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'U' Closes Out First Half at Michigan
12/6/2018 11:42:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Gopher Hockey program closes out the first half with a two-game, Big Ten series at No. 15 Michigan this weekend at Yost Ice Arena. The conference series opens on Friday, Dec. 7 with the final contest of the first half following on Saturday, Dec. 8. Both games are scheduled for 8 p.m. ET with Big Ten Network televising the series.
First Taste of the New Big Ten Overtime Format
Last weekend's Big Ten series with Ohio State saw the Gophers and the Buckeyes play in both program's first-ever 3-on-3 overtime session as the conference moved to the format beginning in 2018-19...then they decided to do the same thing on Saturday. Both games officially went down as 2-2 overtime ties although Ohio State claimed the Big Ten bonus point both nights. A full description of the new Big Ten overtime format is available later in the notes.
Against the Wolverines
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with a 139-127-15 all-time record against Michigan including a 48-70-5 mark on the road against the Wolverines. Senior captain Tyler Sheehy leads all active Gophers with 15 career points (seven goals, eight assists) in 13 games against this weekend's opponent. Minnesota was 0-3-1 last year against the Wolverines.
Homecoming to the Great Lakes State
Senior captain Brent Gates Jr. will return to his home state of Michigan this weekend while several other Gophers have ties to the Great Lakes State. A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Gates, who won back-to-back Michigan state baseball titles while playing for his father at Grand Rapids Christian High School, has five points (one goal, four assists) in 12 career games against Michigan. Meanwhile, senior forward Jack Ramsey was born in Michigan while Eric Schierhorn, Rem Pitlick, Clayton Phillips and Scott Reedy all played junior hockey there. Schierhorn, Pitlick and Phillips all skated for Muskegon in the USHL while Reedy is a product of the USA Hockey National Development Team Program in Plymouth.
Looking at the Schedule
This weekend's series with the Wolverines marks the second series in a row that Minnesota will take on a participant of last year's NCAA Frozen Four following last weekend's battles with Ohio State. Meanwhile, Minnesota will have played 15 regular-season games after this weekend's series with 11 of those games, including both contests this weekend, coming against nationally ranked opponents.
Walker, Ranta Named to WJC Rosters
Gopher Hockey freshman forwards Sammy Walker and Sampo Ranta have both been named to preliminary rosters ahead of the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia on Dec. 26, 2018-Jan. 5, 2019. Walker will compete for a roster spot on the U.S. National Junior Team while Ranta will have the same opportunity for Finland's tournament squad. The University of Minnesota has been represented at 40 of 43 previous World Junior Championship tournaments.
Schierhorn Nears School Record
Senior goaltender Eric Schierhorn (1-3-0) picked up his 12th career shutout earlier this month as the two-time Big Ten Goaltender of the Year claimed sole possession of third all-time at Minnesota (only Adam Wilcox and Kellen Briggs have more with 13 each). With a 56-44-4 career record, Schierhorn ranks tied for sixth in school history in wins and sixth in saves at 2,579.
Welcome Back, Bob!
After 13 years leading in-state rival St. Cloud State, Bob Motzko was named the head coach of the University of Minnesota on March 27, 2018. A native of Austin, Minn., Motzko built a 276-192-49 record as head coach of the Huskies (280-198-52 overall record) following a four-year stint as assistant coach at Minnesota that saw the Maroon & Gold claim back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003. Motzko has coached 17 All-Americans in his coaching career including Hobey Baker Award winners Jordan Leopold and Drew LeBlanc. In addition to his collegiate coaching, Motzko led the U.S. National Junior Team to back-to-back medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship -- capturing a gold medal in 2017 and a bronze medal in 2018.
Big Ten Preseason Information
Tyler Sheehy and Rem Pitlick represented the Maroon & Gold on the Big Ten Preseason Watch List while the Gophers were predicted to finish fourth in a competitive Big Ten during the 2018-19 campaign. The Big Ten's three Frozen Four participants last year landed poll rankings ahead of the Maroon & Gold with Ohio State projected to finish first, Michigan to finish second and Notre Dame to finish third. Behind the Gophers are Penn State in fifth, Wisconsin in sixth and Michigan State in seventh.
Minnesota Announces Captains for 2018-19
Four senior forwards will serve as leads for the University of Minnesota during the 2018-19 campaign with Tyler Sheehy and Brent Gates Jr. acting as captains for the Maroon & Gold while Jack Ramsey and Darian Romanko will act as assistant captains. Sheehy returns after serving as team captain as a junior last year while Gates, Ramsey and Romanko will wear letters for the first time as seniors. The four skaters continue a long tradition of Gopher Hockey captains dating back to the program's first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Counting the new additions, 170 Gophers have worn a letter at the University of Minnesota in the program's 97-year history.
