No. 6 Minnesota (9-4-1 overall, 3-2-1-1 B1G) vs No. 4 Notre Dame (10-3-1 overall, 4-0-0 B1G)
Date: Friday, Nov. 24, 2017
Location: Compton Family Ice Arena | South Bend, Ind.
Puck Drop: 6:30 p.m. CT
TV: NBC Sports Network
Stream: NBCSports.com | TSNGO
Radio: 1130 KTLK AM | 103.5 FM | Listen Online
Date: Saturday, Nov. 25, 2017
Location: Compton Family Ice Arena | South Bend, Ind.
Puck Drop: 6:00 p.m. CT
TV: FOX Sports North PLUS
Stream: NBCSports.com
Radio: Hot 102.5 FM | Listen Online (Full Game)
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
It’s a monster conference matchup as No. 6 Minnesota heads to South Bend to take on No. 4 Notre Dame.
The Gophers hold a 27-16-3 edge in the all-time series, and even have a 7-6-1 advantage in South Bend. Unfortunately, the last time the two teams met, Notre Dame ended Minnesota’s season; a 3-2 game last March.
The Irish come into the weekend as hot as any team in the country. ND has won their last seven games, tied with Boston College for the longest current winning streak in the nation.
Senior Jake Evans has been dominant during that stretch, posting two goals and eight assists during the week streak. Evans paces the Irish in goals (5), assists (16), and points (21) on the year.
Notre Dame has a pair of skilled defensemen putting up points. Jordan Gross and Bobby Nardella are tied for the league lead in points by a defenseman with 13.
Gross, a Maple Grove native, is one of five Minnesotans on the roster. Tony Bretzman (Mendota Heights), Matt Hellickson (Rogers), Dylan Malmquist (Edina), and Bo Brauer (Edina), are the other three Irish from the State of Hockey.
STORYLINE CENTRAL
A big reason for Notre Dame’s early-season success has been putting up points from the blue line. Jashvina Shaw of College Hockey News looks at ND’s blossoming defensemen.
Tobias Hoonhout of Notre Dame’s student newspaper, The Observer, recaps last weekend’s sweep of RPI.
And here’s some fun highlights of a Gopher sweep over Notre Dame in 2014.
QUOTES
Don Lucia
On the season to this point:
“Some games you’d always like to have back, but splitting at North Dakota, Clarkson has only lost three games this year, two are against us. We knew they would be good this year so those are good, quality wins. Union is at the top of their league in the ECAC, as well. Probably where we’re at right now, the only disappointing thing is we have a couple of overtime losses. You’d rather come away with those games as ties than lose in a five-minute overtime, but that’s what we earned and that’s what we get. It was nice to finally win an overtime game on Saturday.”
On Casey Mittelstadt:
“He’s got those special talents. He’s a very good skater. He sees the ice well. He’s got extremely good hands. Probably the biggest surprise to me, being around him the last few months is how competitive he is. I didn’t realize what a competitive player he is and the will he wants to be successful and the will he wants the team to win.”
Tyler Sheehy
On Notre Dame:
“What’s kind of in the back of our heads right now is that they knocked us out last year and ended our season. That’s gotta be something that we play for, a little bit of revenge I guess. They’re having a great start to their year, they have some top-notch guys. We got to be ready to go when we get down there.”