University of Minnesota Athletics
Thursday, November 5
3M Arena at Mariucci
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
vs
Wisconsin
Photo by: Brady Paitrick
11/4/2026 11:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Gophers enter series unbeaten in last five games
MINNEAPOLIS - The University of Minnesota men's hockey team continues its homestand Nov. 5 and 7 when the nation's top-ranked Badgers make the trip for a Border Battle at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The Big Ten Conference series is sponsored by Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union and is the third top-10 opponent for the Golden Gophers this season.
The rivalry opens Thursday night at 7 p.m. live on Big Ten Network before taking a day off until the finale on Saturday night with puck drop set for 7 p.m. on FOX9+ and streaming on B1G+. Fans can also listen to an audio broadcast of both matchups through the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM / AM-1130 KTLK and iHeartRadio.
Saturday's game is Minnesota's annual "Gold Out" where fans are encouraged to join the team in wearing gold inside 3M Arena at Mariucci. All fans in attendance that night will receive a gold rally towel courtesy of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union.
OPENGATE AND NEW BAG POLICY AT 3M ARENA AT MARIUCCI
New this year, gate entrances will have a consistent security clearance across all Gopher facilities. Please see HERE for prohibited items with the updated bag policy. Additional game day information can be found HERE.
WATCH THE PRIDE ON ICE
Minnesota and FOX9 are continuing their local television partnership for a fourth-straight year that will cover 15 home games across the regular season and exhibition schedule this season. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union serves as the title sponsor for the TV coverage, while the home broadcasts on FOX9 and FOX9+ will again feature a 30-minute Pride on Ice Pre-Game Show presented by Fairview as well as a post-game show recapping the action presented by RBC Wealth Management. The Gophers will also have a mix of 10 home and road games broadcast on Big Ten Network as well as one on FS1 this season.
LAST TIME ON THE ICE
Minnesota picked up three of six possible points during its B1G-opening series against Penn State on home ice, starting with a 1-1 tie Friday before claiming a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday. Javon Moore scored the lone goal in Friday's opener, while Luca Di Pasquo turned aside 28 shots as the Gophers extended their unbeaten streak to four games despite dropping the shootout. On Saturday, Christian Humphreys scored twice and Tanner Ludtke recorded a career-high three points before LJ Mooney buried the game-winner just 17 seconds into overtime. Minnesota rallied without holding a lead until the decisive goal, earning its first conference victory.
HUMPHREYS FINDS SCORING TOUCH
Making his home debut at 3M Arena at Mariucci, Christian Humphreys quickly became a fan favorite by scoring his first three collegiate goals to help Minnesota sweep North Dakota. He kept that streak going by posting another three-point weekend against Penn State with his second multi-goal effort of the campaign. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native net his first two NCAA tallies during the home opener versus the Fighting Hawks, including the eventual game winner, and had a two-goal effort in the Gophers' overtime win over the Nittany Lions. Humphreys now has a team-leading five goals and six points, all of which have been scored during his current, four-game point streak. He ranks 15th in the country for total goals with all five being scored in Gopher victories.
MOONEY'S MAGIC ON DISPLAY
After being held without a goal in his last nine appearances dating back to last season, LJ Mooney snapped the streak in impressive fashion Saturday. The sophomore danced through all three Penn State players in overtime to net the game-winning goal just 17 seconds into the extra session. It was the first game winner of his Minnesota career and first goal of the season.
CULLEN'S HAT TRICK CLAIMS A B1G STAR
Following a breakout, four-point performance to secure the Gophers' sweep of the Fighting Hawks, freshman Wyatt Cullen was named the B1G First Star of the Week. The Moorhead, Minn., native put together a memorable Friday night, recording a hat trick and an assist. His hat trick was the first by a Minnesota player in nearly two years and he is the only freshman to score three goals in a college game this season. After being held to one point through his first five NCAA appearances, Cullen scored the first goal of his collegiate career on the power play to tie the game in the second period before adding an assist on the go-ahead tally five minutes later. He then scored twice in a four-minute span of the third period, with his second of the contest going down as the game-winning goal.
KVASNICKA ON THE RISE
Jacob Kvasnicka opened his NCAA scoring account with a goal on the road at Minnesota Duluth and has continued to make an impact offensively. The Wayzata, Minn., native found the back of the net again Thursday against UND before recording his first multi-point performance in a Maroon and Gold sweater with two assists Friday. The freshman tallied four points over his first six collegiate games.
CAPTAIN ZIEMER BREAKS THROUGH
Coming off a career-high 23 goals a season ago, Gophers captain Brodie Ziemer scored his first goals of 2026-27 in the series finale at Duluth, finding the back of the net twice in the second period. His eighth career multi-goal game helped Minnesota erase a deficit and earn a tie against the top-10 Bulldogs. His offense kept rolling last weekend versus UND where he tallied a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to three games, while his five total points remain second on the team.
