Taylor Matson

Class:
Junior
Position:
F
Hometown:
Mound, Minn.
High School:
Academy of Holy Angels

2011-12 ? Senior Season: Captained Minnesota to its first MacNaughton Cup since the 2006-07 season ? has set a career high in assists (15) and points (23) ? team is 15-2-1 when he records a point ? made his season debut and played in his first game as team captain against Sacred Heart (10/7) where he had one assist ? won 14 of 17 faceoffs ? scored one goal and took three penalties against Sacred Heart (10/8) ? picked up a goal against Vermont (10/21) ? won 10 of 14 faceoffs at Alaska Anchorage (10/28) ? had two points (1g-1a) including the game-winning goal at Wisconsin (11/12) ? scored first goal of the game against Minnesota State (12/2) ? had two points (1g-1a) against Minnesota State (12/3) ? scored a shorthanded goal with an extra attacker against Northeastern (12/31) ? scored a power-play goal against Notre Dame (1/7) ? had a career-high three assists and was +3 at North Dakota (1/14) ? won 12 of 19 faceoffs at Denver (2/11) ? won 10 of 14 faceoffs at Nebraska Omaha (2/25) ? after finishing his first three seasons injured, he played in his first career playoff game in the first round of the WCHA playoffs against Alaska Anchorage (3/9) ? scored his first goal in 17 games and had one assist against North Dakota (3/25) in the NCAA?West Regional Championship game.

2010-11 ? Junior Season: Skated in a career high 33 games and had a breakout year with 10 goals and three assists ? named the Mike Crupi Most Determined Player for the second straight year ? missed the final game of the regular season and both playoff games against Alaska Anchorage with an injury ? his 33 games were one more than his two previous seasons combined as he battled injuries ? played on the first, third and fourth lines and saw action at both center and wing ? his 10 goals were a career high, as he had three combined goals in his first two years ? finished fourth on the team in goals ? scored a point in 11 of 33 games ? team was 7-3-1 when he recorded a point and 5-2-1 when he scored a goal ? tied for second on the team with two game-winning goals ? second on the team in faceoff attempts (370) and faceoff wins (178) ? made season debut against Massachusetts (10/8) ? had eight points (6g-2a) in a nine-game span from Oct. 22-Nov. 26 after not recording a point in the first four games of the season ? scored his fourth-career goal (10/22), had his fourth-career assist (10/24) and was a combined +2 against St. Cloud State ? named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week on Nov. 2 after the Colorado College series ?scored two goals, including the game-winner, at Colorado College (10/29) ? scored seventh-career goal at Colorado College (10/30) ? won 12 of 15 faceoffs against Wisconsin (11/5) ? scored his fifth goal of the year and eighth of his career against Wisconsin (11/6) ? had an assist at Michigan Tech (11/19) ? won 10 of 13 faceoffs and scored his sixth goal of the season against Michigan State (11/26) ? had one assist against Union (12/31) centering the top line ? had four goals in four games from Feb. 12-25, including two goals and the game-winner at Wisconsin (2/18) ? voted captain for the 2011-12 season by his teammates ? will be the 149th player to assume the role of either captain or assistant captain for Minnesota ? named to the WCHA All-Academic team.

2009-10 ? Sophomore Season: Competed in the first 19 games of the season before suffering a season-ending injury for the second straight year as an ankle injury against Bowling Green (1/2) sidelined him for the last 20 games ? finished second on the team with a plus-five rating ? won the team's Mike Crupi Most Determined Player award ? scored a goal in a win at Minnesota State (12/5) ? gave the Gophers a 2-1 lead midway through the second period in an eventual 3-2 win at Michigan Tech (12/12) ? assisted goals in each game of series sweep over Alaska Anchorage (10/30-11/1) ? recorded an assist in 3-3 tie at North Dakota (10/17) ? named to WCHA All-Academic team ? centered third or fourth line much of the season ? earned his second letter.

2008-09 ? Freshman Season: Played in the team's first 13 games before suffering a season-ending knee injury against Michigan (11/28) ? scored a goal in a 6-2 win over New Hampshire (11/8) ? put a season-high four shots on goal in win over Minnesota State (11/1) ? underwent successful knee surgery on Dec. 15 and resumed skating without contact late in the season ? centered the team's fourth line before his injury ? earned his first letter.

HIGH SCHOOL: Led the Des Moines Buccaneers of the USHL in scoring in 2007-08 with 13 goals and 24 assists in 55 games ? named team's Most Valuable Player ? named finalist for Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award after totaling 36 points in just 13 games at Academy of Holy Angels in 2006-07 ? earned second-team all-state honors in 2006-07 ? named honorable mention all-state in 2005-06 after compiling 28-40--68 in 27 games and helping Holy Angels to a 26-3-1 record and the state Class AA championship ? member of four conference championship teams ? head coach was Greg Trebil ? captained hockey and tennis teams as a junior and senior ? named to USA select national teams the past four years ? selected with the 176th overall pick in the sixth round by the Vancouver Canucks in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft.

PERSONAL: Kinesiology major ? lists fishing, tennis and boating as hobbies ? most memorable sports thrill was winning 2005 Class AA state hockey championship ? son of Scott and Lisa Matson ? born September 16, 1988.