University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 30
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Wisconsin
Players Mentioned
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Matt Krohn
'U' Hosts Badgers for B1G Series Jan. 30-31
1/29/2026 11:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Gophers open a four-game homestand Friday
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team returns to campus as it begins a four-game Big Ten Conference homestand, starting Jan. 30-31 against No. 8/7 Wisconsin sponsored by Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union.
Fans can catch both games live on FOX9 and streaming through B1G+ as the series starts Friday night at 7 p.m. Saturday's series finale will start at 6 p.m. and feature the Golden Gophers' annual "Gold Out" with all fans in attendance receiving a free rally towel. Audio coverage of the entire weekend is also available through 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
Minnesota dropped both games on the road at No. 2 Michigan State, falling 3-1 Friday before a 3-2 setback Saturday at Munn Ice Arena. LJ Mooney scored a third-period, power-play goal in the opener as the Spartans, the nation's top scoring defense, limited the Gophers to a single tally. On Saturday, Brody Lamb opened the scoring early before MSU answered with goals in each period. Brodie Ziemer pulled Minnesota within one late on the power play, but a final push came up short as his last-second bid rang off the post in the Gophers' seventh-straight loss.
ZIEMER KEEPS LIGHTING THE LAMP
Brodie Ziemer is operating at nearly a point-per-game pace and is tied for the Gophers' scoring lead with 23 points in 25 games, while his nine power-play goals rank second nationally. The sophomore closed 2025 on a blistering run, lighting the lamp in six of the final seven outings with a pair of three-game goal streaks and piled up eight goals and 11 points across that stretch. The Chaska, Minn., native delivered back-to-back multi-goal efforts at Ohio State in December to earn B1G First Star honors (Dec. 9). Ziemer has continued that trend in 2026, finding the back of the net three times for a career-best 15 goals, which ranks ninth in the country. He has a knack for lighting the lamp on Saturday where he has scored in five of the past six Saturday outings dating back to November, including four consecutive. After scoring the first goal of a game four times a year ago, he has matched that already this year, setting the tone by scoring the opener at Penn State (Jan. 10), in both matchups against Long Island (Nov. 14-15) and the season opener against Michigan Tech (Oct. 3).
LUCA A SHUTOUT STAR
Luca Di Pasquo stopped 52-of-53 shots he faced to lead the Gophers to a series sweep of Notre Dame and was named the B1G Second Star of the Week (Nov. 11). The Livonia, Mich., native recorded his first shutout with the Maroon and Gold, third of his career, and also added an assist in the third period for the first point of his NCAA tenure. The junior continued that trend by making 33 saves in the series finale against the Irish before backstopping Minnesota with a brilliant, career-best 47-save performance to secure an upset over No. 4 Denver (Nov. 29). Despite dropping all four games against the nation's top two teams in the last two series, Di Pasquo has made 171 saves, 42.8 per game, and owned a .924 save percentage.
LAMB STILL FEASTING
Senior captain Brody Lamb has been a driving force behind the Gophers' offense, tying for the team lead with 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists. He reached double-digit goals for the third-straight season with the 15th power-play tally of his career versus Michigan (Jan. 17). The Byron, Minn., native posted consecutive three-point outings at Denver (Nov. 29) and Ohio State (Dec. 4), recording four multi-point performances over the final eight games of 2025 before adding his team-leading seventh multi-point effort of the season against Michigan (Jan. 17). Known for starting strong, he totaled 44 points (24 goals, 20 assists) in 46 games played during the months of October and November across his last three seasons.
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, and he has barely slowed down since, tallying three more multi-point performances to put up 12 points in the last 12 games. The West Mifflin, Pa., native has at least one point in 11 of 13 series played, totaling five goals and tying for the team lead with 14 assists, including 12 points on Minnesota's 18 total power-play goals where his vision and creativity are on full display. His assist at Michigan State last Saturday extended his point streak to four games, matching his longest of the season after posting the same streak from Nov. 15-29.
