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Friday, January 28
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Photo by: Matt Krohn
'U' Hits the Road for B1G Series at Notre Dame
1/26/2022 10:01:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Minnesota owns a four-game winning streak over the Irish.
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 10 Gopher men's hockey program continues the 2021-22 campaign this weekend with a two-game series at No. 11/12 Notre Dame. The Big Ten series will open on Friday, Jan. 28 at 6:30 p.m. CT (Stream: Peacock; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM) with the weekend finale scheduled for Saturday, Jan. 29 at 5:00 p.m. CT (Stream: Peacock; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM). Both games will be played at the Compton Family Ice Arena in Notre Dame, Ind.
LUCK OF THE GOPHERS
Minnesota enters this weekend's series against Notre Dame with a six-game winning streak and a seven-game unbeaten streak at Compton Family Ice Arena although the last three wins have come against other Big Ten opponents. The Gophers won three-straight games at the facility to capture the 2021 Big Ten Tournament title as the 'U' beat Michigan State 2-1 in overtime in the quarterfinals, Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals and Wisconsin 6-4 in the championship game. Minnesota's last loss at Compton Family Ice Arena was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Irish in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal on March 16, 2019.
AGAINST THE IRISH
In a rivalry that began in 1925, Minnesota holds a 37-24-4 all-time record against Notre Dame and is currently riding a four-game winning streak against the Irish. The Gophers swept Notre Dame earlier this season with wins of 4-1 and 3-2 in October at 3M Arena at Mariucci and picked up a pair of 3-0 wins last season in a two-game series at Compton Family Ice Arena.
GOPHERS HEADING TO BEIJING
USA Hockey has announced that four players with ties to the Gopher Hockey program will skate on the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team including current players Ben Meyers, Brock Faber and Matthew Knies (along with alum Aaron Ness). Meanwhile, strength & conditioning coach Cal Dietz will serve in the same role with the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team. Gopher Hockey has been represented at each of the last 21 Winter Olympics since 1936 with the Maroon & Gold helping USA Hockey to eight medals including gold in 1960 and 1980.
CENTURY MARKERS
One Gopher Hockey skater hit a notable career milestone earlier this month while his long-time linemate is now approaching it. Sammy Walker became the 85th Gopher to join the 100-Point Club as the senior captain is Minnesota's active-leading scorer with 101 points (42 goals, 59 assists) in 129 games. Fellow senior Blake McLaughlin is next in line for the Gophers with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 127 games.
GOPHERS MAKE ROSTER ADJUSTMENTS
Minnesota has made a number of roster adjustments over the last two weeks. Four-year Gopher letter winner Sam Rossini re-joined the program on Jan. 19 -- the defenseman has played in 49 games with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists). Owen Bartoszkievicz was added to the roster as a freshman on Jan. 14 -- the goaltender most recently played in the USHL with Youngstown while he was an All-NAHL Rookie First Team honoree in 2020-21 with Wichita Falls. Jack LaFontaine signed an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 9 and made his NHL debut with the organization on Jan. 13.
PRIDE ON ICE HISTORY
While the Gophers celebrated the program's 100th season in 2020-21, a number of notable milestones will actually occur during the 2021-22 season. First among them, Jan. 9, 2022 marked 100 years since the University of Minnesota Board of Regents and the University Athletic Board of Control officially granted men's hockey varsity status (Jan. 9, 1922). Meanwhile, Minnesota's first varsity hockey game celebrated the century mark on Jan. 17, 2022 (a 2-1 loss to Hamline before a string of five-straight wins -- four of them coming against Wisconsin). Minnesota got its revenge against Hamline in the season finale to finish its inaugural season with a 6-3-1 record. Oddly enough, Minnesota and Hamline have never met on the ice since that first season.
'U' RETURNS THREE FROM WJC
Minnesota's three representatives on the U.S. National Junior Team (Brock Faber, Matthew Knies, Chaz Lucius) have returned to the Gophers lineup after the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship was ended prematurely due to public health concerns. Gopher Hockey has a proud history at the World Junior Championship with the University of Minnesota being represented at 43 of the 46 events dating back to the inaugural tournament in 1977. Faber was one of six returning players from last year's gold medal-winning U.S. squad that also included fellow Gopher defensemen Ryan Johnson and Jackson LaCombe.
NHL UPDATE: GOPHERS PACE COLLEGE HOCKEY
Minnesota leads all NCAA programs with 118 all-time NHL alums including 24 already this season (also the most in college hockey). Tommy Novak, Scott Reedy and Jack LaFontaine have all made their NHL debuts in 2021-22 while Sampo Ranta debuted during last year's Stanley Cup playoffs (Ranta, Reedy and LaFontaine were all on the Gophers roster last year).
