University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 21
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Penn State
Players Mentioned
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Brace Hemmelgarn
Gophers Face No. 5 Penn State Nov. 21-22
11/20/2025 11:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Ice Out Friday; Teddy Bear Toss Saturday
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team closes its season-long, six-game homestand inside 3M Arena at Mariucci as it hosts No. 5 Penn State for a Big Ten Conference series Nov. 21-22.
The final home series of the 2025 calendar year opens Friday at 7 p.m. with the Golden Gophers' annual "Ice Out" live on FS1. All fans in attendance will receive a free white rally towel. The action concludes Saturday at 7 p.m. on FOX9+ with another fan-favorite event of the "Teddy Bear Toss" presented by White Bear Mitsubishi. All bears collected will be donated to M Health Fairview's Masonic Children's Hospital. Audio coverage of the entire weekend can be heard via the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
WATCH THE PRIDE ON ICE
Minnesota and FOX9 have partnered for a local television broadcast deal for the third-straight year that will air 17 home games during the 2025-26 campaign presented by Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. This year's home broadcasts on FOX9 and FOX9+ will again feature a 30-minute Pride on Ice Pre-Game Show presented by M Health Fairview as well as a post-game show recapping the action presented by RBC Wealth Management. The Gophers will have 10 games broadcast on Big Ten Network as well as one on FS1 this season.
LAST TIME ON THE ICE
The Gophers skated to a weekend split with Long Island in their first-ever series against the Sharks at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Minnesota fell 6-2 in Friday's opener despite an early goal from Brodie Ziemer, as LIU answered with four-straight tallies to snap the Maroon and Gold's two-game win streak. The Gophers bounced back Saturday with a 6-3 victory, riding a quick start, three power-play goals, and six points from their freshman class. Five players recorded multi-point nights, and Nathan Airey stopped 22 shots to help Minnesota close the weekend on a high note.
YOUNG GOPHERS MAKING MAJOR IMPACT
Minnesota's rookies have made a significant impact, posting 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists through the season's first two months. The group combined for six points in the Nov. 15 win over Long Island and has contributed offensively in 10 of 14 games. LJ Mooney leads the class with nine points, including five on the power play. Mason Moe and Javon Moore each have five, while Teddy Townsend and Jacob Rombach recorded their first collegiate goal and point last Saturday. All seven newcomers are now on the board, with Tate Pritchard at four points and Finn McLaughlin with one.
LAMB KEEPS FEASTING
Senior captain Brody Lamb has been a driving force behind the Gophers' offense, pacing the team in scoring with seven goals and 14 points. The Byron, Minn., native showcased his scoring touch in a road win at North Dakota on Oct. 18, recording a three-point night for the fourth time in his career and first since Feb. 21, 2025, against Ohio State. Lamb added his third and fourth multi-point efforts of the campaign in the last two series finales and has goals in three of his last four appearances. Known for starting strong, he has totaled 40 points (23 goals, 17 assists) in 43 games played during the months of October and November across his last three seasons.
LUKE DOING IT ALL
Senior captain Luke Mittelstadt has opened his final season playing some of the best hockey of his career. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native leads the Gophers with eight assists, ninth among all NCAA defensemen, and has generated 30 shots thanks to his consistent offensive jump. His first goal of the year, a power-play game winner against Notre Dame on Nov. 8, ended a 23-game scoring drought and capped the series sweep. Mittelstadt added a multi-assist night versus Long Island to push his point streak to three games, and he owns a career-best eight-block outing against Boston College while leading the nation with 30 blocked shots.
ZIEMER LIGHTS THE LAMP FIRST
Brodie Ziemer has continued his knack for striking first, netting the Gophers' season-opening goal against Michigan Tech. The Chaska, Minn., product, who opened the scoring in four games last year, set the tone again by scoring first in each contest versus Long Island. He's nearly at a point-per-game pace, recording 11 points in 14 games, including a team-best three power-play goals, ranking 17th nationally.
