UNIVERSITY PARK, Penn. — There were a number of memorable moments last Saturday in Minnesota Duluth’s dramatic NCAA quarterfinal victory at Minnesota, from the saves made by senior goaltender Emma Soderberg to the decisive goals by Mannon McMahon and Gabbie Hughes.
One moment that likely went overlooked, however, from a line that gets overlooked, came midway through the third period when Bulldogs sophomore winger Clara Van Wieren slowly fought her way to the bench after going hard into the end boards.
It was a moment that UMD fifth-year senior Elizabeth Giguere said stood out, because she was there when a battered and bruised Van Wieren reached the bench.
Minnesota Duluth forward Clara Van Wieren (25) controls the puck during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
“I was on the bench and I said, ‘Nine minutes left. You got this,’” Giguere said Thursday. “We had nine minutes left and she knew she had it.”
Van Wieren returned to the ice and rejoined her linemates — junior center Mannon McMahon and freshman wing Gabby Krause — shortly after. She finished the game, logging key minutes during key moments as the Bulldogs held off the Gophers to secure a spot this week in the NCAA Frozen Four at Pegula Ice Arena on the campus of Penn State University.
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The Bulldogs take on Northeastern at 2:30 p.m. Friday in University Park, Pennsylvania, in a rematch of last year’s national semifinal that the Huskies won 3-2 in overtime in Erie, Pennsylvania.
1/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth defenseman Hanna Baskin (10) skates with the puck during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
2/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Clara Van Wieren (25) controls the puck during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
3/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth associate head coach Laura Bellamy works with players during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
4/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth head coach Maura Crowell gives instructions to her team during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
5/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Northeastern defenseman Brooke Hobson (10) skates with the puck on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
6/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Anneke Linser (13) celebrates a goal in practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
7/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Taylor Anderson (5) smiles during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
8/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Northeastern head coach Dave Flint talks to his team during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
9/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Northeastern defenseman Brooke Hobson (10) shoots the puck on goal against Northeastern goaltender Aerin Frankel (33) on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
10/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth goaltender Emma Soderberg (30) answers questions from the media at the Women’s Frozen Four on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
11/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Northeastern defenseman Megan Carter (27) talks to her teammates during a practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
12/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Élizabeth Giguère (8) and Minnesota Duluth goaltender Emma Soderberg (30) have a conversation with associate head coach Laura Bellamy on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
13/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Élizabeth Giguère (8) answers a question at a press conference during the Women’s Frozen Four on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
14/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth head coach Maura Crowell answers a question during a press conference at the Women’s Frozen Four on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
15/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Mannon McMahon (16) and forward Clara Van Wieren (25) pose for a photo at the end of practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
16/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth goaltenders Emma Soderberg (30), Holly Gruber and Jojo Chobak seen at practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
17/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Kylie Hanley (12) celebrates with Minnesota Duluth forward Naomi Rogge (9) after scoring goal in practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
18/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth head coach Maura Crowell talks to her team at the end of practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
19/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth players and coaches take the ice for a practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
20/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Naomi Rogge (9) reacts to a play on the ice during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
21/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Gabbie Hughes (17) and Minnesota Duluth forward Élizabeth Giguère (8) talk during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
22/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth goaltender Emma Soderberg (30), Minnesota Duluth forward Élizabeth Giguère (8) and Minnesota Duluth head coach Maura Crowell at a news conference at the Women’s Frozen Four on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania
23/23: PHOTO GALLERY: Minnesota Duluth forward Gabbie Hughes (17) skates with the puck during practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania. Hughes was announced as one of the top three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award.
Much of the attention from fans, media and likely the opposition will be focused Friday on the Bulldogs’ top line of Giguere, Hughes and fifth-year senior Anna Klein, however, the Bulldogs are more than just their top line, as they showed last Saturday against the Gophers.
While Giguere, Hughes and Klein were forced to defend for much of that quarterfinal against the Gophers’ top line, UMD’s second line of Van Wieren, McMahon and Krause went on the attack.
