University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, November 28
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
North Dakota
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Ben Ludeman
Rivalry Battles Continue for 'U' with UND
11/26/2019 5:20:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- It's another rivalry week for the Gopher Hockey program as No. 3 North Dakota comes to campus this weekend for a two-game non-conference series at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The battle begins on Thursday, Nov. 28 at 7:05 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports Go/TSN) with the series concluding on Friday, Nov. 29 at 7:05 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports Go/TSN).
Gopher Hockey Against North Dakota
In a series that dates back to 1930, the University of Minnesota holds a 148-132-16 all-time record in 296 meetings with North Dakota including a mark of 83-52-8 on home ice in 144 games. The Maroon & Gold are 5-0-4 against the Fighting Hawks in the last nine games on home ice with the team's last home loss coming over a decade ago -- a 2-1 overtime loss on Feb. 1, 2008. Sophomore forward Sampo Ranta is the only active Gopher to record a point against North Dakota -- picking up an assist against the Fighting Hawks last year in Las Vegas for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Orleans Arena.
Getting in Front of the Puck
The Gophers enter the weekend with 228 blocked shots as a program, ranking second in the nation this year behind only Robert Morris (235). The Maroon & Gold posted a season-high 29 blocked shots in last Friday's 4-1 win over Wisconsin and followed up with another 20 in a 3-3 overtime tie against the Badgers on Saturday (tied for the second most blocked shots this season). Senior captain Tyler Nanne leads Minnesota with 27 blocks this year while freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson has 26 on the season.
Reedy's Goal-Scoring Streak
Junior forward Scott Reedy enters this weekend's series on a career-best, three-game goal scoring streak. Reedy has seven points (six goals, one assist) in 14 games this year and needs one more goal to match his career high (seven as a freshman and as a sophomore).
LaCombe Leads the Freshmen
Freshman defenseman Jackson LaCombe leads all Gophers newcomers with seven assists this season while his seven points are also tied for the team high among freshmen. LaCombe has a point in three of the last four games while his seven assist currently lead all Big Ten freshmen defensemen and rank tied for third in the nation among freshmen defensemen.
Gopher Hockey Notes (Briefly)
Sophomore forward Sampo Ranta saw his career-long, six-game point streak come to an end on Saturday night. With nine points (five goals, four assists) this season, Ranta needs one more goal to match his season total as a freshman...Minnesota's freshman class ranks tied for second in the nation with 28 this season (Boston University leads the nation with 31 while Wisconsin also has 28)...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski tallied his first career goal last Saturday against the Badgers...Friday's win over Wisconsin snapped a five-game winless drought for Minnesota at 3M Arena at Mariucci...Minnesota's next win will mark Bob Motzko's 300th career win -- 299-214-56 including a 23-22-7 mark with the Gophers..Sophomore forward Blake McLaughlin scored in both games last weekend to snap a 10-game goal drought -- the streak marks the second time McLaughlin has scored in back-to-back games and both games in a series. He tallied both game winners as a freshman at Notre Dame last season...this weekend's series closes out a six-game home stand for the Gophers (all six games have come against nationally ranked foes in Penn State, Wisconsin and North Dakota)...Minnesota closes out the first half next week at Ohio State -- meaning the final eight games of the first half will come against nationally ranked teams.
Two High School Greats in One Class
Two Gopher Hockey freshmen forwards may have flown under the radar compared to Mr. Hockey Award winners, NHL prospects and state champions, but both Jaxon Nelson and Ben Meyers rank among the top-10 all-time scorers in Minnesota high school hockey history. Nelson currently ranks fifth in state history with 290 career points while playing for Luverne High School, and Meyers currently ranks eighth in state history with 278 career points while playing for Delano High School. Nelson also holds the state high school record with 78 goals during the 2015-16 season.
Nanne, Walker Tabbed Team Captains
Senior defenseman Tyler Nanne and sophomore forward Sammy Walker have been voted to serve as team captains for the Gophers for the 2019-20 season. The pair are the 171st and 172nd players in University of Minnesota history to wear letters, dating back to the first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Nanne, the first third-generation player in Pride on Ice history, is also the second Gophers captain in his family following his grandfather -- All-American Lou Nanne -- in 1962-63.
Big Ten Preseason Information
The University of Minnesota has been predicted to finish fifth in the 2019-20 Big Ten Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll with the complete order as followed: Penn State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers, who have won four regular-season conference championships in the six-year history of the Big Ten, are the only program in the league to win multiple conference crowns. Additionally, Sammy Walker was named as a Preseason Second Team All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches. Walker was named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading all conference rookies with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) last season.
