Game Details
When: Friday, Oct. 4 at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Oct. 5 at 3 p.m.
Who: Colgate (1-1, 0-0 ECAC) vs. Minnesota Duluth (2-0, 2-0 WCHA)
Where: Class of 1965 Arena
A banner will rise as the puck drops at the Class of 1965 Arena on Friday night, marking the return of the reigning ECAC women's hockey champions.Â
Colgate hosts No. 3/4 Minnesota Duluth for its first home series of the season, marking a top 10 matchup for the Raiders' third and fourth game of the regular season under first year head coach Stefan Decosse.
Here are three things to know before the Raiders and the Bulldogs face off at center ice.Â
SEASON OPENING RESILIENCE
The Raiders opened the season with a trip to now-ranked Mercyhurst splitting the series, 1-1.Â
Colgate took the season opener with a 3-2 comeback win, and nearly put together a second come-from-behind victory but ultimately fell in overtime, 4-3.
But leaving Erie, Pa., the Raiders learned they are a resilient group. They faced uphill battles a number of times, but capitalized on power plays — scoring three in the series — and forced overtime late in the third period after being down for most of Saturday's game.Â
"Multiple times throughout that series, we had to come back and push for a goal," senior goaltender Hannah Murphy said. "So for me, this is a resilient, exciting group that works together exceptionally well."
MINNESOTA DULUTH'S START
Minnesota Duluth opened its season with a trip to the defending national champions, Ohio State, and walked away with a weekend sweep. Both games were one-goal affairs, with freshman Caitlin Kraemer scoring her first two career goals in Saturday's victory.Â
The Bulldogs originally were scheduled to host Syracuse University on Sept. 28 and 29, but the series was postponed until January following travel cancelations from Hurricane Helene.Â
"They're going to give us a really tough game," Decosse said. "It's going to be physical, it's going to be skilled. It's going to be a wonderful, exciting game here in Hamilton, New York."
Minnesota Duluth is under first-year head coach Laura Schuler, who took over the program after former head coach Maura Crowell accepted a job at Dartmouth.Â
The Bulldogs have 15 returning players from their NCAA Regional appearance last season, but had eight players don the maroon and gold jersey two weeks ago.Â
BRING ON THE YOUTH
The Raiders have 11 players on their roster that are sophomores or first years — four of which play defense. It leaves an opportunity for this young crop of players to earn high-quality experience against a top-ranked program like Minnesota Duluth.Â
Decosse said the challenge of managing a young roster is coaching them while also playing such a fast-paced game. Colgate has four weekend series scheduled before opening ECAC play against Rensslaer, giving Decosse and his staff plenty of opportunity to work closely with each of the new Raiders.
"For us as coaches, we're there for them and we're there to help them and provide them that opportunity," Decosse said. "There's only one way to learn how to do something, and that's by doing it and it's through action and then contemplative reflection."
PLAYERS TO WATCH
Elyssa Biederman — Jr. — F — Colgate
Biederman scored her first points of the season at Mercyhurst, netting her first goal and two assists in the series. The 2023-24 All-ECAC Third Team forward has the ability to be a point-per-game player for the Raiders, and can extend her early season point streak to three games on Friday.Â
Caitlin Kraemer — Fr. — F — Minnesota Duluth
Kraemer made quite a first impression in the Bulldogs' second game against Ohio State, scoring two goals and an assist in her first collegiate series. She's the all-time leading scorer for Canada's National Women's U18 squad and is fresh off a bronze medal in the 2024 IIHF World Championship, where she scored 10 goals.
