University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 1
7:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Notre Dame
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Defense
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Goaltender
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Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
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Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
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Photo by: Jim Rosvold/University of Minnes
Gophers Open Big Ten Play, Hosting Notre Dame
10/30/2019 5:07:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- Gopher Hockey kicks off Big Ten Conference play this weekend with a two-game series with No. 4/5 Notre Dame at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Minnesota opens things up against the Irish on Friday, Nov. 1 at 7:33 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports App) with the series finale scheduled for Saturday Nov. 2 at 4:05 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports Go).
Against Notre Dame
The Golden Gophers enter the weekend with a 30-20-3 all-time record against Notre Dame in a series that began in 1925. The Maroon & Gold are 19-10-2 on home ice against the Irish. Brannon McManus leads all active Gophers with five career points (four goals, one assist) in nine career games against Notre Dame while Blake McLaughlin, Tyler Nanne, Sampo Ranta and Sammy Walker are close behind McManus with four points each.
Last Time Out: UMD
A week after picking up its first sweep of the year over Niagra, the Gophers were swept for the first time this season last weekend in a home-and-home series with Minnesota Duluth. The two-time defending national champions picked up a 5-2 win on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci before a 2-0 win at AMSOIL Arena on Saturday in Duluth. The shutout loss was the first against the Gophers in nearly two years, dating back to a 1-0 loss at Notre Dame on Nov. 24, 2017.
Meyers Paces the Freshman Class
A highlight from last weekend came in the form of freshman forward Ben Meyers, who tallied his first career goal and first career multi-point game on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Meyers leads all Minnesota freshman and ranks tied for second on the team with four points (one goal, three assists) in six games this season. The forward from Delano High School ranks eighth in Minnesota state high school history with 278 points while he set a Fargo Force record with 58 career goals in the regular season and helped the organization capture its first USHL Clark Cup in 2018.
Walker's Streaks Come to an End
Sammy Walker has scored a goal in four of Minnesota's six games this season -- unfortunately his four-game goal streak (a career best) and four-game point streak (tied for a career long) came to an end with Saturday's shutout loss in Duluth. The sophomore captain and 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year leads all Gophers with seven points (four goals, three assists) in six games this season.
Last Time Out: Sweep Over Niagara
Minnesota returns to action this weekend after picking up a non-conference sweep over Niagara last weekend at 3M Arena at Mariucci. With a 3-2 overtime victory on Friday and a 4-2 win on Saturday to secure the sweep, the Gophers improved to 5-0-0 all-time against the Purple Eagles with all five contests coming on home ice for the Maroon & Gold. Jack LaFontaine backstopped Friday's overtime win for his first career win with the Gophers while Jared Moe improved to 2-0-0 on the season in net on Saturday. Jonny Sorenson added his first career goal on Friday while 14 Gophers skaters tallied points in the sweep.
Nanne, Walker Tabbed Team Captains
Senior defenseman Tyler Nanne and sophomore forward Sammy Walker have been voted to serve as team captains for the Gophers for the 2019-20 season. The pair are the 171st and 172nd players in University of Minnesota history to wear letters, dating back to the first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Nanne, the first third-generation player in Pride on Ice history, is also the second Gophers captain in his family following his grandfather -- All-American Lou Nanne -- in 1962-63
Big Ten Preseason Information
The University of Minnesota has been predicted to finish fifth in the 2019-20 Big Ten Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll with the complete order as followed: Penn State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers, who have won four regular-season conference championships in the six-year history of the Big Ten, are the only program in the league to win multiple conference crowns. Additionally, Sammy Walker was named as a Preseason Second Team All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches. Walker was named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading all conference rookies with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) last season.
