University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Set for North Star College Cup
1/28/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
| Gopher Hockey: 2016 North Star College Cup Presented by TRIA | |||||||||||
| Location | Xcel Energy Center | St. Paul, Minn. | ||||||||||
| Dates | Semifinals: Saturday, Jan. 30 | ||||||||||
| Championship/Consolation: Sunday, Jan. 31 | |||||||||||
| Semifinal One | Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 1:05 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Television | FOX Sports North | ||||||||||
| Stream | FOX Sports GO | ||||||||||
| Game Links | |||||||||||
| Semifinal Two | Bemidji State vs. Minnesota | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 4:05 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Television | FOX Sports North | ||||||||||
| Stream | BTN2Go, FOX Sports GO | ||||||||||
| Radio | 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network | ||||||||||
| Game Links | Gopher Hockey Live | | ||||||||||
| Consolation Game | Minnesota State vs. Minnesota | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 1:05 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Television | FOX Sports North | ||||||||||
| Stream | BTN2Go, FOX Sports GO | ||||||||||
| Game Links | Gopher Hockey Live | | ||||||||||
| Championship Game | St. Cloud State vs. Bemidji State | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 4:05 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Television | FOX Sports North | ||||||||||
| Stream | FOX Sports GO | ||||||||||
| Game Links | |||||||||||
| NSCC Info | Tickets | Parking | History | ||||||||||
| Game Notes | Minnesota | BSU | SCSU | MSU | Big Ten | ||||||||||
| Social Media | @GopherHockey | Facebook | Instagram | ||||||||||
The Gopher Hockey program closes out its nonconference schedule this weekend at the third annual North Star College Cup presented by TRIA. Xcel Energy Center hosts the college hockey showcase in the state of Minnesota with Bemidji State, Minnesota State and St. Cloud State joining the Gophers.
North Star College Cup Schedule
Saturday, Jan. 30 (Semifinals)
1 p.m. CT: Minnesota State vs. St. Cloud State (TV: FOX Sports North; Stream: FOX Sports Go)
4 p.m. CT: Minnesota vs. Bemidji State (TV: FOX Sports North; Stream: BTN2Go, FOX Sports Go; Radio: 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network)
Sunday, Jan. 31
1 p.m. CT: Consolation Game (TV: FOX Sports North; Stream: FOX Sports Go)
4 p.m. CT: Championship Game (TV: FOX Sports North; Stream: FOX Sports Go)
*Gophers game will also be streamed on BTN2Go; Radio on 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network
Back in the Rankings
For the second year in a row, three of four competing teams at this year's North Star College Cup will enter the weekend as nationally ranked programs. St. Cloud State leads the way at No. 3 while Minnesota State comes in at No. 19 and Minnesota returns to the national rankings at No. 20.
Opening Matchup
Minnesota's semifinal with Bemidji State on Saturday will pit the first two North Star College Cup champions against one another. The Gophers won the inaugural event in 2014 in a dramatic shootout against Minnesota Duluth while the Beavers gave up just one goal at the 2015 tournament and return as the defending champion. Minnesota is officially 1-2-1 at the North Star College Cup while Bemidji State is 2-0-0 after making their tournament debut last year. The Gophers are 18-1-1 all-time against the Beavers.
Entering the Weekend Hot
The Gophers enter this weekend on a five-game winning streak and sit on top of the Big Ten Conference standings with 24 points. The Maroon & Gold will shoot for their first six-game winning streak since 2013-14 on Saturday. The University of Minnesota is also 9-3-0 in its last 12 games including a season-best four-game winning streak entering tonight's game. Of the team's three losses in that span, only one has come in regulation (Dec. 11 at nationally ranked Michigan).
Fasching Keeps Scoring
Junior forward Hudson Fasching led all Big Ten skaters with five points last weekend including his league-best fifth-game winning goal just 12 seconds into Friday's win. The alternate captain, who leads Minnesota with 15 goals (a new career best) and 27 points this season, has been on a tear since the start of December with points in 10 of 12 games (11 goals, eight assists, 19 points in that span). Fasching has recorded multiple points in four of the last five games.
Kloos Lets Loose
Justin Kloos has scored a goal in each of Minnesota's games over the five-game winning streak, giving the junior forward a new career goal-scoring streak. The team captain has 12 points (five goals, seven points) over the stretch.
