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Gophers Head to Penn State for B1G Showdown
2/19/2020 6:19:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 18 Gopher Hockey program continues the 99th season of Pride on Ice this weekend, closing out a four-game road stretch with a Big Ten series at No. 10/11 Penn State. The action gets underway on Friday, Feb. 21 at 7:30 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Streak: FOX Sports App/TSN; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM) before the series finale on Saturday, Feb. 22 at 5:30 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Streak: FOX Sports App/TSN; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM).
MCLAUGHLIN NAMED BIG TEN SECOND STAR
Mr. South Bend Blake McLaughlin continued to find success at Compton Family Ice Arena last weekend as the Gophers took five out of six Big Ten points on the road at Notre Dame. The sophomore forward was named Big Ten Second Star of the Week after notching three points (two goals, one assist) in the series while McLaughlin has scored in all four regular-season games he has played in South Bend with two game winners. His game winner on Saturday gave him a career high 21 points on the season to go along with his career high eight goals this year while he is currently riding a career-best four-game goal streak (his four-game point streak is one shy of his best stretch with the Gophers).
B1G SHOWDOWN
The top two programs in the Big Ten will face off this weekend in University Park as the Gophers and the Nittany Lions are tied atop the Big Ten standings with 36 points each. While Penn State closes out its conference schedule this weekend against the Maroon & Gold, Minnesota's regular-season finale doesn't get much easier as the Gophers host Michigan next weekend at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Wolverines sit third in the Big Ten with 33 points while Michigan State and Ohio State are currently tied for fourth in the league with 31 points each. Notre Dame is still in the running at 29 points in sixth place while Wisconsin is seventh in the standings with 20 points. The Maroon & Gold won the first four Big Ten regular-season conference championships in the league's history as part of an NCAA record six-straight regular-season conference titles. Notre Dame followed with the league title in 2018 (the school's first year in the Big Ten) while Ohio State won last year's conference championship.
AGAINST THE NITTANY LIONS
The University of Minnesota is 15-14-0 all-time against Penn State in a series that began with the Big Ten Conference in 2014. Junior forward Scott Reedy leads all active Gophers with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 11 career games against the Nittany Lions.
WALKER COMES ALIVE
Sammy Walker currently leads the Golden Gophers with 27 points while he has already set new single-season career highs for points (27) and assists (17) -- his 10 goals this year have already matched his freshman season total. The sophomore captain has contributed to seven of Minnesota's last eight goals while Walker is currently riding a six-game point streak -- tied for his career and season long stretch. Walker has points in 13 of the last 15 games for Minnesota.
GOPHER HOCKEY NOTES & STATS
Junior forward Brannon McManus secured the Big Ten bonus point for the Gophers with a shootout goal on Friday night and proceeded to pick up assists on both goals in Saturday's road win over the Irish...junior goaltender Jack LaFontaine made a season-high 39 saves in Friday's 3-3 overtime tie (3-on-3 overtime stats are not included)...Minnesota is 9-2-1 to start the second half with both losses coming to Michigan State...junior forward Scott Reedy leads Minnesota with 15 goals this year and has more than doubled his goal scoring total from his freshman and sophomore seasons (combined 14 goals)...the Gophers rank sixth in the nation in blocked shots with 448 while all seven Big Ten teams rank among the top-15 programs in the nation in the statistic.
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (308-219-57 including a 32-27-9 mark with the Gophers). Motzko is the third head coach with ties to Gopher Hockey to reach the 300-win mark, joining his predecessors in Don Lucia (736 career wins, 457 at Minnesota) and Doug Woog (388 career wins, all at Minnesota).
RANTA/FINLAND FINISH FOURTH AT WJC
Sophomore Sampo Ranta helped Team Finland to a fourth-place showing at the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trince, Czech Republic. Ranta is the second Gopher to represent Finland at the tournament following Erik Haula in 2011 while Minnesota has been represented at the event in 41 of 44 tournaments dating back to the inaugural event in 1977.
TWO HIGH SCHOOL GREATS IN ONE CLASS
Two Gopher Hockey freshmen forwards may have flown under the radar compared to Mr. Hockey Award winners, NHL prospects and state champions, but both Jaxon Nelson and Ben Meyers rank among the top-10 all-time scorers in Minnesota high school hockey history. Nelson currently ranks fifth in state history with 290 career points while playing for Luverne High School, and Meyers currently ranks eighth in state history with 278 career points while playing for Delano High School. Nelson also holds the state high school record with 78 goals during the 2015-16 season.
