2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season
| 2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season | |
|---|---|
 | |
| NCAA Tournament, Regional Final | |
| Conference | 3rd Big Ten |
| Home ice | 3M Arena at Mariucci |
| Rankings | |
| USCHO | #7 |
| USA Hockey | #7 |
| Record | |
| Overall | 23–11–5 |
| Conference | 13–7–4 |
| Home | 14–6–1 |
| Road | 7–4–4 |
| Neutral | 2–1–0 |
| Coaches and captains | |
| Head coach | Bob Motzko |
| Assistant coaches | Steve Miller Ben Gordon Brennan Poderzay |
| Captain(s) |
|
| Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey seasons « 2022–23 2024–25 » | |
The 2023–24 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season was the 103rd season of play for the program and 34th in the Big Ten. The Golden Gophers represented the University of Minnesota in the 2023–24 NCAA Division I men's ice hockey season, played their home games at 3M Arena at Mariucci and were coached by Bob Motzko in his 6th season.
Season
[edit]While Minnesota had only lost a handful of players in the offseason, the top half of the defense had been completely removed. The Gophers were also having to contend with the loss of top prospect Logan Cooley who signed professionaly during the offseason. The addition of two 1st-round draft picks was expected to offset some of the departures. The most stable part of the roster was in goal where Justen Close had returned for his fifth season.[1]
The Gophers needed overtime to take down St. Thomas, but the defense soon righted itself and Close posted consecutive shutouts to get the team the #1 ranking early in the season. A scoring lull at the end of October resulted in three consecutive losses for Minnesota but afterwards the team recovered. From the beginning of November until the end of the season, Minnesota lost only one every four or five games. While the remade defense was nearly as good as it had been the year before, the offense took the biggest dip with the Gophers scoring 30 fewer goals. That, however, did not mean that the Gophers couldn't score, just that the team wasn't about to dominate the competition as much as they had in '23.
Minnesota's schedule was rife with ranked teams and that provided the team some leeway in their record. Even with 9 losses, the Gophers strength of schedule enabled the team to remain in the top-10 for most of the season. By the start of the postseason, Minnesota was 8th in the PairWise and guaranteed a spot in the NCAA tournament. Depending on their performance in the conference tournament, the team could receive anything from a 1st- to a 3rd-seed and they began their title chase against Penn State. The first game resulted in a win for the Gophers, while the team lost in the second game where Close saw 48 shots on goal, leading to a tie entering the third period. The Gophers won the game with just over a minute remaining in the game when Aaron Huglen tipped a Brody Lamb shot.[2]
The semifinal match against Michigan promised to be a barn-burner with two of the nation's #4 offense coming to town. Both teams had already punched their ticket to the NCAA tournament but that would not stop the old rivals from slugging it out with Minnesota looking for revenge against the team that robbed them of the past two Big Ten championships. Against all predictions, Michigan put up a solid defensive effort and for a team that allowed over 3 goals against per game, the Gophers were caught off-guard. Minnesota was unable to respond to the counterpunching style that Michigan was suddenly employing and they found themselves down by a pair entering the third period. It wasn't until Close was pulled for an extra attacker that the team managed to break through. Jimmy Snuggerud's 21st came with 90 seconds left on the clock but Minnesota was unable to get the equalizer and they were bounced out of the conference tournament.[3]
The Gophers ended tied for 6th in the PairWise and received a #2 seed for the tournament. They were sent to the West regional and faced Omaha in the first round. Though the Mavericks were technically the host team, both campuses weren't far away and the Gophers had plenty of fans in attendance. The raucous crowd watched a fairly even game with both teams starting slow before picking up the pace in the second period. Minnesota fell behind twice but Close prevented Omaha from pulling away. in the latter part of the game, Jaxon Nelson turned into the hero. He first tied the match on a one-timer from the slot and then scored the winning goal by deflecting a Bryce Brodzinski shot from the top of the crease. The final four minutes saw a furious comeback attempt from the Mavs but the Gopher defense collapsed around Close and they were able to eke out a 3–2 win.[4]
