'U' Officially Opens 103rd Season Facing Tommies Oct. 13-14

MINNEAPOLIS - After a home exhibition win to get a taste of college hockey, the University of Minnesota men's hockey team officially begins the 2023-24 season with a series against St. Thomas Oct. 13-14.

The opener is set for Friday the 13th at 7:30 p.m. live from Xcel Energy Center in the nightcap of a doubleheader with the women's team before the Golden Gophers host the Tommies in their home opener Saturday at 6 p.m. inside 3M Arena at Mariucci. Fans can watch Friday on FOX 9 and Saturday on FOX 9+/B1G+ or tune into the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.

CHECK OUT THE NEW DIGS
For the first time in the 30 years since 3M Arena at Mariucci opened, a major public-facing renovation project took place during the offseason. It started with the installation of a state-of-the-art ice plant and more energy-efficient refrigeration system and continued with the shrinking of the ice sheet. The ice went from an Olympic size of 200-by-100 feet, down to a hybrid size of 200-by-89 feet, which more closely resembles an NHL ice sheet. The change in dimensions also added approximately 257 seats to the arena, making the official capacity 10,257. Updates to the dasher boards and glass will enhance player safety, while fans in attendance will also notice an increase in brightness inside the arena as a modern LED system was added.

HOW TO WATCH ALL SEASON
Minnesota and FOX 9 have agreed to a local television broadcast partnership for 10 home games and four road games in 2023-24. This is in addition to the 11 games picked by the Big Ten Network, seven home and four away, along with one airing on FS1 during the campaign. As always, check the schedule page on GopherSports.com for all the latest information and viewing options for every contest.

EXHIBITION TESTED
It was a slow start on the new ice sheet for the Maroon and Gold Sunday night, but that changed quickly as the home side scored five times in the final two periods during a 5-2 win over Bemidji State, a team receiving votes in both national preseason polls. Rhett Pitlick and Oliver Moore each tallied a pair of goals in the victory, while Connor Kurth added a pair of assists to lead the offense and nine different players registered a point. Justen Close made 12 saves before passing the net to Zach Wiese, who finished the night by making 12 saves.

ST. PAUL FROM START TO FINISH
The current season officially begins with a Friday the 13th matchup inside Xcel Energy Center and the first meeting against St. Thomas since January 1927 and hopefully ends in the same arena 183 days later. The Gophers and Tommies drop the puck on opening night, while the University of Minnesota is the host for the 2024 NCAA Frozen Four set for April 11 and 13 at the same arena.

PICKED FOR A THREE PEAT
The Gophers are trying to do something only they have done in the 10-year history of college hockey in the Big Ten Conference and that is to win three-straight regular season titles. The Maroon and Gold won a championship in each of the first four years during league play between 2013 and 2017 before a stretch where four different teams won the next four championships. Heading into 2023-24 following back-to-back titles, Minnesota was picked to finish atop the conference standings in the preseason poll as voted upon by the seven head coaches.

GARNERING EARLY B1G RECOGNITION
Six individual players for the Maroon and Gold were recognized by the league's head coaches and landed on one of the Preseason All-B1G Teams for 2023-24. Jimmy Snuggerud, the defending B1G scoring champion, was joined by fellow sophomore Luke Mittelstadt on the All-B1G First Team. Veterans Bryce Brodzinski, Justen Close and Mike Koster landed on the second team, while sophomore Ryan Chesley garnered honorable mention honors.

HISTORY WITH THE TOMMIES
Minnesota holds a 2-1-0 record in the all-time series against St. Thomas dating back to the first-ever meeting in 1923. That matchup was just the 12th game in Gopher hockey history. Since that point, the two teams have met twice more, both coming in the 1926-27 season where they split two games in a three-day stretch. Friday will be the first chance the squads square off as NCAA Division I members after the Tommies made the jump prior to the 2021-22 campaign.

OPENING WITH SUCCESS
In program history, the Maroon and Gold have gotten off to quick starts to seasons, owning a 63-37-2 all-time record in the first game of the year. That record includes a 30-18-2 mark away from home and a 4-1-0 record in season openers played at Xcel Energy Center. The Gophers have even more success in their home openers behind a record of 68-31-3, which contains a 20-8-2 mark in home openers at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

BRINGING BACK THE GOALS
The Gophers closed 2022-23 as the nation's highest-scoring offense after averaging 4.2 goals per game. Thanks to the return of five players that reached double-digit goals a season ago, Minnesota begins the new year as the nation's leader in returning offense, bringing back 108 total goals from 13 different players. Jimmy Snuggerud paces the group of Gophers and is the second-highest returning scorer to college hockey following a 21-goal freshman campaign. Bryce Brodzinski's career-best 19 goals last season showcased his ability to light the lamp, while Rhett Pitlick (11), Jaxon Nelson (10) and Mason Nevers (10) joined the double-digit scorers and will look to power the offense again in 2023-24.

SHOWCASING THE STATE OF HOCKEY
With five of the six members of the Gophers freshman class hailing from the State of Hockey as well as graduate transfer Nick Michel, the 2023-24 roster now features more than 90 percent homegrown talent. Of the 25 players on the team, 23 grew up and played youth hockey inside the state lines, including all 22 skaters. Even more impressive is the fact that 17 of the Minnesotans on the team are from within 40 miles of campus. In total, 233 student-athletes on NCAA rosters are from the Land of 10,000 Lakes, nearly 100 more than any other state in the country.

DRAFT SPOTLIGHT FOR 13
Thirteen of Minnesota's 25 rostered players have heard their names called in the NHL Entry Draft since 2019, including a pair of first-round selections that are part of this year's freshmen class. The Gophers have had the most all-time draft selections (239) by any NCAA men's hockey program after adding four over the summer. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 49 of the last 50 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception. Boston College and Boston University are the only teams in the nation that have more draft picks (14) on their NCAA rosters for the 2023-24 season than Minnesota.

SUCCESS IN THE OTHER TWIN CITY
Since Xcel Energy Center was built in downtown St. Paul in 2000, the Maroon and Gold have taken the ice inside the arena a total of 45 times. The Gophers own a 25-19-1 all-time record at the venue, including their most recent appearance, a 4-0 shutout of Bemidji State during the 2017 North Star College Cup and are a perfect 6-0 in NCAA Tournament matchups. Minnesota won a national championship in 2002 at Xcel Energy Center to snap a title drought of 23 years in what would be the first of back-to-back NCAA championships.

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Players Mentioned

Bryce Brodzinski

Ryan Chesley

Justen Close

Mike Koster

Connor Kurth

Nick Michel

Luke Mittelstadt

Oliver Moore

Jaxon Nelson

Mason Nevers

Rhett Pitlick

Jimmy Snuggerud

Zach Wiese