University of Minnesota Athletics
Monday, January 1
2:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
U.S. National Under-18 Team
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New Year's Day Exhibition Matchup Awaits Gophers
12/31/2023 12:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
'U' hosts USA Hockey U18's
MINNEAPOLIS - The ninth-ranked University of Minnesota men's hockey team returns to the ice for the first time in 2024 as it hosts the USA Hockey National Team Development Program Under 18 Team for a New Year's Day exhibition tilt.
Puck drop is slated for a 2 p.m. matinee inside 3M Arena at Mariucci with live streaming video coverage available on B1G+.
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).
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA MAN
Special teams were pivotal in Minnesota's season-opening sweep of the Tommies as it converted 50 percent of their power-play chances (3-of-6). The Gophers were then held scoreless across their next 15 opportunities with a man advantage, spanning six games until Aaron Huglen broke the streak with a tally at Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 4). That kick-started an improving trend where the team has a goal on the man advantage in eight of its last 11 games, including a stretch of five straight. Minnesota has converted 11-of-33 chances (33.3 percent), the highest percentage of any team in the nation during that stretch, as it raised the overall power-play success rate to 26.9 percent, which ranks eighth in the nation. Bryce Brodzinski scored four of those 11 goals, while Brody Lamb, Rhett Pitlick and Jimmy Snuggerud buried two apiece. Snuggerud leads all active Gophers with 12 career power-play goals and Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson are right behind him at 11.
PITLICK SEEING DOUBLE STARS
For the second time in a five-week stretch, Rhett Pitlick was chosen as the Big Ten Conference Second Star of the Week (Dec. 5 and Nov. 7). The junior posted five points during a split at No. 18 Penn State, contributing to five of the team's seven total goals. He tallied two goals and three assists, posting multi-point efforts in both games, including a career-best three points in the victory Friday (Dec. 1). Pitlick followed that effort by registering the first shorthanded goal of his career Saturday, and the Gophers' only shorthanded goal this season. The Plymouth, Minn., native extended his career-long point streak to seven games, with at least one goal in each of those seven games, after scoring at Ohio State (Dec. 8) and totaled 13 points in that stretch. His goal streak is the longest by anyone in the NCAA, and he was the only player in the nation this year to score a goal in six-straight games against a ranked opponent. He also has seven multi-point performances since the start of November, while he ranks third on the team in both goals (9) and assists (9).
SAME SCRIPT FOR BRODZINSKI
Bryce Brodzinski is playing some of the best hockey of his career and thanks to a five-point weekend against Michigan State, was named the B1G First Star of the Week (Nov. 28). The fifth-year senior matched his career high with four points versus the Spartans (Nov. 26), recording his second multi-goal performance this season and ninth of his career. The Blaine, Minn., product is following a similar script to a season ago when he registered 16 points from Oct. 28 to Dec. 10, whereas in 2023-24 he had 17 points in the same span. The team's leading scorer increased his point total to 19 after an assist at Ohio State (Dec. 8) set a new career best with a seven-game point streak, which included a career-long goal-scoring streak of four games.
KEEPING UP WITH KURTH
Connor Kurth averaged a point per game during the month of November with eight points in eight outings, including multi-assist performances at Michigan (Nov. 10) and against Notre Dame (Nov. 18). The sophomore scored a goal in consecutive games versus Michigan State, the second time during his career with goals in back-to-back games and first since Oct. 2-7, 2022. Kurth stretched his career-long point streak to four games and made it three-straight games with a goal after scoring at Penn State (Dec. 1). The Lindstrom, Minn., product matched his freshman total of 11 points after finding the back of the net at Ohio State (Dec. 8), his fourth goal over the last six contests.
HISTORY WITH USNTDP
Minnesota holds an 8-2-1 record in exhibition games versus the USNTDP U18 squad, including wins in four of the last five meetings dating back to 2016. It will be the third-straight year where the Gophers have hosted Team USA and fifth time over the previous six seasons. In the eight years with a victory against the U18 team, the Maroon and Gold have gone on to reach the NCAA Frozen Four a total of four times (2003, 2005, 2022, 2023).
