University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 3
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Minnesota Duluth
Players Mentioned
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/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
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Defense
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/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
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/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Brad Rempel
'U' Faces Bulldogs in Non-Conference Series Nov. 3-4
11/2/2023 12:45:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Home-and-home series starts in Minneapolis
MINNEAPOLIS - The sixth-ranked Golden Gophers men's hockey team looks to snap a three-game losing streak when it faces No. 14 Minnesota Duluth in a home-and-home series Nov. 3-4. Game one is set for Friday night at 7 p.m. in front of a sellout crowd inside 3M Arena at Mariucci and the first 5,000 fans in attendance will receive a free Minnesota jersey koozie before the series ends Saturday at 7 p.m. at AMSOIL Arena in Duluth, Minn.
The home game Friday night will be aired on FOX 9 and streaming on B1G+, while the contest in Duluth will be available for fans to watch on FOX 9+. The Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM will have a live audio broadcast of each contest.
CHECK OUT THE NEW DIGS
For the first time in the 30 years since 3M Arena at Mariucci opened, a major public-facing renovation project took place during the offseason. It started with the installation of a state-of-the-art ice plant and more energy-efficient refrigeration system and continued with the shrinking of the ice sheet. The ice went from an Olympic size of 200-by-100 feet, down to a hybrid size of 200-by-89 feet, which more closely resembles an NHL ice sheet. The change in dimensions also added approximately 257 seats to the arena, making the official capacity 10,257. Updates to the dasher boards and glass will enhance player safety, while fans in attendance will also notice an increase in brightness inside the arena as a modern LED system was added.
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. Other FOX affiliates around the area have added Gopher hockey to their coverage with select games available on KTTC (Rochester, Mason City, Austin, Albert Lea), KVRR (Fargo), KQDS (Duluth), and KCRG (Cedar Rapids).
RANKING DROP
The Gophers lost their No. 1 ranking in both polls and dropped down to the sixth spot after losing twice in round one of their border battle. It's the first time since Feb. 2022 where the Maroon and Gold dropped below No. 5 in both national polls. Minnesota entered Friday's game against Wisconsin with an 11-1-1 record in the game following consecutive losses, including five-straight wins, but suffered its first three-game losing streak since December 2019.
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 Oct. 21. 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 Oct. 13. 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.
ERASING POWER PLAYS
Minnesota started last weekend as 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. That changed against the Badgers as the Gophers allowed a power-play goal in both games of the series, but the team still maintains a 90 percent penalty kill (18-of-20).
ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO RISE
According to data compiled by College Hockey Inc., attendance in NCAA Division I men's hockey was up 15 percent nationwide from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Minnesota saw an increase of 1,243 fans per game thanks to sellouts in 11 of 13 arenas played across the country and nine sellouts at 3M Arena at Mariucci. With an announced attendance of 20,755 for the conference series against Michigan Jan. 20-21, the Gophers set a program record for the most fans in a weekend series in arena history. The 'U' had the second-highest home attendance of any college hockey team last year, averaging 9,156 patrons per game and that number has only increased at the start of 2023-24, jumping up to 9,562 through three contests.
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 BULLDOGS
Minnesota owns a 135-85-18 (.605) record in the all-time series against Minnesota Duluth, dating back to the first meeting in 1952, but are just 1-12-1 across the previous 14 meetings since the 2014-15 campaign. The teams have not met since 2021 when UMD claimed both ends of the late October home-and-home series, which extended its win streak over Minnesota to four games. The Gophers hold a wide edge over the Bulldogs at home behind a 75-35-9 (.668) record and are 54-45-8 (.542) in games at Duluth.
INSIDE LOOK AT MINNESOTA DULUTH
The then No. 11/12 Bulldogs saw their five-game unbeaten streak snapped last weekend with a pair of losses on the road at No. 12/11 Cornell and were outscored by a 7-1 margin. UMD holds a 2-0-1 record on home ice after consecutive wins over Northern Michigan and Bemidji State, including a 4-0 shutout against the Beavers Oct. 21. Ben Steeves paces the team on offense with six goals and nine points in seven games, while five other players have at least five points. Goaltender Zach Stejskal has earned the bulk of minutes for the Bulldogs and posted a 2-1-2 record behind a 2.90 goals-against average.
EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP CREW
The guys wearing a letter on the front of their redesigned Gophers jersey in 2023-24 bring together nearly 500 career games of college hockey experience as all four have skated in more than 100 contests. Mike Koster and Jaxon Nelson were named captains for the team, while Bryce Brodzinski and Mason Nevers were chosen as alternate captains heading into the season. In the history of Minnesota hockey, 169 different players have served in a captain's role and remain in good hands with this year's crew.
