The No. 10 University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey team will wrap up the regular season Friday and Saturday at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis, Minn. when it faces the No. 3 University of Minnesota. The puck will drop on the final Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season series Friday night at 6:00 p.m. and conclude Saturday at 2:00 p.m.

UMD Women's Hockey Weekly Press Conference, February 18, 2026 -- Head coach Laura Schuler, senior captain Mary Kate O'Brien


HATS OFF TO HOAGIE: A fixture on the UMD hockey bench for over four decades, Dale "Hoagie" Haagenson passed away Tuesday at the age of 65. 

Haagenson joined the UMD men's hockey staff as a volunteer in 1981 for the 1981-82 season, and became a fixture on the Bulldog hockey benches for more than four decades, proudly handling the role as the team's assistant equipment manager and their inspirational leader. Inducted into the UMD Athletic Hall of Fame in 2017, he was the recipient of the 2010 Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference Noel Olson Volunteer of the Year Award. Haagenson was also named the 2000 Bruce Bennett Service Award for exceptional service and commitment to UMD Athletics.  

KARLSSON AND JOHANSSON WITH SWEDISH OLYMPIC TEAM: Ida Karlsson and Thea Johansson began their absence from the UMD team two weeks ago as two current and two former women's hockey players who were named to Sweden's 2026 Winter Olympic roster. Johansson and Karlsson joined former goaltenders Tindra Holm former and All-American Emma Soderberg -- Soderberg is a repeat Olympian after also leaving midseason in 2022 to represent her country.

In seven games, Johansson ended up tied for the Olympic lead in goals scored with four, and finishes ranked seventh with points with seven overall. Johansson, averaged a 1.00 goals per game average, also has a plus/minus rating of +3. Karlsson has also skated in all seven games, logging an assist and owned a +2 rating.

In seven games, Johansson ended up tied for the Olympic lead in goals scored with four, and finishes ranked seventh with points with seven overall. Johansson, averaged a 1.00 goals per game average, also has a plus/minus rating of +3. Karlsson has also skated in all seven games, logging an assist and owned a +2 rating.

In all, UMD had eight current or former players suiting up in the Olympics this week, and four former players who as now coaches. No program in the history of women's Division I NCAA hockey has had more Winter Olympians than UMD.  The Bulldogs as a program have sent 44 current or former players to skate on women's hockey biggest stage.

As a program, UMD has never had fewer than eight current or former players skating in the Olympics since the 2002 Olympics.  The Bulldogs had a program-high of 16 in 2006 and a whopping 15 in 2010.  The 2026 Winter Olympics have once again followed that UMD script, with eight current and former players currently on the ground in Milano Cortina, competing for their respective countries.

GASCON NO GOAL STREAK: The reigning WCHA Goaltender of the Week and Hockey Commissioners Association National Goalie of the Year Watch Semifinalist for a third-straight season, Eve Gascon is really in scoreless zone.

Last weekend, the Mascouche, Quebec native earned her third-straight shutout in a row and eighth and ninth of the season over the weekend, keeping St. Thomas off the scoreboard over the entire series and hasn't allowed a goal in 194:04 of action -- the longest shutout streak of her collegiate career.

Gascon is now tied for the second most shutouts in the NCAA and leads the WCHA, and is the first UMD goaltender in history to record seven or more shutouts in two different seasons. Gascon also has 20 career shutouts -- tying her for the second most in program history.

NOW THAT'S POWERED PLAY: UMD has scored a power play in each of its last four games -- not just a season-long power play goal streak, but the longest power play goal streak by the Bulldogs since the 2021-22 season.

UMD is 4-of-13 since Feb. 6 -- the last time the Bulldogs scored at least a power play goal in four-straight games came Dec. 31, 2021-Jan. 15, 2022. 

Freshman Rae Mayer and sophomore Josie St. Martin each have a team-high three power play goals so far this season.

NOT SHORTING THE SHORTY: The Bulldogs have also netted shorthanded goals in two of their last three games and are now tied for fourth in the NCAA with five. Caitlin Kraemer has two of those shorthanded tallies.

NOT SO FRESH ANYMORE: UMD's rookie class has recorded at least one goal by a freshman over the past seven skates. In those seven games, rookies have scored eight games, with Molly Cole netting four of them. 

All told, the freshman have scored 26 of the Bulldogs' 84 goals this season, including four game-winners. Rae Mayer leads the young pack with 12 goals.

KRAEMER FACES OFF: No player in the WCHA and just one in all of the NCAA (who has also played in four more games) has more faceoffs wins so far this season than top-line center Caitlin Kramer. The sophomore leads the WCHA with 439 wins and an overall record of 439-344 for a total of 783 draws. 

Kraemer is averaging 14.6 faceoff wins a game, and has been dominate over the past 11 games for UMD, outdrawing opponents 183-117 over that span. 

Last season Kraemer ranked third in the WCHA after winning 455 faceoffs out of 833 for a .546 win percentage. UMD has had impactful faceoff winners before, including Mannon McMahon, who led the WCHA with 522 wins out of 922 in 2023-24 and Gabbie Hughes, who had the second most wins for two seasons in row (2022-23 and 2021-22).

SLOW STARTERS: UMD has scored just 18 of its 84 goals in the first period so far this season, but only allowed 19 against. The Bulldogs have been knotted up after 20 minutes in 10 games -- their record is 6-4-1 in those skates.

