University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 24
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Michigan State
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Minnesota Hosts Spartans in Top-10 Matchup
11/22/2023 9:30:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Third top-10 series of the year
MINNEAPOLIS - The No. 8 Golden Gophers men's hockey team plays their final home series of the calendar year at 3M Arena at Mariucci when they host Big Ten Conference leader and seventh-ranked Michigan State Nov. 24 and 26.
The series opens Friday night at 7 p.m. live on FOX 9+ and streaming on B1G+ before continuing Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. on Big Ten Network. Both games can also be heard live on the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
The matchup Sunday will be Minnesota's annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by White Bear Mitsubishi and fans are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear or stuffed animal that will be donated to the Masonic Children's Hospital.
Fans coming to 3M Arena at Mariucci this weekend are encouraged to plan ahead and allow for additional time when attending due to multiple home events on campus. Those who have not already obtained a parking pass are encouraged to purchase their parking in advance HERE.
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. Other FOX affiliates around the area have added Gopher hockey to their coverage with select games available on KTTC (Rochester, Mason City, Austin, Albert Lea), KVRR (Fargo), KQDS (Duluth), and KCRG (Cedar Rapids).
INTO DOUBLE FIGURES
During the weekend series against Notre Dame, three more Gophers reached double-digit scoring and joined Brody Lamb in that club. Jimmy Snuggerud's power-play goal Friday was his 10th point of the season before a goal from Jaxon Nelson Saturday moved him to double figures. Bryce Brodzinski's four-point weekend vaulted the fifth-year senior to the team's scoring lead with 11 points.
SCRIPTED FOR BRODZINSKI
Following a four-point series versus the Fighting Irish with two assists in each outing, Bryce Brodzinski vaulted into Minnesota's scoring lead this season with 11 points. The fifth-year senior is following a similar script to a season ago when he totaled 16 points from Oct. 28 to Dec. 10, whereas in 2023-24 he has nine points over his previous seven games, tallying three multi-point efforts in that stretch. Brodzinski also is closing in on the century mark for points in a career, sitting just six away from 100 as a Gopher with 51 goals and 43 assists.
LAMB SCORES SECOND STAR
Minnesota forward Brody Lamb paced the offense during a road series victory over the No. 8/9 Wolverines as he totaled four points in the two games, which helped him gain distinction as the Big Ten Conference's Second Star of the Week on Nov. 14. The sophomore recorded the first three-point performance of his career Friday night with a goal and two assists, including the game winner with 3:28 remaining in regulation. He followed that effort by adding a power-play goal Saturday, his first goal on a man advantage this year, that tied the game during the second period. Lamb has already surpassed his point total from a season ago when he finished with four goals and four assists for eight points as a freshman and is currently tied for second in the Gophers' scoring race with 10 points in 12 games this season.
PITLICK STAR POWER
Rhett Pitlick led the Gophers with a four-point weekend in another nationally-ranked rivalry series, registering multi-point efforts in both games against No. 14 Minnesota Duluth to earn Big Ten Conference Second Star of the Week honors Nov. 7. The junior had a goal and an assist in the home win Friday before adding a two-assist night Saturday in a tie on the road. After being held off the scoresheet at Michigan, the Plymouth, Minn., native went right back to work, recording multiple points in each game versus Notre Dame. He had a goal and an assist in game one Friday before a two-goal performance Saturday, his third career multi-goal game. It's the second time this year, and third of his career, that he has posted back-to-back outings with multiple points as he now has nine points across his last seven contests.
SAM THE SETUP MAN
In his first career 12 games played, freshman Sam Rinzel is tied for the team lead in assists as he has seven for the year. That includes a pair of multi-assist performances, coming against St. Thomas on opening night (Oct. 13) and again in a road game at Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 4), as well as four points during his past six outings. The Chanhassen, Minn., native is tied for sixth in the national rankings in terms of assists by a freshman defenseman and tied for 16th in the NCAA for total assists by a rookie.
CONSISTENTLY NELSON
Jaxon Nelson has been a consistent producer on the offensive end for the Gophers this season and has a point in 10 of 12 games played. Going back to the postseason a year ago, he has a point in 15 of 18 outings, including a stretch of nine-consecutive games. The Magnolia, Minn., product has also won 51 percent of faceoffs taken and his 134 wins on the draw are ranked 19th nationally.
HISTORY WITH THE SPARTANS
Minnesota is leading the all-time series against Michigan State with a record of 134-50-16 (.710), including a 71-18-8 mark in home games. The Gophers have dominated the series of late, winning all five meetings a season ago after a 5-1 victory in the Big Ten Conference tournament semifinals as they outscored the Spartans by a 30-7 margin. Those five wins extended the team's win streak over MSU to 14, dating back to 2019-20, with Minnesota ranked higher in each outing.
