The University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey will take its two-game winning streak on the road this week when it heads to Burlington, Vermont to face the University of Vermont inside the Gutterson Fieldhouse. The series will get underway Friday at 10:00 a.m. CST and conclude Saturday at 12:00 p.m. CST.


EVE GASCON IS A NEW RECORD HOLDER: Senior goaltender Eve Gascon is now tied with Emma Soderberg for the most shutouts by a UMD goaltender in program history. Soderberg reached the mark in 87 career games -- Gascon is sitting right behind the former Swedish Olympian with 88 games total and counting. 

Gascon had a monster opening weekend for the Bulldogs, making all 44 saves on the 44 shots she faced against then No. 14/15 Mercyhurst. It was also the fifth series that Gascon has held an opponent scoreless over her UMD career. The alternate captain was named the WCHA's Goaltender of the Week for her stellar efforts.

GASCON AND KRAEMER GET CALLED UP BY CANADA: The Bulldogs are going to have some Eve Gascon and Caitlin Kraemer holes to fill next weekend when they kick-off WCHA play against St. Thomas. The duo will join former Bulldog All-American defenseman Ashton Bell and Jocelyne Larocque and assistant coach Caroline Ouellette for the 2026-27 Canadian National Women's Team Training Camp Roster, presented by BFL CANADA next week in Quebec, QC from October 8 through October 14. 

In all, 48 players were invited to camp, including six goaltenders, 16 defenders and 26 forwards. The players will be split into Red and White teams for practices, fitness testing and a pair of intrasquad games on Oct. 12 and 14 at the Centre Vidéotron. Following camp, a roster will be selected for the 2026 IIHF Women's World Championship, starting Nov. 6 in Herning and Esbjerg, Denmark, as well as pre-tournament games in Windsor, Ontario, and Plymouth, Michigan, on Oct. 28 and 30, respectively.

Kraemer and Gascon are coming off massive opening weekends for the Bulldogs, who swept and shutout then No. 14/15 Mercyhurst University by scores of 2-0 and 4-0. Gascon earned the 22nd and 23rd shutout of her career, tying her for the UMD program record of 23 with former All-American Emma Soderberg. The Mascouche, Quebec native stopped all 44 shots she faced in the series.

Kraemer scored three of the Bulldogs' six goals on the weekend, and factored in four of them with a three goal, one assist four point performance. With both the series' game-winning tallies, the junior center was an impressive 39-12 from the dot for the Bulldogs against the Lakers.

WHAT A DIFFERENCE A YEAR MAKES: UMD opened the season up against Meryhurst last weekend, the second year in a row the Bulldogs met the Lakers to jump start the year. But while the result was still the same -- a series sweep, the numbers on UMD goaltender Eve Gascon were wildly different.

Gascon faced almost the identical amount of shots -- 44 last weekend, 43 last season -- but while the senior netminder allowed six goals to Mercyhurst in September of 2025, she denied the Lakers any a few days ago.

Gascon's Comparisons:

25-26 26-27

GAA -- 2.94 0.00

Saves % .860 1.00

Saves/GA 37/6 44/0

Shutouts N/A 2

LAURA SCHULER NEARS 100 CAREER WINS: Bulldog bench boss Laura Schuler is sitting at 99 career NCAA Division I wins over her coaching career heading into the weekend in Burlington.

PLENTY OFFENDED: UMD was led by Caitlin Kraemer's three-goal, four point weekend, but the Bulldogds had other players get in the books. Sophomore Rae Mayer had a three point weekend (1g, 2a), while both senior defenseman Ida Karlsson (1g, 1a) and senior forward Laini Gnetz (2a) had two points each. UMD averaged 40 shots a game in the series, and enters the weekend averaging 3.00 goals a game while allowing none.

YOUTH IS SELF SERVED: Rene Lapointe became the youngest program starter in history last Friday night -- the defenseman turned 17 at the end of July. Three other new UMD players earned their first points over the weekend – freshmen Laini Gnetz (2a) and Pauliina Salonen 1a) and senior Ella Bellfry.

