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Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn
Close Earns Top Big Ten Weekly Honor
2/6/2024 10:30:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Second time this season as the B1G's top star
ROSEMONT, Ill. - Justen Close was brilliant in goal for the Minnesota men's hockey team during its Border Battle last weekend and was named Big Ten Conference First Star of the Week for his efforts.
The Golden Gophers' graduate student limited fourth-ranked Wisconsin to one goal each night on his way to his second weekly honor of the season. Close recorded his second outing of the year with at least 40 saves during the overtime win Friday night, including a 21-save performance in the second period.
In the series finale Saturday, the Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native turned away 22 shots in 65 minutes of action. He finished the weekend with a 0.95 goals-against average and stopped 62-of-64 shots for a .969 save percentage.
Close has held each of the last three opponents to just one goal as he has a 1.73 GAA over his last eight starts and holds a 6-1-1 record in that stretch. That has pushed his career win total to 55, ranking eighth all-time at Minnesota, while his 11 career shutouts remain fifth in program history.
It's the fifth-consecutive week where a representative from the Maroon and Gold has been honored with a weekly award and seven different players have totaled 11 B1G accolades during the 2023-24 campaign, the most of any team within the league: Justen Close (Feb. 6, Oct. 24), Oliver Moore (Jan. 30), Rhett Pitlick (Jan. 23, Dec. 5, Nov. 7), Sam Rinzel (Jan. 16), Jimmy Snuggerud (Jan. 10, Oct. 17), Bryce Brodzinski (Nov. 28), and Brody Lamb (Nov. 14).
The Golden Gophers' graduate student limited fourth-ranked Wisconsin to one goal each night on his way to his second weekly honor of the season. Close recorded his second outing of the year with at least 40 saves during the overtime win Friday night, including a 21-save performance in the second period.
In the series finale Saturday, the Kindersley, Saskatchewan, native turned away 22 shots in 65 minutes of action. He finished the weekend with a 0.95 goals-against average and stopped 62-of-64 shots for a .969 save percentage.
Close has held each of the last three opponents to just one goal as he has a 1.73 GAA over his last eight starts and holds a 6-1-1 record in that stretch. That has pushed his career win total to 55, ranking eighth all-time at Minnesota, while his 11 career shutouts remain fifth in program history.
It's the fifth-consecutive week where a representative from the Maroon and Gold has been honored with a weekly award and seven different players have totaled 11 B1G accolades during the 2023-24 campaign, the most of any team within the league: Justen Close (Feb. 6, Oct. 24), Oliver Moore (Jan. 30), Rhett Pitlick (Jan. 23, Dec. 5, Nov. 7), Sam Rinzel (Jan. 16), Jimmy Snuggerud (Jan. 10, Oct. 17), Bryce Brodzinski (Nov. 28), and Brody Lamb (Nov. 14).
Highlights: Gophers 2, Notre Dame 3
Saturday, February 14
Highlights: Gophers 2, Notre Dame 2
Friday, February 13
Gopher Round Table: Men's Hockey
Thursday, February 12
Highlights: Gophers 2, Ohio State 6
Friday, February 06