University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 19
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Ohio State
Players Mentioned
Goaltender
/ 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
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Minnesota Returns to B1G Play Hosting Buckeyes
1/18/2024 10:30:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Final series in six-game homestand
MINNEAPOLIS - The 10th-ranked University of Minnesota men's hockey team closes a season-long, six-game homestand when Ohio State comes to 3M Arena at Mariucci for a Big Ten Conference series Jan. 19-20 sponsored by M Health Fairview.
The series opener Friday is set to air live on FOX 9 and stream on B1G+, while Saturday's finale will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and the Fox Sports App. As always, audio coverage will be available through the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
Friday night is Student Appreciation and First Responders Night and fans attending can stick around campus to watch Gopher wrestling for free by walking across the street to the Maturi Pavilion ticket office. Minnesota takes on Nebraska starting at 9 p.m. and subject to ticket availability.
It will be a GOLDOUT inside 3M Arena at Mariucci Saturday and all fans in attendance will receive a free gold pom.
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).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Gophers scored eight times in the sweep over Robert Morris last weekend and did so thanks to eight different goal scorers. It was the most goal scorers in a single series this season, one more than the seven that had a tally against Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 3-4) and just the third time all season where every goal during a series came from the stick of a different player. In total, 16 separate skaters have scored a goal for the Maroon and Gold this year, including three in double digits with Jimmy Snuggerud (17), Bryce Brodzinski (11) and Rhett Pitlick (11).
BACK IN THE SCORING COLUMN
After being held without a goal since the 2023 NCAA Tournament, seniors Mason Nevers and Mike Koster each found the back of the net in Minnesota's win against the Colonials (Jan. 13). Nevers snapped a 20-game drought dating back to the opening game of the regional against Canisius (Mar. 23) and Koster had not scored since the NCAA Frozen Four versus Boston University (Apr. 6), a span of 16 games.
Both players missed at least the first two weeks of the season with injury and are again showing how important they are in the Gophers lineup. Koster scored a career-high 29 points a year ago, while Nevers also had a career year in 2023-24 where he posted 23 points.
RINZEL REELS IN WEEKLY HONOR
Freshman Sam Rinzel continues to help drive Minnesota's offense early in his career and leads the team in assists with 17 following career-best, three-assist efforts in back-to-back games against Colorado College (Jan. 8) and Robert Morris (Jan. 12). He added his fourth point of the weekend versus the Colonials in Saturday's finale, which helped the newcomer land the first Big Ten Conference weekly award of his career when he was named the Third Star of the Week (Jan. 16). After scoring his first collegiate goal at Penn State (Dec. 1), he became the Gophers' first defenseman to reach double-digit points this season and has five multi-assist performances overall. The Chanhassen, Minn., native is third in the national rankings in assists by a freshman defenseman and tied for fourth in the NCAA for total assists by a rookie.
WELCOME TO THE SNUGGERUD SHOW
Jimmy Snuggerud put on a show during the Gophers' opening weekend sweep of St. Thomas, totaling five points on four goals and one assist, and was named B1G First Star of the Week (Oct. 17). The sophomore scored twice in each contest, including the game winner both nights. It was the first time he registered back-to-back, multi-goal games for the Maroon and Gold, and he did the same thing in the first contests after returning from holiday break. Snuggerud posted a six-point weekend with five goals and an assist, aided by the second hat trick of his career in a win over Colorado College (Jan. 8). That night he recorded a career-best four points with three goals and a helper on his way to his second B1G First Star of the Week (Jan. 10) honor this season. With nine goals over his last seven games, and three-multi-goal efforts in that span, the Chaska, Minn., native jumped to second nationally with a conference-leading 17 goals. He currently leads the team with 24 points and is riding a season-long, four-game point streak and has points in seven of the last eight outings.
HISTORY WITH THE BUCKEYES
Minnesota claimed four of six B1G points during its most recent road trip to Columbus, Ohio, in early December and has the highest winning percentage against Ohio State when compared to any other Big Ten Conference opponent. The Gophers are 42-10-6 (.776) in the all-time series with the Buckeyes that dates to 1968, including a 15-3-4 record under the guidance of Head Coach Bob Motzko. The Gophers are 8-1-3 in the last 12 meetings with OSU at 3M Arena at Mariucci, including a series sweep to close the 2023 regular season.
INSIDE LOOK AT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes won their first B1G game of the season versus Notre Dame last weekend that extended their winning streak to four games before finishing with a series split at home. OSU went unbeaten during non-conference play (8-0-2) and now closes the rest of the season against league foes, beginning with a four-game road stretch that starts in Minnesota. The Buckeyes have thrived on the man advantage where their 19 power-play goals rank 11th nationally and the 21.8 percent conversion rate is 18th. Stephen Halliday is one of six players in double-digit scoring for OSU and the sophomore paces the team with 22 points, while riding a season-long, five-game point streak with nine points in that stretch. Goaltender Logan Terness has played most of the minutes in net and posted a 3.17 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage, but is now splitting time with freshman Kristoffer Eberly, who has a 2.58 GAA and a .907 save percentage.