INSIDE LOOK AT TEAM USA
Team USA comes to 3M Arena at Mariucci in the midst of a four-game college tour that started with a 4-3 overtime win at North Dakota Saturday and continues with games against Michigan State (Jan. 5) and Michigan (Jan. 6). The highly-skilled U18 offense enters the Monday matchup averaging 5.7 goals per game, including eight outings of at least eight goals. Cole Eiserman and James Hagens pace the team in points, totaling 48 and 43, respectively, while goaltender Nick Kempf has an 11-2-0 record behind a 2.59 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. The Red, White, and Blue features two future Gophers in the lineup as local products Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson, Minn.) and John Whipple (Minnetonka, Minn.) recently signed National Letters of Intent to join Minnesota.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The Gophers are averaging 4.6 goals per game in their nine victories but have been held to just 2.0 goals per game across five losses during the 2023-24 campaign. A major difference for Minnesota is the power play as it holds a 32.1 percent (9-of-28) success rate when winning, compared to a 16.7 (2-of-12) rate in setbacks. The Maroon and Gold also average just seven minutes in the penalty box per game in victories, while spending more than 11 minutes per game in the penalty box during five losses.
EATING PUCKS
Minnesota is the only team in the NCAA this season with two players ranked in the top 10 in total blocked shots as Cal Thomas (41) and Ryan Chesley (39) sit seventh and ninth, respectively. As a team, the Gophers rank fifth nationally by blocking 259 shots, including a season-high 25 during a road win at Ohio State (Dec. 8). It's been a full team effort to get bodies in shooting lanes and seven different players have double-digit blocks for the year.
DON THE STARS AND STRIPES
USA Hockey announced its roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship with four Gophers selected to the squad: Ryan Chesley (alternate captain), Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, and Jimmy Snuggerud. The event started Dec. 26, 2023, and will continue until the final game on Jan. 5, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Minnesota's associate head coach Steve Miller also is on hand as an assistant coach for Team USA. The Gophers have been represented by at least one player at the tournament in 45 of the 48 years it has been played.
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 nearly 90 percent homegrown talent. Of the 26 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 26 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.
Puck drop is slated for a 2 p.m. matinee inside 3M Arena at Mariucci with live streaming video coverage available on B1G+.
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).
TAKING ADVANTAGE OF THE EXTRA MAN
Special teams were pivotal in Minnesota's season-opening sweep of the Tommies as it converted 50 percent of their power-play chances (3-of-6). The Gophers were then held scoreless across their next 15 opportunities with a man advantage, spanning six games until Aaron Huglen broke the streak with a tally at Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 4). That kick-started an improving trend where the team has a goal on the man advantage in eight of its last 11 games, including a stretch of five straight. Minnesota has converted 11-of-33 chances (33.3 percent), the highest percentage of any team in the nation during that stretch, as it raised the overall power-play success rate to 26.9 percent, which ranks eighth in the nation. Bryce Brodzinski scored four of those 11 goals, while Brody Lamb, Rhett Pitlick and Jimmy Snuggerud buried two apiece. Snuggerud leads all active Gophers with 12 career power-play goals and Brodzinski and Jaxon Nelson are right behind him at 11.
PITLICK SEEING DOUBLE STARS
For the second time in a five-week stretch, Rhett Pitlick was chosen as the Big Ten Conference Second Star of the Week (Dec. 5 and Nov. 7). The junior posted five points during a split at No. 18 Penn State, contributing to five of the team's seven total goals. He tallied two goals and three assists, posting multi-point efforts in both games, including a career-best three points in the victory Friday (Dec. 1). Pitlick followed that effort by registering the first shorthanded goal of his career Saturday, and the Gophers' only shorthanded goal this season. The Plymouth, Minn., native extended his career-long point streak to seven games, with at least one goal in each of those seven games, after scoring at Ohio State (Dec. 8) and totaled 13 points in that stretch. His goal streak is the longest by anyone in the NCAA, and he was the only player in the nation this year to score a goal in six-straight games against a ranked opponent. He also has seven multi-point performances since the start of November, while he ranks third on the team in both goals (9) and assists (9).
