University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, October 26
3M Arena at Mariucci
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Gophers Host Men's Hockey Border Battle Oct. 26-27
10/25/2023 3:30:00 PM | Men's Hockey
B1G title banner unveiled Friday
MINNEAPOLIS - It's time to start Big Ten Conference play for the top-ranked Minnesota men's hockey team as it begins the league slate against border rival Wisconsin Oct. 26-27 from 3M Arena at Mariucci. A special pre-game ceremony is set for Friday where the Golden Gophers 2022-23 Big Ten Championship will be honored with a banner unveiling.
The games will be aired live on Big Ten Network and streaming on the Fox Sports app both nights at 8 p.m. with Dan Kelly and Ben Clymer on the call. Fans also can tune into the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM for each game to listen to Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco.
HOW TO WATCH ALL SEASON
Minnesota and FOX 9 have agreed to a local television broadcast partnership for 10 home games and four road games in 2023-24. This is in addition to the 11 games picked by the Big Ten Network, seven home and four away, along with one airing on FS1 during the campaign. As always, check the schedule page on GopherSports.com for all the latest information and viewing options for every contest.
TWO STEPS CLOSER FOR THE STAR
Behind another brilliant weekend between the pipes for Minnesota, goaltender Justen Close was named the B1G First Star of the Week Oct. 24. The graduate student made 25 saves in a road win at No. 5 North Dakota for his second-straight shutout before his streak was snapped at 153:58 in the second period Saturday. He turned away 57-of-59 shots faced against the Fighting Hawks for a 1.01 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage. The Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native's shutout Friday was the 11th of his Gophers' career, and he sits two shy of the program record held by Kellen Briggs and Adam Wilcox.
STARRING "SNUGGY SNIPES"
Jimmy Snuggerud put on a show during the Gophers' opening weekend sweep of St. Thomas, totaling five points on four goals and one assist and was named B1G First Star of the Week for his efforts. The sophomore scored twice in each contest, including the game winner both nights, and recorded the sixth, three-point performance of his career in the season opener Friday. It was the first time he registered back-to-back, multi-goal games for the Maroon and Gold, and he followed that effort by posting a goal and an assist in the win at UND for a team-leading five goals and seven points.
EARLY CHEMISTRY
The line of Brody Lamb centering Oliver Moore and Jimmy Snuggerud has provided the Gophers with an offensive explosion early in the year as they have combined for 19 points in four games. All three skaters had at least one point in each of the first three contests, led by Snuggerud's seven points. Lamb has tallied four goals and two assists, recording the first multi-goal game of his career in the season opener against St. Thomas Oct. 13 and the first game-winning tally of his tenure at UND Oct. 20. Moore paces the Gophers in assists thanks to five helpers and scored the first goal of his collegiate career in a road win at North Dakota Oct. 20.
CAREERS OFF AND RUNNING
Five members of the Maroon and Gold made their college hockey debuts during the weekend series versus St. Thomas Oct. 13-14 and chipped in six points. Oliver Moore's four assists paced the squad thanks to a three-point night in his first outing, while Sam Rinzel had two points in the opener. Jimmy Clark won 17 of his 25 faceoffs (68 percent) and Max Rud combined with Axel Begley along the blue line to block four shots.
ERASING POWER PLAYS
Minnesota is one of five NCAA men's hockey teams to hold a perfect penalty kill during the 2023-24 season as it has erased all 16 opponent man advantages through four games. Only NCAA newcomer Augustana has killed off more penalties without conceding a goal as it has been shorthanded 18 times compared to 16 of the Gophers. The Maroon and Gold was 6-for-6 on the penalty kill against St. Thomas and denied North Dakota on all 10 of its opportunities last weekend.
SCORING SOPHOMORES
Minnesota's nine skaters from the sophomore class have provided the bulk of the offensive production through four games this season, totaling 19 of the team's 35 points. Six different players from the group have at least one point, including four players with multiple points. All nine goals have come via the Brody Lamb and Jimmy Snuggerud duo, while Luke Mittelstadt and Cal Thomas joined the fun with two assists apiece.