Gophers in the NHL Draft
Thirteen current Gophers have had their names called at the NHL Entry Draft including newcomers Robbie Stucker (2017, Columbus, Seventh Round, 210th), Sammy Walker (2017, Tampa Bay, Seventh Round, 200th), Blake McLaughlin (2018, Anaheim, Third Round, 79th) and Sampo Ranta (2018, Colorado, Third Round, 78th). Ranta and McLaughlin were selected with back-to-back picks in 2018 -- the sixth time in Gophers history that has happened. Ten NHL teams have prospects on the Gopher Hockey roster this year with Anaheim, Tampa Bay and Nashville each listing two draftees with Minnesota.
Mr. Hockey Goes to Minnesota
Incoming Gophers freshman Sammy Walker closed out his prep career by leading Edina High School to a third-place finish at the 2018 MSHSL Class AA State Tournament, earning all-tournament honors along with Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year accolades. Walker was also 34th recipient of the annual Mr. Hockey Award, given to the top senior high school boy's hockey player in the state of Minnesota. Of the 34 honorees in the award's history, 23 have gone on to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota.
Big Ten Announces Overtime Changes
The Big Ten Conference has announced changes to its overtime protocol and conference points system for the 2018-19 hockey season. Any regular-season conference game that remains tied after regulation will play the NCAA-mandated five-minute, 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime period. If the game remains tied, the two teams will then play a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime period. If the game is still tied following both overtime periods, then the game will move to a sudden-death shootout. Non-conference games other than certain in-season tournaments will conclude following the 5-on-5 overtime period. Postseason games will continue to feature 20-minute 5-on-5 overtime periods as in the past. Teams will be awarded three points in the conference standings for a win in regulation or the 5-on-5 overtime period. If the game is tied following the 5-on-5 overtime, both teams will receive one point, with a second point being awarded to the team that wins in either the 3-on-3 overtime period or the shootout.
First Taste of the New Big Ten Overtime Format
Last weekend's Big Ten series with Ohio State saw the Gophers and the Buckeyes play in both program's first-ever 3-on-3 overtime session as the conference moved to the format beginning in 2018-19...then they decided to do the same thing on Saturday. Both games officially went down as 2-2 overtime ties although Ohio State claimed the Big Ten bonus point both nights. A full description of the new Big Ten overtime format is available later in the notes.
Against the Wolverines
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with a 139-127-15 all-time record against Michigan including a 48-70-5 mark on the road against the Wolverines. Senior captain Tyler Sheehy leads all active Gophers with 15 career points (seven goals, eight assists) in 13 games against this weekend's opponent. Minnesota was 0-3-1 last year against the Wolverines.
For 95 years, the Minnesota/Michigan Rivalry has lived up to the hype as one of the best rivalries in college hockey.
— Minnesota M Hockey (@GopherHockey) December 7, 2018
This weekend in Ann Arbor will be no different. #Gophers #PrideOnIce pic.twitter.com/ZIiSMGIwxR
Homecoming to the Great Lakes State
Senior captain Brent Gates Jr. will return to his home state of Michigan this weekend while several other Gophers have ties to the Great Lakes State. A native of Grand Rapids, Mich., Gates, who won back-to-back Michigan state baseball titles while playing for his father at Grand Rapids Christian High School, has five points (one goal, four assists) in 12 career games against Michigan. Meanwhile, senior forward Jack Ramsey was born in Michigan while Eric Schierhorn, Rem Pitlick, Clayton Phillips and Scott Reedy all played junior hockey there. Schierhorn, Pitlick and Phillips all skated for Muskegon in the USHL while Reedy is a product of the USA Hockey National Development Team Program in Plymouth.
Looking at the Schedule
This weekend's series with the Wolverines marks the second series in a row that Minnesota will take on a participant of last year's NCAA Frozen Four following last weekend's battles with Ohio State. Meanwhile, Minnesota will have played 15 regular-season games after this weekend's series with 11 of those games, including both contests this weekend, coming against nationally ranked opponents.
Walker, Ranta Named to WJC Rosters
Gopher Hockey freshman forwards Sammy Walker and Sampo Ranta have both been named to preliminary rosters ahead of the upcoming IIHF World Junior Championship in Vancouver and Victoria, British Columbia on Dec. 26, 2018-Jan. 5, 2019. Walker will compete for a roster spot on the U.S. National Junior Team while Ranta will have the same opportunity for Finland's tournament squad. The University of Minnesota has been represented at 40 of 43 previous World Junior Championship tournaments.
