For the third time in program history, the No. 6 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will face the top-ranked University of Wisconsin in Duluth, Minn. in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Final Faceoff. The first semifinal of the tournament will get underway at AMSOIL Arena Friday at 1:00 p.m.
WELCOME TO BACK TO DULUTH! The Western Collegiate Hockey Association's Final Faceoff returns to the Duluth, Minn. for a third time and AMSOIL Arena for a second time. Friday and Saturday will mark the first WCHA FFO in Duluth since 2012 -- the only other time the even has been held at AMSOIL. The other time was in 2008 at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center, one of five times the Bulldogs walked have walked away with the league's post season title.
UMD IN THE WCHA POSTSEASON: UMD is 51-27 in all WCHA postseason games and a dominant 38-10 in WCHA quarterfinal skates.
WCHA Quarterfinal games -- 38-10
WCHA Semifinal games -- 8-12
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 17-out-of-19 times. From the 2005-06 season until present, the Bulldogs have hosted 15 of a possible 17 first round playoff series. (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.)
SAVING UP: Eve Gascon has recorded six games with 40+ saves so far this season, and after last weekend's sweep of St. Cloud State University, has had 12 games with 30 or more saves.
Gascon has the most 40+ save games in a season so far since household name Maddie Rooney compiled seven over the 2018-19 season. Rooney, who had a 30.9 saves per game average and .930 saves percentage, did so over 31 games that year. Gascon owns a 30.5 saves per game average and a .943 saves per game average through 27 contests this season.
In fact Gascon has recorded five 40+ save games in her last 10 outings, and four of those were 44 saves or more.Gascon set a personal record of 58 stops against Ohio State University on Jan. 18, and currently ranks fifth in the NCAA with a saves percentage or .941.
With a career saves percentage of .944 in 46 career games, Gascon's saves percentage as is would rank as the fourth best in WCHA history. It currently puts her first all-time among all UMD goaltenders -- just one ahead of Bulldog great Kim Martin with .943.
NO SHORTHANDED PROBLEMS: Olivia Mobley leads the NCAA with four shorthanded goals, and the Bulldogs sit second in the NCAA, one goal behind Penn State University (8). Mobley is the first Bulldog to score four shorthanded goals since Jenny Potter and Caroline Ouellette each had four during the 2003-04 season. In fact, Mobley tied a UMD program record in NCAA sanctioned play -- Maria Rooth had the all-time record of seven over the 1999-00 season, but it was not in NCAA play. In all, Mobley is just one of four players to score four or more shorthanded goals in a season -- Potter (twice, 2002-03, 2003-04) and Ouellette (2003-04).
UMD's seven shorthanded goals on the season is the most since the Bulldogs rang up seven over the 2010-11 and are tied for the fifth most shorthanded tallies in a season in program history. The Bulldog program has now three times had seven shorthanded goals in a season and has had seven or more five times. UMD's record is 12, set during the 1999-00 season.
CAREER YEARS: Seven Bulldogs have already gone in the books with career-best offensive seasons. Those players --
Mary Kate O'Brien (most points 24, most assists 18), Grace Sadura (most assists 8, most points 13), Danielle Burgen (assists 9, points 14), Hanna Baskin (20 assists, 21 points), Tova Henderson (points 20, assists 14 and goals 6), and Clara Van Wieren (16 goals, 37 points).
Of note, Olivia Mobley's 17 goals ties her career-collegiate season-high of 17 set her sophomore season at Quinnipiac in 2021-22. Fifth-year Olivia Wallin has also now set a career best for points in a season (38) and owns a career most 20 assists). Wallin leads UMD in scoring this season.
THE BULLDOG -- BADGER WCHA PLAYOFF HISTORY: UMD is 3-5 against the Badgers in WCHA postseason semifinals, 4-6 all-time in the WCHA playoffs.
The two sides haven't met since the 2020 WCHA Final Faceoff semis at Ridder Arena, a 4-1 Badger win. No current Bulldogs were a part of that skate, which included a UW power play goal and a late Badger tally with 39 seconds left in the third.
CAN HISTORY REPEAT?: Ironically, the last time a Bulldog squad defeated Wisconsin in the WCHA FFO was March 2, 2012 at AMSOIL Arena -- a 3-1 win for the Bulldogs. In fact, in two WCHA FFO meetings in Duluth between the programs all-time, UMD is 2-0 on its home rink. The other win was the 2008 5-4 overtime win over the Badgers in the WCHA FFO finals to clinch the league's postseason title.