DONE WITH NON-CONFERENCE
The Gophers posted a 7-2-1 record during their five series in non-conference play this season, including a 5-1-0 mark at home where they outscored opponents by a 26-12 margin. Jimmy Snuggerud led all Minnesota players with 16 points on 12 goals and four assists in those outings, while Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore also reached double-figure scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
GIVE US MOORE
Known for his blazing speed around the rink, the play-making ability of Oliver Moore also has been on full display for the Gophers in 2023-24. The freshman leads all Minnesota forwards with 14 assists and has five points over his last three games played, including his fourth multi-point effort of the year versus Robert Morris (Jan. 13). Moore tallied the first game-winning goal of his tenure with a second-period tally against the Colonials (Jan. 12) to snap a 13-game goalless drought. He also is finding his stride in the faceoff circle where he has won more than 60 percent of draws in four of the previous five outings, including a season-best 13 faceoff wins against Colorado College (Jan. 8).
AIREY WINS 'U' DEBUT
Goaltender Nathan Airey earned his first win during his college hockey debut on Jan. 12 at home against Robert Morris. The Cochrane, Alberta, native missed nearly the entire first half of the season with an injury. Taking the ice for the first time, the freshman settled into the game after allowing an early goal to the Colonials and ended his first outing by making 19 saves, including three in the final minute to preserve his first victory. He did stop 40-of-42 shots in an exhibition win over the USA Hockey National Team Development Program U18's on New Year's Day in his unofficial debut.
NATION'S BEST AT AVOIDING THE PENALTY BOX
The Gophers were called for double-digit penalty minutes in three-straight games in the season's first month but have drastically changed that narrative over the last two months. Minnesota now leads the nation, averaging 7.5 penalty minutes per game, sitting in the box for six minutes or less in six of the previous eight outings. That includes not allowing a single power-play opportunity during a home win over Robert Morris (Jan. 13) where the team's only penalty came on matching minors. Despite holding the opposition scoreless on all 16 power-play chances across the opening four contests, that switched 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. The penalty kill has improved over the last six series, allowing just four power-play goals in 12 games.
GOPHER PIPELINE TO THE NHL
After 33 players took 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 five more have been called up since the regular season started. 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.
The series opener Friday is set to air live on FOX 9 and stream on B1G+, while Saturday's finale will be broadcast on Big Ten Network and the Fox Sports App. As always, audio coverage will be available through the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
Friday night is Student Appreciation and First Responders Night and fans attending can stick around campus to watch Gopher wrestling for free by walking across the street to the Maturi Pavilion ticket office. Minnesota takes on Nebraska starting at 9 p.m. and subject to ticket availability.
It will be a GOLDOUT inside 3M Arena at Mariucci Saturday and all fans in attendance will receive a free gold pom.
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).
SPREADING THE WEALTH
The Gophers scored eight times in the sweep over Robert Morris last weekend and did so thanks to eight different goal scorers. It was the most goal scorers in a single series this season, one more than the seven that had a tally against Minnesota Duluth (Nov. 3-4) and just the third time all season where every goal during a series came from the stick of a different player. In total, 16 separate skaters have scored a goal for the Maroon and Gold this year, including three in double digits with Jimmy Snuggerud (17), Bryce Brodzinski (11) and Rhett Pitlick (11).
BACK IN THE SCORING COLUMN
After being held without a goal since the 2023 NCAA Tournament, seniors Mason Nevers and Mike Koster each found the back of the net in Minnesota's win against the Colonials (Jan. 13). Nevers snapped a 20-game drought dating back to the opening game of the regional against Canisius (Mar. 23) and Koster had not scored since the NCAA Frozen Four versus Boston University (Apr. 6), a span of 16 games.
Both players missed at least the first two weeks of the season with injury and are again showing how important they are in the Gophers lineup. Koster scored a career-high 29 points a year ago, while Nevers also had a career year in 2023-24 where he posted 23 points.
RINZEL REELS IN WEEKLY HONOR
Freshman Sam Rinzel continues to help drive Minnesota's offense early in his career and leads the team in assists with 17 following career-best, three-assist efforts in back-to-back games against Colorado College (Jan. 8) and Robert Morris (Jan. 12). He added his fourth point of the weekend versus the Colonials in Saturday's finale, which helped the newcomer land the first Big Ten Conference weekly award of his career when he was named the Third Star of the Week (Jan. 16). After scoring his first collegiate goal at Penn State (Dec. 1), he became the Gophers' first defenseman to reach double-digit points this season and has five multi-assist performances overall. The Chanhassen, Minn., native is third in the national rankings in assists by a freshman defenseman and tied for fourth in the NCAA for total assists by a rookie.