#Gophers In-Arena Host @alliekrings previews this weekend's Big Ten series in Ann Arbor with #PrideOnIce rookie forward Sampo Ranta. pic.twitter.com/4riQU6kDwF
— Minnesota M Hockey (@GopherHockey) December 6, 2018
Schierhorn Nears School Record
Senior goaltender Eric Schierhorn (1-3-0) picked up his 12th career shutout earlier this month as the two-time Big Ten Goaltender of the Year claimed sole possession of third all-time at Minnesota (only Adam Wilcox and Kellen Briggs have more with 13 each). With a 56-44-4 career record, Schierhorn ranks tied for sixth in school history in wins and sixth in saves at 2,579.
Welcome Back, Bob!
After 13 years leading in-state rival St. Cloud State, Bob Motzko was named the head coach of the University of Minnesota on March 27, 2018. A native of Austin, Minn., Motzko built a 276-192-49 record as head coach of the Huskies (280-198-52 overall record) following a four-year stint as assistant coach at Minnesota that saw the Maroon & Gold claim back-to-back national championships in 2002 and 2003. Motzko has coached 17 All-Americans in his coaching career including Hobey Baker Award winners Jordan Leopold and Drew LeBlanc. In addition to his collegiate coaching, Motzko led the U.S. National Junior Team to back-to-back medals at the IIHF World Junior Championship -- capturing a gold medal in 2017 and a bronze medal in 2018.
Big Ten Preseason Information
Tyler Sheehy and Rem Pitlick represented the Maroon & Gold on the Big Ten Preseason Watch List while the Gophers were predicted to finish fourth in a competitive Big Ten during the 2018-19 campaign. The Big Ten's three Frozen Four participants last year landed poll rankings ahead of the Maroon & Gold with Ohio State projected to finish first, Michigan to finish second and Notre Dame to finish third. Behind the Gophers are Penn State in fifth, Wisconsin in sixth and Michigan State in seventh.
Minnesota Announces Captains for 2018-19
Four senior forwards will serve as leads for the University of Minnesota during the 2018-19 campaign with Tyler Sheehy and Brent Gates Jr. acting as captains for the Maroon & Gold while Jack Ramsey and Darian Romanko will act as assistant captains. Sheehy returns after serving as team captain as a junior last year while Gates, Ramsey and Romanko will wear letters for the first time as seniors. The four skaters continue a long tradition of Gopher Hockey captains dating back to the program's first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Counting the new additions, 170 Gophers have worn a letter at the University of Minnesota in the program's 97-year history.
Gophers in the NHL Draft
Thirteen current Gophers have had their names called at the NHL Entry Draft including newcomers Robbie Stucker (2017, Columbus, Seventh Round, 210th), Sammy Walker (2017, Tampa Bay, Seventh Round, 200th), Blake McLaughlin (2018, Anaheim, Third Round, 79th) and Sampo Ranta (2018, Colorado, Third Round, 78th). Ranta and McLaughlin were selected with back-to-back picks in 2018 -- the sixth time in Gophers history that has happened. Ten NHL teams have prospects on the Gopher Hockey roster this year with Anaheim, Tampa Bay and Nashville each listing two draftees with Minnesota.
Mr. Hockey Goes to Minnesota
Incoming Gophers freshman Sammy Walker closed out his prep career by leading Edina High School to a third-place finish at the 2018 MSHSL Class AA State Tournament, earning all-tournament honors along with Star Tribune Metro Player of the Year accolades. Walker was also 34th recipient of the annual Mr. Hockey Award, given to the top senior high school boy's hockey player in the state of Minnesota. Of the 34 honorees in the award's history, 23 have gone on to play college hockey at the University of Minnesota.
Big Ten Announces Overtime Changes
The Big Ten Conference has announced changes to its overtime protocol and conference points system for the 2018-19 hockey season. Any regular-season conference game that remains tied after regulation will play the NCAA-mandated five-minute, 5-on-5 sudden-death overtime period. If the game remains tied, the two teams will then play a five-minute, 3-on-3 sudden-death overtime period. If the game is still tied following both overtime periods, then the game will move to a sudden-death shootout. Non-conference games other than certain in-season tournaments will conclude following the 5-on-5 overtime period. Postseason games will continue to feature 20-minute 5-on-5 overtime periods as in the past. Teams will be awarded three points in the conference standings for a win in regulation or the 5-on-5 overtime period. If the game is tied following the 5-on-5 overtime, both teams will receive one point, with a second point being awarded to the team that wins in either the 3-on-3 overtime period or the shootout.
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