Brodzinski's Career Night
Michael Brodzinski scored three goals in the third period of a 9-2 win on Saturday at Wisconsin -- his first career hat trick and his first game with multiple goals. The performance also marked the first-ever hat trick by a Big Ten defenseman.
Freshmen Contribute in Wisconsin Finale
Among the many contributors in last Saturday's 9-2 win at Wisconsin were a pair of freshmen firsts as rookie forwards Ryan Norman (game-winning goal, assist) and Jack Ramsey (two assists) notched their first career multi-point games.
Success on the Penalty Kill
The Gophers have allowed just one power-play goal in the last nine games and are 1-for-26 in that span including 21-straight successful penalty kills entering this weekend's tournament.
How You Start is How You Finish
Minnesota is now 10-1-0 when scoring first this season as opposed to 3-9-0 when opponents score first.
Big Ten Bullet Points
Now in its third year as members of the Big Ten Conference, the Gophers return as two-time defending Big Ten regular-season champions as well as the defending Big Ten tournament champions. In 50 regular-season Big Ten games, Minnesota is 34-10-6-0 (.740) while the Maroon & Gold hold an impressive 21-1-2-0 (.913) record in conference games on home ice.
Four Championships -- A Program First
For the first time in Gopher Hockey history, the Maroon & Gold have earned four-straight regular-season conference titles after repeating as Big Ten champions last year. 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).
Our Home, Our Hockey
Now entering its 22nd season at Mariucci Arena, Minnesota has been incredibly successful on its home ice, boasting a 311-123-46 all-time record at the venue. The dominance has never been more apparent than the last four years with the Gophers leading the nation in home wins (63), home winning percentage (.801) and fewest home losses (13) entering the 2015-16 season. In Big Ten play, Minnesota holds a 21-1-2 all-time record on home ice. (All statistics except for Mariucci Arena record include Minnesota's win at TCF Bank Stadium in 2013-14.).
Four to Lead in 2015-16
The Gophers will see a new crop of leaders in the locker room this season with junior forward Justin Kloos serving as team captain while redshirt junior forward Connor Reilly, junior forward Hudson Fasching, and junior defenseman Jake Bischoff will act as alternate captains for the Maroon & Gold. Kloos, who returns as Minnesota's active leading scorer, replaces two-year team captain Kyle Rau while the cadre of alternate captains take over for Ben Marshall and Seth Ambroz. This year's group of leaders mark the 161st-164th 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.
Gophers Sign Five in Early Period
The newest crop of Golden Gophers signed their National Letters of Intent earlier this year with five Minnesota natives looking to join the ranks of the Maroon & Gold in the coming years. Defensemen Ryan Lindgren (Minneapolis, Minn.), Sam Rossini (Inver Grove Heights, Minn.) and Ryan Zuhlsdof (Edina, Minn.) as well as forwards Rem Pitlick (Plymouth, Minn.) and Garrett Wait (Edina, Minn.) all inked National Letters of Intent with Minnesota.
Gophers in the Draft
The University of Minnesota features 12 players whose rights have been drafted by NHL teams including four newcomers. Three freshmen were drafted in the 2015 NHL Entry Draft -- Brent Gates Jr. (Anaheim, third round, 80th overall), Tommy Novak (Nashville, third round, 85th overall), Jack Sadek (Minnesota, seventh round, 204th overall) -- while Jack Ramsey was selected in 2014 (Chicago, seventh round, 208th overall). The Minnesota Wild (Sadek, Nick Seeler) and the New York Islanders (Taylor Cammarata, Jake Bischoff) lead all NHL teams with two Gopher draftees each.
16 Gophers on NHL Rosters
Gopher Hockey has featured 16 NHL alums this season with Nick Bjugstad (Florida Panthers), Alex Goligoski (Dallas Stars), Erik Haula (Minnesota Wild), Erik Johnson (Colorado Avalanche), Phil Kessel (Pittsburgh Penguins), Nick Leddy (New York Islanders), Paul Martin (San Jose Sharks), Aaron Ness (Washington Capitals), Jim O'Brien (New Jersey Devils), Kyle Okposo (New York Islanders), Mike Reilly (Minnesota), Nate Schmidt (Washington Capitals), Jordan Schroeder (Minnesota Wild), Brady Skjei (New York Rangers), Thomas Vanek (Minnesota Wild) and Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg Jets) making the cut. Additionally, Darby Hendrickson continues to serve as an assistant coach with the Minnesota Wild and Paul Holmgren is the president of the Philadelphia Flyers.