LUKE DOING IT ALL
Captain Luke Mittelstadt has opened his final season playing some of the best hockey of his career, putting up 10 points over his last 14 appearances and is playing more than 26 minutes per game. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native is tied for the Gophers' lead with 14 assists, second in the B1G and 14th among all NCAA defensemen, with 10 of those points coming while running the blue line on the man advantage. 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 his second multi-assist night of the year versus Long Island (Nov. 15) and extended his point streak to four games thanks to an assist against Penn State (Nov. 21).
AN INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
After winning eight of nine games from Nov. 15 to Jan. 10, the Badgers jumped to No. 2 in the national polls, but a four-game skid has the team ranked No. 8/7 this week and firmly in fourth place in the B1G standings. Despite being outscored 18-7 during its current losing streak, Wisconsin sits sixth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 3.75 goals per game, thanks to the fourth-best power play in the NCAA at 27.8 percent. Gavin Morrisey paces the team with 21 points, while seven of Christian Fitzgerald's team-leading 11 goals have been scored on the man advantage. Quinn Finley also has double-digit goals at 10. Netminder Daniel Hauser has played a majority of the minutes and posted a 2.34 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and three shutouts.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota has met Wisconsin more than any other opponent in program history and leads the all-time series 188-105-25 (.631), including a 103-34-10 mark in home games. The Gophers' six-game unbeaten streak over the Badgers was snapped earlier this season as they were swept in Madison for the first time since 2014. Brodie Ziemer and Mason Moe scored the only two Maroon and Gold goals versus Wisconsin, while the home side went 4-for-8 on the power play during the sweep.
SPECIAL TEAMS ROLLERCOASTER
Special teams have played a defining role in Minnesota's highs and lows. After striking just four times in the first 13 games of the season, the power play has converted 14 times over their last 12 outings, including goals in four straight. That has risen the Gophers to seventh nationally, but they remain just 68.2 percent on the penalty kill, ranking second-to-last in the NCAA in efficiency. Their 5-on-4 unit has surged for 14 goals in the last 33 chances with Brodie Ziemer potting seven in that stretch. The margin is stark: when Minnesota keeps opponents off the board on the man advantage, it holds a 6-5-0 record, but the Gophers are just 2-11-1 when allowing a power-play goal. Historically, Minnesota has averaged 17.5 power-play goals against over the last four seasons, including a program-record low of 15 allowed in 2021-22. Through 25 games this year, the Gophers have already conceded 21, but only two in the last six contests.
ROAD CHALLENGES IN LEAGUE PLAY
Minnesota has struggled on the road in B1G play, going 1-7-0 through eight away games and suffered sweeps at No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 9 Penn State, and No. 2 Michigan State. During that stretch, the Gophers were outscored 32-18, scoring more than two goals just twice, while opponents are converting 37 percent of their power-play chances to average 4.0 goals per game. Slow starts and possession have been key factors, as Minnesota has fallen behind in six of the eight contests and won just 40.1 percent of faceoffs overall.
GAUNTLET RUN FROM START TO FINISH
Minnesota's 2025-26 regular-season slate is once again daunting from start to finish. Of the Gophers' 35 scheduled games, 25 come against teams that were ranked in the USCHO preseason poll, with eight more against opponents that received votes. Through 13 weeks, the schedule is the most difficult in the country and remains a challenge where they face four-straight top-10 opponents. Minnesota is no stranger to difficult schedules, having battled the nation's No. 4 strength of schedule in 2023-24 and the No. 2 schedule the year before. Even last year's "dip" to the No. 19 toughest schedule still placed the Gophers among the most battle-tested teams in the country.
WE ARE THE STATE OF HOCKEY
The state of Minnesota continues to lead college hockey, with 223 NCAA Division I men's players coming from the state, nearly a quarter of all American-born student-athletes and more than double any other state, per data from College Hockey Inc. The Gophers contribute heavily to that total with 20 homegrown players on this year's roster, including seven of their 10 newcomers. Remarkably, 19 of those 20 players are from within 70 miles of 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Fans can catch both games live on FOX9 and streaming through B1G+ as the series starts Friday night at 7 p.m. Saturday's series finale will start at 6 p.m. and feature the Golden Gophers' annual "Gold Out" with all fans in attendance receiving a free rally towel. Audio coverage of the entire weekend is also available through the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
TRAVEL / PARKING ADVISORY
Due to multiple events happening on the University of Minnesota campus both Friday and Saturday, fans attending the game are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance by clicking HERE, while limited valet parking is available in advance HERE. For individuals arriving without a parking pass, it is recommended to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium (Gold, Victory, Ski-U-Mah lots).
