University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, November 17
Ann Arbor, Mich.
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
at
Michigan
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/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
Premier Matchup as 'U' Travels to Michigan Nov. 17-18
11/16/2022 9:30:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Top-three national matchup happening in B1G play
MINNEAPOLIS - Minnesota men's hockey takes its show on the road for the next three weeks as it opens the trip at No. 3 Michigan Nov. 17-18 at Yost Ice Arena for a premier Big Ten Conference matchup.
The No. 2-ranked Golden Gophers start the action Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. (CT) and Friday at 5 p.m. (CT) live on Big Ten Network and streaming on the Fox Sports app and B1G+. Audio coverage is also available with Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco on the Gopher Radio Network, but due to scheduling conflicts the game Thursday will be on 102.5 FM, while Friday is on the traditional 103.5 FM / AM 1130.
HISTORICALLY DIFFICULT
For the sixth-straight series, the Maroon and Gold will face off against a team ranked in the top 12 of the national polls as Michigan remains near the top this week, checking in at No. 3. The weekend series against the Wolverines will be the fourth time Minnesota has faced off with an opponent ranked No. 10 or better. Since the USCHO polls were introduced 22 years ago, this is the most difficult Gophers' schedule to date having played 12 of their first 14 games against teams that highly ranked.
HISTORY WITH THE WOLVERINES
The Gophers are 150-133-18 all-time when facing Michigan dating back to the first encounter nearly a 100 years ago in 1923 and are 6-4 over the last 10 meetings. Minnesota dropped three of the five meetings a season ago, including a home matchup in the B1G title game last March. Jackson LaCombe led the team with five points in the five contests, while Matthew Knies buried three goals, including two in the league championship, and added an assist for four points in his first year as part of the rivalry.
VETERANS TAKING CHARGE
The combined offense from seniors Bryce Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson, along with junior Mason Nevers, have boosted the Gophers of late. Brodzinski has found his scoring touch with four goals and six points over his previous six games, while his three goals against the Nittany Lions earned him B1G Third Star of the Week honors. Nelson is averaging a point per game during the last month scoring in six of seven games and Nevers has a point in eight of his last 10 outings. The trio accounted for six points in the win over Penn State Nov. 11 as each player recorded a multi-point effort.
WELCOME THE NEWEST GOPHERS
The Gophers are set to welcome four newcomers to the 2023-24 roster as Beckett Hendrickson (USNTDP), Oliver Moore (USNTDP), Sam Rinzel (Waterloo Black Hawks) and Max Rud (Sioux Falls Stampede) all signed National Letters of Intent. All four of the incoming freshmen originally hail from the State of Hockey and played prep hockey in the state as the Maroon and Gold continue to bring in local talent.
SHUTOUT STAR
Justen Close recorded his second shutout of the season Nov. 5 against No. 12 Notre Dame, which moved him into a tie for 12th in Minnesota history for career shutouts with the fifth of his tenure. The senior earned Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors Nov. 8 as he led the Gophers to a sweep of the Irish. Close has backstopped the Maroon and Gold to wins in four of the last five outings by holding opponents to seven goals, a 1.41 goals against average in that stretch. His GAA remains an impressive 1.88, which ranks 14th in the nation.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
Since the Gophers allowed their opponents to score five power-play goals in a stretch of eight opportunities, they have killed off 13-straight penalties over the course of their last five contests, four of which have been victories. Conversely, Minnesota has scored on the man advantage in four of the five games in the same stretch.
FIGHTING TO THE END
Fans watching Gopher hockey this season want to stay in their seats until the end of the period before hitting the concession stands. The Maroon and Gold have scored 13 goals in the final five minutes of periods or overtime this season, including three in the final minute of play. Matthew Knies and Mason Nevers have both put away three of those tallies, while Connor Kurth and Jimmy Snuggerud have two apiece. On the flip side, Minnesota has only allowed seven goals in that same span.
FRESHMEN A FORCE
With 11 freshmen on the roster, Minnesota has relied on this group to contribute in every aspect, but especially on the offensive end where the class has combined for 17 goals and 21 assists, accounting for 40 percent of the team's goal scoring. Jimmy Snuggerud's eight goals paces the squad, while Logan Cooley snapped an eight-game goal drought with a tally Nov. 5. Connor Kurth has found the back of the net three times, while Brody Lamb has a pair of goals and John Mittelstadt tallied his first collegiate goal against the Buckeyes Oct. 28. Ryan Chesley, Luke Mittelstadt, Garrett Pinoniemi and Charlie Strobel all have tallied at least one assist this year.
TAKING NOTICE EARLY
Coming off their Big Ten regular season championship in 2021-22, the Gophers were picked to repeat in 2022-23 as they entered the season No. 1 in the Big Ten Preseason Poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Minnesota also landed four players on Preseason All-Big Ten Teams as Matthew Knies (unanimous) and Brock Faber earned first-team recognition, while Logan Cooley and Jackson LaCombe were named to the second team.
LOCALLY SOURCED
Holding the moniker of the State of Hockey, Minnesota is known for its strong history of players that start skating on local ice sheets and backyard ponds. That has fed a deep pipeline of talent to colleges around the country, most importantly to the University of Minnesota. The Gophers' roster features a collection of 26 student-athletes, 20 of which were born and raised within the state lines. Even more impressive is the fact that 16 of the Minnesotans on the team are from within 40 miles of campus.
