University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, January 7
St. Cloud, Minn.
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
at
St. Cloud State
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/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
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/ Men's Hockey
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Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
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Forward
/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
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Photo by: Brad Rempel
Minnesota Begins 2023 with Top-Five Matchup
1/6/2023 11:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Near sellout for Gophers and Huskies Sunday
MINNEAPOLIS - It's a top-five matchup in the first action of 2023 for the University of Minnesota men's hockey team as it battles No. 4 St. Cloud State in a home-and-home series Jan. 7-8. The series starts at 6 p.m. on the road Saturday before closing Sunday afternoon at 3 p.m. in front of a sellout crowd inside 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Saturday's game will be available on CBS Sports Network, while the Sunday matinee is set to be broadcast on Bally Sports North. It will be a special day on campus Sunday as the Gophers will honor both their 2002 and 2003 National Championship teams during in-game ceremonies. Standing-room tickets are still available to see Minnesota and SCSU Jan. 8.
POLLS AND STANDINGS
The Gophers remain in the top spot in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll after moving up from No. 2 in December, while they remain No. 3 according to the latest DCU/USCHO.com poll. Most importantly, Minnesota remains atop both the Big Ten Conference standings and the PairWise rankings at the official midpoint of the season with 30 points and holds an eight-point lead over second place Penn State.
HISTORICALLY DIFFICULT
When the Maroon and Gold faced off against No. 11/13 Michigan State to begin December, it marked the seventh series where it battled a team ranked in the top 13 of the national polls and it handled that challenge to the tune of a 10-4 record. The series against the Huskies to begin 2023 will be the third time the Gophers take on an opponent ranked No. 5 or better. Since the USCHO polls were introduced 24 years ago, this has been the most difficult Gophers' schedule to date, having played 14 of their first 18 games against teams that highly ranked.
HISTORY WITH THE HUSKIES
The Gophers own a 58-35-12 record in the all-time series versus SCSU dating back to 1990 with a 32-14-5 mark at home but are just 19-18-6 on the road. Coach Motzko is 2-1 against the team he spent 13 years coaching after Minnesota split a home-and-home series with the Huskies a season ago. Both sides won on the road during the mid-October action where each game was decided by one goal. Sammy Walker scored twice, including the overtime game winner in the series finale at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, while Bryce Brodzinski added a goal and an assist in the victory.
FEELING RIGHT AT HOME
Minnesota won its first four games at home this season and followed with five wins in six B1G matchups to close the calendar year as it's excelled on home ice inside 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Maroon and Gold have outscored its opponents by a 2-1 ratio (46-23) and recorded two shutouts on the way to a 9-2 record as the home team. Twenty different players have registered at least one point for the Gophers at 3M Arena at Mariucci, including an assist from goaltender Justen Close, who also has a 1.48 goals against average in 10 home appearances.
ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE
Minnesota sent four current players and one former to the United States junior team for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Gophers have sent a representative to the event in 44 of the 47 years it has been played dating back to 1977 and all five played in every game for Team USA in 2023. Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud carried over their impressive scoring runs with Minnesota to lead the Americans in points with 14 and 13, respectively, helping the team to a bronze medal Thursday.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING
Thanks to the highest-scoring offense in the nation that averages 4.3 goals per game, Minnesota is the only NCAA team with 11 players that have scored double-digit points and includes multiple skaters with 20 or more points. In just 20 games played, the Gophers are led by Jimmy Snuggerud's 27 points. His linemates, Logan Cooley (25) and Matthew Knies (22), are close behind as the trio are the three highest scoring players for Minnesota, while senior Jackson LaCombe also is at the 20-point mark. Seven other players have joined the group in double figures in Jaxon Nelson (19), Bryce Brodzinski (17), Mason Nevers (16), Brock Faber (15), Luke Mittelstadt (13), Rhett Pitlick (13) and Mike Koster (11).
PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE GOPHERS
During their mid-season, six-game road trip, fans came out to see the high-powered Gophers to the tune of a sellout in every arena across multiple states. Also on New Year's Eve, despite being an exhibition game at Bemidji State, a sellout crowd came out to watch the in-state foes. Minnesota has had two sellouts at 3M Arena at Mariucci this season, both coming during its series against North Dakota and have the second-highest attendance of any college hockey team this year averaging nearly 8,400 patrons per game. That number is a more than 12 percent increase from a season ago.
NATION'S ELITE TRIO
One of the top lines in college hockey, the trio of Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies and Jimmy Snuggerud, has combined for 22 points during Minnesota's four-game win streak. Totaling 74 points for the year, the entire line has been held off the scoresheet in just two games played this season. They are three of the top four scorers in the B1G and all rank in the top 20 nationally for total points, averaging more than a point per game.
VETERAN SCORING
Minnesota has relied on its veteran line of seniors Bryce Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson with junior Mason Nevers to provide critical scoring all year. The group has totaled 52 points, including seven power-play goals and six game winners, and posted at least one point in all 20 games. Nelson and Nevers have both already set career highs in goals, assists and points in just 20 games of the 2022-23 campaign, while Brodzinski is closing in on his second-straight season with double-digit goals. The line has been held without a goal in just four outings this year and only once in B1G play (Nov. 17 at Michigan).
STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE
The Gophers played double-digit periods between being whistled for a penalty from Nov. 25 to Dec. 9 as there was not a single infraction called during the two-game series against the Spartans. Minnesota is the second-least penalized team in the NCAA averaging 7.0 penalty minutes per contest.
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.
WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME
Fourteen of Minnesota's 26 rostered players have heard their name called in the NHL Entry Draft, six of which are part of this year's freshmen class. The Gophers have had the most all-time draft selections (227) by any NCAA men's hockey program after adding four in July 2022. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 48 of the last 49 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception. Only Harvard has more draft picks (15) on its NCAA roster for the 2022-23 season.