Due to multiple events happening on the University of Minnesota campus both Friday and Saturday, fans attending the game are encouraged to purchase parking passes in advance by clicking HERE, while limited valet parking is available in advance HERE. For individuals arriving without a parking pass, it is recommended to park in surface lots on the east side of Huntington Bank Stadium (Gold, Victory, Ski-U-Mah lots).
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
Minnesota dropped both games on the road at No. 2 Michigan State, falling 3-1 Friday before a 3-2 setback Saturday at Munn Ice Arena. LJ Mooney scored a third-period, power-play goal in the opener as the Spartans, the nation's top scoring defense, limited the Gophers to a single tally. On Saturday, Brody Lamb opened the scoring early before MSU answered with goals in each period. Brodie Ziemer pulled Minnesota within one late on the power play, but a final push came up short as his last-second bid rang off the post in the Gophers' seventh-straight loss.
ZIEMER KEEPS LIGHTING THE LAMP
Brodie Ziemer is operating at nearly a point-per-game pace and is tied for the Gophers' scoring lead with 23 points in 25 games, while his nine power-play goals rank second nationally. The sophomore closed 2025 on a blistering run, lighting the lamp in six of the final seven outings with a pair of three-game goal streaks and piled up eight goals and 11 points across that stretch. The Chaska, Minn., native delivered back-to-back multi-goal efforts at Ohio State in December to earn B1G First Star honors (Dec. 9). Ziemer has continued that trend in 2026, finding the back of the net three times for a career-best 15 goals, which ranks ninth in the country. He has a knack for lighting the lamp on Saturday where he has scored in five of the past six Saturday outings dating back to November, including four consecutive. After scoring the first goal of a game four times a year ago, he has matched that already this year, setting the tone by scoring the opener at Penn State (Jan. 10), in both matchups against Long Island (Nov. 14-15) and the season opener against Michigan Tech (Oct. 3).
LUCA A SHUTOUT STAR
Luca Di Pasquo stopped 52-of-53 shots he faced to lead the Gophers to a series sweep of Notre Dame and was named the B1G Second Star of the Week (Nov. 11). The Livonia, Mich., native recorded his first shutout with the Maroon and Gold, third of his career, and also added an assist in the third period for the first point of his NCAA tenure. The junior continued that trend by making 33 saves in the series finale against the Irish before backstopping Minnesota with a brilliant, career-best 47-save performance to secure an upset over No. 4 Denver (Nov. 29). Despite dropping all four games against the nation's top two teams in the last two series, Di Pasquo has made 171 saves, 42.8 per game, and owned a .924 save percentage.
LAMB STILL FEASTING
Senior captain Brody Lamb has been a driving force behind the Gophers' offense, tying for the team lead with 23 points on 11 goals and 12 assists. He reached double-digit goals for the third-straight season with the 15th power-play tally of his career versus Michigan (Jan. 17). The Byron, Minn., native posted consecutive three-point outings at Denver (Nov. 29) and Ohio State (Dec. 4), recording four multi-point performances over the final eight games of 2025 before adding his team-leading seventh multi-point effort of the season against Michigan (Jan. 17). Known for starting strong, he totaled 44 points (24 goals, 20 assists) in 46 games played during the months of October and November across his last three seasons.
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, and he has barely slowed down since, tallying three more multi-point performances to put up 12 points in the last 12 games. The West Mifflin, Pa., native has at least one point in 11 of 13 series played, totaling five goals and tying for the team lead with 14 assists, including 12 points on Minnesota's 18 total power-play goals where his vision and creativity are on full display. His assist at Michigan State last Saturday extended his point streak to four games, matching his longest of the season after posting the same streak from Nov. 15-29.