Youthful Excitement
The Maroon & Gold will field a youthful roster for the 2019-20 season with 19 of the team's 27 players listed as either a freshman or sophomore. The Gophers will also bring in 12 newcomers to the locker room -- 11 freshmen and junior transfer Jack LaFontaine in net. Breaking things down, the 11 freshmen are comprised of two goaltenders, three defensemen and six forwards.
Statistically Speaking
According the College Hockey Inc., the University of Minnesota will field both the youngest team in college hockey (average age of 20 years, 240 days) and the biggest team in college hockey (average weight of 193.89 pounds) this season. The Maroon & Gold will also be the eighth tallest team in college hockey this year (average height of 6-00.67). All statistics are as of Oct. 1, 2019.
Follow the Golden Gophers on TV
The University of Minnesota once again boasts college hockey's best television broadcast schedule with 31 of 34 regular-season games available in the Minnesota/Twin Cities market (more games may be added at a later date). FOX Sports North leads the way in Gopher Hockey coverage with 19 games scheduled to be broadcast on the network while the Big Ten Network will currently air 10 Minnesota contests in 2019-20. FOX9+ will pick up the Gophers' road game at Minnesota Duluth while NBC Sports will broadcast the series opener at Notre Dame. Visit GopherSports.com to view the complete and up-to-date Gopher Hockey schedule.
Gopher Hockey Notes and News
Fourteen Gophers on the 2019-20 roster have been drafted by NHL teams including 2019 first rounder and incoming freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson (31st overall by Buffalo). Johnson, whose father Craig also played for the Gophers before an NHL career, is the 21st Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski was also drafted in 2019, part of an eventful offseason that included being named the 2018-19 All-USA Boys Athlete of the Year and the 2019 Mr. Hockey Award. The 35th Mr. Hockey Award recipient, Brodzinski is the 24th Gopher Hockey prospect to win the honor...the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a renovation project for 3M Arena at Mariucci with over 11,000 square feet of team space impacted including a state-of-the-art weight room, a new 'M' Club alumni room and a remodeled office suite. The project is anticipated to begin in late 2019...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick will receive the NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the U.S. on Dec. 12 as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration.
Gopher Hockey Against North Dakota
In a series that dates back to 1930, the University of Minnesota holds a 148-132-16 all-time record in 296 meetings with North Dakota including a mark of 83-52-8 on home ice in 144 games. The Maroon & Gold are 5-0-4 against the Fighting Hawks in the last nine games on home ice with the team's last home loss coming over a decade ago -- a 2-1 overtime loss on Feb. 1, 2008. Sophomore forward Sampo Ranta is the only active Gopher to record a point against North Dakota -- picking up an assist against the Fighting Hawks last year in Las Vegas for the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at Orleans Arena.
Getting in Front of the Puck
The Gophers enter the weekend with 228 blocked shots as a program, ranking second in the nation this year behind only Robert Morris (235). The Maroon & Gold posted a season-high 29 blocked shots in last Friday's 4-1 win over Wisconsin and followed up with another 20 in a 3-3 overtime tie against the Badgers on Saturday (tied for the second most blocked shots this season). Senior captain Tyler Nanne leads Minnesota with 27 blocks this year while freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson has 26 on the season.
Reedy's Goal-Scoring Streak
Junior forward Scott Reedy enters this weekend's series on a career-best, three-game goal scoring streak. Reedy has seven points (six goals, one assist) in 14 games this year and needs one more goal to match his career high (seven as a freshman and as a sophomore).
LaCombe Leads the Freshmen
Freshman defenseman Jackson LaCombe leads all Gophers newcomers with seven assists this season while his seven points are also tied for the team high among freshmen. LaCombe has a point in three of the last four games while his seven assist currently lead all Big Ten freshmen defensemen and rank tied for third in the nation among freshmen defensemen.
Gopher Hockey Notes (Briefly)
Sophomore forward Sampo Ranta saw his career-long, six-game point streak come to an end on Saturday night. With nine points (five goals, four assists) this season, Ranta needs one more goal to match his season total as a freshman...Minnesota's freshman class ranks tied for second in the nation with 28 this season (Boston University leads the nation with 31 while Wisconsin also has 28)...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski tallied his first career goal last Saturday against the Badgers...Friday's win over Wisconsin snapped a five-game winless drought for Minnesota at 3M Arena at Mariucci...Minnesota's next win will mark Bob Motzko's 300th career win -- 299-214-56 including a 23-22-7 mark with the Gophers..Sophomore forward Blake McLaughlin scored in both games last weekend to snap a 10-game goal drought -- the streak marks the second time McLaughlin has scored in back-to-back games and both games in a series. He tallied both game winners as a freshman at Notre Dame last season...this weekend's series closes out a six-game home stand for the Gophers (all six games have come against nationally ranked foes in Penn State, Wisconsin and North Dakota)...Minnesota closes out the first half next week at Ohio State -- meaning the final eight games of the first half will come against nationally ranked teams.
