The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey will continue its 10-day road trip this Thursday and Friday when it faces Syracuse University inside the Tennity Ice Pavilion in Syracuse, New York. The series gets undereway at 5:00 p.m. Thursday before wrapping up at 5:00 p.m. Friday.


THE SERIES: UMD is 2-0 all-time against the Orange after sweeping them in the two program's first ever meeting/series last season at AMSOIL. The Jan. 2-3, 2025 series, which had orginally been scheduled for Originally slated Sept. 28-29, 2024 were 6-2 and 2-1 wins for the Bulldogs. 

Last January, Clara Van Wieren led all scorers with four points in the series (2g, 2a), while both Cailtin Kraemer and Olivia Wallin finished with three points against the Orange -- both had two goals and an assist.

UMD returns four of the players who recorded multiple points against Syracuse last season including Kraemer, Mary Kate O'Brien (1g, 1a) and Ida Karlsson (2a).

Last season, while the Bulldogs outscored the Orange 8-3 in the series, they also outshot them heavily -- 106-32.

All-time, UMD is 15-3-1 all-time against Atlantic Hockey Association (AHA), the conference Syracuse is now a member of after College Hockey America (CHA) merged with them ahead of the 2024-25 season.

Just last weekend, the Bulldogs faced AHA foe Mercyhurst in Erie, Pa. where the Bulldogs secured a series sweep. 

In 2025, UMD is now 4-0 against AHA teams. The Bulldogs haven't suffered a setback to a AHA team since Nov. 21, 2021, a 3-2 loss in the D1 in D.C. Tournament to Penn State University to the tune of 3-2. Since then, the Bulldogs have reeled off five-straight win against AHA teams.

Here's a look all-time of UMD against the AHA members:

Lindenwood, 4-0

Mercyhurst, 7-1-1

Penn State, 3-1

RIT, N/A

Robert Morris University, 1-1

Syracuse, 2-0

LAST TIME OUT: Speaking of AHA teams, the Bulldogs opened the season with a series sweep over Mercyhust University in Erie, Pa. last weekend -- the earliest start to a season in program history. 

Friday night UMD overcame a 3-1 second period deficit to tie the game at 3-3 at 17:50 of the third period on a 6-on-4 power play goal from sophomore forward Josie St. Martin to send the game into overtime. Then just 2:36 into extra time, Caitlin Kraemer scored to give UMD its opening season 4-3 win. 

St. Martin and Kraemer led the Bulldogs with two points each (1g, 1a), while UMD had four different goal scorers in the skate.

Saturday the Bulldogs fell behind 1-0 in the first period but outscored the Lakers 4-2 in the second period before adding an insurance -- by who else - Kraemer at 8:40 of the third period for the 5-3 win.

Five different Bulldogs recorded goals, while Ida Karlsson led all scorers with a goal and two assists for three points.

NOTES ON THE MERCYHURST 

SERIES: UMD is now 7-1-1 all-time against the Lakers.

--UMD has won its opening season game for six-straight seasons, and is 18-2-2 on opening weekends over this past decade (dating back to the 2015-16 season).

--Three players compiled three points in the series --Caitlin Kraemer (2g, 1a), Ida Karlsson (1g, 2a) and Josie St. Martin. Seven players in all notched two or more points on the weekend and six players recorded their first points as Bulldogs: St. Martin, freshman forward Molly Cole (1g, 1a), freshman forward Rae Mayer (1g, 1a), senior defenseman Krista Parkkonen (2a), senior forward Thea Johansson (1g) and sophomore defenseman Kate Kosobud  (1a).

--Five players logged points in both games against the Lakers and the start the season on two-game scoring streaks -- Mayer (1g, 1a), Danielle Burgen (1g, 1a), St. Martin (1g, 2a), Kraemer (2g, 1a), Cole (1g, 1a)

--Karlsson's three point out on Saturday tied a career point record for the junior defenseman. Karlsson also registered three points back on Dec. 3, 2023 against Wisconsin when she dished out three assists.

--Junior goaltender Eve Gascon is unbeaten in five opening series starts over her three seasons at UMD, including three opening season starts.

--UMD's overtime win on Friday night was its first in five attempts dating back to last season and first triumph since the Bulldogs defeated the University of Connecticut 1-0 double overtime of the the First Round of the NCAA Tournament in Columbus, Ohio.

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 last Saturday when she scored the 95th point on her 52nd goal in just 110 collegiate game.