GOPHERS EXTEND MOTZKO THROUGH 2025-26
The University of Minnesota has agreed to a three-year contract extension with Gopher men's hockey head coach Bob Motzko that will keep Motzko with the Maroon & Gold through the 2025-26 season. A native of Austin, Minn., Motzko is in his fourth season with the Gophers and holds a 72-47-11 record since taking over the program in 2018. In 17 seasons as a Division I head coach, the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year and five-time conference coach of the year owns a 348-239-60 record.
PRESEASON BIG TEN PROSPECTUS
The Gophers landed on the top spot of the 2021-22 Big Ten Hockey Coaches' Poll earlier this season ahead of Michigan, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State. In the eight-year history of the Big Ten Conference, the Gophers have claimed a league-high four regular-season conference championships as well as two Big Ten tournament titles including last year's thrilling playoff run by the Maroon & Gold. Minnesota also led the Big Ten with six individuals on the 2021-22 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Teams, headlined by four players earning First Team honors.
WEARING THE 'C'
The 101st season of Gopher Hockey will see two familiar faces and college hockey veterans leading the 'U' as Sammy Walker and Ben Meyers have been named team captains for the 2021-22 season. Walker will enter his senior season wearing a "C" for the third-straight season for the Maroon & Gold while Meyers was elevated to share the honor after serving as alternate captains during the 2020-21 campaign. With all both players returning to the Minnesota leadership group, Gopher Hockey has now featured 175 captains dating back to the school's first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold as team captain. Jack LaFontaine also served as a captain during his tenure with the team this year.
IN THE NHL DRAFT
Fourteen of Minnesota's 27 players on the 2021-22 roster have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft including five newcomers -- Chaz Lucius (2021), Matthew Knies (2021), Tristan Broz (2021), Aaron Huglen (2019) and Rhett Pitlick (2019). Lucius is the 22nd Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round (18th overall by Winnipeg), joining 2019 first rounder Ryan Johnson on this year's roster for Minnesota. Meanwhile, Knies and Broz were selected with back-to-back picks in the second round this year.
LUCK OF THE GOPHERS
Minnesota enters this weekend's series against Notre Dame with a six-game winning streak and a seven-game unbeaten streak at Compton Family Ice Arena although the last three wins have come against other Big Ten opponents. The Gophers won three-straight games at the facility to capture the 2021 Big Ten Tournament title as the 'U' beat Michigan State 2-1 in overtime in the quarterfinals, Michigan 3-2 in overtime in the semifinals and Wisconsin 6-4 in the championship game. Minnesota's last loss at Compton Family Ice Arena was a 2-1 overtime loss to the Irish in the Big Ten Tournament semifinal on March 16, 2019.
AGAINST THE IRISH
In a rivalry that began in 1925, Minnesota holds a 37-24-4 all-time record against Notre Dame and is currently riding a four-game winning streak against the Irish. The Gophers swept Notre Dame earlier this season with wins of 4-1 and 3-2 in October at 3M Arena at Mariucci and picked up a pair of 3-0 wins last season in a two-game series at Compton Family Ice Arena.
GOPHERS HEADING TO BEIJING
USA Hockey has announced that four players with ties to the Gopher Hockey program will skate on the U.S. Olympic Men's Ice Hockey Team including current players Ben Meyers, Brock Faber and Matthew Knies (along with alum Aaron Ness). Meanwhile, strength & conditioning coach Cal Dietz will serve in the same role with the U.S. Olympic Women's Ice Hockey Team. Gopher Hockey has been represented at each of the last 21 Winter Olympics since 1936 with the Maroon & Gold helping USA Hockey to eight medals including gold in 1960 and 1980.
CENTURY MARKERS
One Gopher Hockey skater hit a notable career milestone earlier this month while his long-time linemate is now approaching it. Sammy Walker became the 85th Gopher to join the 100-Point Club as the senior captain is Minnesota's active-leading scorer with 101 points (42 goals, 59 assists) in 129 games. Fellow senior Blake McLaughlin is next in line for the Gophers with 94 points (32 goals, 62 assists) in 127 games.