In the Regional Final, Minnesota faced Boston University, the #2 team in the nation who possessed the top prospect for the upcoming NHL Draft. Despite being the underdog, Nelson and Brodzinski again sparked the Gopher's offense and staked the team to a two-goal lead in the first period. However, BU could not be denied and the lead was cut in half before the end of the period. The Terriers' offense took over in the middle frame, scoring twice in just over 4 minutes to take the lead. Huglen tied the game near the mid point but BU pulled ahead for a second time before intermission. Both teams attacked throughout the third but neither could find the goal. Minnesota was forced to pull Close in their pursuit of the tying goal but that only served to allow two empty-net goals from Boston University and Minnesota's season came to a close.[5]
Departures
[edit]| Player | Position | Nationality | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Owen Bartoszkiewicz | Goaltender |  United States |
Returned to juniors (Youngstown Phantoms) |
| Logan Cooley | Forward | United States |
Signed professional contract (Arizona Coyotes) |
| Brock Faber | Defenseman | United States |
Signed professional contract (Minnesota Wild) |
| Ryan Johnson | Defenseman | United States |
Graduation (signed with Buffalo Sabres) |
| Matthew Knies | Forward | United States |
Signed professional contract (Toronto Maple Leafs) |
| Jackson LaCombe | Defenseman | United States |
Signed professional contract (Anaheim Ducks) |
| Colin Schmidt | Forward | United States |
Graduation (retired) |
| Matt Staudacher | Defenseman | United States |
Graduate transfer to Northeastern |
Recruiting
[edit]| Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nathan Airey | Goaltender |  Canada |
20 | Cochrane, AB |
| Axel Begley | Defenseman | United States |
19 | Mahtomedi, MN |
| Matt Bryant | Goaltender | United States |
20 | La Crosse, WI; joined mid-season from club team |
| Jimmy Clark | Forward | United States |
19 | Edina, MN; selected 213rd overall in 2023 |
| Nick Michel | Forward | United States |
24 | Waconia, MN; transfer from Saint John's |
| Oliver Moore | Forward | United States |
18 | Mounds View, MN; selected 19th overall in 2023 |
| Sam Rinzel | Defenseman | United States |
19 | Chanhassen, MN; selected 25th overall in 2022 |
| Max Rud | Defenseman | United States |
20 | St. Cloud, MN |
Roster
[edit]As of January 30, 2024.[6]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 
|
Justen Close | Graduate | G | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1998-05-20 | Kindersley, Saskatchewan | Kindersley (SJHL) | — |
| 4 | 
|
Mike Koster (C) | Senior | D | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2001-04-13 | Chaska, Minnesota | Tri-City (USHL) | TOR, 146th overall 2019 |
| 5 |
|
Sam Rinzel | Freshman | D | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2004-06-25 | Chanhassen, Minnesota | Waterloo (USHL) | CHI, 25th overall 2022 |
| 6 |
|
Cal Thomas | Sophomore | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-05-08 | Maple Grove, Minnesota | Chicago (USHL) | ARI, 171st overall 2021 |
| 7 |
|
Aaron Huglen | Junior | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-03-06 | Roseau, Minnesota | Fargo (USHL) | BUF, 102nd overall 2019 |
| 9 |
|
Nick Michel | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 1999-03-16 | Waconia, Minnesota | Saint John's (MIAC) | — |
| 10 |
|
Connor Kurth | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2003-07-30 | Lindstrom, Minnesota | Dubuque (USHL) | TBL, 190th overall 2022 |
| 11 |
|
Oliver Moore | Freshman | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2005-01-22 | Mounds View, Minnesota | NTDP (USHL) | CHI, 19th overall 2023 |
| 13 |
|
Garrett Pinoniemi | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2001-07-15 | Mound, Minnesota | Sioux Falls (USHL) | — |
| 15 |
|
Max Rud | Freshman | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2003-09-17 | St. Cloud, Minnesota | Sioux Falls (USHL) | — |
| 17 |
|
Brody Lamb | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2003-08-30 | Byron, Minnesota | Green Bay (USHL) | NYR, 104th overall 2021 |
| 18 |
|
Mason Nevers (C) | Senior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2001-04-03 | Edina, Minnesota | Des Moines (USHL) | — |
| 19 |