Youthful Excitement
The Maroon & Gold will field a youthful roster for the 2019-20 season with 19 of the team's 27 players listed as either a freshman or sophomore. The Gophers will also bring in 12 newcomers to the locker room -- 11 freshmen and junior transfer Jack LaFontaine in net. Breaking things down, the 11 freshmen are comprised of two goaltenders (Justen Close, Jared Moe), three defensemen (Ryan Johnson, Jackson LaCombe, Matt Staudacher) and six forwards (Bryce Brodzinski, Ben Meyers, Jaxon Nelson, Jack Perbix, Jonny Sorenson, Noah Weber).
Statistically Speaking
According the College Hockey Inc., the University of Minnesota will field both the youngest team in college hockey (average age of 20 years, 240 days) and the biggest team in college hockey (average weight of 193.89 pounds) this season. The Maroon & Gold will also be the eighth tallest team in college hockey this year (average height of 6-00.67). All statistics are as of Oct. 1, 2019.
Follow the Golden Gophers on TV
The University of Minnesota once again boasts college hockey's best television broadcast schedule with 31 of 34 regular-season games available in the Minnesota/Twin Cities market (more games may be added at a later date). FOX Sports North leads the way in Gopher Hockey coverage with 19 games scheduled to be broadcast on the network while the Big Ten Network will currently air 10 Minnesota contests in 2019-20. FOX9+ will pick up the Gophers' road game at Minnesota Duluth while NBC Sports will broadcast the series opener at Notre Dame. Visit GopherSports.com to view the complete and up-to-date Gopher Hockey schedule.
Gopher Hockey Notes and News
Fourteen Gophers on the 2019-20 roster have been drafted by NHL teams including 2019 first rounder and incoming freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson (31st overall by Buffalo). Johnson, whose father Craig also played for the Gophers before an NHL career, is the 21 Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski was also drafted in 2019, part of an eventful offseason that included being named the 2018-19 All-USA Boys Athlete of the Year and the 2019 Mr. Hockey Award. The 35th Mr. Hockey Award recipient, Brodzinski is the 24th Gopher Hockey prospect to win the honor...the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a renovation project for 3M Arena at Mariucci with over 11,000 square feet of team space impacted including a state-of-the-art weight room, a new 'M' Club alumni room and a remodeled office suite. The project is anticipated to begin in late 2019...sophomore forward Sampo Ranta recorded four goals and six points at the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase, tying for the goal scoring lead and ranking second among all skaters in points scored...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick will receive the NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the U.S. on Dec. 12 as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration.
Against Notre Dame
The Golden Gophers enter the weekend with a 30-20-3 all-time record against Notre Dame in a series that began in 1925. The Maroon & Gold are 19-10-2 on home ice against the Irish. Brannon McManus leads all active Gophers with five career points (four goals, one assist) in nine career games against Notre Dame while Blake McLaughlin, Tyler Nanne, Sampo Ranta and Sammy Walker are close behind McManus with four points each.
Last Time Out: UMD
A week after picking up its first sweep of the year over Niagra, the Gophers were swept for the first time this season last weekend in a home-and-home series with Minnesota Duluth. The two-time defending national champions picked up a 5-2 win on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci before a 2-0 win at AMSOIL Arena on Saturday in Duluth. The shutout loss was the first against the Gophers in nearly two years, dating back to a 1-0 loss at Notre Dame on Nov. 24, 2017.
Meyers Paces the Freshman Class
A highlight from last weekend came in the form of freshman forward Ben Meyers, who tallied his first career goal and first career multi-point game on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Meyers leads all Minnesota freshman and ranks tied for second on the team with four points (one goal, three assists) in six games this season. The forward from Delano High School ranks eighth in Minnesota state high school history with 278 points while he set a Fargo Force record with 58 career goals in the regular season and helped the organization capture its first USHL Clark Cup in 2018.
Walker's Streaks Come to an End
Sammy Walker has scored a goal in four of Minnesota's six games this season -- unfortunately his four-game goal streak (a career best) and four-game point streak (tied for a career long) came to an end with Saturday's shutout loss in Duluth. The sophomore captain and 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year leads all Gophers with seven points (four goals, three assists) in six games this season.