GOPHERS MAKE ROSTER ADJUSTMENTS
Minnesota has made a number of roster adjustments over the last two weeks. Four-year Gopher letter winner Sam Rossini re-joined the program on Jan. 19 -- the defenseman has played in 49 games with 13 points (three goals, 10 assists). Owen Bartoszkievicz was added to the roster as a freshman on Jan. 14 -- the goaltender most recently played in the USHL with Youngstown while he was an All-NAHL Rookie First Team honoree in 2020-21 with Wichita Falls. Jack LaFontaine signed an entry-level contract with the Carolina Hurricanes on Jan. 9 and made his NHL debut with the organization on Jan. 13.
PRIDE ON ICE HISTORY
While the Gophers celebrated the program's 100th season in 2020-21, a number of notable milestones will actually occur during the 2021-22 season. First among them, Jan. 9, 2022 marked 100 years since the University of Minnesota Board of Regents and the University Athletic Board of Control officially granted men's hockey varsity status (Jan. 9, 1922). Meanwhile, Minnesota's first varsity hockey game celebrated the century mark on Jan. 17, 2022 (a 2-1 loss to Hamline before a string of five-straight wins -- four of them coming against Wisconsin). Minnesota got its revenge against Hamline in the season finale to finish its inaugural season with a 6-3-1 record. Oddly enough, Minnesota and Hamline have never met on the ice since that first season.
'U' RETURNS THREE FROM WJC
Minnesota's three representatives on the U.S. National Junior Team (Brock Faber, Matthew Knies, Chaz Lucius) have returned to the Gophers lineup after the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship was ended prematurely due to public health concerns. Gopher Hockey has a proud history at the World Junior Championship with the University of Minnesota being represented at 43 of the 46 events dating back to the inaugural tournament in 1977. Faber was one of six returning players from last year's gold medal-winning U.S. squad that also included fellow Gopher defensemen Ryan Johnson and Jackson LaCombe.
NHL UPDATE: GOPHERS PACE COLLEGE HOCKEY
Minnesota leads all NCAA programs with 118 all-time NHL alums including 24 already this season (also the most in college hockey). Tommy Novak, Scott Reedy and Jack LaFontaine have all made their NHL debuts in 2021-22 while Sampo Ranta debuted during last year's Stanley Cup playoffs (Ranta, Reedy and LaFontaine were all on the Gophers roster last year).
GOPHERS EXTEND MOTZKO THROUGH 2025-26
The University of Minnesota has agreed to a three-year contract extension with Gopher men's hockey head coach Bob Motzko that will keep Motzko with the Maroon & Gold through the 2025-26 season. A native of Austin, Minn., Motzko is in his fourth season with the Gophers and holds a 72-47-11 record since taking over the program in 2018. In 17 seasons as a Division I head coach, the 2020 Big Ten Coach of the Year and five-time conference coach of the year owns a 348-239-60 record.
PRESEASON BIG TEN PROSPECTUS
The Gophers landed on the top spot of the 2021-22 Big Ten Hockey Coaches' Poll earlier this season ahead of Michigan, Wisconsin, Notre Dame, Penn State, Michigan State and Ohio State. In the eight-year history of the Big Ten Conference, the Gophers have claimed a league-high four regular-season conference championships as well as two Big Ten tournament titles including last year's thrilling playoff run by the Maroon & Gold. Minnesota also led the Big Ten with six individuals on the 2021-22 Preseason All-Big Ten Hockey Teams, headlined by four players earning First Team honors.
WEARING THE 'C'
The 101st season of Gopher Hockey will see two familiar faces and college hockey veterans leading the 'U' as Sammy Walker and Ben Meyers have been named team captains for the 2021-22 season. Walker will enter his senior season wearing a "C" for the third-straight season for the Maroon & Gold while Meyers was elevated to share the honor after serving as alternate captains during the 2020-21 campaign. With all both players returning to the Minnesota leadership group, Gopher Hockey has now featured 175 captains dating back to the school's first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold as team captain. Jack LaFontaine also served as a captain during his tenure with the team this year.
IN THE NHL DRAFT
Fourteen of Minnesota's 27 players on the 2021-22 roster have been selected in the NHL Entry Draft including five newcomers -- Chaz Lucius (2021), Matthew Knies (2021), Tristan Broz (2021), Aaron Huglen (2019) and Rhett Pitlick (2019). Lucius is the 22nd Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round (18th overall by Winnipeg), joining 2019 first rounder Ryan Johnson on this year's roster for Minnesota. Meanwhile, Knies and Broz were selected with back-to-back picks in the second round this year.
2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule
Monday, August 11
Herb Brooks Statue
Wednesday, August 06
Meet the Newcomers: Teddy Townsend
Friday, July 18
Meet The Newcomers: Jacob Rombach
Friday, July 11