SAME SCRIPT FOR BRODZINSKI
Bryce Brodzinski is playing some of the best hockey of his career and thanks to a five-point weekend against Michigan State, was named the B1G First Star of the Week (Nov. 28). The fifth-year senior matched his career high with four points versus the Spartans (Nov. 26), recording his second multi-goal performance this season and ninth of his career. The Blaine, Minn., product is following a similar script to a season ago when he registered 16 points from Oct. 28 to Dec. 10, whereas in 2023-24 he had 17 points in the same span. The team's leading scorer increased his point total to 19 after an assist at Ohio State (Dec. 8) set a new career best with a seven-game point streak, which included a career-long goal-scoring streak of four games.
KEEPING UP WITH KURTH
Connor Kurth averaged a point per game during the month of November with eight points in eight outings, including multi-assist performances at Michigan (Nov. 10) and against Notre Dame (Nov. 18). The sophomore scored a goal in consecutive games versus Michigan State, the second time during his career with goals in back-to-back games and first since Oct. 2-7, 2022. Kurth stretched his career-long point streak to four games and made it three-straight games with a goal after scoring at Penn State (Dec. 1). The Lindstrom, Minn., product matched his freshman total of 11 points after finding the back of the net at Ohio State (Dec. 8), his fourth goal over the last six contests.
HISTORY WITH USNTDP
Minnesota holds an 8-2-1 record in exhibition games versus the USNTDP U18 squad, including wins in four of the last five meetings dating back to 2016. It will be the third-straight year where the Gophers have hosted Team USA and fifth time over the previous six seasons. In the eight years with a victory against the U18 team, the Maroon and Gold have gone on to reach the NCAA Frozen Four a total of four times (2003, 2005, 2022, 2023).
INSIDE LOOK AT TEAM USA
Team USA comes to 3M Arena at Mariucci in the midst of a four-game college tour that started with a 4-3 overtime win at North Dakota Saturday and continues with games against Michigan State (Jan. 5) and Michigan (Jan. 6). The highly-skilled U18 offense enters the Monday matchup averaging 5.7 goals per game, including eight outings of at least eight goals. Cole Eiserman and James Hagens pace the team in points, totaling 48 and 43, respectively, while goaltender Nick Kempf has an 11-2-0 record behind a 2.59 goals-against average and a .916 save percentage. The Red, White, and Blue features two future Gophers in the lineup as local products Brodie Ziemer (Hutchinson, Minn.) and John Whipple (Minnetonka, Minn.) recently signed National Letters of Intent to join Minnesota.
MAKING A DIFFERENCE
The Gophers are averaging 4.6 goals per game in their nine victories but have been held to just 2.0 goals per game across five losses during the 2023-24 campaign. A major difference for Minnesota is the power play as it holds a 32.1 percent (9-of-28) success rate when winning, compared to a 16.7 (2-of-12) rate in setbacks. The Maroon and Gold also average just seven minutes in the penalty box per game in victories, while spending more than 11 minutes per game in the penalty box during five losses.
EATING PUCKS
Minnesota is the only team in the NCAA this season with two players ranked in the top 10 in total blocked shots as Cal Thomas (41) and Ryan Chesley (39) sit seventh and ninth, respectively. As a team, the Gophers rank fifth nationally by blocking 259 shots, including a season-high 25 during a road win at Ohio State (Dec. 8). It's been a full team effort to get bodies in shooting lanes and seven different players have double-digit blocks for the year.
DON THE STARS AND STRIPES
USA Hockey announced its roster for the 2024 IIHF World Junior Championship with four Gophers selected to the squad: Ryan Chesley (alternate captain), Oliver Moore, Sam Rinzel, and Jimmy Snuggerud. The event started Dec. 26, 2023, and will continue until the final game on Jan. 5, 2024, in Gothenburg, Sweden. Minnesota's associate head coach Steve Miller also is on hand as an assistant coach for Team USA. The Gophers have been represented by at least one player at the tournament in 45 of the 48 years it has been played.
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 nearly 90 percent homegrown talent. Of the 26 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 26 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.
2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule
Monday, August 11
Herb Brooks Statue
Wednesday, August 06
Meet the Newcomers: Teddy Townsend
Friday, July 18
Meet The Newcomers: Jacob Rombach
Friday, July 11