NEED TO RETURN THE DISCIPLINE
The Gophers were the third-least penalized team in the NCAA a season ago, averaging just 7.5 penalty minutes per contest. That trend has slipped of late as Minnesota was called for a total of 10 penalties in the two-game series at North Dakota, but the team remains tied for 10th nationally averaging 8.5 penalty minutes per game.
PICKED FOR A THREE PEAT
The Gophers are trying to do something only they have done in the 10-year history of college hockey in the Big Ten Conference and that is to win three-straight regular season titles. The Maroon and Gold won a championship in each of the first four years during league play between 2013 and 2017 before a stretch where four different teams won the next four championships. Heading into 2023-24 following back-to-back titles, Minnesota was picked to finish atop the conference standings in the preseason poll as voted upon by the seven head coaches.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota holds a 183-101-24 record in the all-time series versus Wisconsin, dating back to 1922, the first season of men's hockey for the Maroon and Gold. The 183 victories are the most for the Gophers against any NCAA opponent in program history. Minnesota won three of four meetings a season ago by a combined score of 18-9 and has been victorious in seven of the previous nine matchups over the last three years. Eleven different players scored a goal in the season series last year led by four from Logan Cooley and three off the stick of Bryce Brodzinski. Jimmy Snuggerud paced all skaters with seven points, including three multi-point efforts.
INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
Under the guidance of new head coach Mike Hastings, the Badgers are off to a hot start, owning a 5-1-0 record following a road sweep of No. 17 Michigan Tech. Wisconsin vaulted from receiving votes in the national polls all the way to No. 14 (USCHO.com) and No. 18 (USA Today/The Rink Live). Recently named B1G Third Star of the Week, Mathieu De St. Phalle, leads the Badgers' balanced offense with seven points in six games, while a total of 17 players have registered a point this season. Kyle McClellan has played every minute in goal for Wisconsin and recorded a 1.49 goals-against average to go with a .935 save percentage. McClellan also is tied with the Gophers' Justen Close as the only two goaltenders in the nation with multiple shutouts in 2023-24.
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT FOR 13
Thirteen of Minnesota's 25 rostered players have heard their names called in the NHL Entry Draft since 2019, including a pair of first-round selections that are part of this year's freshmen class. The Gophers have had the most all-time draft selections (239) by any NCAA men's hockey program after adding four over the summer. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 49 of the last 50 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception. Boston College and Boston University are the only teams in the nation that have more draft picks (14) on their NCAA rosters for the 2023-24 season than Minnesota.
The games will be aired live on Big Ten Network and streaming on the Fox Sports app both nights at 8 p.m. with Dan Kelly and Ben Clymer on the call. Fans also can tune into the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM for each game to listen to Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco.
HOW TO WATCH ALL SEASON
Minnesota and FOX 9 have agreed to a local television broadcast partnership for 10 home games and four road games in 2023-24. This is in addition to the 11 games picked by the Big Ten Network, seven home and four away, along with one airing on FS1 during the campaign. As always, check the schedule page on GopherSports.com for all the latest information and viewing options for every contest.
TWO STEPS CLOSER FOR THE STAR
Behind another brilliant weekend between the pipes for Minnesota, goaltender Justen Close was named the B1G First Star of the Week Oct. 24. The graduate student made 25 saves in a road win at No. 5 North Dakota for his second-straight shutout before his streak was snapped at 153:58 in the second period Saturday. He turned away 57-of-59 shots faced against the Fighting Hawks for a 1.01 goals-against average and a .966 save percentage. The Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native's shutout Friday was the 11th of his Gophers' career, and he sits two shy of the program record held by Kellen Briggs and Adam Wilcox.
STARRING "SNUGGY SNIPES"
Jimmy Snuggerud put on a show during the Gophers' opening weekend sweep of St. Thomas, totaling five points on four goals and one assist and was named B1G First Star of the Week for his efforts. The sophomore scored twice in each contest, including the game winner both nights, and recorded the sixth, three-point performance of his career in the season opener Friday. It was the first time he registered back-to-back, multi-goal games for the Maroon and Gold, and he followed that effort by posting a goal and an assist in the win at UND for a team-leading five goals and seven points.