Saturday's game will be available on CBS Sports Network, while the Sunday matinee is set to be broadcast on Bally Sports North. It will be a special day on campus Sunday as the Gophers will honor both their 2002 and 2003 National Championship teams during in-game ceremonies. Standing-room tickets are still available to see Minnesota and SCSU Jan. 8.
POLLS AND STANDINGS
The Gophers remain in the top spot in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll after moving up from No. 2 in December, while they remain No. 3 according to the latest DCU/USCHO.com poll. Most importantly, Minnesota remains atop both the Big Ten Conference standings and the PairWise rankings at the official midpoint of the season with 30 points and holds an eight-point lead over second place Penn State.
HISTORICALLY DIFFICULT
When the Maroon and Gold faced off against No. 11/13 Michigan State to begin December, it marked the seventh series where it battled a team ranked in the top 13 of the national polls and it handled that challenge to the tune of a 10-4 record. The series against the Huskies to begin 2023 will be the third time the Gophers take on an opponent ranked No. 5 or better. Since the USCHO polls were introduced 24 years ago, this has been the most difficult Gophers' schedule to date, having played 14 of their first 18 games against teams that highly ranked.
HISTORY WITH THE HUSKIES
The Gophers own a 58-35-12 record in the all-time series versus SCSU dating back to 1990 with a 32-14-5 mark at home but are just 19-18-6 on the road. Coach Motzko is 2-1 against the team he spent 13 years coaching after Minnesota split a home-and-home series with the Huskies a season ago. Both sides won on the road during the mid-October action where each game was decided by one goal. Sammy Walker scored twice, including the overtime game winner in the series finale at Herb Brooks National Hockey Center, while Bryce Brodzinski added a goal and an assist in the victory.
FEELING RIGHT AT HOME
Minnesota won its first four games at home this season and followed with five wins in six B1G matchups to close the calendar year as it's excelled on home ice inside 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Maroon and Gold have outscored its opponents by a 2-1 ratio (46-23) and recorded two shutouts on the way to a 9-2 record as the home team. Twenty different players have registered at least one point for the Gophers at 3M Arena at Mariucci, including an assist from goaltender Justen Close, who also has a 1.48 goals against average in 10 home appearances.
ON THE INTERNATIONAL STAGE
Minnesota sent four current players and one former to the United States junior team for the 2023 IIHF World Junior Championship. The Gophers have sent a representative to the event in 44 of the 47 years it has been played dating back to 1977 and all five played in every game for Team USA in 2023. Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud carried over their impressive scoring runs with Minnesota to lead the Americans in points with 14 and 13, respectively, helping the team to a bronze medal Thursday.
DOUBLE-DIGIT SCORING
Thanks to the highest-scoring offense in the nation that averages 4.3 goals per game, Minnesota is the only NCAA team with 11 players that have scored double-digit points and includes multiple skaters with 20 or more points. In just 20 games played, the Gophers are led by Jimmy Snuggerud's 27 points. His linemates, Logan Cooley (25) and Matthew Knies (22), are close behind as the trio are the three highest scoring players for Minnesota, while senior Jackson LaCombe also is at the 20-point mark. Seven other players have joined the group in double figures in Jaxon Nelson (19), Bryce Brodzinski (17), Mason Nevers (16), Brock Faber (15), Luke Mittelstadt (13), Rhett Pitlick (13) and Mike Koster (11).
PEOPLE WANT TO SEE THE GOPHERS
During their mid-season, six-game road trip, fans came out to see the high-powered Gophers to the tune of a sellout in every arena across multiple states. Also on New Year's Eve, despite being an exhibition game at Bemidji State, a sellout crowd came out to watch the in-state foes. Minnesota has had two sellouts at 3M Arena at Mariucci this season, both coming during its series against North Dakota and have the second-highest attendance of any college hockey team this year averaging nearly 8,400 patrons per game. That number is a more than 12 percent increase from a season ago.
NATION'S ELITE TRIO
One of the top lines in college hockey, the trio of Logan Cooley, Matthew Knies and Jimmy Snuggerud, has combined for 22 points during Minnesota's four-game win streak. Totaling 74 points for the year, the entire line has been held off the scoresheet in just two games played this season. They are three of the top four scorers in the B1G and all rank in the top 20 nationally for total points, averaging more than a point per game.
VETERAN SCORING
Minnesota has relied on its veteran line of seniors Bryce Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson with junior Mason Nevers to provide critical scoring all year. The group has totaled 52 points, including seven power-play goals and six game winners, and posted at least one point in all 20 games. Nelson and Nevers have both already set career highs in goals, assists and points in just 20 games of the 2022-23 campaign, while Brodzinski is closing in on his second-straight season with double-digit goals. The line has been held without a goal in just four outings this year and only once in B1G play (Nov. 17 at Michigan).
STAYING OUT OF TROUBLE
The Gophers played double-digit periods between being whistled for a penalty from Nov. 25 to Dec. 9 as there was not a single infraction called during the two-game series against the Spartans. Minnesota is the second-least penalized team in the NCAA averaging 7.0 penalty minutes per contest.
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.
WHEN YOU CALL MY NAME
Fourteen of Minnesota's 26 rostered players have heard their name called in the NHL Entry Draft, six of which are part of this year's freshmen class. The Gophers have had the most all-time draft selections (227) by any NCAA men's hockey program after adding four in July 2022. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 48 of the last 49 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception. Only Harvard has more draft picks (15) on its NCAA roster for the 2022-23 season.
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Friday, October 17
Series Trailer: Rivalry Renewed
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Highlights: Gophers 2, Boston College 2
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