University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota Hosts Harvard This Weekend
11/15/2017 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
| 2017-18 Gopher Hockey | |
| Game 13 | No. 7/6 Minnesota vs. No. 13/11 Harvard |
| Date | Friday, Nov. 17, 2017 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. CT |
| TV | FOX Sports North PLUS ( Channel Guide) | TSN5 |
| Stream | BTN2Go | FOX Sports Go | TSNGO |
| Radio | 1130 KTLK AM | 103.5 FM | Listen Online |
| Game 14 | No. 7/6 Minnesota vs. No. 13/11 Harvard |
| Date | Saturday, Nov. 18, 2017 |
| Time | 7:00 p.m. CT |
| TV | FOX Sports North PLUS ( Channel Guide) |
| Stream | BTN2Go | FOX Sports Go | TSNGO |
| Radio | 1130 KTLK AM | 103.5 FM | Listen Online |
| Location | 3M Arena at Mariucci | Minneapolis, Minn. |
| Tickets | GopherSports.com/Tickets |
| Gopher Hockey Live | Game 13 | Game 14 |
| Game Notes | Minnesota | Harvard | Big Ten |
| Social Media | @GopherHockey | Facebook | Instagram |
| Fan Information | Tickets| Local Weather| Parking| Preferred Hotels |
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 7/6 Gopher Hockey program returns to action this weekend with a two-game nonconference series against No. 13/11 Harvard at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Both games in the Friday/Saturday series are set for 7 p.m. CT.
Against the Crimson
Minnesota is 22-7-0 all-time against Harvard although the Crimson came out with a win in the last meeting between the two programs (a 4-3 overtime contest on Jan. 2, 2016 in the Mariucci Classic championship game). Eight active Gophers played in the game with Leon Bristedt, Steve Johnson and Tommy Novak each tallying a point. Eric Schierhorn made a then-career high 35 saves and holds a 0-1-0 record against Harvard.
Pitlick Leads the Gophers
Sophomore forward Rem Pitlick currently leads the Maroon & Gold with 14 points (five goals, nine assists) in 12 games this year and is averaging nearly a point a game in his career with 46 points (19 goals, 27 assists) in 48 games. The All-Big Ten Freshman Team honoree has points in 10 of Minnesota's 12 games this year and brings a six-game point streak into the weekend (tying his career long).
Sheehy Strikes Gold on Saturday
Gophers captain Tyler Sheehy recorded a career-high four points (one goal, three assists) in last Saturday's 6-6 overtime tie at Michigan and also notched the deciding shootout goal. The junior forward has a point in each of the last three games and has totaled seven points (three goals, four assists) in that span. Sheehy now has 10 points (three goals, seven assists) in 12 games this year and is averaging more than a point a game in his career with 93 points (35 games, 58 assists) in 85 games.
Strength of Schedule
The University of Minnesota continues to line up one of the toughest schedules in college hockey year after year, and 2017-18 is no different. The Gophers started the year with eight-straight games against nationally ranked opponents, and following a four-game stretch against unranked teams over the last two series, they will likely play eight-straight games against ranked foes starting with Harvard this weekend. After this weekend, Minnesota travels to No. 4 Notre Dame, hosts No. 9/10 Wisconsin and travels to No. 16 Ohio State. Should the rankings hold up, 16 of Minnesota's 20 games in the first half will come against nationally ranked teams.
Spreading Around the Scoring
Minnesota currently ranks 10th in the nation with 36 goals in 12 games this season while 15 different Maroon & Gold skaters have found the net so far in 2017-18. Rem Pitlick leads the team with five goals followed by Brannon McManus and Brent Gates Jr. with four goals each. Interestingly enough, Minnesota has only recorded one multi-goal game from an individual this year with McManus notching a hat trick on Oct. 15 in a 6-3 win vs. Penn State.
Schierhorn Wins 50th Game Behind 10th Shutout
Saturday's 4-0 win over Michigan State gave Minnesota goaltender Eric Schierhorn his 50th career win and 10th career shutout. The junior, who has started 87-straight games for Minnesota since arriving as a rookie, is the 12th Minnesota goaltender to win 50 games and currently ranks tied for 10th in school history with Jim Mattson and Tom Newman.
