Minnesota Duluth junior center Gabbie Hughes picked up her 99th and 100th career points Saturday as the Bulldogs finished their regular-season sweep of St. Cloud State with a 6-0 victory in WCHA play before 150 invited guests at Amsoil Arena in Duluth.
Hughes’ 99th point was her third goal of the season, as she finished a feed from senior wing Anna Klein on a two-on-one attack 3:24 into the second period to put UMD on top 1-0. The 100th point of Hughes’ collegiate career was the second assist on Klein’s goal at the 6:51 mark that put UMD on top 2-0.
“I feel like I’m still trying to wrap my head around being in that club and being with such great players that have achieved that,” Hughes said. “Being able to achieve that myself, I’m so honored and definitely couldn’t have done it without my teammates and at any other program. This program is definitely why I have achieved that.”
With 42 goals and 58 assists in 80 career games — including three goals and 11 assists in 12 games this year — Hughes is the eighth Bulldog to reach the 100-point milestone in 80 games or less and first since Haley Irwin and Elin Holmlov both did in 2008-09.
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Hughes is the 21st Bulldog to score 100 career points , and third during the tenure of coach Maura Crowell, joining Lara Stalder (148 career points) and current assistant coach Ashleigh Brykaliuk (145).
“A special group of players I’ve been able to coach here to hit that 100-point mark,” Crowell said. “It’s such a quick amount of time for Gabbie. I know there’s going to be lots more.
“She’s a phenom offensively, fun to watch. Some of the goals she’s scored over the course of her career so far, you think back, they’re beauties and just amazing to watch.”
The Bulldogs scored four goals in the third period to boost the combined 19-2 margin of four wins this year over SCSU.
Two of UMD’s third-period goals Saturday came from junior center McKenzie Hewett. Those were her first two goals of the season. Junior defenseman Kailee Skinner also scored her first goal of the year and senior captain Ashton Bell nabbed her third.
Junior goaltender Emma Soderberg made 24 saves to nab her fifth shutout in 12 games this season. Soderberg has only surrendered three goals in six games in 2021, with three shutouts in January.
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Soderberg said the credit goes to those in front of her. Her teammates have been on their game since returning from the holiday break, she said.
“It comes down to our defense,” Soderberg said. “Our players are holding (opponents) to the outside, which makes it pretty easy to be a goalie. They’re clearing sticks and clearing screens. I just have to collect the pucks coming at me.”
St. Cloud State 0-0-0—0
Minnesota Duluth 0-2-4—6
First period
No scoring.
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Second period
1. UMD, Gabbie Hughes 3 (Anna Klein), 3:24
2. UMD, Klein 9 (Ashton Bell, Hughes), 6:51
Third period
3. UMD, Ashton Bell 3 (Maggie Flaherty, Katie Davis), 5:32
4. UMD, McKenzie Hewett 1 (Kasundra Betinol, Naomi Rogge), 9:09 (pp)
5. UMD, Kailee Skinner (Clara Van Wieren), 17:04
6. UMD, Hewett (Davis), 18:28
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Saves — Sami Ahola, SCSU, 12-14-9—35; Emma Soderberg, UMD, 11-6-7—24.
Power play — SCSU 0-2; UMD 1-5. Penalties — SCSU 5-10; UMD 2-4.
