No. 11 UMD Women's Hockey Faces Top-Ranked Ohio State With Depleted Lineup

Depleted by international duty, the No. 11 University of Minnesota Duluth women’s hockey team faces a monumental road test this Friday and Saturday against top-ranked Ohio State University at the OSU Ice Rink.

Game time on Friday is set for 5:00 p.m. CST, with the series finale scheduled for a 1:00 p.m. start on Saturday. The Bulldogs arrive in Columbus missing four players who are currently representing their home countries ahead of the World Championships.

Eve Gascon and Caitlin Kraemer are skating with Team Canada in pre-tournament play against the United States. Meanwhile, freshman defenseman Tuuli Tallinen is competing with Finland, and captain Ida Karlsson is suiting up for Sweden.

A Skeleton Crew on Ice

Without those players, UMD travels with just 16 total skaters—comprising 11 forwards and five defensemen—alongside two goaltenders. This marks the second-fewest available players for a UMD game program possibly ever in program history.

The timing could hardly be more punishing. Ohio State sits comfortably at No. 1 in the country. In total, the Bulldogs have gone 2-8-0 over their last 10 meetings with OSU.

No. 11 UMD Women's Hockey Faces Top-Ranked Ohio State With Depleted Lineup

Yet the defensive numbers suggest an underlying resilience. Despite missing Eve Gascon for half of their games, the Bulldogs boast the nation’s lowest goals-against average at 1.3, alongside a .952 save percentage and five shutouts.

Penalty Killing Anchors the Short-Handed Squad

Penalty killing has become an anchor for the short-handed squad. UMD owns the nation’s second-best penalty kill at 95.5 percent, having successfully neutralized 21 of 22 opponent power plays this season. The unit has reeled off 13 straight kills without conceding a power-play goal since October 2.

Head coach Laura Schuler and sophomore forward Rae Mayer addressed the challenges during the program’s weekly press conference on November 11, 2026, outlining the tactical adjustments required to face the top-ranked Buckeyes with a heavily modified lineup.

History offers a glimmer of hope for the visitors. UMD’s last victory over a No. 1-ranked opponent came on September 22, 2024, when the Bulldogs edged Ohio State 4-3 in Columbus—the exact site of this weekend’s clash.