University of Minnesota Athletics
Rinkside: Minnesota and Michigan Renew Rivalry
12/10/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
By Brian Deutsch, GopherSports.com
MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - As the Big Ten Conference enters its third year of play in 2015-16, one of the most exciting aspects of the new league has been the renewal of the long-standing Minnesota-Michigan rivalry that dates back to 1923.
The rivalry will once again be front and center this weekend as the two conference foes battle in a two-game series at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor.
Minnesota (6-7-0 overall, 2-0-0-0 Big Ten) leads the all-time series with Michigan 134-120-14 after starting the series with an 11-3-2 mark against the Wolverines.
The series has evened out somewhat over the decades (the teams have exchanged three-game winning streaks entering the weekend) although the Maroon & Gold hold a 6-3-0 mark against Michigan since the two programs joined the Big Ten.
Over the years of the rivalry, things have certainly changed in college hockey…among them -- the two programs created the Mariucci-Renfrew Trophy in 1993 to honor the winner of the Minnesota/Michigan series each year.
But one thing hasn't changed - some of Minnesota's biggest games have come against the Wolverines.
Just look at the last 15 years of the rivalry - the Gophers had to go through Michigan in both of its NCAA tournament runs during their back-to-back national championship runs in 2002 and 2003 (beating the Wolverines in the Frozen Four semifinals by 3-2 margins both years…2003's matchup coming in overtime).
Fast forward to Big Ten era when the Maroon & Gold once again topped the Wolverines 3-2 in overtime to capture the inaugural Big Ten regular-season title in 2014 at Yost Ice Arena while Minnesota also won the 2015 Big Ten Tournament title with a 4-2 victory over Michigan at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit.
Despite the successful history, the Gophers know that leaving Ann Arbor with conference points is not a given under any circumstances.
"They're always a great team, and they're always a great test for us - especially in their building," redshirt junior Connor Reilly said. "We're looking forward to the challenge."
Yost Ice Arena will play host to Minnesota's first Big Ten road trip of the season this weekend and the first career Big Ten road trip for many of the Gophers' young squad.
It's an experience the freshman class is looking forward to, according to rookie forward and Big Ten First Star of the Week Tyler Sheehy.
"Michigan has obviously got a lot of tradition as well," Sheehy said. "Playing against them in their own arena is going to be a great time."
While many of the Gophers will be making their first trips to Ann Arbor this weekend, taking the ice at Yost is nothing new for head coach Don Lucia, who played at the venue while at Notre Dame and has led teams there with both the Gophers and Colorado College.
"It's not an easy place to play," Lucia said. "I think it's a great environment to play in…you have to be at your best."
Collins Prepares for WJC Camp
Sophomore defenseman Ryan Collins has his focus on this weekend's series in Michigan. After that, he'll turn his attention to making the U.S. National Junior Team.
Collins, who made the squad last year and is one of 29 players named to the U.S. preliminary roster, will attend training camp Dec. 14-18 at Boston University in Boston followed by an additional camp in Vierumaki, Finland, from Dec. 19-24.
The final 23-man roster is expected to be named by Dec. 24. Team USA will compete in the 2016 International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship, Dec.26-Jan.5, in Helsinki, Finland.
"Having been there last year, I know a little bit about what to expect. It's a new year and a new group of players. It's a challenge every year to make the team."
