Michigan (8-9-1 overall, 1-3-0 Big Ten) vs. No. 9 Minnesota (11-5-2 overall, 3-1-0 Big Ten)
Date: Friday, Jan. 13, 2016
Location: Mariucci Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.
Puck Drop: 8:03 p.m. CT
TV: Big Ten Network
Stream: BTN2Go
Radio: 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network
Date: Saturday, Jan. 14, 2016
Location: Mariucci Arena | Minneapolis, Minn.
Puck Drop: 7:05 p.m. CT
TV: FOX Sports North PLUS
Stream: BTN2Go, FOX Sports Go
Radio: 1500 ESPN, Gopher Radio Network
INSIDE THE MATCHUP
Historic doesn’t begin to describe this weekend’s matchup. It’ll be the 275th meeting between the Gophers and Wolverines,
In a series between the top two winningest programs in college hockey history, the all-time series is close. The Maroon and Gold hold a 136-123-15 edge in a series that started in 1923.
The last meeting wasn’t great for the Gophers. The teams met in the Big Ten Championship game in March with Michigan coming out on top, 5-3, and ending MInnesota’s season.
Michigan defenseman Joseph Cecconi and Gopher d-man Ryan LIndgren were teammates just two weeks ago on the USA U-20 team. The Americans took gold in a thrilling shootout over Canada.
The bad news is Lindgren brought a case of the flu back from the tournament. Other Gophers caught the bug and it could be a game-time decision if Minnesota has their full line-up on Friday.
This isn’t the same high-powered fans saw last year, but Michigan-native Tony Calderone has found success in the first half of the season. The junior leads the Wolverines with 10 goals in 18 games.
Minnesota hockey fans may notice a familiar name this weekend: Nolan De Jong. The senior was a 2013 Minnesota Wild seventh round draft pick.
STORYLINE CENTRAL
It hasn’t been the start Wolverine fans are accustomed to for their team. With a losing record and a 1-3 mark in the Big Ten, Michigan is looking at how to improve their poor first half. Avi Sholkoff of the Michigan Daily takes a look at where the Wolverines have been, and what they need to do to turn things around.
Lindgren wasn’t the only Gopher to win gold at the World Junior Classic. Grant Potulny was an assistant for the tourney, and took home his second championship as a coach. Nick Kelly with the Pioneer Press has a story about the two winning Gophers.
Here’s a fun video from last season: Hudson Fasching clapping a bomb to top Michigan in overtime.
QUOTES
Don Lucia
On Michigan:
“I really enjoy playing Michigan. They’re always good games. They’re going to play an up-tempo game. They won’t sit back. They’re going to attack. They have a younger team, they got hit hard by five guys leaving last year. Outstanding guys that are playing the NHL. We know how important the games are. We’re sitting in a pretty good spot, but like anything, you have to continue to win games and everything else takes care of itself.”
On how it feels to be playing games again:
“We’ve had two games in almost a month. It’s such a long break. First time we’ve ever had an off-weekend this quickly, first weekend in January. Part of it came at a great time because we didn’t have Lindgren. Zuhlsdorf was sick last weekend, we’ve had some flu go through us. The negative is we don’t have another off-weekend the rest of the year. It’d be nice to have it sometime in February when you maybe get a couple nicks and could use it. We’re anxious to get back playing games.”