In that last Duluth FFO meeting in 2012, Wisconsin was also the top-seed, but UMD upended the Badgers 3-1 with a goal in each period, including a shorthanded tally by then freshman Brigette Lacquette with 18 seconds left in the contest to ice the game.
WCHA Postseason History
March 7, 2020 (Ridder Arena) Semifinal
Wisconsin 4, UMD 1
March 5, 2017 (Ridder Arena) Final
Wisconsin 4, UMD 1
March 5, 2016 (Ridder Arena) Semifinal
Wisconsin 5, UMD 0
March 2, 2012 (AMSOIL Arena) Semifinal
UMD 3, Wisconsin 1
March 7, 2009 (Ridder Arena) Semifinal
Wisconsin 3, UMD 1
March 9, 2008 (DECC Arena) Final
UMD 5, Wisconsin 4 Overtime
March 5, 2005 (Ridder Arena) Semifinal
Wisconsin 3, UMD 2 Overtime
March 13, 2004 (Ridder Arena) Semifinal
UMD 3, Wisconsin 1
March 8, 2002 (Blaine, Minn.) Semifinal
Wisconsin 4, UMD 1
March 9, 2001 (Rochester, Minn.) Semifinal
UMD 6, Wisconsin 5 Overtime
UMD-WISCONSIN WCHA POSTSEASON HIGHLIGHT: The March 8, 2008 at final showdown at the DECC, a 5-4 Bulldog overtime win was a thriller. In game that featured a whopping five power play goals, UMD surged out to a 3-0 lead in the first period with two goals in the first 6:56 (Laura Fridfinnson and a power play tally byMyriam Trepanier), before Elin Holmlov added a second power play goal at the 16:11 mark of the frame. But the Badgers struck on its own power play with nine seconds left in the first to make it 3-1.
UMD made it a 4-1 contest on yet another power play goal by Emmanuelle Blais at 7:08, but Jasmine Giles netted a power play goal and Jinelle Zaugg add another 1:01 apart to pull within a single goal at the second intermission.
UW's Mallory Deluce tied it up at 17:11 to force overtime, but 6:32 into extra time, Halley Irwin clinched the championship for UMD. Kim Martin had 23 stops for the Bulldogs, while Jessie Vetter had 29 for the Badgers, who were outshot by UMD 34-27 in the game.
A BULLDOG AND BADGER REGULAR SEASON SERIES BREAKDOWN: The Bulldogs were winless in four games against the Badgers this season, 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.
While UMD is winless in its last six games against the Badgers, in their last seven showdowns at AMSOIL, all seven games were decided by one goal. In those games, UMD is 1-6, with three of those skates decided in overtime. That includes their last series, where both games were 2-1 losses, and Friday night needed extra time to be decided.
UMD has averaged just 1.50 goals a game this season against UW, while the Badgers have averaged 4.00. The Bulldogs have been outscored 16-6, which includes three UW power play goals and one empty net tally.
The Bulldogs have averaged 7.50 minutes of penalties a skate, and have averaged a qhopping 11.50 blocks a game against the Badgers, led by Hanna Baskin's seven
Olivia Mobley led all UMD scorers with three goals, while Grace Sadura added two tallies. Both teams landed shorthanded goals over their four meetings, and both teams struck for the first goal twice.
Top UMD Scorers vs Wisconsin
Clara Van Wieren GP=18 G=2 A=6 P=8
Nina Jobst-Smith GP=18 G=3 A=5 P=8
Ida Karlsson GP=8 G=0 A=5 P=5
Hanna Baskin GP=16 G=1 A=3 P=4
Danielle Burgen GP=12 G=2 A=2 P=4
Olivia Mobley GP=4 3=G P=3
Eve Gason, 0-5, averaging 41.6 saves a game
Tindra Holm, 0-1 .800 SV%
UMD vs Wisconsin
Last 10 games (3-7-0)
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
Jan. 7, 2023 3-1 Win Away
The Badgers enter Friday with the nation's best special teams units -- their power play is clicking away at a 37.2, while their penalty kill is sitting at 92.3
Compare that to the Bulldogs, who own the NCAA's eighth best power play at 25.6, and the 13th ranked kill at 85.7.
Both programs have two of the best power play scorers in the country -- UW has Lacy Eden at eight this season tied for fifth, while the Bulldogs have Caitlin Kraemer, tied for seventh with seven.
