University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 17
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
USA Hockey (U.S. Under-18 Team)
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Ben Ludeman
Gophers Set for Exhibition Game Against U.S.
1/17/2020 7:26:00 AM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- The Gopher Hockey program is set for an exhibition game against the U.S. Under-18 Team on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Puck drop for the contest is set for 7:00 p.m. CT with the game being streamed on BTN Plus.
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Friday's exhibition will give Gopher Hockey fans a look at future Maroon & Gold skater Brock Faber. A native of Maple Grove, Minn., Faber is a top defensive prospect eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft after developing with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich. The 2019-20 campaign marks Faber's second with USA Hockey and his first full season as a member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. With USA Hockey, the defenseman earned a silver medal with the U.S. at the 2018 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in Plymouth, Mich., and also skated at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Saint John, N.B. Faber signed his National Letter of Intent with the Gophers in November and is currently one of two prospects set to join the Gophers in 2020-21 along with fellow defenseman Mike Koster.
MOE EARNS BIG TEN PRAISE
Gopher Hockey's Jared Moe has been tabbed the Big Ten Third Star of the Week after picking up his first career shutout and allowing just one goal in nearly 100 minutes of action last weekend at No. 20 Michigan State. With 52 saves on 53 shots over the weekend, Moe held a .977 save percentage and a 0.60 GAA for the series – both figures rank among the top-10 performances in the nation for the last week. In 12 games this season, Moe owns a .909 save percentage, a 2.62 GAA and a record of 4-4-1.
SKATE THE CITIES EVENT SET FOR SUNDAY
Minnesota will close out this year's Skate the Cities series on Sunday, Jan. 19 with an open skate at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis as part of the Hockey Day Minnesota festivities. Tickets to the free event, which runs from 1:00 p.m. CT to 2:00 p.m. CT, are no longer required however all participants must bring their own skates.
DOUG WOOG NIGHT SET FOR JAN. 25
The University of Minnesota will posthumously honor legendary Gopher All-American captain and former head coach Doug Woog with Doug Woog Night on Saturday, Jan. 25 as the Maroon & Gold host Ohio State at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Woog passed away on Dec. 14, 2019 at the age of 75. A First Team All-American and captain for the Gophers, Woog returned to the University of Minnesota as head coach in 1985 and led the Maroon & Gold for 14 years including a then-program record of 388 wins. To honor Woog, the Gophers will wear commemorative patches for the remainder of the season. Doug Woog Night details
DECADE REWIND
The University of Minnesota closed out the decade with a 218-138-35 record while recording a pair of NCAA Frozen Four appearances. The Maroon & Gold also set a new NCAA record with six-straight regular-season conference championships during the decade.
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (302-217-56 including a 26-25-7 mark with the Gophers). Motzko is the third head coach with ties to Gopher Hockey to reach the 300-win mark, joining his predecessors in Don Lucia (736 career wins, 457 at Minnesota) and Doug Woog (388 career wins, all at Minnesota).
RANTA/FINLAND FINISH FOURTH AT WJC
Sophomore Sampo Ranta helped Team Finland to a fourth-place showing at the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trince, Czech Republic. Ranta is the second Gopher to represent Finland at the tournament following Erik Haula in 2011 while Minnesota has been represented at the event in 41 of 44 tournaments dating back to the inaugural event in 1977.
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 NAMED 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.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
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 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. 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 SEASON NOTES
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 was honored with 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.
A LOOK TO THE FUTURE
Friday's exhibition will give Gopher Hockey fans a look at future Maroon & Gold skater Brock Faber. A native of Maple Grove, Minn., Faber is a top defensive prospect eligible for the 2020 NHL Entry Draft after developing with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program in Plymouth, Mich. The 2019-20 campaign marks Faber's second with USA Hockey and his first full season as a member of the U.S. National Under-18 Team. With USA Hockey, the defenseman earned a silver medal with the U.S. at the 2018 Under-17 Four Nations Tournament in Plymouth, Mich., and also skated at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge in Saint John, N.B. Faber signed his National Letter of Intent with the Gophers in November and is currently one of two prospects set to join the Gophers in 2020-21 along with fellow defenseman Mike Koster.
MOE EARNS BIG TEN PRAISE
Gopher Hockey's Jared Moe has been tabbed the Big Ten Third Star of the Week after picking up his first career shutout and allowing just one goal in nearly 100 minutes of action last weekend at No. 20 Michigan State. With 52 saves on 53 shots over the weekend, Moe held a .977 save percentage and a 0.60 GAA for the series – both figures rank among the top-10 performances in the nation for the last week. In 12 games this season, Moe owns a .909 save percentage, a 2.62 GAA and a record of 4-4-1.
SKATE THE CITIES EVENT SET FOR SUNDAY
Minnesota will close out this year's Skate the Cities series on Sunday, Jan. 19 with an open skate at Parade Stadium in Minneapolis as part of the Hockey Day Minnesota festivities. Tickets to the free event, which runs from 1:00 p.m. CT to 2:00 p.m. CT, are no longer required however all participants must bring their own skates.
DOUG WOOG NIGHT SET FOR JAN. 25
The University of Minnesota will posthumously honor legendary Gopher All-American captain and former head coach Doug Woog with Doug Woog Night on Saturday, Jan. 25 as the Maroon & Gold host Ohio State at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Woog passed away on Dec. 14, 2019 at the age of 75. A First Team All-American and captain for the Gophers, Woog returned to the University of Minnesota as head coach in 1985 and led the Maroon & Gold for 14 years including a then-program record of 388 wins. To honor Woog, the Gophers will wear commemorative patches for the remainder of the season. Doug Woog Night details
DECADE REWIND
The University of Minnesota closed out the decade with a 218-138-35 record while recording a pair of NCAA Frozen Four appearances. The Maroon & Gold also set a new NCAA record with six-straight regular-season conference championships during the decade.
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (302-217-56 including a 26-25-7 mark with the Gophers). Motzko is the third head coach with ties to Gopher Hockey to reach the 300-win mark, joining his predecessors in Don Lucia (736 career wins, 457 at Minnesota) and Doug Woog (388 career wins, all at Minnesota).
RANTA/FINLAND FINISH FOURTH AT WJC
Sophomore Sampo Ranta helped Team Finland to a fourth-place showing at the World Junior Championship in Ostrava and Trince, Czech Republic. Ranta is the second Gopher to represent Finland at the tournament following Erik Haula in 2011 while Minnesota has been represented at the event in 41 of 44 tournaments dating back to the inaugural event in 1977.
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 NAMED 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.
STATISTICALLY SPEAKING
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 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. 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 SEASON NOTES
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 was honored with 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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