The No. 5 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will hit the ice for its last action of 2025 this weekend in Bemidji, Minn., where it will face Bemidji State University. The Western Collegiate Hockey Association clash will get underway at 6:00 p.m. Friday night before wrapping up Saturday at 3:00 p.m.

UMD Women's Hockey Weekly Press Conference -- Dec. 3, 2025 -- Caitlin Kraemer and head coach Laura Schuler



KRAEMER NAMED TO CANADA'S RIVALRY SERIES ROSTER: Current sophomore forward Caitlin Kraemer and former Bulldog All-American Jocelyne Larocque have been named to Canada's National Women's Team roster for the last two games of the Rivalry Series on Dec. 10 and Dec. 13 in Edmonton, Alberta, a final showdown before the 2026 Olympic Winter Games.

 Kraemer -- who missed UMD's sweep of St. Cloud State back on Oct. 31-Nov. due to Canada National Team camp, suited up for the Canada - U.S Rivalry Series back on Oct. 30 and Nov. 1. The Waterloo, Ontario native skated on the fourth line in game one (Thursday), and the third line on Saturday. The youngest forward to be named to the roster, Kraemer's lone statline was a penalty in game two. The Oct. 30 game was also Kraemer's national team debut.

Kraemer is currently tied as UMD's leading scorer this season with 15 points (nine goals, six assists) in just 14 games (1.07 points per game). She ranks 10th in the NCAA with three game-winning goals.

One of 20 players rostered in the previous Rivalry Series, Kraemer is the second youngest player rostered and the youngest forward. Following the Rivalry Series, Canada's management team and coaching staff will continue to evaluate players during the PWHL and collegiate seasons before naming Canada's Women's Olympic Team in January.

JOHANSSON, KARLSSON AND PARKONNEN NAMED TO WOMEN'S EURO HOCKEY TOURNAMENT TEAMS: Junior defenseman Ida Karlsson and senior forward Thea Johansson will join former Bulldog All-American goaltender Emma Soderberg on the third and final leg of the WEHT later this month. 

They will be joined in the tournament by senior defenseman Krista Parkkonen and future Bulldog Pauliina Salonen, who will both skate with Team Finland.

Another former Bulldog All-American, center Lara Stalder will skate (and captain) Switzerland, while Katerina Mrazova, a current forward for the PWHL's Ottawa Charge, will skate for the Czechia

SLOW STARTERS, FIRE FINISHERS: The Bulldogs have scored 47 goals so far this season, but just eight have come in the opening first period.

In fact, UMD has scored in the first period just five times out of 16 games played so far. By contrast, opponents have scored in eight -- half -- games in the first frame against the Bulldogs this season.

UMD's favorite period is the third, where it has scored 22 -- almost half -- of its goals this season while allowing just 10.  It's also the only frame the Bulldogs have outscored their foes in. UMD has been outscored 18-16 in the second period and 9-8 in the first.

The Bulldogs have also vastly outscored other teams 22-10 in the third period. UMD has logged at least one goal in that final frame in 13 games, while allowing only nine games with a third period goal. The Bulldogs also have five games where they have scored two or more goals in the final stanza.

Of record, when the Bulldogs own a lead after 40 minutes of play, they are unbeaten with a record of 8-0.

GETTING THOSE GOALS: The Bulldogs currently rank 10th in the NCAA in goals per game (2.94).  UMD has landed three or more goals in 11 of its 16 games so far this season.

NEW BULLDOGS, BIG OFFENSE: 24 of UMD's 47 goals through their first 64 games have come from either transfers or rookies new to Duluth this season.

Transfers Thea Johansson (10) and Josie St. Martin (3) combined for 13 goals, while freshman forward Molly Cole (4) and Rae Mayer (6) have added 10.

NO GOALS GASCON: It may sound like a broken record, but the UMD goaltender Eve Gascon is once again a stalwart in net for the Bulldogs.

The Canadian Olympic Training camp invitee who made her first start for the senior Canadian National Team on Nov. 6 in the Rivalry Series, who like Caitlin Kraemer, is going back and forth from Canada camps to Duluth, owns the third highest saves percentage among all active goaltenders in the nation .942.

The three-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week this season is tied for the fifth most shutouts this season (3), and last month moved ahead of former Bulldog legend Maddie Rooney for her 14 career shutout to take over fifth in the program all-time.

Gascon is currently one point behind  former UMD All-American Kim Martin with an all-time .942 saves percentage -- the second best in program history. Gascon also ranks sixth in goals against (1.82) and seventh all-time with 1,921 saves. In 65 career games as a Buldlog, Gascon is averaging 29.5 saves a game.