|
John Mittelstadt | Sophomore | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2001-10-27 | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | Green Bay (USHL) | — |
| 20 |
|
Luke Mittelstadt | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 2003-01-22 | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | Madison (USHL) | MTL, 197th overall 2023 |
| 22 |
|
Bryce Brodzinski (C) | Graduate | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 2000-08-09 | Blaine, Minnesota | Blaine (USHS–MN) | PHI, 196th overall 2019 |
| 23 |
|
Jimmy Clark | Freshman | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 180 lb (82 kg) | 2004-09-24 | Edina, Minnesota | Green Bay (USHL) | MIN, 213th overall 2023 |
| 24 |
|
Jaxon Nelson (C) | Graduate | F | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 225 lb (102 kg) | 2000-03-30 | Magnolia, Minnesota | Omaha (USHL) | — |
| 26 |
|
Carl Fish | Senior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1999-11-09 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Bismarck (NAHL) | — |
| 27 |
|
Charlie Strobel | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2001-07-09 | Stillwater, Minnesota | Trail (BCHL) | — |
| 29 | 
|
Nathan Airey | Freshman | G | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 2003-04-24 | Cochrane, Alberta | Cranbrook (BCHL) | — |
| 30 |
|
Zach Wiese | Sophomore | G | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 2002-01-02 | Owatonna, Minnesota | Rochester (NA3HL) | — |
| 33 |
|
Axel Begley | Freshman | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2003-12-16 | Mahtomedi, Minnesota | Wisconsin (NAHL) | — |
| 35 | 
|
Matt Bryant | Sophomore | G | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 170 lb (77 kg) | 2003-04-15 | La Crosse, Wisconsin | Minnesota (ACHA) | — |
| 71 |
|
Ryan Chesley | Sophomore | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 2004-02-27 | Mahtomedi, Minnesota | NTDP (USHL) | WSH, 37th overall 2022 |
| 77 |
|
Rhett Pitlick | Junior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 165 lb (75 kg) | 2001-02-07 | Plymouth, Minnesota | Tri-City (USHL) | MTL, 131st overall 2019 |
| 81 |
|
Jimmy Snuggerud | Sophomore | F | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 185 lb (84 kg) | 2004-06-01 | Chaska, Minnesota | NTDP (USHL) | STL, 23rd overall 2022 |
Standings
[edit]| Conference record | Overall record | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | OTW | OTL | 3/SW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | |||
| #5 Michigan State †* | 24 | 16 | 6 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 52 | 92 | 69 | 38 | 25 | 10 | 3 | 147 | 117 | ||
| #11 Wisconsin | 24 | 16 | 7 | 1 | 2 | 2 | 1 | 50 | 81 | 57 | 40 | 26 | 12 | 2 | 128 | 81 | ||
| #7 Minnesota | 24 | 13 | 7 | 4 | 3 | 1 | 0 | 41 | 80 | 65 | 39 | 23 | 11 | 5 | 135 | 100 | ||
| #4 Michigan | 24 | 11 | 11 | 2 | 1 | 1 | 1 | 36 | 85 | 77 | 41 | 23 | 15 | 3 | 169 | 125 | ||
| Notre Dame | 24 | 9 | 13 | 2 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 31 | 66 | 62 | 36 | 15 | 19 | 2 | 101 | 98 | ||
| Penn State | 24 | 7 | 14 | 3 | 0 | 1 | 2 | 27 | 62 | 92 | 36 | 15 | 18 | 3 | 113 | 130 | ||
| Ohio State | 24 | 4 | 18 | 2 | 1 | 0 | 2 | 15 | 50 | 94 | 38 | 14 | 20 | 4 | 100 | 124 | ||
| Championship: March 23, 2024 † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Rankings: USCHO.com Top 20 Poll; updated April 11, 2024 | ||||||||||||||||||
Schedule and results
[edit]| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Exhibition | |||||||||||
| October 8 | 6:00 pm | Bemidji State* | #3 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Exhibition) | BTN+ | Wiese | W 5–2 | 8,289 | |||
| Regular Season | |||||||||||
| October 13 | 7:30 pm | vs. St. Thomas* | #2 | Xcel Energy Center • Saint Paul, Minnesota | Fox 9 | Close | W 6–5 OT | 11,376 | 1–0–0 | ||
| October 14 | 6:00 pm | St. Thomas* | #2 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | W 3–0 | 9,862 | 2–0–0 | ||
| October 20 | 7:00 pm | at #5 North Dakota* | #1 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, North Dakota (Rivalry) | Fox 9, Midco | Close | W 4–0 | 11,616 | 3–0–0 | ||
| October 21 | 6:00 pm | at #5 North Dakota* | #1 | Ralph Engelstad Arena • Grand Forks, North Dakota (Rivalry) | Fox 9+, Midco | Close | L 1–2 | 11,636 | 3–1–0 | ||
| October 26 | 8:00 pm | #14 Wisconsin | #1 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | BTN | Close | L 2–5 | 8,461 | 3–2–0 (0–1–0) | ||
| October 27 | 8:00 pm | #14 Wisconsin | #1 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | BTN | Close | L 2–3 | 10,363 | 3–3–0 (0–2–0) | ||
