University of Minnesota Athletics
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No. 3 Gophers Host No. 10 Bulldogs to Close Regular Season
2/19/2026 10:00:00 AM | Women's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 3-ranked University of Minnesota women's hockey team returns home to host the 10th-ranked Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs for a two-game series at Ridder Arena to close out the 2025-26 regular season. Puck drop is set for Friday, Feb. 20 at 6:00 p.m. CT on FOX9+, with Saturday's finale scheduled for 2:00 p.m. CT on B1G+.
#3 Gophers (24-7-1, 18-5-1 WCHA) vs. #10 Bulldogs (17-12-3, 13-10-3 WCHA)
Date: Feb. 20, 2026
Time: 6:00 p.m. CT
Stream: FOX9+
Location: Ridder Arena
#3 Gophers (24-7-1, 18-5-1 WCHA) vs. #10 Bulldogs (17-12-3, 13-10-3 WCHA)
Date: Feb. 21, 2026
Time: 2:00 p.m. CT
Stream: B1G+
Location: Ridder Arena
Last Time Out
The Gophers enter the weekend after dropping a pair of games to No. 2 Ohio State last weekend in Columbus. The 'U' fell 4-2 on Friday as the Buckeyes scored three power-play goals, before Minnesota suffered a 3-1 setback Saturday afternoon.
Scouting the Bulldogs
Minnesota Duluth enters the weekend fourth in the WCHA standings with 44 points following a sweep of St. Thomas, winning both games 3-0. UMD owns a 17-12-3 overall record (13-10-3 WCHA), led by sophomore forward Caitlin Kraemer's 27 points (14g, 13a). Freshman Rae Mayer adds 20 points (12g, 8a). The Bulldogs are represented at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milan, Italy, by Thea Johansson and Ida Karlsson, who suited up for Sweden. Johansson has tallied 21 points (15g, 6a) in 26 games this season. In net, Eve Gascon anchors UMD with a 1.90 goals-against average, a .939 save percentage, and nine shutouts. Laura Schuler is in her second year as head coach for UMD, holding a 39-27-5 record.Â
Inside the Series
Minnesota leads the all-time series 80-32-11 and is 9-0-1 in the last 10 meetings. The teams will meet for the 124th and 125th times this weekend. The Gophers are 41-11-5 at home against UMD. Earlier this season (Oct. 24-25), Minnesota swept the Bulldogs by scores of 4-0 and 3-2 in Duluth. Ava Lindsay scored twice in the 4-0 win while Hannah Clark posted her second shutout of the season. Abbey Murphy netted two goals, including the game-winner, in the 3-2 victory the following day.
Home Ice Secured
The Maroon and Gold have clinched home-ice advantage for the first round of the WCHA Playoffs. The Gophers will host a best-of-three quarterfinal series at Ridder Arena, continuing their pursuit of a conference title and an NCAA Tournament berth.
WCHA All-Academic Team
Fourteen Golden Gophers were named to the 2025-26 WCHA All-Academic Team. Representing the 'U' were Josefin Bouveng, Hannah Clark, Kendra Distad, Allie Franco, Gracie Graham, Carly Humphrey, Sophia Johnson, Madison Kaiser, Emma Kreisz, Nelli Laitinen, Ava Lindsay, Sydney Morrow, Abbey Murphy and Chloe Primerano. To qualify, student-athletes must have completed at least one year of eligibility at their current institution prior to the academic year and maintained a 3.0 grade-point average or higher (on a 4.0 scale) over the previous two semesters or three quarters. The team is selected with assistance from each institution's Faculty Athletics Representative.
Murphy Milestones
Graduate forward Abbey Murphy continues her climb up the Minnesota record books. Murphy is tied for first all-time in program history with 139 career goals and ranks second in career points (256). She now also holds the program record for game-winning goals (24) and tied the single-game program record with seven points earlier this season.
Gophers on the Olympic Stage
Minnesota has been without four skaters since Jan. 25 due to Olympic participation: Nelli Laitinen (Finland), Abbey Murphy (USA), Josefin Bouveng (Sweden), and Tereza Plosová (Czechia).
Elite Offense
Minnesota enters the weekend as the No. 2 scoring offense nationally with 158 goals. The Gophers rank second in goals, assists (269), points (427), and scoring offense (4.94 goals per game).
Balanced Attack
Seven Gophers have 10 or more goals, and six players have at least 30 points, highlighting Minnesota's scoring depth.
Winning the Margins
Minnesota ranks third nationally in scoring margin, outscoring opponents 158-70 (+2.75 per game).
Front-Running Gophers
Minnesota has dominated when jumping out to an early lead this season. The Gophers are 15-0-1 when leading after the first period and 18-0-1 when leading after two periods.
Three Is the Key
The Gophers are 24-0-0 when scoring at least three goals this season.Â
Against the Ranked
The Gophers have recorded an impressive 13-5-0 mark against ranked opponents this season. The wins include two victories over No. 1 ranked teams, a win over No. 2, and two wins over No. 4 ranked teams.Â
Blue Line Production
Sydney Morrow ranks third nationally among defenders in points (31), fourth in assists (23), and ninth in goals (8). Chloe Primerano ranks fourth nationally among defenders with eight goals. Despite missed time, Nelli Laitinen still ranks seventh among defenders in points (28), third in goals (10), and 10th in assists (18).
Freshman Standout
Bella Fanale has shined in her first collegiate season, centering Minnesota's top line. She ranks third among freshmen with 17 goals and sixth in freshman scoring with 33 points.
Between the Pipes
Clark ranks 20th nationally in goals-against average (1.99), 29th in save percentage (.924), and tied for 16th with three shutouts. She also owns the sixth-highest goalie winning percentage (.761).
Special Teams Success
Minnesota ranks fifth nationally on the power play (.287) and ninth in total power-play goals (25).
National Recognition
Minnesota remains the No. 3 team in the nation for the 10th consecutive week.
Behind the Bench
Frost, in his 19th season leading the Gophers, holds a career record of 552-128-43, four national championships, and seven conference titles. Associate head coach Greg May, assistant coach Mitch Baker, and assistant coach/general manager Jessica Scott also return to the staff.
Quest for Eight
Minnesota continues its pursuit of an eighth national championship, having already claimed seven titles (2000, 2004, 2005, 2012, 2013, 2015, 2016).