University of Minnesota Athletics
26 Notes for the 26th Mariucci Classic
12/27/2016 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Mariucci Classic Tickets
Gopher Hockey officially kicks off the second half of the 2016-17 season this weekend with the 26th annual Mariucci Classic. The Maroon & Gold host Mercyhurst, Massachusetts and Alabama Huntsville at Mariucci Arena. Minnesota opens the tournament against the Lakers on Friday, Dec. 30 and then play either the Minutemen or the Chargers on Saturday, Dec. 31. Both Gopher games are slated for 7 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North PLUS; Radio: 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network; Stream: FOX Sports Go, BTN2Go).
In honor of the tournament's 26 years, here are 26 notes about the Mariucci Classic that you need to know.
1) The University of Minnesota has won 13 of 25 Mariucci Classics including the inaugural tournament in 1991-92.
2) Boston College scored 14 goals in two games during the 2007 Mariucci Classic - a tournament record. Minnesota has twice scored 13 goals at the tournament (2005 and 2003).
3) The Gophers won eight-straight Mariucci Classic titles, as well as 16-straight tournament games, from 1999-2000 to 2006-07…Coach Don Lucia's first eight years with the program.
4) The Maroon & Gold are 34-13-3 (.710) all-time at the Mariucci Classic.
5) The Gophers have never met UMass, Mercyhurst or UAH in Mariucci Classic action.
6) The Minutemen will make their third appearance at the Mariucci Classic this year (1999-2000, 2006-07) with UMass holding a 1-2-1 all-time record at the Mariucci Classic.
7) The "Godfather of Minnesota Hockey," John Mariucci played for the Gophers and led Minnesota to an undefeated AAU championship in 1940 while earning First Team All-America honors.
8) John Mariucci would go on to a lengthy professional career including five seasons in the NHL with the Chicago Blackhawks.
9) Five teams have gone on to win the NCAA title after capturing the Mariucci Classic title earlier in the season (Lake Superior State in 1993-94, Boston University in 1994-95, Minnesota in 2001-2002 and again in 2002-03 and Boston College in 2007-08).
10) The Mariucci Classic record for goals in a single game by one team is nine, scored by Minnesota in a 9-0 win over Princeton on Dec. 20, 2003. The Gophers went on to top New Hampshire for the tournament title that year.
11) That same semifinal contest with Princeton saw the Maroon & Gold allow just 12 shots on goal - another Mariucci Classic single-game record.
12) John Mariucci returned to the Gophers as head coach and led the team to a 197-138-18 (.584) record from 1952-66.
13) Mercyhurst is making its Mariucci Classic debut this year.
14) During the 1955-56 season, John Mariucci stepped away from the Gophers' bench to coach the U.S. Olympic team to a silver medal.
15) Dan Murphy of Clarkson holds the Mariucci Classic single-game save record with 50 against Miami on Dec. 27, 1996.
16) A native of Eveleth, Minn., John Mariucci was inducted into the inaugural 1973 class of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and was elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame as a builder in 1985.
17) Alabama Huntsville is making its second appearance at the Mariucci Classic after going 0-2-0 at the event in 2012-13.
18) Ten players have recorded four points in a single-game at the Mariucci Classic - the last being Matt Robertson of Colgate on Jan. 3, 2014.
19) Only three Hobey Baker Award winners have played in the Mariucci Classic in the year they were honored with college hockey's top honor -- Brian Bonin in 1995-96, Jordan Leopold in 2001-02 and Jimmy Vesey in 2015-16. All three Hobey Baker Award winners led their teams to Mariucci Classic titles.
20) Lane Caffaro of Union set a Mariucci Classic record with six penalties and 31 penalty minutes in one game against the Gophers on Dec. 29, 2005.
21) Three hat tricks have been scored in Mariucci Classic action - Mike Howe (Minnesota vs. Union on Dec. 29, 2005), Dana Lattery (Western Michigan vs. Ferris State on Dec. 29, 2001) and Ryan Kraft (Minnesota vs. Yale on Dec. 30, 1994).
22) Boston College's Jerry York set a new NCAA wins record at 925 career victories when BC beat Alabama Huntsville 5-2 in a Mariucci Classic semifinal on Dec. 31, 2012.
23) Merrimack's Jeff Caron posted four assists against Harvard on Dec. 23, 2004 for a tournament single-game record.
24) No team has ever posted back-to-back shutouts in the Mariucci Classic but two teams have come close. Minnesota (2012) and Princeton (1998) both allowed one goal in two games at the Mariucci Classic.
25) Outside of the tournament, Minnesota is 9-0-0 against this year's field (4-0-0 against the Chargers, 3-0-0 against the Minutemen and 2-0-0 against the Lakers).
26) Minnesota's five power-play goals against Union on Dec. 29, 2005 set a new Mariucci Classic single-game record.