Minnesota to Face Wolverines in B1G Clash Nov 10-11

MINNEAPOLIS - No. 6/5 Minnesota men's hockey returns to Big Ten Conference action when it heads to Ann Arbor, Mich., for a two-game showdown with No. 8/9 Michigan Nov. 10-11 from Yost Ice Arena.

Both games are only available via streaming on B1G+ starting at 6 p.m. (CT) along with a free audio broadcast featuring Wally Shaver and Frank Mazzocco on the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.

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).

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. 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. It's the second time in his career that he went back-to-back outings with multiple points and extended his scoring streak to three games. Pitlick now has 10 career multi-point contests and is just two points away from 50 as a Gopher.

SAM THE SETUP MAN
In his first career eight games played, freshman Sam Rinzel is leading the way in assists for the Gophers as he has six 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). The Chanhassen, Minn., native is tied atop the national rankings in terms of assists by a freshman defenseman and tied for third in the nation 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 seven of eight games played, with only Oct. 27 versus Wisconsin as the lone game without reaching the scoresheet. Going back to the postseason a year ago, he has a point in 12 of 14 outings, including nine-consecutive. The Magnolia, Minn., product has also won 52.5 percent of faceoffs taken and his 94 wins on the draw are ranked in the top 20 nationally.

HISTORY WITH THE WOLVERINES
Minnesota is winning the all-time series against Michigan with a 153-134-19 (.531) record in a rivalry that dates back to the first meeting in 1923. The Gophers won three of four meetings in the regular season last year, including a sweep on the road in mid-November, and are 14-8-3 across the previous 25 meetings. That recent success is aided by a 7-1-2 mark in games played on the Wolverines home ice in the past five years. The two teams have met in four of the last five Big Ten Conference Tournaments where Minnesota holds a 3-2 edge in those postseason meetings.

INSIDE LOOK AT MICHIGAN
The Wolverines are back in action after getting swept by Wisconsin on the road that saw the team drop from the top five to No. 8/9 in the national polls. Michigan is led by its potent offense and power play that paces the NCAA in scoring with 5.0 goals per game and 17 total goals on the man advantage behind a 37.8 success rate. The difference comes defensively where the Wolverines rank 31st in scoring defense, allowing 2.8 goals per game, and penalty killing that sits 56th in the country at 72.7 percent. Rutger McGroarty tops the team with 16 points in 10 games, while Gavin Brindley, T.J. Hughes, and Seamus Casey all have 15 points for Michigan. Grad transfer goaltender Jake Barczewski has played all but two games and posted a 4-3-1 record along with a 2.62 goals-against average.

ALWAYS REMEMBER THE FIRST
During a five-game stretch from Oct. 20 to Nov. 3, a Gopher scored the first goal of their collegiate career in four of those outings. Freshman Oliver Moore got things started with a goal at North Dakota (Oct. 20) and was followed by sophomore Charlie Strobel's first tally versus Wisconsin (Oct. 26). The next night it was freshman Jimmy Clark that lit the lamp against the Badgers before sophomore Cal Thomas joined the fun, scoring for the first time in 47 career games from the blue line in a home win over Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 3).

BRODZINSKI REACHES A MILESTONE
Graduate student Bryce Brodzinski entered his fifth season of college hockey as the NCAA's active leader in career games played (146) and career goals (46). He is coming off his best year for the Maroon and Gold when he posted 19 goals and 12 assists for 31 points in 2022-23 and was named to the All-Tournament Team at the NCAA Fargo Regional as its Most Outstanding Player behind a hat trick and four-point performance against Canisius. Brodzinski caught fire down the stretch and tallied 10 goals over the final 15 games a year ago. The Blaine, Minn., native recently joined an elite company in Minnesota's historic program as the 61st player to reach the 50-goal milestone when he scored twice in a home win over Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 3. He is the first Gopher to hit the scoring mark since Tyler Sheehy did so on Dec. 8, 2018, and is one of five to score 50 goals since 2010. Brodzinski is now chasing the all-time games played record, which currently stands at 182 by Larry Olimb (1988-92).

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.

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 1-1 record against top-10 opponents with a road split at UND and its road series at Michigan will be the fourth-straight weekend against a team ranked in the top 15.

GOPHER PIPELINE TO THE NHL
After seeing 33 players take part in National Hockey League training camps, 21 former Golden Gophers men's hockey players earned an opening-night roster spot for the 2023-24 season, while Ryan Johnson and Vinni Lettieri have been early-season call ups. Minnesota had an NCAA-best 26 former skaters in the NHL last season, increasing the all-time number of Gophers in the NHL to an NCAA-best 123 before Logan Cooley and Johnson made their debuts as No. 124 and 125, respectively. This year the Maroon and Gold has begun the campaign as one of two NCAA programs with 20 or more players with a lineup spot in the NHL.

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Players Mentioned

Bryce Brodzinski

Jimmy Clark

Logan Cooley

Ryan Johnson

Nick Michel

Oliver Moore

Jaxon Nelson

Rhett Pitlick

Sam Rinzel

Charlie Strobel

Cal Thomas