Hockey 9/22/2024 8:15:49 PM

No. 7 Minnesota Duluth Defeats the No. 1 Ohio State 4-3 to Earn Series Sweep

COLUMBUS, Ohio (umdbulldogs.com) - Caitlin Kraemer picked the perfect time Sunday to introduce herself to the Bulldog faithful, and it's an introduction University of Minnesota Duluth women's hockey fans won't soon forget.

With the help of Kraemer's two third period goals, the No. 7 Bulldogs punched back from a one goal deficit to defeat No. ½ Ohio State University 4-3 at OSU Ice Rink in Columbus, Ohio. The win secured UMD's first Western Collegiate Hockey Association sweep over the Buckeyes since Feb. 7-8, 2020 and the Bulldogs became the first team to sweep OSU since the 2021-22 season.

Kraemer logged a game-high three points in the outing, recording her first UMD assist along with her first two collegiate goals. Kraemer's offensive outburst, paired again with the outstanding goaltending effort of Ève Gascon, was a 1-2 punch from an inspired UMD side the Buckeyes were unable to fend off all weekend.

"I'm just so happy for, and proud of our student-athletes," said head coach Laura Schuler, who is 2-0 out of the gate at the helm of the Bulldogs. "We took another step forward with how we want to play, and I was really happy with the adjustments we made from game one to game two. To come back like that after being down 3-2 in the second period, and come back the way that we did and tie it up and then go ahead was pretty amazing. Really proud of our whole team."

After OSU opened up the scoring 6:04 into the first period with an extra attacker on a delayed penalty call, graduate forward
Clara Van Wieren equalized. Van Wieren hammered home a loose puck in the slot to draw UMD even at 14:06, assisted by graduate forward Olivia Wallin, her second point on the weekend and rookie center Caitlin Kraemer, the first point of her brand new career.

The Bulldogs took their first lead of the game just 1:50 into the second period off a power play goal from senior forward Jenna Lawry. Lawry's snipe from the circle blew by former UMD goaltender Hailey MacLeod to go ahead 2-1. Fifth-year defenseman Nina Jobst-Smith and redshirt forward Mary Kate O'Brien each were credited for the assists on Lawry's tally.

BULLDOG GOAL!! Van Wieren ties it up!!! 1-1 in Columbus! pic.twitter.com/RY9ZOvy5Rk
— UMD Women's Hockey (@UMDWHockey) September 22, 2024

After Schuler had a OSU goal taken off the board with a successful challenge for goaltender interference midway through the frame, the Buckeyes buried two goals 10 seconds apart to retake the lead, a 3-2 advantage OSU would take into the second intermission.

Enter Kraemer, who knotted the game at the 4:35 mark after skating the length of the ice and, after her pass to the doorstep was blocked, shoveled the puck over MacLeod's shoulder for the first goal of her career.

Kraemer wasn't done yet though. The highly touted prep prospect demonstrated what all the fuss was about with another skate from UMD's blueline all the way to the OSU left circle. From there, Kraemer unleashed a shot past MacLeod's glove side to take over the 4-3 lead at 14:33 of the final frame.

WELCOME TO THE LEAGUE CAITLIN KRAEMER! pic.twitter.com/nt9fnZUu7X
— UMD Women's Hockey (@UMDWHockey) September 22, 2024

UMD's defensive core again stood strong, keeping the Buckeyes scoreless on three power play attempts, including 15 seconds of 6-on-4 hockey to end the period. The Bulldogs blocked 10 shots and got 36 saves from Gascon, who ran her weekend total to 74 total stops.

The Buckeyes (0-2-0, 0-2-0) got 26 saves from MacLeod in net. OSU outshot the Bulldogs 39-30, but it was UMD that outscored the Buckeyes in not only the game, but the series 6-4. The Bulldogs, who scored just two goals against OSU over six games the entire last season, put up the most goals against a Buckeye side since it had put up six on Dec. 2-3, 2022.

UMD (2-0-0, 2-0-0) will host Syracuse University this weekend at AMSOIL Arena in its home season opener. The Saturday-Sunday series will get underway Saturday at 7:00 p.m. before concluding on Sunday with a 3:00 p.m. puck drop.

BULLDOG NOTES: The Bulldogs sweep of the No. ½ Buckeyes is the first over a top one or two ranked team since UMD swept the then No. 2 University of Minnesota back on Jan. 13-14, 2017 by scores of 3-2 and 5-3 at AMSOIL Arena … Caitlin Kraemer is the first UMD rookie to record three points in the first series of her career since Kailee Skinner registered three assists against BostoN College on Sept. 28-29, 2018 … Ève Gascon's 75 save series is the highest series save weekend outing of her career.

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