5. BULLDOG BULLET POINTS: UMD head coach Laura Schuler is now just a win away from career win 100 ... Eve Gascon moved up to seventh all-time in career wins with 45 ... nine players recorded at least a point against Mercyhurst.

UMD is 3-0-0 all-time against Vermont, most recently sweeping the Catamounts on Nov. 29-20, 2024 at AMSOIL Arena by scores of 9-1 and 4-0.

Just four players remain from that squad that swept Vermont, including Eve Gascon, who played in the first game, securing the the 4-0 shutout. Ida Karlsson, Caitlin Kraemer and Zoey Krock also all played in the series. Kraemer led all UMD players with six points in the series, including 3g, 3a, and had a whopping five points (3g, 2a) in the second game. Krock had a goal and and two assists in game two, while Karlsson logged a goal in game one.

LAST TIME OUT: UMD started 2026-27 off right with a series sweep over then No. 14/15 Mercyhurst by scores of 2-0 and 4-0 last Friday and Saturday at AMSOIL Arena.

Caitlin Kraemer led all scorers with three goals and an assist for four points, including the first two goals in Saturday's win.

Kraemer had the lone even strength goal and Rae Mayer had UMD's goals on Friday night, while Eve Gascon made all 26 stops 26 shots to pick up her first shutout of the season.

Saturday, Kraemer scored twice in the first period and the Bulldogs never looked back, adding scores from Zoey Krock and s in the third. Gascon has 18 saves en route to the 23rd shutout of her career, which tied the UMD career record.

NOTES FROM THE MERCYHURST SERIES: UMD is now 9-1-1 all-time against the Lakers. The Bulldogs have won six-straight again Meryhurst dating back to 2009.

--Caitlin Kraemer now has 10 points against the Lakers all-time (6g, 4a) in just four games -- a 1.66 points per game average and a 1.00 goals per game average.

--UMD has won its opening season game for seven-straight seasons, and is 20-2-2 on opening weekends over this past decade (dating back to the 2015-16 season).

--Senior goaltender Eve Gascon is also unbeaten in six opening series starts over her four seasons at UMD, including four opening season starts.

GASCON NAMED WCHA GOALTENDER OF THE WEEK: After a shutout series against Mercyhurst over the weekend, the WCHA has named Eve Gascon the WCHA Goaltender of the Week.

The only goaltender in the WCHA to record two shutouts, Gascon recorded 44 saves on 44 shots for the fifth shutout series of her career. Saturday's shutout also tied the Mascouche, Quebec native for UMD's all-time career shutout record with 23. Gascon had the second most saves in the WCHA on the weekend (44) and averaged 22 stops a skate, helping the Bulldogs go 2-0 in their season-opening series.

Gascon was a three-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week in 2025-26.

THE 600 CLUB: UMD's win last Friday night secured win number 600 for the program -- 601 came Saturday. The Bulldogs are the third WCHA team to reach the mark -- only Wisconsin and Minnesota have more program wins than UMD.

THESE BULLDOGS ARE JUST PUPS: UMD is a young squad -- just six returners are upperclassmen and only two are seniors -- senior goaltender Eve Gascon and senior defenseman Ida Karlsson.

The Bulldogs boast a freshman class of 10 players -- the most by a UMD squad since the 2005-06 (also 10 freshmen). 

The program also has a bit of a European flare -- UMD has the most Europeans (three players from Sweden, two from Finland) since they had five over the 2016-17 NCAA Tournament season.

Ironically, the Bulldog freshmen are entering college hockey at vastly different ages.  Defenseman Renée Lapointe is one of the youngest players ever to skate for the program -- the defenseman from Barrie, Ontario is just 17 years old, born on July 28, 2009. In contrast, forward Pauliina Salonen is 21 years old -- born February 17, 2005.

UMD'S YOUTH MOVEMENT: The Bulldogs are young but they aren't inexperienced. Rookies Tuuli Tallinen and Pauliina Salonen just suited up for Finland in the Women's Euro Tour in August, while three players have made U-18 rosters -- the Gnetz twins, Laini and Brooke Gnetz (USA) and Marilou Grenier (Canada). Both Laini Gnetz and Grenier have won U-18 World Championship gold medals -- Gnetz this past January and Grenier in 2025.