EARLY CHEMISTRY
The line of Brody Lamb centering Oliver Moore and Jimmy Snuggerud has provided the Gophers with an offensive explosion early in the year as they have combined for 19 points in four games. All three skaters had at least one point in each of the first three contests, led by Snuggerud's seven points. Lamb has tallied four goals and two assists, recording the first multi-goal game of his career in the season opener against St. Thomas Oct. 13 and the first game-winning tally of his tenure at UND Oct. 20. Moore paces the Gophers in assists thanks to five helpers and scored the first goal of his collegiate career in a road win at North Dakota Oct. 20.
CAREERS OFF AND RUNNING
Five members of the Maroon and Gold made their college hockey debuts during the weekend series versus St. Thomas Oct. 13-14 and chipped in six points. Oliver Moore's four assists paced the squad thanks to a three-point night in his first outing, while Sam Rinzel had two points in the opener. Jimmy Clark won 17 of his 25 faceoffs (68 percent) and Max Rud combined with Axel Begley along the blue line to block four shots.
ERASING POWER PLAYS
Minnesota is one of five NCAA men's hockey teams to hold a perfect penalty kill during the 2023-24 season as it has erased all 16 opponent man advantages through four games. Only NCAA newcomer Augustana has killed off more penalties without conceding a goal as it has been shorthanded 18 times compared to 16 of the Gophers. The Maroon and Gold was 6-for-6 on the penalty kill against St. Thomas and denied North Dakota on all 10 of its opportunities last weekend.
SCORING SOPHOMORES
Minnesota's nine skaters from the sophomore class have provided the bulk of the offensive production through four games this season, totaling 19 of the team's 35 points. Six different players from the group have at least one point, including four players with multiple points. All nine goals have come via the Brody Lamb and Jimmy Snuggerud duo, while Luke Mittelstadt and Cal Thomas joined the fun with two assists apiece.
NEED TO RETURN THE DISCIPLINE
The Gophers were the third-least penalized team in the NCAA a season ago, averaging just 7.5 penalty minutes per contest. That trend has slipped of late as Minnesota was called for a total of 10 penalties in the two-game series at North Dakota, but the team remains tied for 10th nationally averaging 8.5 penalty minutes per game.
PICKED FOR A THREE PEAT
The Gophers are trying to do something only they have done in the 10-year history of college hockey in the Big Ten Conference and that is to win three-straight regular season titles. The Maroon and Gold won a championship in each of the first four years during league play between 2013 and 2017 before a stretch where four different teams won the next four championships. Heading into 2023-24 following back-to-back titles, Minnesota was picked to finish atop the conference standings in the preseason poll as voted upon by the seven head coaches.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota holds a 183-101-24 record in the all-time series versus Wisconsin, dating back to 1922, the first season of men's hockey for the Maroon and Gold. The 183 victories are the most for the Gophers against any NCAA opponent in program history. Minnesota won three of four meetings a season ago by a combined score of 18-9 and has been victorious in seven of the previous nine matchups over the last three years. Eleven different players scored a goal in the season series last year led by four from Logan Cooley and three off the stick of Bryce Brodzinski. Jimmy Snuggerud paced all skaters with seven points, including three multi-point efforts.
INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
Under the guidance of new head coach Mike Hastings, the Badgers are off to a hot start, owning a 5-1-0 record following a road sweep of No. 17 Michigan Tech. Wisconsin vaulted from receiving votes in the national polls all the way to No. 14 (USCHO.com) and No. 18 (USA Today/The Rink Live). Recently named B1G Third Star of the Week, Mathieu De St. Phalle, leads the Badgers' balanced offense with seven points in six games, while a total of 17 players have registered a point this season. Kyle McClellan has played every minute in goal for Wisconsin and recorded a 1.49 goals-against average to go with a .935 save percentage. McClellan also is tied with the Gophers' Justen Close as the only two goaltenders in the nation with multiple shutouts in 2023-24.
DRAFT SPOTLIGHT FOR 13
Thirteen of Minnesota's 25 rostered players have heard their names called in the NHL Entry Draft since 2019, including a pair of first-round selections that are part of this year's freshmen class. The Gophers have had the most all-time draft selections (239) by any NCAA men's hockey program after adding four over the summer. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 49 of the last 50 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception. Boston College and Boston University are the only teams in the nation that have more draft picks (14) on their NCAA rosters for the 2023-24 season than Minnesota.
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