University of Minnesota Athletics
Dodge Classic Set For Saturday and Sunday
12/30/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Saturday, January 2
Clarkson (4-10-2) vs. Northern Michigan (7-8-4), 4 pm
Minnesota (7-8-1) vs. Bowling Green (2-14-2), 7 pm
Sunday, January 3
Bowling Green vs. Clarkson/Northern Mich., 4 pm
Minnesota vs. Clarkson/Northern Mich., 7 pm
Location: Mariucci Arena (10,000)
Minnesota Radio: KNOF 95.3 FM (Sat.)/WCCO 830 AM (Sun.) - Wally Shaver and Glen Sonmor
Minnesota Television: Fox Sports North - Frank Mazzocco and Doug Woog
Minnesota comes back from a three-week break and takes a three-game winning streak into this weekend's 19th annual Dodge Holiday Classic. The Gophers are the defending champion and have won the event 12 times in its 18-year history. Minnesota opens with Bowling Green, while Clarkson and Northern Michigan meet in the other opening-night matchup.
Last Time Out
Minnesota completed a road sweep of Michigan Tech with a pair of 3-2 victories on Dec. 11-12 in Houghton, Mich. The Gophers capped a rally from a 2-0 deficit in Friday's game on a goal by Patrick White with 26 seconds left in regulation after Mike Hoeffel scored a pair of second period goals to tie the game. Minnesota broke a 1-1 tie with two second period goals on Saturday. Alex Kangas stopped 45 of 49 shots in the series to earn both victories.
Series History
Minnesota has won all three previous meetings with Bowling Green, taking a 3-2 win in the 1995 Dodge Holiday Classic title game and a 6-5 overtime victory in the title game of the 1991 event. The teams also played in the 1979 NCAA playoffs with Minnesota capturing a 6-3 win at Williams Arena en route to the national championship.
The Gophers have beaten Clarkson in all three previous matchups, which have all come in the postseason. In the most recent meeting, Minnesota posted a 2-1 victory in the opening round of the 1993 NCAA East Regional in Worcester, Mass. The Gophers also swept a first-round series in the 1990 NCAA Regional in Minneapolis by 5-1 and 6-1 scores.
Minnesota owns a 30-17-10 lead in the all-time series against former Western Collegiate Hockey Association member Northern Michigan. The Wildcats were in the WCHA from 1984-97 and lost to the Gophers 4-1 in the teams' most recent meeting in the 2005 Dodge Holiday Classic title game. Northern Michigan also played in the finals of the 2000 event, falling to Minnesota 6-2. The Gophers are 7-2-1 over the last 10 meetings with the Wildcats.
Switching Sides
One of the primary storylines heading into the tournament will be the debut of Gophers' forward Jacob Cepis. The junior will face his former team in the opening game, having played a season and a half at Bowling Green before transferring at mid-season last year. Cepis enrolled at Minnesota last spring and was forced to sit out two semesters due to NCAA transfer rules. He had 15 goals and 16 assists in 2007-08 at Bowling Green as a freshman, earning a spot on the CCHA all-rookie team. Cepis totaled a goal and four assists in 18 games last year. He led the USHL in goals scored and was third in points in 2006-07 with 34 goals and 38 assists for 72 points in 58 games.
Classic Notes
Minnesota is 28-8 all-time in the Dodge Holiday Classic and has won 12 of the 18 previous titles. The Gophers are 18-1-1 in the tournament over the last 10 years with both blemishes coming in 2007-08 when they lost to Rochester Institute of Technology and tied Air Force.
Been There, Done That
All three visiting teams in this year's tournament have made at least one prior appearance in the classic. Bowling Green is in the field for the fourth time, having been runner-up to Minnesota in the inaugural tournament in 1991-92 and also in 1995-96. The Falcons placed fourth in 2002-03. Northern Michigan was runner-up to Minnesota in both of its previous appearances in 1999-2000 and 2004-05, while Clarkson placed third in the 1996-97 tournament.
Missing in Action
Minnesota forward Jordan Schroeder will miss the Dodge Holiday Classic while competing for Team USA in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championships for the third straight year. The tournament is taking place Dec. 26-Jan. 5 in Saskatoon and Regina, Sask. Schroeder led the U.S. and ranked third in the tournament in scoring last year with 11 points and is already the all-time assists leader for the U.S. with 15 over the past two years. He is the first Gopher player to participate in three World Junior tournaments for the U.S. and the 19th player overall. Minnesota has had a player selected to the U.S. team in 32 of the 34 World Junior tournaments.
Road Warriors
The Gophers' current four-game road winning streak is their longest since winning five straight from Jan. 13-Feb. 17, 2007 when they beat Wisconsin and swept consecutive series at Alaska Anchorage and Colorado College. In fact, the Gophers had won back-to-back road games just twice since that streak with one of those being the consecutive WCHA playoff wins at Minnesota State in 2008.
How Sweep It Is
Minnesota's road sweep at Michigan Tech was the first time the Gophers have swept an opponent away from home since taking two from Colorado College on Feb. 16-17, 2007. Minnesota had played 14 road series since that sweep. The Gophers also won both of those games by 3-2 scores.
Battling Back
Minnesota's two-goal comeback on Friday at Michigan Tech was the first time the Gophers have rallied from a two-goal deficit since rallying from three down to beat Rensselaer 4-3 on Oct. 12, 2007. They also rallied from a 4-1 deficit last year at Michigan Tech to tie the game and force overtime, but lost 6-5.
High Drama
Patrick White's goal with 26 seconds left on Friday at Michigan Tech marked the first time the Gophers have scored a game-winning goal in the final minute of regulation since Mike Howe scored with 13 seconds left to beat St. Cloud State 3-2 in the 2008 WCHA Final Five.
Coming Up Big
Senior forward Mike Carman has had a flair for scoring some big goals in his career. He scored the game-winning goal in Saturday's 3-2 victory at Michigan Tech and of Carman's 24 career goals, 10 have been game-winners. He has the most game-winning goals of any current Gophers' player.
Saturday Night Special
Saturday nights have been special for the Gophers this season as they are now 6-2-1 on Saturdays and 9-5-1 in their last 15 Saturday night games. The Gophers have a 1.98 goals against average and .935 save percentage in their eight Saturday contests. It has helped make up for their troubles on Friday as Minnesota is now 2-6 in Friday games this season and 3-10-2 in its last 15 Friday night contests.