LUKE DOING IT ALL
Captain Luke Mittelstadt has opened his final season playing some of the best hockey of his career, putting up 10 points over his last 14 appearances and is playing more than 26 minutes per game. The Eden Prairie, Minn., native is tied for the Gophers' lead with 14 assists, second in the B1G and 14th among all NCAA defensemen, with 10 of those points coming while running the blue line on the man advantage. 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 his second multi-assist night of the year versus Long Island (Nov. 15) and extended his point streak to four games thanks to an assist against Penn State (Nov. 21).
AN INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
After winning eight of nine games from Nov. 15 to Jan. 10, the Badgers jumped to No. 2 in the national polls, but a four-game skid has the team ranked No. 8/7 this week and firmly in fourth place in the B1G standings. Despite being outscored 18-7 during its current losing streak, Wisconsin sits sixth nationally in scoring offense, averaging 3.75 goals per game, thanks to the fourth-best power play in the NCAA at 27.8 percent. Gavin Morrisey paces the team with 21 points, while seven of Christian Fitzgerald's team-leading 11 goals have been scored on the man advantage. Quinn Finley also has double-digit goals at 10. Netminder Daniel Hauser has played a majority of the minutes and posted a 2.34 goals-against average, a .907 save percentage, and three shutouts.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota has met Wisconsin more than any other opponent in program history and leads the all-time series 188-105-25 (.631), including a 103-34-10 mark in home games. The Gophers' six-game unbeaten streak over the Badgers was snapped earlier this season as they were swept in Madison for the first time since 2014. Brodie Ziemer and Mason Moe scored the only two Maroon and Gold goals versus Wisconsin, while the home side went 4-for-8 on the power play during the sweep.
SPECIAL TEAMS ROLLERCOASTER
Special teams have played a defining role in Minnesota's highs and lows. After striking just four times in the first 13 games of the season, the power play has converted 14 times over their last 12 outings, including goals in four straight. That has risen the Gophers to seventh nationally, but they remain just 68.2 percent on the penalty kill, ranking second-to-last in the NCAA in efficiency. Their 5-on-4 unit has surged for 14 goals in the last 33 chances with Brodie Ziemer potting seven in that stretch. The margin is stark: when Minnesota keeps opponents off the board on the man advantage, it holds a 6-5-0 record, but the Gophers are just 2-11-1 when allowing a power-play goal. Historically, Minnesota has averaged 17.5 power-play goals against over the last four seasons, including a program-record low of 15 allowed in 2021-22. Through 25 games this year, the Gophers have already conceded 21, but only two in the last six contests.
ROAD CHALLENGES IN LEAGUE PLAY
Minnesota has struggled on the road in B1G play, going 1-7-0 through eight away games and suffered sweeps at No. 14 Wisconsin, No. 9 Penn State, and No. 2 Michigan State. During that stretch, the Gophers were outscored 32-18, scoring more than two goals just twice, while opponents are converting 37 percent of their power-play chances to average 4.0 goals per game. Slow starts and possession have been key factors, as Minnesota has fallen behind in six of the eight contests and won just 40.1 percent of faceoffs overall.
GAUNTLET RUN FROM START TO FINISH
Minnesota's 2025-26 regular-season slate is once again daunting from start to finish. Of the Gophers' 35 scheduled games, 25 come against teams that were ranked in the USCHO preseason poll, with eight more against opponents that received votes. Through 13 weeks, the schedule is the most difficult in the country and remains a challenge where they face four-straight top-10 opponents. Minnesota is no stranger to difficult schedules, having battled the nation's No. 4 strength of schedule in 2023-24 and the No. 2 schedule the year before. Even last year's "dip" to the No. 19 toughest schedule still placed the Gophers among the most battle-tested teams in the country.
WE ARE THE STATE OF HOCKEY
The state of Minnesota continues to lead college hockey, with 223 NCAA Division I men's players coming from the state, nearly a quarter of all American-born student-athletes and more than double any other state, per data from College Hockey Inc. The Gophers contribute heavily to that total with 20 homegrown players on this year's roster, including seven of their 10 newcomers. Remarkably, 19 of those 20 players are from within 70 miles of 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Teddy Bear Delivery
Monday, January 26
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