The No. 2-ranked Golden Gophers start the action Thursday night at 5:30 p.m. (CT) and Friday at 5 p.m. (CT) live on Big Ten Network and streaming on the Fox Sports app and B1G+. Audio coverage is also available with Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco on the Gopher Radio Network, but due to scheduling conflicts the game Thursday will be on 102.5 FM, while Friday is on the traditional 103.5 FM / AM 1130.
HISTORICALLY DIFFICULT
For the sixth-straight series, the Maroon and Gold will face off against a team ranked in the top 12 of the national polls as Michigan remains near the top this week, checking in at No. 3. The weekend series against the Wolverines will be the fourth time Minnesota has faced off with an opponent ranked No. 10 or better. Since the USCHO polls were introduced 22 years ago, this is the most difficult Gophers' schedule to date having played 12 of their first 14 games against teams that highly ranked.
HISTORY WITH THE WOLVERINES
The Gophers are 150-133-18 all-time when facing Michigan dating back to the first encounter nearly a 100 years ago in 1923 and are 6-4 over the last 10 meetings. Minnesota dropped three of the five meetings a season ago, including a home matchup in the B1G title game last March. Jackson LaCombe led the team with five points in the five contests, while Matthew Knies buried three goals, including two in the league championship, and added an assist for four points in his first year as part of the rivalry.
VETERANS TAKING CHARGE
The combined offense from seniors Bryce Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson, along with junior Mason Nevers, have boosted the Gophers of late. Brodzinski has found his scoring touch with four goals and six points over his previous six games, while his three goals against the Nittany Lions earned him B1G Third Star of the Week honors. Nelson is averaging a point per game during the last month scoring in six of seven games and Nevers has a point in eight of his last 10 outings. The trio accounted for six points in the win over Penn State Nov. 11 as each player recorded a multi-point effort.
WELCOME THE NEWEST GOPHERS
The Gophers are set to welcome four newcomers to the 2023-24 roster as Beckett Hendrickson (USNTDP), Oliver Moore (USNTDP), Sam Rinzel (Waterloo Black Hawks) and Max Rud (Sioux Falls Stampede) all signed National Letters of Intent. All four of the incoming freshmen originally hail from the State of Hockey and played prep hockey in the state as the Maroon and Gold continue to bring in local talent.
SHUTOUT STAR
Justen Close recorded his second shutout of the season Nov. 5 against No. 12 Notre Dame, which moved him into a tie for 12th in Minnesota history for career shutouts with the fifth of his tenure. The senior earned Big Ten Second Star of the Week honors Nov. 8 as he led the Gophers to a sweep of the Irish. Close has backstopped the Maroon and Gold to wins in four of the last five outings by holding opponents to seven goals, a 1.41 goals against average in that stretch. His GAA remains an impressive 1.88, which ranks 14th in the nation.
SPECIAL TEAMS SUCCESS
Since the Gophers allowed their opponents to score five power-play goals in a stretch of eight opportunities, they have killed off 13-straight penalties over the course of their last five contests, four of which have been victories. Conversely, Minnesota has scored on the man advantage in four of the five games in the same stretch.
FIGHTING TO THE END
Fans watching Gopher hockey this season want to stay in their seats until the end of the period before hitting the concession stands. The Maroon and Gold have scored 13 goals in the final five minutes of periods or overtime this season, including three in the final minute of play. Matthew Knies and Mason Nevers have both put away three of those tallies, while Connor Kurth and Jimmy Snuggerud have two apiece. On the flip side, Minnesota has only allowed seven goals in that same span.
FRESHMEN A FORCE
With 11 freshmen on the roster, Minnesota has relied on this group to contribute in every aspect, but especially on the offensive end where the class has combined for 17 goals and 21 assists, accounting for 40 percent of the team's goal scoring. Jimmy Snuggerud's eight goals paces the squad, while Logan Cooley snapped an eight-game goal drought with a tally Nov. 5. Connor Kurth has found the back of the net three times, while Brody Lamb has a pair of goals and John Mittelstadt tallied his first collegiate goal against the Buckeyes Oct. 28. Ryan Chesley, Luke Mittelstadt, Garrett Pinoniemi and Charlie Strobel all have tallied at least one assist this year.
TAKING NOTICE EARLY
Coming off their Big Ten regular season championship in 2021-22, the Gophers were picked to repeat in 2022-23 as they entered the season No. 1 in the Big Ten Preseason Poll as voted upon by the league's head coaches. Minnesota also landed four players on Preseason All-Big Ten Teams as Matthew Knies (unanimous) and Brock Faber earned first-team recognition, while Logan Cooley and Jackson LaCombe were named to the second team.
LOCALLY SOURCED
Holding the moniker of the State of Hockey, Minnesota is known for its strong history of players that start skating on local ice sheets and backyard ponds. That has fed a deep pipeline of talent to colleges around the country, most importantly to the University of Minnesota. The Gophers' roster features a collection of 26 student-athletes, 20 of which were born and raised within the state lines. Even more impressive is the fact that 16 of the Minnesotans on the team are from within 40 miles of campus.
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