In that last meeting at the end of January and beginning of February, game one, the Bulldogs played arguably one of their best games of the season against a Badger squad that entered Friday averaging 5.60 goals a game. UMD had almost played out of the 3-on-3 overtime when Wisconsin was finally able to beat UMD netminder Gascon, who had 40 saves in the game.
The Bulldogs third line – who was a problem for the Badgers all night – opened the game's scoring at 7:48 of the first period. Brenna Fuhrman's shot from the left point was tipped down and past Wisconsin goaltender Ava McNaughton by Sadura.
Wisconsin's Marianne Picard equalized off a screen of Gascon at the 13:29 mark to knot the game at 1-1, a score that would hold for the following 46:31 minutes of regulation.
Needing overtime to settle their stalemate, that 1-1 score held until 4:23 of the five minute, 3-on-3 additional time when Kirsten Simms finally found a way past Gascon.
Gascon had 40 saves in the game, while McNaughton had 27 saves for the Badgers, who outshot the Bulldogs 42-28, including 5-0 in the overtime.
In game two, UMD led or was even with Wisconsin for 51:44 of the highly anticipated rematch Saturday, but it was the final 8:16 that broke the hearts of the Bulldogs on a snowy afternoon at AMSOIL Arena.
UMD again saw the Badgers come from behind to win 2-1 and sweep the Western Collegiate Hockey Association series that could have gone to either side all weekend. The Bulldogs returned their stingy defense to the ice, which again held Wisconsin – that nation's top scoring – to far under its scoring average prior to the series, and UMD's penalty kill held up just as well – as discipled Bulldog squad kept the Badgers scoreless in three attempts Saturday and in all four attempts in the series.
Just like the night before, the Bulldogs showed no fear of the nation's top team, and after a flurry of action late in the first period, UMD finally broke through for a 1-0 lead. It came off a quick release rip from Nina Jobst-Smith from the right point, and Mobley was there to bury the rebound for her team-leading 14th goal of the season at 17:30.
The Bulldogs had ample chances to add to that lead, including a 1-on-1 play from Caitin Kraemer 6:37 into the second that beat McNaughton but not the inside of the post. The Bulldogs would have another post in the third period and two missed breakaway attempts in the ensuing game before Wisconsin's Laila Edwards finally found a way past Gascon at 6:14 of the third period. Then, in cruel fashion, the Badgers Sarah Wozniewicz struck at 11:44 to take their first regular time lead of the series – one they would never relinquish.
After both teams were an even 15 shots on goal in the opening frame, the Badgers outshot the Bulldogs 33-12 in the final 40 minutes, and 48-27 in the game. Eight of Wisconsin's shot came off their power plays, while UMD was never awarded a power play in the contest. Gascon was again spectacular in between the pipes for the Bulldogs with 46 saves – the third most saves the sophomore goaltender has made this season.
LAST TIME OUT: UMD swept St. Cloud State University by scores of 3-2 and 2-1 last weekend to advance to the WCHA FFO semifinals.
With two minutes left in the third period Friday afternoon, it appeared the Huskies were going to pull off the one thing that has eluded them over their successful season – a win over UMD. But the Bulldogs had other ideas, and after the final buzzer sounded at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn., UMD had gone up 1-0 in the series.
The sixth-ranked Bulldogs clawed back to strike a 3-2 upset rejection blow to the Huskies behind the two goals of Caitlin Kraemer and the game-winner from Olivia Wallin with just five seconds left to secure their first postseason win of 2024-25.
The lone goal of the first period came on UMD's power play, a power play that had been extended by a challenge to a minor penalty on the Huskies and changed to a five minute hitting from behind call on Dayle Ross at 13:13. The Bulldogs delivered at the 16:59 mark, a tic-tac-toe passing sequence between Clara Van Wieren down to Wallin on the extended goal line. Wallin found Kraemer for a nasty one-timer in the slot, and the Bulldogs owned the game's first lead.
SCSU wouldn't be denied in the second period, and after being held scoreless by Eve Gascon and UMD for their last 10 periods of play, used the last second of a power play to equalize at 9:56. Just over four minutes later, the Bulldogs put the Huskies on another power play, and this time, SCSU struck within the extra skater confines to go ahead 2-1 at 14:07.