By comparison, UMD has scored 37 goals in the third period while allowing 22.

THE SERIES: UMD is just 32-80-11 all-time against Minnesota and has struggled against the Gophers as of late. The Bulldogs are just 0-9-1 over their past 10 meetings and 0-7-0 since it tied Minnesota back on Feb. 23, 2024, a 1-1 overtime tie at Ridder Arena. 

One player remains on the roster from the 2022 UMD team that defeated Minnesota 2-1 to advance to the 2022 NCAA Frozen Four -- captain Mary Kate O'Brien. That win also doubles as the last time the Bulldogs beat the Gophers inside Ridder. It's been even longer since UMD swept Minnesota -- Jan. 13-14, 2017 at AMSOIL.

Ridder Arena has been a bit of a puzzle for UMD since it won an NCAA title there in 2010. Since that triple-overtime win against Cornell at Ridder (and the win over Minnesota in the Frozen Four semifinals), UMD is just 5-29-3 against the Gophers on their home ice.

UMD vs Minnesota, last 10 games (0-9-1)

Oct. 25, 2025 2-3 Loss Home

Oct. 24, 2024 0-4 Loss Home

Jan. 22, 2025 0-1 Loss Away

Jan. 21, 2o25 2-3 Loss Away

Nov. 16, 2024 2-3 Loss Home

Nov. 15, 2024 1-4 Loss Home

Feb. 24, 2024 2-4 Loss Away

Feb. 23, 2024 1-1 Tie OT Away

Nov. 18, 2023 1-3 Loss Home

Nov. 17, 2023 1-3 Loss Home

In their last head-to-head action back at the end of October, the Bulldogs were swept at AMSOIL Arena by No. 3 Minnesota by scores of 4-0 and 3-2.

In game one and after a scoreless first period, the Gophers scored two goals in the opening 3:43 of the second frame. The second goal was the most concerning of all – it cost the Bulldogs junior goaltender Eve Gascon, who was forced to leave the game after suffering an upper body injury. 

Sophia Villanueva impressed early and helped put UMD on the offensive initially. But despite putting an even 13 shots on goal with the Gophers in the period, it was Minnesota, after calling a timeout to settle its squad, that tacked on a goal at the 12:30 mark and took the 3-0 lead into the second intermission.

The Gophers added a final power play goal at 15:42 to wrap up the game's scoring. Minnesota outshot UMD 36-24 in the game and held the Bulldogs scoreless in just two power play attempts while the Gophers went 1-of-2.

Like Friday night, the first period was a scoreless stalemate, with each side landing 10 shots on goal apiece.

Unlike Friday night, however, the Bulldogs got on the board first 7:55 into the second period off a goal from Caitlin Kraemer.

Less than four minutes later, Minnesota equalized on a goal from Josefin Bouveng, and then at 15:04, Abbey Murphy scored five-hole to give the Gophers their first lead of the game. Officials reviewed a hit by Murphy just prior to the goal, but after review and despite the contact, the goal was allowed to stand.

After UMD was outshot 27-21 in the first 40 minutes, the Bulldogs tilted the ice in the third. It began with a 5-1 shot advantage through the first five minutes and through the final 20 minutes, UMD had outshot the Gophers a whopping 18-4.

Midway through the period, Murphy struck against the grain to make it a 3-1 game for Minnesota at 10:21. But UMD finally responded at the 16:04 mark, on the power play and with goaltender Gascon pulled for a 6-on-4 did a shot finally get through Clark again. Josie St. Martin tracked down a loose puck tipped by Mary Kate O'Brien and popped it in to make it a 3-2 contest.

The good news for the Bulldogs was the return of Gascon to the starting lineup Saturday after the junior goaltender had an injury scare early in the second period. Gascon made 28 saves for the Bulldogs, while Hannah Clark had 37 for the Gophers, who were outshot by UMD overall 39-31. UMD went 1-of-3 on its power play while holding Minnesota scoreless in one attempt. 

In Saturday's skate, UMD outshot the Gophers (39-31), the second time the Bulldogs have outshot the Minnesota over the past three games. UMD also outshot the Gophers on Feb. 15, 2025 30-27 in a 1-0 loss. 

LAST TIME OUT: UMD shutout St. Thomas over an entire series last weekend at AMSOIL Arena by scores of 3-0 on both Friday and Saturday.

Special teams led the way Friday night, with a power play goal by Mary Kate O'Brien 5:53 into the second period and a shorthanded breakaway by Caitlin Kraemer at 2:50. Madi Burr sealed the 3-0 win with an empty netter with 1:49 left in the third. Eve Gascon had 24 saves, UMD outshot the Tommies 35-24. 

Saturday, despite being outshot 33-23 by UST, UMD earned a 3-0 shutout behind 33 saves from Gascon. Molly Cole gave the Bulldogs a 1-0 5:09 into the first period, and Josie St. Martin added a power play goal at 16:40 of the second to double that. Zoey Krock made it a 3-0 game with 39 seconds left in the third to lock down the sweep.

NOTES FROM THE ST. THOMAS SERIES: UMD is now 17-2-1 all-time against the Tommies and unbeaten over their last eight meetings.

--The Bulldogs are averaging 3.8 goals a game against UST, and eight of their 17 wins against the Tommies have now been shutouts. 

--UMD is unbeaten at AMSOIL against UST with a record of 9-0-1, and all-time has outscored the Tommies 76-18 over their 20 meetings.