NANNE, WALKER NAMED 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.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
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 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. 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 SEASON NOTES
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 21st 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...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick was honored with 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.
MCLAUGHLIN NAMED BIG TEN SECOND STAR
Mr. South Bend Blake McLaughlin continued to find success at Compton Family Ice Arena last weekend as the Gophers took five out of six Big Ten points on the road at Notre Dame. The sophomore forward was named Big Ten Second Star of the Week after notching three points (two goals, one assist) in the series while McLaughlin has scored in all four regular-season games he has played in South Bend with two game winners. His game winner on Saturday gave him a career high 21 points on the season to go along with his career high eight goals this year while he is currently riding a career-best four-game goal streak (his four-game point streak is one shy of his best stretch with the Gophers).
B1G SHOWDOWN
The top two programs in the Big Ten will face off this weekend in University Park as the Gophers and the Nittany Lions are tied atop the Big Ten standings with 36 points each. While Penn State closes out its conference schedule this weekend against the Maroon & Gold, Minnesota's regular-season finale doesn't get much easier as the Gophers host Michigan next weekend at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Wolverines sit third in the Big Ten with 33 points while Michigan State and Ohio State are currently tied for fourth in the league with 31 points each. Notre Dame is still in the running at 29 points in sixth place while Wisconsin is seventh in the standings with 20 points. The Maroon & Gold won the first four Big Ten regular-season conference championships in the league's history as part of an NCAA record six-straight regular-season conference titles. Notre Dame followed with the league title in 2018 (the school's first year in the Big Ten) while Ohio State won last year's conference championship.
AGAINST THE NITTANY LIONS
The University of Minnesota is 15-14-0 all-time against Penn State in a series that began with the Big Ten Conference in 2014. Junior forward Scott Reedy leads all active Gophers with eight points (four goals, four assists) in 11 career games against the Nittany Lions.
WALKER COMES ALIVE
Sammy Walker currently leads the Golden Gophers with 27 points while he has already set new single-season career highs for points (27) and assists (17) -- his 10 goals this year have already matched his freshman season total. The sophomore captain has contributed to seven of Minnesota's last eight goals while Walker is currently riding a six-game point streak -- tied for his career and season long stretch. Walker has points in 13 of the last 15 games for Minnesota.
GOPHER HOCKEY NOTES & STATS
Junior forward Brannon McManus secured the Big Ten bonus point for the Gophers with a shootout goal on Friday night and proceeded to pick up assists on both goals in Saturday's road win over the Irish...junior goaltender Jack LaFontaine made a season-high 39 saves in Friday's 3-3 overtime tie (3-on-3 overtime stats are not included)...Minnesota is 9-2-1 to start the second half with both losses coming to Michigan State...junior forward Scott Reedy leads Minnesota with 15 goals this year and has more than doubled his goal scoring total from his freshman and sophomore seasons (combined 14 goals)...the Gophers rank sixth in the nation in blocked shots with 448 while all seven Big Ten teams rank among the top-15 programs in the nation in the statistic.
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (308-219-57 including a 32-27-9 mark with the Gophers). Motzko is the third head coach with ties to Gopher Hockey to reach the 300-win mark, joining his predecessors in Don Lucia (736 career wins, 457 at Minnesota) and Doug Woog (388 career wins, all at Minnesota).
RANTA/FINLAND FINISH FOURTH AT WJC
Sophomore Sampo Ranta helped Team Finland to a fourth-place showing at the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trince, Czech Republic. Ranta is the second Gopher to represent Finland at the tournament following Erik Haula in 2011 while Minnesota has been represented at the event in 41 of 44 tournaments dating back to the inaugural event in 1977.
TWO HIGH SCHOOL GREATS IN ONE CLASS
Two Gopher Hockey freshmen forwards may have flown under the radar compared to Mr. Hockey Award winners, NHL prospects and state champions, but both Jaxon Nelson and Ben Meyers rank among the top-10 all-time scorers in Minnesota high school hockey history. Nelson currently ranks fifth in state history with 290 career points while playing for Luverne High School, and Meyers currently ranks eighth in state history with 278 career points while playing for Delano High School. Nelson also holds the state high school record with 78 goals during the 2015-16 season.
NANNE, WALKER NAMED 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.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
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 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. 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 SEASON NOTES
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 21st 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...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick was honored with 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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