That 2-1 score would hold uncomfortably late for UMD, who pulled goaltender Gascon at 17:44 to chase the one goal deficit. When Van Wieren unloaded a shot that beat SCSU goaltender Sanni Ahola over her left shoulder but was rejected by the pipe 10 seconds later, a casual fan might worry the hourglass was running out on the Bulldogs. But just nine seconds after head coach Laura Schuler called a timeout, Kraemer swept into the slot and buried another goal line feed from Wallin into crease traffic to pull UMD even in the most dramatic of fashions at 18:05 of the third.
One goal wasn't enough for the Bulldogs, however, and with just five seconds left in the frame, Wallin wheeled on a rebound from Nina Jobst-Smith and unloaded a knuckle of a shot over a lowered Ahola to call and take game one in the rudest of fashion from the Huskies.
Wallin was one of two players that figured on every single UMD goal (1g, 2a), while Van Wieren had three secondary assistants. Kraemer's two goals gave the Bulldogs three players with multiple points overall.
SCSU outshot UMD 34-31, but the Bulldogs peppered Ahola with 12 shots in the third. Gascon made 32 saves for the Bulldogs, her 11th game this season with 32 or more saves, while Ahola had 28 for the Huskies. Each team had one power play tally – UMD was 1-of-4, while SCSU went 1-of-3.
In game two, the Bulldogs punched their ticket to their first home rink WCHA Final Faceoff since the 2012 season with a 2-1 win a game UMD never trailed in.
The Huskies appeared to have netted the opening goal just 3:01 into the first period, but a challenge by Schuler on the grounds the play was offsides erased that short lived goal for SCSU. The Bulldogs then struck at 13:33, a lead they would never surrender. Kraemer tracked down the puck and from the extended goal line, backhanded it to Grace Sadura charging down the slot. Sadura did the rest en route to her fourth goal of the season, pushing around a defenseman and flipping the puck up and past SCSU goaltender Emilia Kyrkko to put UMD up 1-0.
That score would through almost the entire second period, and despite the Huskies outshooting the Bulldogs 14-10 in the frame, UMD doubled up the score on Olivia Mobley's 17th goal of the season. Taking a feed from Jobst-Smith up the right boards, Mobley slipped around a SCSU defenseman in the neutral zone and in all alone on Kyrkko, beat the freshman goaltender low blocker side.
Sadura and Mobley's goals would be all the Bulldog defense, which started with another incredible performance by Eve Gascon, whose 38 saves stymied the Huskies over and over again for a sixth time this season, would need. SCSU finally broke through at 15:33 on Laura Zimmermann's tally, a last effort push, but a boarding penalty by the Huskies Taylor Larson with just 2:58 left in the game disabled an early empty net, and the Bulldogs locked it down for their 21st win of the season.
The Huskies outshot UMD 39-32 in the contest and Kryrkko had 30 saves, but neither team succeeded on their hard to find power play attempts – the Bulldogs were 0-of-1 and SCSU 0-of-2.
NOTES ON THE ST. CLOUD SERIES: The Bulldogs are unbeaten in their last 10 games against the Huskies (8-0-2) and have swept the SCSU in two games in the last three-straight WCHA quarterfinals
--UMD closed the book on the Huskies for the season and stayed unbeaten in six games with a record of 5-0-1, including four-straight wins. All-time, the Bulldogs improved to 88-15-11 against the Huskies, and 9-1 in the WCHA postseason -- including 8-1 in quarterfinal skates.
--UMD outscored the Huskies 15-5 this season, and shut them out twice. SCSU's two goals last Friday was the most the team had managed on Eve Gascon and the Bulldogs all season.
--Gascon is unbeaten in nine games against SCSU with a record of 7-0-2.
--Clara Van Wieren wraps up her career with 18 points against the Huskies on nine goals and 10 assists in 26 games.
POWERED PLAY: UMD currently ranks eighth in the NCAA with a 25.6 power play conversion rate. The Bulldogs, who have recorded 23 power play goals so far, are led by rookie center Caitlin Kraemer, with seven power play goals. Kraemer has scored the most power play goals by a freshman since former Bulldog All-American, Olympian and current PWHL defenseman Ashton Bell rang up seven in 2017-18.
Along with Kraemer, Olivia Mobley has added four, while Olivia Wallin and Tova Henderson have added three.
ANOTHER 20+ WIN SEASON: The Bulldogs are in their 18th season out of a total of 26 with 20 triumphs. UMD has now had three-straight 20+ seasons.