It was that line that opened the door on the come-from-behind win as McMahon put a puck on net late in the third that deflected off the glove of Minnesota goaltender Lauren Bench to tie the game.
“They're huge for us. They've been steadily relentless throughout the last month and a half,” Crowell said of Van Wieren, McMahon and Krause. “They have such confidence in what they do and who they are. They're relentless on the forecheck. They're tough. Mannon and Gabby Krause are two of the fastest players on the ice and Clara loves to hang on to the puck to make plays. They’re really complementary of each other.”
Minnesota Duluth forward Mannon McMahon (16) and forward Clara Van Wieren (25) pose for a photo at the end of practice on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
Van Wieren has posted nine goals and 19 assists in 38 games this season, and had the helper last Saturday on McMahon’s game-tying goal. McMahon has four goals and 15 assists this season after totaling eight total points her first two years.
Krause, the rookie out of Andover, Minnesota, has five goals and six assists in 35 games. Crowell called Krause the most consistent freshman on the team this season, one that has a knack for scoring goals while also taking care of the defensive zone in ways that freshmen don’t always do at this point of their career.
Krause is also one of the fastest players on the team along with McMahon and Klein, according to Crowell and a number of players on the team.
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“We all bring something different to our line, which is why I think we've been successful,” McMahon said. “Clara’s definitely the muscle. She'll go in and win the pucks. Gabby's super speedy, a super smart player, and obviously she's a goal scorer. We all kind of bring something different.”
Minnesota Duluth forward Gabby Krause (18) moves the puck against Harvard forward Kristin Della Rovere (11) on Thursday, March 10, 2022, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
Van Wieren said everyone on the line is multifaceted, and that McMahon doesn’t give herself enough credit. Their center is a physical force in the defensive zone.
“I guess I'm known as the physical one on the line, but Mannon is also laying bodies in the corners in the D zone,” Van Wieren said. “Honestly, she is the hardest player to play against in the D zone because she's just so physical down there. That can't be understated how important that is, too.”
Van Wieren and McMahon are among the 14 Bulldogs who played in last year’s game against Northeastern that are available for Friday’s national semifinal rematch (a 15th, senior defenseman Maggie Flaherty, is injured). McMahon got the first goal of the game a year ago with assists from defenseman Kailee Skinner and Van Wieren to give UMD a lead midway through the second.
Minnesota Duluth forward Clara Van Wieren (25) and Minnesota Duluth forward Mannon McMahon (16) celebrate a second period goal on Saturday, March 12, 2022, at Ridder Arena in Minneapolis during the NCAA Women’s Hockey regional final.
Clint Austin / Duluth News Tribune
The Huskies return 19 of the 20 players who not only took part in that national semifinal against UMD, but went on to lose to Wisconsin 2-1 in overtime in the national championship game.
Last Saturday after beating the Gophers, the Bulldogs called their rematch with Northeastern this week the latest chapter in their revenge tour. But UMD isn’t the only team taking the ice Friday with unfinished business on their mind.
“We’re two really good teams going head-to-head,” said Northeastern goaltender Aerin Frankel, the 2021 Patty Kazmaier Memorial Award winner and a top-10 finalist this season. “I think we're both extremely excited for this opportunity. Playing them last year, I'm sure they want some redemption on us and we want to get back to where we were last year in the national championship game. There's going to be a lot of emotion, but I think you can expect a very back and forth game, a very intense game.”
Northeastern defenseman Brooke Hobson (10) shoots the puck on goal against Northeastern goaltender Aerin Frankel (33) on Thursday, March 17, 2022, at Pegula Ice Arena in University Park, Pennsylvania.
Co-host of the Bulldog Insider Podcast and college hockey reporter for the Duluth News Tribune and The Rink Live covering the Minnesota Duluth men's and women's hockey programs.
CC Bowlby helped the Hornets win three Class AA state titles. She led Dartmouth in scoring as a senior and had other offers, but chose to try to help the Huskies take another step.
The former Ms. Hockey winner has been a defensive mainstay for the past four years, and is on track to attend medical school when she is done playing in March 2024.
