University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Head to X for NSCC
1/25/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Jan. 25, 2017
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- The No. 6 Gopher Hockey program returns to action this weekend with the fourth annual North Star College Cup presented by TRIA Orthopaedic Center at Xcel Energy Center. Joining the Maroon & Gold are No. 1/2 Minnesota Duluth, No. 20 Bemidji State and defending tournament champion St. Cloud State.
Sheehy Paces the Big Ten
Sophomore forward Tyler Sheehy currently leads the Big Ten Conference with a career-high 32 points this season and also has a career-high 15 goals in 22 games. Sheehy has recorded a multi-point performance in four of the last five games and seven of the last 10. With 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists) in 59 career games, Sheehy is averaging 1.05 points per game as a Gopher.
Captain Kloos Keeps Scoring
Senior captain Justin Kloos has tallied a point in eight-straight games entering the weekend including the overtime winner last Friday in Madison. The forward has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) over the last eight games. Kloos leads all active Big Ten skaters and ranks third among active NCAA skaters with 134 points (56 goals, 78 assists) in 139 career games. His 133 points rank 43rd all-time at Minnesota and seventh among Minnesota scorers under Don Lucia.
About the North Star College Cup
This weekend's tournament at Xcel Energy Center marks the fourth and final North Star College Cup although the in-state rivalries will continue in other nonconference meetings throughout the coming years. This year's event features the winners of the first three North Star College Cups (Minnesota, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State). For the third year in a row, three nationally ranked teams will take this ice this weekend.
Gophers Streaks Ended in Madison
Minnesota saw a pair of notable streaks snapped in last Saturday's loss to the Badgers. The Gophers had won seven-straight games heading into the series finale -- the program's longest winning streak since 2006-07. Minnesota had also prevented its opponents from scoring a power-play goal during that seven-game winning streak (streak officially ended at 29-straight power-plays without surrendering a goal).
Bischoff Block Party
Senior defenseman Jake Bischoff leads the Big Ten with 54 blocked shots this year and needs 12 more to tie his career high as a junior. The alternate captain is also two points off the Big Ten defensive scoring lead with 17 points (two goals, 15 assists). His next point will tie his career high from last season.
Novak Sidelined for Season
Sophomore forward Tommy Novak suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday and will miss the remainder of the season. Novak had played in all 57 games since joining the Gophers and has 41 points (11 goals, 30 assists). He had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 20 games this year.
Lindgren, Potulny Win Gold at WJC
Freshman defenseman Ryan Lindgren and assistant coach Grant Potulny missed the Mariucci Classic in order to help the U.S. National Junior Team win a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships. The U.S. went unbeaten at the tournament to claim its fourth gold medal and 10th overall medal at the event. Potulny, who served as an assistant coach for the team, has now been on staff for two of the United States' four gold medals (2013). The Gophers have now been represented at 39 of 41 World Junior Championships since the inaugural event in 1977.
Lucia Wins 700th Game
Minnesota's 4-2 win at Boston College on Nov. 27 gave head coach Don Lucia his 700th career win, making him the eighth coach in NCAA history to reach the 700-win milestone. Now in his 30th year as a Division I head coach, Lucia owns a 708-380-99 overall record including a 429-225-70 mark in 18 seasons at Minnesota. His 429 wins behind the Minnesota bench are a Gophers coaching record.
Gophers Picked to Pace B1G
The Maroon & Gold were selected to finish first in this year's Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Meanwhile, Minnesota led all Big Ten programs with four players on the 13-player Big Ten Preseason Watch List -- Justin Kloos, Leon Bristedt, Jake Bischoff and Eric Schierhorn. Kloos and Schierhorn were two of four overall unanimous selections to the list.
The Skate for Six
Minnesota enters the 2016-17 campaign having won five-straight regular-season conference titles -- a feat that matched Boston University's NCAA record from 1994-98. The Maroon & Gold have won the first three Big Ten regular-season crowns (2014-16) and previously won two-straight WCHA regular-season titles (2012-13). Minnesota has won 17 regular-season conference championships in program history -- seven of them under head coach Don Lucia.
Maroon & Gold Family Tree
Five members of the Gopher Hockey program are second-generation skaters while the team has a multitude of family connections. Jake Bischoff (Grant), Tyler Nanne (Marty), Rem Pitlick (Lance), Jack Ramsey (Mike) and Connor Reilly (Mike) all play for the same team as their fathers while Nanne is actually a third generation Gopher (grandfather, Lou Nanne). Additionally, Vinni Lettieri is also a grandson of Nanne, and Reilly is one of three Reilly brothers to play for the Gophers (Ryan, Mike) while his sister (Caitlin) plays for the Gopher women. Outside of hockey, Brent Gates Jr.'s father (also Brent) was a standout for the Gopher baseball team while Jack Sadek's father (Brett) and grandfather (Robert) played football at Minnesota (Sadek is also the cousin of Gopher alum Brady Skjei).