Gophers Picked to Repeat as B1G Champs
The Gophers made NCAA history in 2016-17 as the Maroon & Gold captured their sixth-straight regular-season conference championship including the first four conference titles in Big Ten history (Minnesota also earned WCHA regular-season titles in its final two seasons in the league). The Gophers were selected as the Big Ten favorite again in the 2017-18 Big Ten Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll ahead of Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Penn State, Ohio State, Michigan and Michigan State.
Sheehy Steps Up as Captain
Forward Tyler Sheehy had one of the best individual seasons in recent program history during the 2016-17 campaign. A First Team All-America, the Big Ten Player of the Year and a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award, Sheehy tallied 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) -- the most points in a season by a Gopher since Ryan Potulny notched 63 during the 2005-06 season. Now a junior, Sheehy will serve as team captain for Minnesota this year while Mike Szmatula, Leon Bristedt and Ryan Lindgren will serve as alternate captains.
Minnesota Welcomes Notre Dame to Big Ten
The 2017-18 season will see a seventh team in the Big Ten standings as Notre Dame officially joins the league as an affiliate member. The Gophers are very familiar with the Irish program. Minnesota head coach Don Lucia is a Notre Dame alum, having played for the Irish and graduated in 1981. The two programs have also played each other six-straight seasons heading into the 2017-18 season. The Gophers are 27-15-4 all-time against the Irish. Minnesota will play its newest conference foe for the first time as Big Ten opponents on Nov. 24-25 in South Bend, Ind.
Gophers, 3M Announce Sponsorship Agreement
On July 10, 2017, the University of Minnesota and 3M announced a new sponsorship agreement -- the latest in a 90-year relationship between two of the state's largest institutions. The 14-year, $11.2 million sponsorship of Gopher Athletics includes the naming rights to what was previously known as Mariucci Arena. Keeping the historic Mariucci name, the Gopher Hockey facility will now be known as 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Big Ten's Best
In addition to the first four regular-season titles in Big Ten Conference history, Minnesota also boasts a conference-best record of 57-21-8-1 in 86 regular-season games since the inaugural year of Big Ten play in 2013-14. The Gophers also boast an impressive 33-7-3-0 mark in conference games on home ice and have set and matched a conference single-season record with 14 wins in 2013-14, 2015-16 and 2016-17
Gophers in the NHL Draft
Thirteen current Gophers have had their names called at the NHL Entry Draft including newcomers Casey Mittelstadt (2017, 1st Round, eighth overall), Scott Reedy (2017, 4th Round, 102nd overall) and Connor Hurley (2013, 2nd Round, 38th overall). Mittelstadt is Minnesota's highest current draft pick, the 20th First Round selection in program history and the team's highest draft pick since 2006. Eleven NHL teams hold draft rights for Gophers, led by the Nashville Predators and the Buffalo Sabres with two each.
Our Home, Our Hockey
The Gophers boast an all-time record of 329-130-48 in the 24-year history of 3M Arena at Mariucci (formerly Mariucci Arena). In the last six years, the Maroon & Gold lead the NCAA in home wins (84) and home winning percentage (.746). Minnesota is 33-7-3-0 in Big Ten games on home ice including one victory at TCF Bank Stadium for the 2014 Hockey City Classic.
Gophers in the NHL
The University of Minnesota boasted 15 alums on NHL rosters as the league began play last month -- Phil Kessel (Pittsburgh), Paul Martin (San Jose), Nick Leddy (New York Islanders), Nate Schmidt (Vegas), Erik Haula (Vegas), Kyle Okposo (Buffalo), Thomas Vanek (Vancouver), Mike Reilly (Minnesota), Brady Skjei (New York Rangers), Nick Bjugstad (Florida), Erik Johnson (Colorado), Aaron Ness (Washington), Alex Goligoski (Arizona), Blake Wheeler (Winnipeg) and Jordan Schroeder (Columbus). Eighteen Gopher Hockey alums played in the NHL last season including Kessel, who won a second-straight Stanley Cup with the Pittsburgh Penguins in 2016-17. The Maroon & Gold have celebrated 113 NHL alums in program history.
