University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Head to Detroit for B1G Tournament
3/18/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
| 2015 Big Ten Ice Hockey Tournament | |
| Dates | Thursday, March 19-Saturday, March 21 |
| Location | Joe Louis Arena | Detroit, Mich. |
| Thursday Quarterfinals | Game 1: No. 4 Ohio State vs. No. 5 Penn State | 3:30 p.m. CT |
| Game 2: No. 3 Michigan vs. No. 6 Wisconsin | 7:00 p.m. CT | |
| Friday Semifinals | Game 3: No. 1 Minnesota vs. No. 4Ohio State| 3:30 p.m. CT |
| Game 4: No. 2 Michigan State vs. No. 3 Michigan| 7:00 p.m. CT | |
| Saturday Championship | Game 5: Game 3 Winner vs. Game 4 Winner | 7:00 p.m. CT |
| Television (All Games) | Big Ten Network |
| BTN2Go Stream | Game 1 | Game 2 | Game 3 | Game 4 | Game 5 |
| Radio (Gopher Games) | 1500 ESPN / Gopher Radio Network | Listen Here |
| Live Stats | | | | | Game 5 |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | PSU | OSU | Michigan | Wisconsin | MSU| B1G |
| Social Media | @GopherHockey | Facebook |
March 18, 2015
Fresh off its fourth-straight regular-season conference title, Gopher Hockey heads to the 2015 Big Ten Ice Hockey Tournament this weekend at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, Michigan. The top-seed at the conference competition, Minnesota has earned a first-round bye and will play the winner of fourth-seed Penn State and fifth-seed Ohio State on Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT. The Nittany Lions and Buckeyes play in quarterfinal action on Thursday at 3:30 p.m. with three-seed Michigan and six-seed Wisconsin playing the second quarterfinal game at 7 p.m. on Thursday before the winner advances to a semifinal matchup with second-seed Michigan State on Friday at 7 p.m. The Big Ten championship game is set for 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. All five games will be televised live on the Big Ten Network and streamed on BTN2Go. All Gopher games will also be available on the radio via 1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network.
Gophers Repeat as Big Ten Champs, Win Unprecedented Fourth-Straight Title
For the first time in the modern era, Gopher Hockey has won four-straight regular-season conference titles after repeating as Big Ten champions. Minnesota's 6-2 win over Penn State in the regular-season finale clinched the championship for Minnesota with the title standing as the 16th regular-season conference crown in program history. Prior to the back-to-back Big Ten titles, Minnesota won two-straight MacNaughton Cups as WCHA regular-season champions in the team's final two years in the league (co-champions in 2012-13).
Maroon & Gold All-Big Ten Honors
Mike Reilly headelines a group of four Gophers in this year's All-Big Ten honors with the junior defenseman repeating as Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year and First Team All-Big Ten (one of three unanimous selections this year). Kyle Rau, Travis Boyd and Adam Wilcox were named Second Team All-Big Ten picks while Brady Skjei was named Honorable Mention All-Big Ten. Rau was also selected as Minnesota's Big Ten Sportsmanship Award recipient.
Reilly Stays Hot
First Team All-American and Hobey Baker Award candidate Mike Reilly continues to lead all NCAA defensemen in scoring with 42 points and 36 assists this season. The blueliner's 36 assists are actually tied for second among all NCAA skaters and are the most by a Gopher since Nate Schmidt tallied 38 in 2011-12. Reilly is the first Gopher to lead the team in scoring since Mike Crowley tallied 56 points (nine goals, 47 assists) in route to All-America honors in 1996-97.
The Minnesota Rau-ser
In his final two games ever at Mariucci Arena last weekend, senior captain Kyle Rau certainly didn't disappoint -- tallying five points including both game-winning goals as the Gophers repeated as Big Ten champions. Rau now ranks 19th all-time at Minnesota with 162 points (66 goals, 96 assists) in 157 career games. His 162 points are the fourth most in the Don Lucia era behind Erik Westrum's 168 (1997-2001), Troy Riddle's 178 (2000-04) and John Pohl's 200 (1998-2002). Minnesota is 82-15-8 all-time when Rau tallies a point and 41-4-0 when the All-American records multiple points in a game. His 23 career game-winning goals are the most among active NCAA skaters.