WELCOME TO THE SNUGGERUD SHOW
Jimmy Snuggerud put on a show during the Gophers' opening weekend sweep of St. Thomas, totaling five points on four goals and one assist, and was named B1G First Star of the Week (Oct. 17). The sophomore scored twice in each contest, including the game winner both nights. It was the first time he registered back-to-back, multi-goal games for the Maroon and Gold, and he did the same thing in the first contests after returning from holiday break. Snuggerud posted a six-point weekend with five goals and an assist, aided by the second hat trick of his career in a win over Colorado College (Jan. 8). That night he recorded a career-best four points with three goals and a helper on his way to his second B1G First Star of the Week (Jan. 10) honor this season. With nine goals over his last seven games, and three-multi-goal efforts in that span, the Chaska, Minn., native jumped to second nationally with a conference-leading 17 goals. He currently leads the team with 24 points and is riding a season-long, four-game point streak and has points in seven of the last eight outings.
HISTORY WITH THE BUCKEYES
Minnesota claimed four of six B1G points during its most recent road trip to Columbus, Ohio, in early December and has the highest winning percentage against Ohio State when compared to any other Big Ten Conference opponent. The Gophers are 42-10-6 (.776) in the all-time series with the Buckeyes that dates to 1968, including a 15-3-4 record under the guidance of Head Coach Bob Motzko. The Gophers are 8-1-3 in the last 12 meetings with OSU at 3M Arena at Mariucci, including a series sweep to close the 2023 regular season.
INSIDE LOOK AT OHIO STATE
The Buckeyes won their first B1G game of the season versus Notre Dame last weekend that extended their winning streak to four games before finishing with a series split at home. OSU went unbeaten during non-conference play (8-0-2) and now closes the rest of the season against league foes, beginning with a four-game road stretch that starts in Minnesota. The Buckeyes have thrived on the man advantage where their 19 power-play goals rank 11th nationally and the 21.8 percent conversion rate is 18th. Stephen Halliday is one of six players in double-digit scoring for OSU and the sophomore paces the team with 22 points, while riding a season-long, five-game point streak with nine points in that stretch. Goaltender Logan Terness has played most of the minutes in net and posted a 3.17 goals-against average and a .903 save percentage, but is now splitting time with freshman Kristoffer Eberly, who has a 2.58 GAA and a .907 save percentage.
DONE WITH NON-CONFERENCE
The Gophers posted a 7-2-1 record during their five series in non-conference play this season, including a 5-1-0 mark at home where they outscored opponents by a 26-12 margin. Jimmy Snuggerud led all Minnesota players with 16 points on 12 goals and four assists in those outings, while Sam Rinzel and Oliver Moore also reached double-figure scoring with 13 and 12 points, respectively.
GIVE US MOORE
Known for his blazing speed around the rink, the play-making ability of Oliver Moore also has been on full display for the Gophers in 2023-24. The freshman leads all Minnesota forwards with 14 assists and has five points over his last three games played, including his fourth multi-point effort of the year versus Robert Morris (Jan. 13). Moore tallied the first game-winning goal of his tenure with a second-period tally against the Colonials (Jan. 12) to snap a 13-game goalless drought. He also is finding his stride in the faceoff circle where he has won more than 60 percent of draws in four of the previous five outings, including a season-best 13 faceoff wins against Colorado College (Jan. 8).
AIREY WINS 'U' DEBUT
Goaltender Nathan Airey earned his first win during his college hockey debut on Jan. 12 at home against Robert Morris. The Cochrane, Alberta, native missed nearly the entire first half of the season with an injury. Taking the ice for the first time, the freshman settled into the game after allowing an early goal to the Colonials and ended his first outing by making 19 saves, including three in the final minute to preserve his first victory. He did stop 40-of-42 shots in an exhibition win over the USA Hockey National Team Development Program U18's on New Year's Day in his unofficial debut.
NATION'S BEST AT AVOIDING THE PENALTY BOX
The Gophers were called for double-digit penalty minutes in three-straight games in the season's first month but have drastically changed that narrative over the last two months. Minnesota now leads the nation, averaging 7.5 penalty minutes per game, sitting in the box for six minutes or less in six of the previous eight outings. That includes not allowing a single power-play opportunity during a home win over Robert Morris (Jan. 13) where the team's only penalty came on matching minors. Despite holding the opposition scoreless on all 16 power-play chances across the opening four contests, that switched 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. The penalty kill has improved over the last six series, allowing just four power-play goals in 12 games.
GOPHER PIPELINE TO THE NHL
After 33 players took 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 five more have been called up since the regular season started. 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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