MIX OF YOUNG AND OLD
As of opening night (Oct. 13), the average age of each player on the Minnesota roster will be 21 years and 177 days old (21.48 years), making it one of the youngest rosters in the nation. The Gophers are tied for ninth in average age (per stats from College Hockey Inc.) with fellow Big Ten members Michigan and Notre Dame. Justen Close, Carl Fish and Nick Michel were all born before 2000, while four players have 2004 birth years. Oliver Moore is the only player born in 2005 and checks in as the youngest player in the lineup for the Maroon and Gold this season.
The home game Friday night will be aired on FOX 9 and streaming on B1G+, while the contest in Duluth will be available for fans to watch on FOX 9+. The Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM will have a live audio broadcast of each contest.
CHECK OUT THE NEW DIGS
For the first time in the 30 years since 3M Arena at Mariucci opened, a major public-facing renovation project took place during the offseason. It started with the installation of a state-of-the-art ice plant and more energy-efficient refrigeration system and continued with the shrinking of the ice sheet. The ice went from an Olympic size of 200-by-100 feet, down to a hybrid size of 200-by-89 feet, which more closely resembles an NHL ice sheet. The change in dimensions also added approximately 257 seats to the arena, making the official capacity 10,257. Updates to the dasher boards and glass will enhance player safety, while fans in attendance will also notice an increase in brightness inside the arena as a modern LED system was added.
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. Other FOX affiliates around the area have added Gopher hockey to their coverage with select games available on KTTC (Rochester, Mason City, Austin, Albert Lea), KVRR (Fargo), KQDS (Duluth), and KCRG (Cedar Rapids).
RANKING DROP
The Gophers lost their No. 1 ranking in both polls and dropped down to the sixth spot after losing twice in round one of their border battle. It's the first time since Feb. 2022 where the Maroon and Gold dropped below No. 5 in both national polls. Minnesota entered Friday's game against Wisconsin with an 11-1-1 record in the game following consecutive losses, including five-straight wins, but suffered its first three-game losing streak since December 2019.
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 Oct. 21. 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 Oct. 13. 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.
ERASING POWER PLAYS
Minnesota started last weekend as 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. That changed against the Badgers as the Gophers allowed a power-play goal in both games of the series, but the team still maintains a 90 percent penalty kill (18-of-20).
ATTENDANCE CONTINUES TO RISE
According to data compiled by College Hockey Inc., attendance in NCAA Division I men's hockey was up 15 percent nationwide from 2021-22 to 2022-23. Minnesota saw an increase of 1,243 fans per game thanks to sellouts in 11 of 13 arenas played across the country and nine sellouts at 3M Arena at Mariucci. With an announced attendance of 20,755 for the conference series against Michigan Jan. 20-21, the Gophers set a program record for the most fans in a weekend series in arena history. The 'U' had the second-highest home attendance of any college hockey team last year, averaging 9,156 patrons per game and that number has only increased at the start of 2023-24, jumping up to 9,562 through three contests.
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 BULLDOGS
Minnesota owns a 135-85-18 (.605) record in the all-time series against Minnesota Duluth, dating back to the first meeting in 1952, but are just 1-12-1 across the previous 14 meetings since the 2014-15 campaign. The teams have not met since 2021 when UMD claimed both ends of the late October home-and-home series, which extended its win streak over Minnesota to four games. The Gophers hold a wide edge over the Bulldogs at home behind a 75-35-9 (.668) record and are 54-45-8 (.542) in games at Duluth.
INSIDE LOOK AT MINNESOTA DULUTH
The then No. 11/12 Bulldogs saw their five-game unbeaten streak snapped last weekend with a pair of losses on the road at No. 12/11 Cornell and were outscored by a 7-1 margin. UMD holds a 2-0-1 record on home ice after consecutive wins over Northern Michigan and Bemidji State, including a 4-0 shutout against the Beavers Oct. 21. Ben Steeves paces the team on offense with six goals and nine points in seven games, while five other players have at least five points. Goaltender Zach Stejskal has earned the bulk of minutes for the Bulldogs and posted a 2-1-2 record behind a 2.90 goals-against average.
EXPERIENCED LEADERSHIP CREW
The guys wearing a letter on the front of their redesigned Gophers jersey in 2023-24 bring together nearly 500 career games of college hockey experience as all four have skated in more than 100 contests. Mike Koster and Jaxon Nelson were named captains for the team, while Bryce Brodzinski and Mason Nevers were chosen as alternate captains heading into the season. In the history of Minnesota hockey, 169 different players have served in a captain's role and remain in good hands with this year's crew.
MIX OF YOUNG AND OLD
As of opening night (Oct. 13), the average age of each player on the Minnesota roster will be 21 years and 177 days old (21.48 years), making it one of the youngest rosters in the nation. The Gophers are tied for ninth in average age (per stats from College Hockey Inc.) with fellow Big Ten members Michigan and Notre Dame. Justen Close, Carl Fish and Nick Michel were all born before 2000, while four players have 2004 birth years. Oliver Moore is the only player born in 2005 and checks in as the youngest player in the lineup for the Maroon and Gold this season.
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