HOMESTAND FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Minnesota continues its longest single-season homestand in 3M Arena at Mariucci history against the rival Badgers during a nine-game stretch that runs from Oct. 22 through Nov. 27. The Gophers will look to capitalize on the extended home slate before closing out the 2026 portion of their schedule with two road series. Minnesota will not return to campus until Jan. 2, 2027, when it hosts Bemidji State in an exhibition. The nine-game homestand is the program's longest since a 10-game stretch at Williams Arena from Dec. 2, 1983, to Jan. 7, 1984.
MAKING HOME ICE COUNT
Minnesota has posted a winning record at 3M Arena at Mariucci in 31 of the building's 33 seasons, with the only exceptions coming in 2010-11 when the team finished 9-10-3 and 2025-26 with a record of 7-11-2. Since the end of 2011, the Gophers have built a 198-84-21 home record and recorded double-digit home wins in 14-straight seasons before that streak ended last season. That strong stretch has been fueled by Big Ten success, as Minnesota owns a 43-18-4 record in home conference games since the start of 2021.
AN INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
The Badgers vaulted into the top spot in the national polls thanks to an emphatic sweep of Notre Dame last weekend, winning 7-1 and 9-1, extending their season-opening winning streak to six games. Wisconsin brings the NCAA's second-best power play that is clicking at 40.7 percent after going 7-for-15 versus the Fighting Irish, including six man-advantage goals in Saturday's finale. The team ranks in the top five nationally in both scoring offense (5th, 4.8 goals per game) and scoring defense (2nd, 0.8 goals per game) and have outscored opponents by a 29-5 margin. Vasily Zelenov paces the offense with nine points on two goals and seven assists, while a total of 15 different Badgers have found the back of the net this season. Goaltenders Daniel Hauser (0.67 GAA, .961 SV%) and Alexis Cournoyer (1.00 GAA, .949 SV%) are both a perfect 3-0-0 and combined to allow just five goals against.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota owns a record of 190-105-25 (.633) in the all-time series against Wisconsin in a rivalry that has been played for more than 100 years and are 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings. When facing a No. 1-ranked Badgers squad, the Gophers are 9-15-1 with the last victory coming in December 1985 in a series sweep at home. Both teams swept the opposition on home ice during the season series a year ago. LJ Mooney paced the Maroon and Gold with six points, while Brodie Ziemer had four goals and five points. Goaltender Luca Di Pasquo backstopped the home sweep last February by making 61 saves for Minnesota.
The rivalry opens Thursday night at 7 p.m. live on Big Ten Network before taking a day off until the finale on Saturday night with puck drop set for 7 p.m. on FOX9+ and streaming on B1G+. Fans can also listen to an audio broadcast of both matchups through the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM / AM-1130 KTLK and iHeartRadio.
Saturday's game is Minnesota's annual "Gold Out" where fans are encouraged to join the team in wearing gold inside 3M Arena at Mariucci. All fans in attendance that night will receive a gold rally towel courtesy of Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union.
OPENGATE AND NEW BAG POLICY AT 3M ARENA AT MARIUCCI
New this year, gate entrances will have a consistent security clearance across all Gopher facilities. Please see HERE for prohibited items with the updated bag policy. Additional game day information can be found HERE.
WATCH THE PRIDE ON ICE
Minnesota and FOX9 are continuing their local television partnership for a fourth-straight year that will cover 15 home games across the regular season and exhibition schedule this season. Affinity Plus Federal Credit Union serves as the title sponsor for the TV coverage, while the home broadcasts on FOX9 and FOX9+ will again feature a 30-minute Pride on Ice Pre-Game Show presented by Fairview as well as a post-game show recapping the action presented by RBC Wealth Management. The Gophers will also have a mix of 10 home and road games broadcast on Big Ten Network as well as one on FS1 this season.
LAST TIME ON THE ICE
Minnesota picked up three of six possible points during its B1G-opening series against Penn State on home ice, starting with a 1-1 tie Friday before claiming a 4-3 overtime victory Saturday. Javon Moore scored the lone goal in Friday's opener, while Luca Di Pasquo turned aside 28 shots as the Gophers extended their unbeaten streak to four games despite dropping the shootout. On Saturday, Christian Humphreys scored twice and Tanner Ludtke recorded a career-high three points before LJ Mooney buried the game-winner just 17 seconds into overtime. Minnesota rallied without holding a lead until the decisive goal, earning its first conference victory.