Gophers in the NHL Draft
Thirteen current Gophers have had their names called at the NHL Entry Draft including newcomers Ryan Lindgren (2016, 2nd Round, 49th Overall, Boston) Rem Pitlick (2016, 3rd Round, 76th Overall, Nashville), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (2015, 5th Round, 150th Overall, Tampa Bay) and Tyler Nanne (2015, 5th Round, 142nd Overall, New York Rangers). Ryan Collins is currently the highest draft pick for Minnesota (2014, 2nd Round, 47th Overall, Columbus). Ten NHL teams hold draft rights for Gophers, led by the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers with two each.
Big Ten's Best
In addition to the first three regular-season titles in Big Ten Conference history, Minnesota also boasts a conference-best record of 46-16-6-0 in 68 regular-season games since the inaugural year of Big Ten play in 2013-14. The Gophers also boast an impressive 27-5-2-0 mark in conference games on home ice and have set and matched a conference single-season record with 14 wins in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
Watch the Gophers on TV
Twenty-nine of Minnesota's 36 regular-season games will be broadcast on television including the entire 20-game Big Ten schedule. FOX Sports leads the way with 17 games, followed by the Big Ten Network with 10 games and ESPN with two -- once again giving the Gophers the best television schedule in nation. Of the seven regular-season games not on television, six are nonconference road games whose rights are not held by Minnesota and the Big Ten Conference.
Listen to the Gophers
1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network will once again broadcast all Gopher Hockey games during the 2016-17 season. Listen to long-time Minnesota broadcasters Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco throughout the year while Gopher great Pat Micheletti will serve as a guest analyst for select games. 1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network also host the Don Lucia Radio Show each Monday at 6 p.m.
| Gopher Hockey: North Star College Cup | |||||||||||
| Location | Xcel Energy Center | St. Paul, Minn. | ||||||||||
| Tournament Info | Tournament Central | Tickets | ||||||||||
| Semifinal 1 | St. Cloud State (Visitor) vs. Bemidji State (Home) | ||||||||||
| Date | Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 4 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Stream | NCHC.tv | ||||||||||
| Game Links | |||||||||||
| Semifinal 2 | Minnesota (Visitor) vs. UMD (Home) | ||||||||||
| Date | Friday, Jan. 27, 2017 | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 7 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Television | FOX Sports North | ||||||||||
| Stream | BTN2Go, FOX Sports Go | ||||||||||
| Radio | 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network | ||||||||||
| Game Links | Gopher Hockey Live | | ||||||||||
| Third-Place Game | Semifinal 2 Loser (Visitor) vs. Semifinal 1 Loser (Home) | ||||||||||
| Date | Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 4 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Championship Game | Semifinal 2 Winner (Visitor) vs. Semifinal 2 Winner (Home) | ||||||||||
| Date | Saturday, Jan. 28, 2017 | ||||||||||
| Puck Drop | 7 p.m. CT | ||||||||||
| Saturday Info | Streams & Stats will be posted Saturday morning. | ||||||||||
| Saturday's Gopher game will be on FOX Sports North PLUS. | |||||||||||
| Saturday's Non-Gopher game will be streamed on NCHC.tv. | |||||||||||
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Big Ten | UMD | SCSU | BSU | ||||||||||
| Game Info | Tickets | Local Weather | Preferred Hotels | ||||||||||
| Social Media | @GopherHockey | Facebook | Instagram | ||||||||||
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) -- The No. 6 Gopher Hockey program returns to action this weekend with the fourth annual North Star College Cup presented by TRIA Orthopaedic Center at Xcel Energy Center. Joining the Maroon & Gold are No. 1/2 Minnesota Duluth, No. 20 Bemidji State and defending tournament champion St. Cloud State.
Sheehy Paces the Big Ten
Sophomore forward Tyler Sheehy currently leads the Big Ten Conference with a career-high 32 points this season and also has a career-high 15 goals in 22 games. Sheehy has recorded a multi-point performance in four of the last five games and seven of the last 10. With 62 points (27 goals, 35 assists) in 59 career games, Sheehy is averaging 1.05 points per game as a Gopher.
Captain Kloos Keeps Scoring
Senior captain Justin Kloos has tallied a point in eight-straight games entering the weekend including the overtime winner last Friday in Madison. The forward has 14 points (five goals, nine assists) over the last eight games. Kloos leads all active Big Ten skaters and ranks third among active NCAA skaters with 134 points (56 goals, 78 assists) in 139 career games. His 133 points rank 43rd all-time at Minnesota and seventh among Minnesota scorers under Don Lucia.
About the North Star College Cup
This weekend's tournament at Xcel Energy Center marks the fourth and final North Star College Cup although the in-state rivalries will continue in other nonconference meetings throughout the coming years. This year's event features the winners of the first three North Star College Cups (Minnesota, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State). For the third year in a row, three nationally ranked teams will take this ice this weekend.
Gophers Streaks Ended in Madison
Minnesota saw a pair of notable streaks snapped in last Saturday's loss to the Badgers. The Gophers had won seven-straight games heading into the series finale -- the program's longest winning streak since 2006-07. Minnesota had also prevented its opponents from scoring a power-play goal during that seven-game winning streak (streak officially ended at 29-straight power-plays without surrendering a goal).