Two High School Greats in One Class
Two Gopher Hockey freshmen forwards may have flown under the radar compared to Mr. Hockey Award winners, NHL prospects and state champions, but both Jaxon Nelson and Ben Meyers rank among the top-10 all-time scorers in Minnesota high school hockey history. Nelson currently ranks fifth in state history with 290 career points while playing for Luverne High School, and Meyers currently ranks eighth in state history with 278 career points while playing for Delano High School. Nelson also holds the state high school record with 78 goals during the 2015-16 season.
Nanne, Walker Tabbed Team Captains
Senior defenseman Tyler Nanne and sophomore forward Sammy Walker have been voted to serve as team captains for the Gophers for the 2019-20 season. The pair are the 171st and 172nd players in University of Minnesota history to wear letters, dating back to the first season of play in 1921-22 when Chet Bros led the Maroon & Gold. Nanne, the first third-generation player in Pride on Ice history, is also the second Gophers captain in his family following his grandfather -- All-American Lou Nanne -- in 1962-63.
Big Ten Preseason Information
The University of Minnesota has been predicted to finish fifth in the 2019-20 Big Ten Hockey Preseason Coaches' Poll with the complete order as followed: Penn State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State, Minnesota, Michigan and Michigan State. The Gophers, who have won four regular-season conference championships in the six-year history of the Big Ten, are the only program in the league to win multiple conference crowns. Additionally, Sammy Walker was named as a Preseason Second Team All-Big Ten selection by the conference coaches. Walker was named the 2019 Big Ten Freshman of the Year after leading all conference rookies with 26 points (10 goals, 16 assists) last season.
Youthful Excitement
The Maroon & Gold will field a youthful roster for the 2019-20 season with 19 of the team's 27 players listed as either a freshman or sophomore. The Gophers will also bring in 12 newcomers to the locker room -- 11 freshmen and junior transfer Jack LaFontaine in net. Breaking things down, the 11 freshmen are comprised of two goaltenders, three defensemen and six forwards.
Statistically Speaking
According the College Hockey Inc., the University of Minnesota will field both the youngest team in college hockey (average age of 20 years, 240 days) and the biggest team in college hockey (average weight of 193.89 pounds) this season. The Maroon & Gold will also be the eighth tallest team in college hockey this year (average height of 6-00.67). All statistics are as of Oct. 1, 2019.
Follow the Golden Gophers on TV
The University of Minnesota once again boasts college hockey's best television broadcast schedule with 31 of 34 regular-season games available in the Minnesota/Twin Cities market (more games may be added at a later date). FOX Sports North leads the way in Gopher Hockey coverage with 19 games scheduled to be broadcast on the network while the Big Ten Network will currently air 10 Minnesota contests in 2019-20. FOX9+ will pick up the Gophers' road game at Minnesota Duluth while NBC Sports will broadcast the series opener at Notre Dame. Visit GopherSports.com to view the complete and up-to-date Gopher Hockey schedule.
Gopher Hockey Notes and News
Fourteen Gophers on the 2019-20 roster have been drafted by NHL teams including 2019 first rounder and incoming freshman defenseman Ryan Johnson (31st overall by Buffalo). Johnson, whose father Craig also played for the Gophers before an NHL career, is the 21st Gopher Hockey prospect selected in the first round...freshman forward Bryce Brodzinski was also drafted in 2019, part of an eventful offseason that included being named the 2018-19 All-USA Boys Athlete of the Year and the 2019 Mr. Hockey Award. The 35th Mr. Hockey Award recipient, Brodzinski is the 24th Gopher Hockey prospect to win the honor...the University of Minnesota Board of Regents has approved a renovation project for 3M Arena at Mariucci with over 11,000 square feet of team space impacted including a state-of-the-art weight room, a new 'M' Club alumni room and a remodeled office suite. The project is anticipated to begin in late 2019...former Gopher Hockey assistant coach Jack Blatherwick will receive the NHL's Lester Patrick Trophy for outstanding service to hockey in the U.S. on Dec. 12 as part of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Celebration.
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