Edit Danielsson skated for Sweden in past U-18 Women's World Championships (2024-25, 2023-24), and comes to Duluth after two seasons in the SDHL. She was teammates in 2024-25 with both UMD alums Paula Bergstrom and former multiple-year captain Sydney Brodt over their SDHL title winning season.

Renée Lapointe was named to the Canadian National Women's Under-18 Team in August, and became the first mother-daughter duo to skate for Canada's National Team -- her mother is Nathalie Rivard - a three-time IIHF Women's World Championship gold medalist in the 1990s with Canada -- and a teammate of UMD head coach Laura Schuler.

Along with Gascon, the Bulldogs have another superstar goaltender in the wings -- Marilou Grenier, who like Gascon hails from Quebec and backstopped Canada to a U-18 Women's World Championship gold medal in January of 2025. 

GETTING A GOOD RETURN: While the Bulldogs are young across the roster, they return the scorers of 57 of the 93 goals they scored last season. UMD lost four players to the PWHL, including leading goal scorer Thea Johnson (17), Mary Kate O'Brien and Grace Sadura up front, but retain the servies of Caitlin Kraemer -- who spent her summer pocketing invites the Edmonton Oilers Development Camp and Canadian Development Camp. Kraemer, named to the All-WCHA Preseason Team has sky-high expectations, but the new "C" on her jersey shows the sophomore is up to the task.

UMD's sophomore class also found the net last season -- Rae Mayer (12), Madi Burr (9) and Molly Cole (8) won't surprise teams anymore, but all three return havin netted 29 goals between them -- almost a third of the team's scoring a year ago.

In net, UMD has the best goaltender in all of college hockey, Eve Gascon, a two-time All-American and two-time WCHA Goaltender of the Year set to take a super senior season. Gascon will chase all sorts of history this season -- she enters the 26-27 with 21 career shutouts -- just two shutouts shy of the UMD record of 23 and stands fourth all-time in saves (2,506) while tied for the highest career saves percentage (.943). 

The Bulldog blueline returns Olympian Ida Karlsson, who also will wear a "C", and junior Kate Kosobud, an alternate captain, who made an impact after transfering to the Bulldogs last least after one year at Minnesota.

GASCON AND KRAEMER NAMED TO PRESEASON ALL-WCHA TEAM, BULLDOGS PICKED TO FINISH FOURTH: The accolades for Ève Gascon and Caitlin Kraemer are already started rolling in -- and the senior goaltender and junior center haven't even skated in a game yet.

The UMD duo was named to the 2026-27 Preseason All-Western Collegiate Association Team, a team selected by the league's head coaches. The pair becomes the first double Bulldogs named to the team sinceformer All-Americans Gabbie Hughes and Ashton Bell were both put on the squad before the 2002-23 season.

Gascon is coming off duty in August with Canada's National Women's Development Team, and her effort was highlighted by a sparkling 0.84 save percentage and .979 save percentage in two games and an extra period of play. The native of Mascouche, Quebec is a two-time All-American, a two-time All-USCHO First Team selection, a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the Year and two-time All-WCHA First Team member. A six-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week last season, Gascon posted 10 shutouts, (the second most in a single season by a Bulldog goaltender) and second most in the NCAA in 2025-26. Gascon owned a 1.77 goals against average over all her 35 games started made 993 saves -- the third most in a single-season in program history and averaged 28.3 saves per game and owned a .942 saves percentage. Her .943 save percentage in WCHA games was also a league-high.

Kraemer also skated with Canada's National Women's Development Team in August, bookending a busy summer for the Waterloo, Ontario product, who was also invited to the NHL's Edmonton Oilers Development Camp in early July. A 2025-26 All-WCHA Third Team selection and All-WCHA Academic Team member, Kraemer followed up her 2025 HCA Julie Chu Rookie of the Year (first Bulldog to earn the honor) and 2024-25 WCHA Rookie of the Year freshman campaign by leading the Bulldogs with 30 points in 36 games on 15 goals and a team-high 15 assists. Kraemer tied for a team-best four game-winning goal and posted seven multiple-point games. 