INSIDE LOOK AT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans sit atop the Big Ten Conference standings following a home sweep of then No. 1 Wisconsin last weekend and became the first team in the country to reach double-digit wins this season, thanks to a 7-0-1 mark at home. MSU is excelling on both ends of the ice as it ranks fourth in the NCAA for scoring offense, averaging 4.4 goals per game, while getting quality goaltending from freshman Trey Augustine, who is tied for the nation's lead with nine wins. The Spartans are getting offense from their entire lineup as nine players have at least 10 points and those same nine each have scored four or more goals. The team spends a lot of time in the penalty box as it is the fourth-most penalized team in the country, totaling 179 penalty minutes (12.8 per game).
READY FOR THE CHALLENGE
Thanks to the rise in quality of hockey across the Big Ten Conference, the full schedule for the Maroon and Gold will again be a challenge from start to finish. After facing the nation's No. 2 strength of schedule according to USCHO last year, the 2023-24 slate will be no different as 32 of 34 games are against opponents ranked in the top 20 or receiving votes in the preseason national polls. Minnesota holds a 2-1-1 record against top-10 opponents this season and now faces its sixth-consecutive opponent that's ranked in the top 20, and third of the six that's inside the top 10 after No. 7 Michigan State jumped up four spots in the polls this week.
TRYING TO AVOID THE PENALTY BOX
The Gophers were the third-least penalized team in the NCAA a season ago, averaging just 7.5 penalty minutes per contest. That number dropped slightly to begin 2023-24 as Minnesota was called for double-digit penalty minutes in three-straight games but is now back on track after sitting in the box for six minutes or less in six of the previous seven outings. The Gophers are now second nationally, averaging 7.4 penalty minutes per game. Despite holding the opposition scoreless on all 16 power-play chances across the opening four contests, that switched drastically over a six-game stretch from Oct. 26 to Nov. 11 where the team erased only 9-of-16 penalties, a rate of 56.2 percent, and currently ranks 36th in the country at 80.0 percent.
MOTZKO'S HOME COOKING
Under head coach Bob Motzko's guidance, the Gophers hold a 65-36-5 (.637) record on home ice, including a 32-14 (.696) mark across the previous three years. That recent stretch of quality play is aided by Minnesota dominating Big Ten foes, winning 20 of 28 (.714) conference outings inside 3M Arena at Mariucci since the start of 2021.
The series opens Friday night at 7 p.m. live on FOX 9+ and streaming on B1G+ before continuing Sunday afternoon at 1 p.m. on Big Ten Network. Both games can also be heard live on the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
The matchup Sunday will be Minnesota's annual Teddy Bear Toss presented by White Bear Mitsubishi and fans are encouraged to bring a new teddy bear or stuffed animal that will be donated to the Masonic Children's Hospital.
Fans coming to 3M Arena at Mariucci this weekend are encouraged to plan ahead and allow for additional time when attending due to multiple home events on campus. Those who have not already obtained a parking pass are encouraged to purchase their parking in advance HERE.
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. Other FOX affiliates around the area have added Gopher hockey to their coverage with select games available on KTTC (Rochester, Mason City, Austin, Albert Lea), KVRR (Fargo), KQDS (Duluth), and KCRG (Cedar Rapids).
INTO DOUBLE FIGURES
During the weekend series against Notre Dame, three more Gophers reached double-digit scoring and joined Brody Lamb in that club. Jimmy Snuggerud's power-play goal Friday was his 10th point of the season before a goal from Jaxon Nelson Saturday moved him to double figures. Bryce Brodzinski's four-point weekend vaulted the fifth-year senior to the team's scoring lead with 11 points.
SCRIPTED FOR BRODZINSKI
Following a four-point series versus the Fighting Irish with two assists in each outing, Bryce Brodzinski vaulted into Minnesota's scoring lead this season with 11 points. The fifth-year senior is following a similar script to a season ago when he totaled 16 points from Oct. 28 to Dec. 10, whereas in 2023-24 he has nine points over his previous seven games, tallying three multi-point efforts in that stretch. Brodzinski also is closing in on the century mark for points in a career, sitting just six away from 100 as a Gopher with 51 goals and 43 assists.
LAMB SCORES SECOND STAR
Minnesota forward Brody Lamb paced the offense during a road series victory over the No. 8/9 Wolverines as he totaled four points in the two games, which helped him gain distinction as the Big Ten Conference's Second Star of the Week on Nov. 14. The sophomore recorded the first three-point performance of his career Friday night with a goal and two assists, including the game winner with 3:28 remaining in regulation. He followed that effort by adding a power-play goal Saturday, his first goal on a man advantage this year, that tied the game during the second period. Lamb has already surpassed his point total from a season ago when he finished with four goals and four assists for eight points as a freshman and is currently tied for second in the Gophers' scoring race with 10 points in 12 games this season.