Last Time Out: Sweep Over Niagara
Minnesota returns to action this weekend after picking up a non-conference sweep over Niagara last weekend at 3M Arena at Mariucci. With a 3-2 overtime victory on Friday and a 4-2 win on Saturday to secure the sweep, the Gophers improved to 5-0-0 all-time against the Purple Eagles with all five contests coming on home ice for the Maroon & Gold. Jack LaFontaine backstopped Friday's overtime win for his first career win with the Gophers while Jared Moe improved to 2-0-0 on the season in net on Saturday. Jonny Sorenson added his first career goal on Friday while 14 Gophers skaters tallied points in the sweep.
Nanne, Walker Tabbed Team Captains
Senior defenseman Tyler Nanne and sophomore forward Sammy Walker have been voted to serve as team captains for the Gophers for the 2019-20 season. The pair are the 171st and 172nd players in University of Minnesota history to wear letters, dating back to the first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Nanne, the first third-generation player in Pride on Ice history, is also the second Gophers captain in his family following his grandfather -- All-American Lou Nanne -- in 1962-63
Big Ten Preseason Information
The University of Minnesota has been predicted to finish fifth in the 2019-20 Big Ten Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll with the complete order as followed: Penn State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers, who have won four regular-season conference championships in the six-year history of the Big Ten, are the only program in the league to win multiple conference crowns. Additionally, Sammy Walker was named as a Preseason Second Team All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches. Walker was named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading all conference rookies with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) last season.
Youthful Excitement
The Maroon & Gold will field a youthful roster for the 2019-20 season with 19 of the team's 27 players listed as either a freshman or sophomore. The Gophers will also bring in 12 newcomers to the locker room -- 11 freshmen and junior transfer Jack LaFontaine in net. Breaking things down, the 11 freshmen are comprised of two goaltenders (Justen Close, Jared Moe), three defensemen (Ryan Johnson, Jackson LaCombe, Matt Staudacher) and six forwards (Bryce Brodzinski, Ben Meyers, Jaxon Nelson, Jack Perbix, Jonny Sorenson, Noah Weber).
Statistically Speaking
According the College Hockey Inc., the University of Minnesota will field both the youngest team in college hockey (average age of 20 years, 240 days) and the biggest team in college hockey (average weight of 193.89 pounds) this season. The Maroon & Gold will also be the eighth tallest team in college hockey this year (average height of 6-00.67). All statistics are as of Oct. 1, 2019.
Follow the Golden Gophers on TV
The University of Minnesota once again boasts college hockey's best television broadcast schedule with 31 of 34 regular-season games available in the Minnesota/Twin Cities market (more games may be added at a later date). FOX Sports North leads the way in Gopher Hockey coverage with 19 games scheduled to be broadcast on the network while the Big Ten Network will currently air 10 Minnesota contests in 2019-20. FOX9+ will pick up the Gophers' road game at Minnesota Duluth while NBC Sports will broadcast the series opener at Notre Dame. Visit GopherSports.com to view the complete and up-to-date Gopher Hockey schedule.
Gopher Hockey Notes and News
Fourteen Gophers on the 2019-20 roster have been drafted by NHL teams including 2019 first rounder and incoming freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson (31st overall by Buffalo). Johnson, whose father Craig also played for the Gophers before an NHL career, is the 21 Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski was also drafted in 2019, part of an eventful offseason that included being named the 2018-19 All-USA Boys Athlete of the Year and the 2019 Mr. Hockey Award. The 35th Mr. Hockey Award recipient, Brodzinski is the 24th Gopher Hockey prospect to win the honor...the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a renovation project for 3M Arena at Mariucci with over 11,000 square feet of team space impacted including a state-of-the-art weight room, a new 'M' Club alumni room and a remodeled office suite. The project is anticipated to begin in late 2019...sophomore forward Sampo Ranta recorded four goals and six points at the 2019 World Junior Summer Showcase, tying for the goal scoring lead and ranking second among all skaters in points scored...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick will receive the NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the U.S. on Dec. 12 as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration.
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