Kraemer also received votes for WCHA Player of the Year, while rookie forward Edit Danielsson received votes for WCHA Preseason Rookie of the Year.

The league coaches also tabbed the Bulldogs to finish fourth in the WCHA this season, one of four teams that qualified for the 2026 NCAA Tournament. Ohio State University was picked to finish first with 48 points, while defending NCAA champion the University of Wisconsin had 44 votes in second. The University of Minnesota was just three points ahead of the Bulldogs with 35 points – UMD was in fourth with 32.

QUARTET WILL CAPTAIN THE BULLDOGS IN 2026-27: Senior defenseman Ida Karlsson and junior forward Caitlin Kraemer will wear the "C" as the captains, while senior goaltender Eve Gascon and junior defenseman Kate Kosobud will each sport the "A" as alternate captains.

Karlsson, a Swedish Olympian, was a 2025-26 AHCA Krampade All-American Scholar, CSC Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team member and WCHA Scholar Athlete last season, and ade her Olympic debut in February, skating in all seven games for Sweden and adding an assist. The  Avesta, Sweden native played in 30 games for the Bulldogs as a junior, logging three goals and five assists for eight points, and had both a game-winning goal and power play goal. Karlsson also went +5 and had had 38 blocks last season. -- a more than one a game average.

Kraemer finished up duty with Canada's National Women's Development Team in August, bookending a busy summer for the Waterloo, Ontario product, who was also invited to the NHL's Edmonton Oilers Development Camp in early July. A 2025-26 All-WCHA Third Team selection and All-WCHA Academic Team member, Kraemer followed up her 2025 HCA Julie Chu Rookie of the Year (first Bulldog to earn the honor) and 2024-25 WCHA Rookie of the Year freshman campaign by leading the Bulldogs with 30 points in 36 games on 15 goals and a team-high 15 assists. Kraemer tied for a team-best four game-winning goal and posted seven multiple-point games.

Gascon also wrapped up work on Canada's National Women's Development Team in August, and her effort was highlighted by a sparkling 0.84 save percentage and .979 save percentage in two games and an extra period of play. The native of Mascouche, Quebec is a two-time All-American, a two-time All-USCHO First Team selection, a two-time WCHA Goaltender of the Year and two-time All-WCHA First Team member. Gascon is also a two-time American Hockey Coaches Association All-American Scholar and two-time WCHA Scholar Athlete and a two-time 2024-25 College Sports Communicators Academic All-District® Women's At-Large Team. A six-time WCHA Goaltender of the Week last season, Gascon posted 10 shutouts, (the second most in a single season by a Bulldog goaltender) and second most in the NCAA in 2025-26. Gascon owned a 1.77 goals against average over all her 35 games started made 993 saves -- the third most in a single-season in program history and averaged 28.3 saves per game and owned a .942 saves percentage. Her .943 save percentage in WCHA games was also a league-high.

Kosobud was a 2025-26 WCHA Scholar Athlete and All-WCHA Academic Team selection, and was named the WCHA Defender of the Week on Feb. 9. The Moorhead, Minn. native blossomed as a Bulldog, skating in all 38 games and logging two goals and eight assists for 10 points. Kosobud had 40 blocks and was +4.

BRINGING IT HOME: Notably, all roads could lead UMD home this season with the 2027 NCAA Women's Hockey Frozen Four returning to AMSOIL Arena in March. The Bulldogs haven't played in a Duluth hosted Frozen Four since 2008, and UMD won the NCAA title in Duluth in both 2008 and 2003 at the DECC. But the previous two hosted at AMSOIL Arena (2023 and 2012), the Bulldogs fell just short in their quest to come home. 

The Bulldogs will look to improve their actual numbers on the road this season as well -- last season, UMD was dominate on the road but struggled inside of AMSOIL. The Bulldogs were 13-5-1 away from AMSOIL, and more than half of UMD's goals have come on the road -- 56 of 93.

On the contrary, UMD ended up 7-8-2 in its home rink -- just the third time in UMD program history that had a team finished the season with a losing record at home -- over the 2012-13 season (7-8-3) and again in 2015-16 (5-10-1).


UMD Weekly Presser, Head coach Laura Schuler and Eve Gascon, Sept. 30, 2026