THE SERIES:  UMD is a dominant 96-22-1 against BSU all-time and owns an impressive 17-game winning streak against the Beavers that dates back to Jan. 23, 2021. That streak includes 11 shutouts, and the Bulldogs shutout BSU in three of their four meetings last season and outscored the Beavers 18-1. Of note, no UMD player currently rostered has ever lost to BSU over their collegiate career.

UMD vs BSU - Last 10 games (10-0-0)

Feb. 8, 2025 6-0 Win Away

Feb. 7, 2025 2-0 Win Away

Nov. 23, 2024 2-0 Win Home

Nov. 22, 2024 8-1 Win Home

Jan. 13, 2024 7-0 Win Home

Jan. 12, 2024 2-0 Win Home

Oct. 29, 2023 6-0 Win Away

Oct. 28, 2023 2-1 Win Away

Feb. 18, 2023 5-1 Win Away

Feb.17, 2023 6-0 Win Away

Notable scorers against the Beavers --

Mary Kate O'Brien, GP=14 G-3 A-6 P=9

Caitlin Kraemer, GP=4 G-3

In their last visit to the Sanford Center, in February, the Bulldogs swept the Beavers with two shutouts. In game one, behind two special team goals from Kraemer, UMD defeated BSU 2-0.

Kraemer's first goal was a shorthanded effort at 4:30 of the opening frame.

The rookie doubled up her goal total for the night on the power play at 6:48 of the second period, one-timing in the rebound to stretch the Bulldogs advantage to 2-0. Goaltender Tindra Holm and the Bulldogs defense would do the rest, holding the Beavers to just nine shots on goal over the entire game and outshooting BSU 26-9 in the process. 

In game two, six different UMD players scored, and the Bulldogs used a five-goal second period to offensively overwhelm BSU.

Those five UMD goals in the second frame came from Jenna Lawry (1:38), Olivia Wallin (4:05), Clara Van Wieren (10:27), Kraemer (14:47) and Grace Sadura (18:33). Kamdyn Davis added a sixth goal at 5:28 of the third period for the 6-0 score. 

Holm had 13 stops for the Bulldogs in net. Neither team scored on two power plays. UMD outshot BSU 32-13 in the contest.

LAST TIME OUT: UMD was swept at home by then No. 3 Ohio State by scores of 3-1 and 4-1 back on Nov. 21-22.

In game one, Gascon's season-high 50 save performance gave the Bulldogs a chance to equalize late into the third period, despite a first period by the Buckeyes that produced a goal and a 21-1 shot on goal advantage. After the Buckeyes scored midway through the first, OSU doubled that lead at 3:38 of the second period. 

The Bulldogs started to punch back in the second frame, and outshot the Buckeyes 14-12 – the lone period UMD wasn't hampered with penalties.

UMD's comeback took a twist midway through the third period when it lost Caitlin Kraemer to a game misconduct, and UMD was forced to penalty kill for seven minutes. In fact, UMD had four penalties for nine minutes served in the final frame, but still managed to pull within a single goal at 3:35 – just over three minutes before Kraemer had to exit the ice. 

Rae Mayer's pass to Thea Johansson in the crease was one-timed right back to Mayer, and the rising rookie ripped it past OSU goaltender Hailey MacLeod to make it a 2-1 game with plenty of time left in the third. UMD pushed back, but was forced to penalty kill for almost half the frame. The Bulldogs attempted to equalize with less than two minutes left in the game by pulling Gascon, but the Buckeyes scored an empty net goal with 48 seconds left to seal their win.

Gascon – who averaged 44.2 saves against Ohio State one season ago – was unrelenting in net with her 50 stops. Gascon also helped UMD stay perfect on the penalty kill in game despite four scoreless Buckeye power plays. 

UMD outshot OSU in a 4-1 game two loss -- just the sixth home game of the season out of a possible 16. The Buckeyes jumped out to two-goal lead when OSU scored goals at 2:56 and 14:57 to take a 2-0 lead into the first intermission.

OSU doubled that lead again later in the second period, 1:25 apart at the 12:31 and 13:14 marks. UMD, who had plenty of chances in the opening frame, finally came through with just over five minutes left in period on Danielle Burgen's goal.

Gascon made 27 stops for UMD, who was 0-of-5 in the game with an extra skater but outshot OSU 32-31 and 14-10 in the final frame. OSU's Genny Klein had 31 saves, while Dunne figured in three the Buckeyes goals with a goal and two assists. 

The Bulldogs (10-6-0, 6-6-0) will have next weekend off from outside competition before hitting the road again to face Bemidji State University on Dec. 5-6.

NOTES ON THE OSU SERIES: UMD is now 73-34-9 all-time against the Buckeyes.

--The Bulldogs are 2-8-0 against OSU in their last 10 games, and UMD now 14-10-2 at AMSOIL since the 2013-14 season. 

--UMD has suffered four-straight losses to the Buckeyes -- all in Duluth.