HENDRICKSON HITTING HIS STRIDE
Beckett Hendrickson continues to make his presence felt each weekend as he takes a significant step forward in his development with Gopher hockey. His multi-point effort in the series finale with Long Island last Saturday pushed his point total to nine, a milestone that took the sophomore until the 30th game to reach a year ago and matched his entire goal output of three from his freshman campaign. He has recorded at least one point in six of the seven series played in 2025-26 and secured the first game-winning goal of his career to begin the sweep of Notre Dame on Nov. 7. Hendrickson also leads the team and ranks 20th nationally with a plus-10 rating.
CLARK CALLING THE SHOTS
With five points over his last six outings, Jimmy Clark continues to find ways to produce in the offensive zone for the Maroon and Gold. The junior is tied for third on the Gophers with nine total points thanks to his second multi-point outing of the season and seventh of his career in the series finale versus Notre Dame on Nov. 8. He has goals in back-to-back Saturday outings, including the second power-play marker of his tenure that proved to be the game winner against the Sharks last weekend. A product of Edina, Minn., Clark has reached the scoresheet in seven of 14 appearances and holds a plus-2 rating overall.
MOONEY MAGIC
LJ Mooney's breakaway goal to close the sweep of the Fighting Irish on Nov. 8 highlighted the speed and skill of the Gophers' rookie. It was the first multi-point night of his young career as he picked up an assist earlier in the contest and he followed up that performance with another two-point night to cap the weekend versus Long Island. The West Mifflin, Pa., native has at least one point in six of seven series played, totaling three goals and six assists, including a team-best five helpers on Minnesota's seven total power-play goals this season.
AN INSIDE LOOK AT PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions arrive in town after dropping three of their last four games against the NCAA's top two teams, including a home split with No. 2 Michigan, falling 7-1 on Friday before responding with a 4-2 win Saturday. Despite leading the country with 20.6 penalty minutes per game, PSU owns the nation's sixth-ranked penalty kill at 89.4 percent. Sophomore JJ Wiebusch is tied for the national lead with six of the team's 15 power-play goals, while Charlie Cerrato ranks third in the NCAA with a team-high 20 points. Four PSU skaters sit among the country's top 17 scorers as the team averages 3.4 goals per game and stands second nationally with 133 total points. In net, Joshua Fleming (5-1-0) and Kevin Reidler (5-3-0) have shared duties, with Fleming posting a 2.20 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
HISTORY WITH THE NITTANY LIONS
Minnesota holds a 32-19-1 (.625) in the all-time series with Penn State, including seven-straight victories on home ice, and have claimed a 17-4-0 record in the last 21 meetings going back to the start of the 2020-21 campaign. In the most recent battle, Mike Koster scored with 3:04 remaining in regulation to break a 3-3 tie during the final game of the regular season that clinched a share of the B1G title for the Maroon and Gold. Oliver Moore had a three-point night to help secure the Gophers' record seventh B1G championship on Mar. 1, 2025.
RAISED ANOTHER BANNER
Minnesota raised a championship banner to its rafters last week after securing a share of the Big Ten Conference Championship a year ago, its league-record seventh title in program history and the 30th overall crown for the Gophers. It marked the first shared regular-season championship in the 12-year history of the conference and Minnesota's third title in the last four seasons. Michigan State joined the Maroon and Gold as the only programs with multiple championships, while every Big Ten school except Michigan has claimed at least one title.
DEFENSEMAN 'U'
Minnesota was the lone college hockey program in the country with more than 10 blue liners in the NHL last season. A total of 12 former Gopher defensemen took the ice in the NHL during the 2024-25 campaign, accounting for more than 600 games played. Highlighted in that group was Erik Johnson becoming the ninth former Minnesota skater to reach the 1,000-game milestone when he hit the mark last November and capped by Nate Schmidt's Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. At the collegiate level, Minnesota has dominated the Big Ten Conference's postseason awards dedicated to defensive play, winning six of the 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards distributed, including three of the last four.