Bischoff Block Party
Senior defenseman Jake Bischoff leads the Big Ten with 54 blocked shots this year and needs 12 more to tie his career high as a junior. The alternate captain is also two points off the Big Ten defensive scoring lead with 17 points (two goals, 15 assists). His next point will tie his career high from last season.
Novak Sidelined for Season
Sophomore forward Tommy Novak suffered a lower-body injury on Saturday and will miss the remainder of the season. Novak had played in all 57 games since joining the Gophers and has 41 points (11 goals, 30 assists). He had 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 20 games this year.
Lindgren, Potulny Win Gold at WJC
Freshman defenseman Ryan Lindgren and assistant coach Grant Potulny missed the Mariucci Classic in order to help the U.S. National Junior Team win a gold medal at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championships. The U.S. went unbeaten at the tournament to claim its fourth gold medal and 10th overall medal at the event. Potulny, who served as an assistant coach for the team, has now been on staff for two of the United States' four gold medals (2013). The Gophers have now been represented at 39 of 41 World Junior Championships since the inaugural event in 1977.
Lucia Wins 700th Game
Minnesota's 4-2 win at Boston College on Nov. 27 gave head coach Don Lucia his 700th career win, making him the eighth coach in NCAA history to reach the 700-win milestone. Now in his 30th year as a Division I head coach, Lucia owns a 708-380-99 overall record including a 429-225-70 mark in 18 seasons at Minnesota. His 429 wins behind the Minnesota bench are a Gophers coaching record.
Gophers Picked to Pace B1G
The Maroon & Gold were selected to finish first in this year's Big Ten Preseason Coaches Poll followed by Ohio State, Michigan, Penn State, Wisconsin and Michigan State. Meanwhile, Minnesota led all Big Ten programs with four players on the 13-player Big Ten Preseason Watch List -- Justin Kloos, Leon Bristedt, Jake Bischoff and Eric Schierhorn. Kloos and Schierhorn were two of four overall unanimous selections to the list.
The Skate for Six
Minnesota enters the 2016-17 campaign having won five-straight regular-season conference titles -- a feat that matched Boston University's NCAA record from 1994-98. The Maroon & Gold have won the first three Big Ten regular-season crowns (2014-16) and previously won two-straight WCHA regular-season titles (2012-13). Minnesota has won 17 regular-season conference championships in program history -- seven of them under head coach Don Lucia.
Maroon & Gold Family Tree
Five members of the Gopher Hockey program are second-generation skaters while the team has a multitude of family connections. Jake Bischoff (Grant), Tyler Nanne (Marty), Rem Pitlick (Lance), Jack Ramsey (Mike) and Connor Reilly (Mike) all play for the same team as their fathers while Nanne is actually a third generation Gopher (grandfather, Lou Nanne). Additionally, Vinni Lettieri is also a grandson of Nanne, and Reilly is one of three Reilly brothers to play for the Gophers (Ryan, Mike) while his sister (Caitlin) plays for the Gopher women. Outside of hockey, Brent Gates Jr.'s father (also Brent) was a standout for the Gopher baseball team while Jack Sadek's father (Brett) and grandfather (Robert) played football at Minnesota (Sadek is also the cousin of Gopher alum Brady Skjei).
Gophers in the NHL Draft
Thirteen current Gophers have had their names called at the NHL Entry Draft including newcomers Ryan Lindgren (2016, 2nd Round, 49th Overall, Boston) Rem Pitlick (2016, 3rd Round, 76th Overall, Nashville), Ryan Zuhlsdorf (2015, 5th Round, 150th Overall, Tampa Bay) and Tyler Nanne (2015, 5th Round, 142nd Overall, New York Rangers). Ryan Collins is currently the highest draft pick for Minnesota (2014, 2nd Round, 47th Overall, Columbus). Ten NHL teams hold draft rights for Gophers, led by the Nashville Predators and New York Rangers with two each.
Big Ten's Best
In addition to the first three regular-season titles in Big Ten Conference history, Minnesota also boasts a conference-best record of 46-16-6-0 in 68 regular-season games since the inaugural year of Big Ten play in 2013-14. The Gophers also boast an impressive 27-5-2-0 mark in conference games on home ice and have set and matched a conference single-season record with 14 wins in 2013-14 and 2015-16.
Watch the Gophers on TV
Twenty-nine of Minnesota's 36 regular-season games will be broadcast on television including the entire 20-game Big Ten schedule. FOX Sports leads the way with 17 games, followed by the Big Ten Network with 10 games and ESPN with two -- once again giving the Gophers the best television schedule in nation. Of the seven regular-season games not on television, six are nonconference road games whose rights are not held by Minnesota and the Big Ten Conference.
Listen to the Gophers
1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network will once again broadcast all Gopher Hockey games during the 2016-17 season. Listen to long-time Minnesota broadcasters Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco throughout the year while Gopher great Pat Micheletti will serve as a guest analyst for select games. 1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network also host the Don Lucia Radio Show each Monday at 6 p.m.
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