University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, February 28
7:30 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ 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
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Kristin Ostrowski
Gophers Close Out Regular Season with Michigan
2/26/2020 2:31:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS -- The No. 18 Gopher Hockey program continues the 99th season of Pride on Ice next weekend with its final regular-season series, hosting Michigan at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The series opens on Friday, Feb. 28 at 7:30 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Stream: FOX Sports App/TSN; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM) before concluding on Saturday, Feb. 29 at 5:00 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North; Stream: FOX Sports Go/TSN; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM).
SENIOR SALUTE
The Maroon & Gold will celebrate the careers of three seniors before Saturday's game against the Wolverines as defensemen Tyler Nanne and Ryan Zuhlsdorf and forward Joey Marooney skate in their final regular-season game at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Gopher Hockey program has not lost in the regular-season home finale (Senior Night) since the 2007-08 season -- a stretch of 11 games that Minnesota has gone 9-0-2 in including last year's 5-2 win over Arizona State to sweep the Sun Devils in the first-ever series between the two programs.Â
AGAINST THE WOLVERINES
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with Michigan holding a 144-128-17 all-time record against the Wolverines while the Maroon & Gold claimed five out of six points in a two-game series earlier this season in Ann Arbor -- winning 3-1 on Nov. 9 after tying 1-1 in overtime on Nov. 8 and then picking up the Big Ten bonus point in 3-on-3 overtime. Junior forward Brannon McManus leads all active Gophers with 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in 12 career games against Michigan while junior Jack LaFontaine (0-0-1, .971 save percentage, 0.92 GAA) and freshman Jared Moe (1-0-0, .974 save percentage, 1.00 GAA) have seen action in goal against this weekend's opponent -- making one start each against the Wolverines.Â
BIG TEN BREAKDOWN
With one weekend to play in the regular season, four Big Ten teams are still in contention for a Big Ten title including the Maroon & Gold. Penn State currently leads the Big Ten with 41 points although the Nittany Lions are idle this weekend with a bye. Minnesota and Ohio State both sit tied for second, four points behind Penn State with 37 points each. Notre Dame currently sits in fourth place with 35 points. Michigan, meanwhile, is still in contention for home ice in the Big Ten playoffs as is Michigan State -- the Wolverines are in fifth with 33 points while the Spartans have 31 points in sixth place. Wisconsin brings up the rear of the conference standings in seventh at 20 points.Â
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (308-220-58 including a 32-28-10 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).Â
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.Â
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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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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SENIOR SALUTE
The Maroon & Gold will celebrate the careers of three seniors before Saturday's game against the Wolverines as defensemen Tyler Nanne and Ryan Zuhlsdorf and forward Joey Marooney skate in their final regular-season game at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Gopher Hockey program has not lost in the regular-season home finale (Senior Night) since the 2007-08 season -- a stretch of 11 games that Minnesota has gone 9-0-2 in including last year's 5-2 win over Arizona State to sweep the Sun Devils in the first-ever series between the two programs.Â
AGAINST THE WOLVERINES
Minnesota enters this weekend's series with Michigan holding a 144-128-17 all-time record against the Wolverines while the Maroon & Gold claimed five out of six points in a two-game series earlier this season in Ann Arbor -- winning 3-1 on Nov. 9 after tying 1-1 in overtime on Nov. 8 and then picking up the Big Ten bonus point in 3-on-3 overtime. Junior forward Brannon McManus leads all active Gophers with 10 points (seven goals, three assists) in 12 career games against Michigan while junior Jack LaFontaine (0-0-1, .971 save percentage, 0.92 GAA) and freshman Jared Moe (1-0-0, .974 save percentage, 1.00 GAA) have seen action in goal against this weekend's opponent -- making one start each against the Wolverines.Â
BIG TEN BREAKDOWN
With one weekend to play in the regular season, four Big Ten teams are still in contention for a Big Ten title including the Maroon & Gold. Penn State currently leads the Big Ten with 41 points although the Nittany Lions are idle this weekend with a bye. Minnesota and Ohio State both sit tied for second, four points behind Penn State with 37 points each. Notre Dame currently sits in fourth place with 35 points. Michigan, meanwhile, is still in contention for home ice in the Big Ten playoffs as is Michigan State -- the Wolverines are in fifth with 33 points while the Spartans have 31 points in sixth place. Wisconsin brings up the rear of the conference standings in seventh at 20 points.Â
MOTZKO HITS MILESTONE
Bob Motzko earned his 300th career win on Saturday, Dec. 28, 2019 (308-220-58 including a 32-28-10 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).Â
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.Â
Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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.Â
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