The final home series of the 2025 calendar year opens Friday at 7 p.m. with the Golden Gophers' annual "Ice Out" live on FS1. All fans in attendance will receive a free white rally towel. The action concludes Saturday at 7 p.m. on FOX9+ with another fan-favorite event of the "Teddy Bear Toss" presented by White Bear Mitsubishi. All bears collected will be donated to M Health Fairview's Masonic Children's Hospital. Audio coverage of the entire weekend can be heard via the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
WATCH THE PRIDE ON ICE
Minnesota and FOX9 have partnered for a local television broadcast deal for the third-straight year that will air 17 home games during the 2025-26 campaign presented by Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union. This year's home broadcasts on FOX9 and FOX9+ will again feature a 30-minute Pride on Ice Pre-Game Show presented by M Health Fairview as well as a post-game show recapping the action presented by RBC Wealth Management. The Gophers will have 10 games broadcast on Big Ten Network as well as one on FS1 this season.
LAST TIME ON THE ICE
The Gophers skated to a weekend split with Long Island in their first-ever series against the Sharks at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Minnesota fell 6-2 in Friday's opener despite an early goal from Brodie Ziemer, as LIU answered with four-straight tallies to snap the Maroon and Gold's two-game win streak. The Gophers bounced back Saturday with a 6-3 victory, riding a quick start, three power-play goals, and six points from their freshman class. Five players recorded multi-point nights, and Nathan Airey stopped 22 shots to help Minnesota close the weekend on a high note.
YOUNG GOPHERS MAKING MAJOR IMPACT
Minnesota's rookies have made a significant impact, posting 26 points on 11 goals and 15 assists through the season's first two months. The group combined for six points in the Nov. 15 win over Long Island and has contributed offensively in 10 of 14 games. LJ Mooney leads the class with nine points, including five on the power play. Mason Moe and Javon Moore each have five, while Teddy Townsend and Jacob Rombach recorded their first collegiate goal and point last Saturday. All seven newcomers are now on the board, with Tate Pritchard at four points and Finn McLaughlin with one.
LAMB KEEPS FEASTING
Senior captain Brody Lamb has been a driving force behind the Gophers' offense, pacing the team in scoring with seven goals and 14 points. The Byron, Minn., native showcased his scoring touch in a road win at North Dakota on Oct. 18, recording a three-point night for the fourth time in his career and first since Feb. 21, 2025, against Ohio State. Lamb added his third and fourth multi-point efforts of the campaign in the last two series finales and has goals in three of his last four appearances. Known for starting strong, he has totaled 40 points (23 goals, 17 assists) in 43 games played during the months of October and November across his last three seasons.
LUKE DOING IT ALL
Senior captain Luke Mittelstadt has opened his final season playing some of the best hockey of his career. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native leads the Gophers with eight assists, ninth among all NCAA defensemen, and has generated 30 shots thanks to his consistent offensive jump. His first goal of the year, a power-play game winner against Notre Dame on Nov. 8, ended a 23-game scoring drought and capped the series sweep. Mittelstadt added a multi-assist night versus Long Island to push his point streak to three games, and he owns a career-best eight-block outing against Boston College while leading the nation with 30 blocked shots.
ZIEMER LIGHTS THE LAMP FIRST
Brodie Ziemer has continued his knack for striking first, netting the Gophers' season-opening goal against Michigan Tech. The Chaska, Minn., product, who opened the scoring in four games last year, set the tone again by scoring first in each contest versus Long Island. He's nearly at a point-per-game pace, recording 11 points in 14 games, including a team-best three power-play goals, ranking 17th nationally.
