-netter at 17:51 to help the Bulldogs win. UMD was tied 0-0 after one period and owned a 1-0 lead after two periods before scoring three goals in the third frame. UMD outshot the Orange 38-13. 

NOTES ON THE SYRACUSE SERIES: UMD is now 4-0 all-time against the Orange -- and all games happened in the 2025 calendar year. The Bulldogs swept the Orange in Duluth, Minn. in January.

--Thea Johansson's two goal game was the first multiple goal game by a Bulldog so far this season. Until then, every goal scored in a game was by a different player. Johannson also had a team-high three goals against SU.

--UMD outshot the Orange 86-46 in the series in addition to outscoring them 8-0.

KRAEMER STREAKS ON: Sophomore center and current Canadian Olympic camp member Caitlin Kraemer netted a goal in each of UMD's first four goals so far this season. Kraemer leads UMD with six points (4g, 2), and her four game scoring streak is just one off her collegiate best of five last year (she has also reached a four game streak additionally).

With two multiple points games so far this season, Kramer already has 10 over her 43 game college career.

Along with Kraemer, Thea Johansson has notched points in her last three games. The senior forward has three goals in her last three skates.

JOHANSSON NEARS 100 CAREER POINTS: Senior forward Thea Johansson (who spent the first three years of her college career at Mercyhurst) inched closer to the 100 career mark after scoring three goals against Syracuse. Johansson will enter the weekend with 98 career points on 55 goals and 43 career assists.

GASCON SAVES: Eve Gascon is now tied for fifth all-time in career shutouts with Olympian Maddie Rooney. Both Gascon and Rooney each have 13 career shutouts, though Rooney played in 122 career games at UMD and Gascon has so far only played in 55. Gascon is three shutouts from the fourth spot currently held by goaltending great Kim Martin with 16.

QUICK STARTERS: The Bulldogs are off to their best start since the 2022-23 season where UMD went 6-0 out of the gate.