HUMPHREYS FINDS SCORING TOUCH
Making his home debut at 3M Arena at Mariucci, Christian Humphreys quickly became a fan favorite by scoring his first three collegiate goals to help Minnesota sweep North Dakota. He kept that streak going by posting another three-point weekend against Penn State with his second multi-goal effort of the campaign. The Pittsburgh, Pa., native net his first two NCAA tallies during the home opener versus the Fighting Hawks, including the eventual game winner, and had a two-goal effort in the Gophers' overtime win over the Nittany Lions. Humphreys now has a team-leading five goals and six points, all of which have been scored during his current, four-game point streak. He ranks 15th in the country for total goals with all five being scored in Gopher victories.
MOONEY'S MAGIC ON DISPLAY
After being held without a goal in his last nine appearances dating back to last season, LJ Mooney snapped the streak in impressive fashion Saturday. The sophomore danced through all three Penn State players in overtime to net the game-winning goal just 17 seconds into the extra session. It was the first game winner of his Minnesota career and first goal of the season.
CULLEN'S HAT TRICK CLAIMS A B1G STAR
Following a breakout, four-point performance to secure the Gophers' sweep of the Fighting Hawks, freshman Wyatt Cullen was named the B1G First Star of the Week. The Moorhead, Minn., native put together a memorable Friday night, recording a hat trick and an assist. His hat trick was the first by a Minnesota player in nearly two years and he is the only freshman to score three goals in a college game this season. After being held to one point through his first five NCAA appearances, Cullen scored the first goal of his collegiate career on the power play to tie the game in the second period before adding an assist on the go-ahead tally five minutes later. He then scored twice in a four-minute span of the third period, with his second of the contest going down as the game-winning goal.
KVASNICKA ON THE RISE
Jacob Kvasnicka opened his NCAA scoring account with a goal on the road at Minnesota Duluth and has continued to make an impact offensively. The Wayzata, Minn., native found the back of the net again Thursday against UND before recording his first multi-point performance in a Maroon and Gold sweater with two assists Friday. The freshman tallied four points over his first six collegiate games.
CAPTAIN ZIEMER BREAKS THROUGH
Coming off a career-high 23 goals a season ago, Gophers captain Brodie Ziemer scored his first goals of 2026-27 in the series finale at Duluth, finding the back of the net twice in the second period. His eighth career multi-goal game helped Minnesota erase a deficit and earn a tie against the top-10 Bulldogs. His offense kept rolling last weekend versus UND where he tallied a goal and two assists, extending his point streak to three games, while his five total points remain second on the team.
HOMESTAND FOR THE HISTORY BOOKS
Minnesota continues its longest single-season homestand in 3M Arena at Mariucci history against the rival Badgers during a nine-game stretch that runs from Oct. 22 through Nov. 27. The Gophers will look to capitalize on the extended home slate before closing out the 2026 portion of their schedule with two road series. Minnesota will not return to campus until Jan. 2, 2027, when it hosts Bemidji State in an exhibition. The nine-game homestand is the program's longest since a 10-game stretch at Williams Arena from Dec. 2, 1983, to Jan. 7, 1984.
MAKING HOME ICE COUNT
Minnesota has posted a winning record at 3M Arena at Mariucci in 31 of the building's 33 seasons, with the only exceptions coming in 2010-11 when the team finished 9-10-3 and 2025-26 with a record of 7-11-2. Since the end of 2011, the Gophers have built a 198-84-21 home record and recorded double-digit home wins in 14-straight seasons before that streak ended last season. That strong stretch has been fueled by Big Ten success, as Minnesota owns a 43-18-4 record in home conference games since the start of 2021.
AN INSIDE LOOK AT WISCONSIN
The Badgers vaulted into the top spot in the national polls thanks to an emphatic sweep of Notre Dame last weekend, winning 7-1 and 9-1, extending their season-opening winning streak to six games. Wisconsin brings the NCAA's second-best power play that is clicking at 40.7 percent after going 7-for-15 versus the Fighting Irish, including six man-advantage goals in Saturday's finale. The team ranks in the top five nationally in both scoring offense (5th, 4.8 goals per game) and scoring defense (2nd, 0.8 goals per game) and have outscored opponents by a 29-5 margin. Vasily Zelenov paces the offense with nine points on two goals and seven assists, while a total of 15 different Badgers have found the back of the net this season. Goaltenders Daniel Hauser (0.67 GAA, .961 SV%) and Alexis Cournoyer (1.00 GAA, .949 SV%) are both a perfect 3-0-0 and combined to allow just five goals against.
HISTORY WITH THE BADGERS
Minnesota owns a record of 190-105-25 (.633) in the all-time series against Wisconsin in a rivalry that has been played for more than 100 years and are 7-2-1 in the last 10 meetings. When facing a No. 1-ranked Badgers squad, the Gophers are 9-15-1 with the last victory coming in December 1985 in a series sweep at home. Both teams swept the opposition on home ice during the season series a year ago. LJ Mooney paced the Maroon and Gold with six points, while Brodie Ziemer had four goals and five points. Goaltender Luca Di Pasquo backstopped the home sweep last February by making 61 saves for Minnesota.
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