HENDRICKSON HITTING HIS STRIDE
Beckett Hendrickson continues to make his presence felt each weekend as he takes a significant step forward in his development with Gopher hockey. His multi-point effort in the series finale with Long Island last Saturday pushed his point total to nine, a milestone that took the sophomore until the 30th game to reach a year ago and matched his entire goal output of three from his freshman campaign. He has recorded at least one point in six of the seven series played in 2025-26 and secured the first game-winning goal of his career to begin the sweep of Notre Dame on Nov. 7. Hendrickson also leads the team and ranks 20th nationally with a plus-10 rating.
CLARK CALLING THE SHOTS
With five points over his last six outings, Jimmy Clark continues to find ways to produce in the offensive zone for the Maroon and Gold. The junior is tied for third on the Gophers with nine total points thanks to his second multi-point outing of the season and seventh of his career in the series finale versus Notre Dame on Nov. 8. He has goals in back-to-back Saturday outings, including the second power-play marker of his tenure that proved to be the game winner against the Sharks last weekend. A product of Edina, Minn., Clark has reached the scoresheet in seven of 14 appearances and holds a plus-2 rating overall.
MOONEY MAGIC
LJ Mooney's breakaway goal to close the sweep of the Fighting Irish on Nov. 8 highlighted the speed and skill of the Gophers' rookie. It was the first multi-point night of his young career as he picked up an assist earlier in the contest and he followed up that performance with another two-point night to cap the weekend versus Long Island. The West Mifflin, Pa., native has at least one point in six of seven series played, totaling three goals and six assists, including a team-best five helpers on Minnesota's seven total power-play goals this season.
AN INSIDE LOOK AT PENN STATE
The Nittany Lions arrive in town after dropping three of their last four games against the NCAA's top two teams, including a home split with No. 2 Michigan, falling 7-1 on Friday before responding with a 4-2 win Saturday. Despite leading the country with 20.6 penalty minutes per game, PSU owns the nation's sixth-ranked penalty kill at 89.4 percent. Sophomore JJ Wiebusch is tied for the national lead with six of the team's 15 power-play goals, while Charlie Cerrato ranks third in the NCAA with a team-high 20 points. Four PSU skaters sit among the country's top 17 scorers as the team averages 3.4 goals per game and stands second nationally with 133 total points. In net, Joshua Fleming (5-1-0) and Kevin Reidler (5-3-0) have shared duties, with Fleming posting a 2.20 goals-against average and a .934 save percentage.
HISTORY WITH THE NITTANY LIONS
Minnesota holds a 32-19-1 (.625) in the all-time series with Penn State, including seven-straight victories on home ice, and have claimed a 17-4-0 record in the last 21 meetings going back to the start of the 2020-21 campaign. In the most recent battle, Mike Koster scored with 3:04 remaining in regulation to break a 3-3 tie during the final game of the regular season that clinched a share of the B1G title for the Maroon and Gold. Oliver Moore had a three-point night to help secure the Gophers' record seventh B1G championship on Mar. 1, 2025.
RAISED ANOTHER BANNER
Minnesota raised a championship banner to its rafters last week after securing a share of the Big Ten Conference Championship a year ago, its league-record seventh title in program history and the 30th overall crown for the Gophers. It marked the first shared regular-season championship in the 12-year history of the conference and Minnesota's third title in the last four seasons. Michigan State joined the Maroon and Gold as the only programs with multiple championships, while every Big Ten school except Michigan has claimed at least one title.
DEFENSEMAN 'U'
Minnesota was the lone college hockey program in the country with more than 10 blue liners in the NHL last season. A total of 12 former Gopher defensemen took the ice in the NHL during the 2024-25 campaign, accounting for more than 600 games played. Highlighted in that group was Erik Johnson becoming the ninth former Minnesota skater to reach the 1,000-game milestone when he hit the mark last November and capped by Nate Schmidt's Stanley Cup victory with the Florida Panthers. At the collegiate level, Minnesota has dominated the Big Ten Conference's postseason awards dedicated to defensive play, winning six of the 12 Defensive Player of the Year awards distributed, including three of the last four.
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