PITLICK STAR POWER
Rhett Pitlick led the Gophers with a four-point weekend in another nationally-ranked rivalry series, registering multi-point efforts in both games against No. 14 Minnesota Duluth to earn Big Ten Conference Second Star of the Week honors Nov. 7. The junior had a goal and an assist in the home win Friday before adding a two-assist night Saturday in a tie on the road. After being held off the scoresheet at Michigan, the Plymouth, Minn., native went right back to work, recording multiple points in each game versus Notre Dame. He had a goal and an assist in game one Friday before a two-goal performance Saturday, his third career multi-goal game. It's the second time this year, and third of his career, that he has posted back-to-back outings with multiple points as he now has nine points across his last seven contests.
SAM THE SETUP MAN
In his first career 12 games played, freshman Sam Rinzel is tied for the team lead in assists as he has seven for the year. That includes a pair of multi-assist performances, coming against St. Thomas on opening night (Oct. 13) and again in a road game at Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 4), as well as four points during his past six outings. The Chanhassen, Minn., native is tied for sixth in the national rankings in terms of assists by a freshman defenseman and tied for 16th in the NCAA for total assists by a rookie.
CONSISTENTLY NELSON
Jaxon Nelson has been a consistent producer on the offensive end for the Gophers this season and has a point in 10 of 12 games played. Going back to the postseason a year ago, he has a point in 15 of 18 outings, including a stretch of nine-consecutive games. The Magnolia, Minn., product has also won 51 percent of faceoffs taken and his 134 wins on the draw are ranked 19th nationally.
HISTORY WITH THE SPARTANS
Minnesota is leading the all-time series against Michigan State with a record of 134-50-16 (.710), including a 71-18-8 mark in home games. The Gophers have dominated the series of late, winning all five meetings a season ago after a 5-1 victory in the Big Ten Conference tournament semifinals as they outscored the Spartans by a 30-7 margin. Those five wins extended the team's win streak over MSU to 14, dating back to 2019-20, with Minnesota ranked higher in each outing.
INSIDE LOOK AT MICHIGAN STATE
The Spartans sit atop the Big Ten Conference standings following a home sweep of then No. 1 Wisconsin last weekend and became the first team in the country to reach double-digit wins this season, thanks to a 7-0-1 mark at home. MSU is excelling on both ends of the ice as it ranks fourth in the NCAA for scoring offense, averaging 4.4 goals per game, while getting quality goaltending from freshman Trey Augustine, who is tied for the nation's lead with nine wins. The Spartans are getting offense from their entire lineup as nine players have at least 10 points and those same nine each have scored four or more goals. The team spends a lot of time in the penalty box as it is the fourth-most penalized team in the country, totaling 179 penalty minutes (12.8 per game).
READY FOR THE CHALLENGE
Thanks to the rise in quality of hockey across the Big Ten Conference, the full schedule for the Maroon and Gold will again be a challenge from start to finish. After facing the nation's No. 2 strength of schedule according to USCHO last year, the 2023-24 slate will be no different as 32 of 34 games are against opponents ranked in the top 20 or receiving votes in the preseason national polls. Minnesota holds a 2-1-1 record against top-10 opponents this season and now faces its sixth-consecutive opponent that's ranked in the top 20, and third of the six that's inside the top 10 after No. 7 Michigan State jumped up four spots in the polls this week.
TRYING TO AVOID THE PENALTY BOX
The Gophers were the third-least penalized team in the NCAA a season ago, averaging just 7.5 penalty minutes per contest. That number dropped slightly to begin 2023-24 as Minnesota was called for double-digit penalty minutes in three-straight games but is now back on track after sitting in the box for six minutes or less in six of the previous seven outings. The Gophers are now second nationally, averaging 7.4 penalty minutes per game. Despite holding the opposition scoreless on all 16 power-play chances across the opening four contests, that switched drastically over a six-game stretch from Oct. 26 to Nov. 11 where the team erased only 9-of-16 penalties, a rate of 56.2 percent, and currently ranks 36th in the country at 80.0 percent.
MOTZKO'S HOME COOKING
Under head coach Bob Motzko's guidance, the Gophers hold a 65-36-5 (.637) record on home ice, including a 32-14 (.696) mark across the previous three years. That recent stretch of quality play is aided by Minnesota dominating Big Ten foes, winning 20 of 28 (.714) conference outings inside 3M Arena at Mariucci since the start of 2021.
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