Power Play on Point
Minnesota continues to boast the nation's best power play at .284 (38-for-134). The Gophers have now tallied a power-play goal in 11 of the last 15 games are now 17-for-51 (.333) over that stretch. Minnesota is one of only two Division I schools (Yale) to have not allowed a short-handed goal this year. Mike Reilly leads all NCAA skaters with 19 assists while on the advantage, and Travis Boyd's nine power-play goals are most in the Big Ten this season and tied for second most in the NCAA behind St. Cloud State's Jonny Brodzinski with 10 this season.
Fasching has Career Performance in Finale
Kyle Rau, Mike Reilly and Hudson Fasching all recorded multi-point games in both of last weekend's contests with Penn State, but it was Fasching who had perhaps the most noteworthy performance. The sophomore forward tallied a career-high four points (two goals, two assists) in Minnesota's 6-2 win over the Nittany Lions to clinch the Big Ten title.
Peaking at the Right Moment
The Maroon & Gold have gone 10-3-1 over the last 14 games and are the hottest team in college hockey over that stretch. Since Jan. 30, the Gophers lead the nation in points (160), goals (58) and assists (102).
Salute the Seniors
Minnesota's senior class of Seth Ambroz, Travis Boyd, Christian Isackson, Ben Marshall, Kyle Rau and Sam Warning have done what no other class in Minnesota's modern era has done -- win four-straight regular-season conference championships. The Gophers are 103-42-15 during their tenure and 62-13-7 at Mariucci Arena while the Maroon & Gold have also made two trips to the NCAA Frozen Four under their watch. Over the last 14 games, no class in college hockey has tallied more goals than Minnesota's seniors with 32 while the group has accounted for 55 percent of the team's goals during that stretch and 48 percent (62-of-129) of the team's goals for the year.
Wilcox Climbs Record Book
Adam Wilcox's 29-save performance on Saturday boosted the junior's career wins total to 71 -- the most among active NCAA goalies and the fourth-most in Minnesota history. Next up on the list for Wilcox is Hobey Baker Award winner Robb Stauber with 73 wins while Kellen Briggs holds the school wins record at 84.The netminder also added his fifth shutout of the year and 12th career shutout on Friday night and now needs one more clean sheet to tie Briggs for the school career shutout record.
There's No Place Like Home
Minnesota closed out the 21st season at Mariucci Arena in style last weekend with a sweep of Penn State while the Gophers are now 304-116-46 (.700) all-time on home ice. Since the start of the 2011-12 season, the Gophers are 62-13-7 (.796) on home ice including a 15-1-3 (.853) mark last year and a 14-3-1 mark this season. This year's .806 winning percentage on home ice is tied for the second best in the nation while Minnesota outscored opponents 71-37 at home this year. The Gophers are 16-1-2 in Big Ten play at Mariucci Arena (17-1-2 including the 2014 Hockey City Classic at TCF Bank Stadium).
Collins Nets First Goal as a Gopher
Freshman defenseman Ryan Collins scored his first collegiate goal in Saturday's 6-2 win over Penn State to clinch the Big Ten title. The rookie blueliner has nine points (one goal, eight assists) in 29 games this season.
Lucia Makes Gophers History
Minnesota head coach Don Lucia set a new program record with his 391st win behind the Minnesota bench on March 6, 2015 (a 4-2 win over Ohio State). Lucia is now 393-201-68 in 16 seasons as head coach of the Gophers and 672-356-97 overall in 28 seasons as a head coach. Lucia's 672 wins rank ninth all-time in college hockey history and are third-most among active coaches (Jerry York, Red Berenson).
Seniors to Lead in 2014-15
All-American Kyle Rau will lead the Gophers as team captain in 2014-15, making the senior the first player at the University of Minnesota to serve as captain for two-straight seasons since Grant Potulny in 2002-03 and 2003-04. Seniors Seth Ambroz and Ben Marshall will serve as alternate captains -- the 159th and 160th players to serve as either captain or alternate captain for the Gophers in a tradition that dates back to the program's first year of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold.