| November 3 | 7:00 pm | #14 Minnesota Duluth* | #6 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | W 5–1 | 10,739 | 4–3–0 | ||
| November 4 | 7:00 pm | #14 Minnesota Duluth* | #6 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Fox 9+ | Close | T 3–3 OT | 7,345 | 4–3–1 | ||
| November 10 | 6:00 pm | at #8 Michigan | #6 | Yost Ice Arena • Ann Arbor, Michigan (Rivalry) | BTN+ | Close | W 4–3 | 5,800 | 5–3–1 (1–2–0) | ||
| November 11 | 6:00 pm | at #8 Michigan | #6 | Yost Ice Arena • Ann Arbor, Michigan (Rivalry) | BTN+ | Close | T 2–2 SOL | 5,800 | 5–3–2 (1–2–1) | ||
| November 17 | 7:00 pm | #17 Notre Dame | #6 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9, BTN+ | Close | L 2–4 | 9,741 | 5–4–2 (1–3–1) | ||
| November 18 | 7:00 pm | #17 Notre Dame | #6 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | W 4–1 | 9,538 | 6–4–2 (2–3–1) | ||
| November 24 | 7:00 pm | #7 Michigan State | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | T 3–3 SOL | 10,392 | 6–4–3 (2–3–2) | ||
| November 26 | 1:00 pm | #7 Michigan State | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | BTN | Close | W 6–5 OT | 8,494 | 7–4–3 (3–3–2) | ||
| December 1 | 5:00 pm | at #18 Penn State | #7 | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, Pennsylvania | BTN+ | Close | W 4–1 | 6,300 | 8–4–3 (4–3–2) | ||
| December 2 | 5:00 pm | at #18 Penn State | #7 | Pegula Ice Arena • University Park, Pennsylvania | BTN | Close | L 3–6 | 6,421 | 8–5–3 (4–4–2) | ||
| December 8 | 5:30 pm | at Ohio State | #10 | Value City Arena • Columbus, Ohio | BTN | Close | W 5–4 | 4,376 | 9–5–3 (5–4–2) | ||
| December 9 | 7:00 pm | at Ohio State | #10 | Value City Arena • Columbus, Ohio | BTN | Close | T 1–1 SOL | 4,140 | 9–5–4 (5–4–3) | ||
| January 1 | 2:00 pm | USNTDP* | #9 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Exhibition) | BTN+ | Airey | W 3–2 | 10,095 | |||
| January 7 | 5:00 pm | #20 Colorado College* | #10 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | L 4–6 | 9,490 | 9–6–4 | ||
| January 8 | 7:00 pm | #17 Colorado College* | #12 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | W 6–2 | 7,369 | 10–6–4 | ||
| January 12 | 7:00 pm | Robert Morris* | #12 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Airey | W 4–2 | 8,449 | 11–6–4 | ||
| January 13 | 5:00 pm | Robert Morris* | #12 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9+, BTN+ | Close | W 4–1 | 9,475 | 12–6–4 | ||
| January 19 | 7:00 pm | Ohio State | #10 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Fox 9, BTN+ | Close | W 5–2 | 10,037 | 13–6–4 (6–4–3) | ||
| January 20 | 7:00 pm | Ohio State | #10 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | BTN | Close | W 6–3 | 9,594 | 14–6–4 (7–4–3) | ||
| January 26 | 5:00 pm | at #8 Michigan State | #9 | Munn Ice Arena • East Lansing, Michigan | BTN+ | Close | L 2–3 | 6,555 | 14–7–4 (7–5–3) | ||
| January 27 | 3:00 pm | at #8 Michigan State | #9 | Munn Ice Arena • East Lansing, Michigan | BTN | Close | W 5–1 | 6,555 | 15–7–4 (8–5–3) | ||
| February 2 | 7:00 pm | at #4 Wisconsin | #9 | Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin (Rivalry) | BTN+ | Close | W 2–1 OT | 13,498 | 16–7–4 (9–5–3) | ||
| February 3 | 7:00 pm | at #4 Wisconsin | #9 | Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin (Rivalry) | BTN+ | Close | T 1–1 SOL | 15,359 | 16–7–5 (9–5–4) | ||
| February 9 | 6:00 pm | Penn State | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | FS1 | Close | W 3–0 | 10,750 | 17–7–5 (10–5–4) | ||
| February 10 | 3:00 pm | Penn State | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | BTN | Close | W 3–0 | 10,560 | 18–7–5 (11–5–4) | ||
| February 16 | 6:30 pm | Notre Dame | #8 | Compton Family Ice Arena • Notre Dame, Indiana | Peacock | Close | L 1–6 | 5,264 | 18–8–5 (11–6–4) | ||
| February 17 | 5:00 pm | Notre Dame | #8 | Compton Family Ice Arena • Notre Dame, Indiana | Peacock | Close | W 3–2 OT | 5,326 | 19–8–5 (12–6–4) | ||
| March 1 | 7:30 pm | #16 Michigan | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | BTN | Close | W 6–2 | 9,854 | 20–8–5 (13–6–4) | ||
| March 2 | 7:30 pm | #16 Michigan | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | BTN | Airey | L 5–6 OT | 10,564 | 20–9–5 (13–7–4) | ||
| Big Ten Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 8 | 6:00 pm | Penn State* | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Quarterfinal Game 1) | FS2 | Close | W 5–1 | 4,296 | 21–9–5 | ||
| March 9 | 3:30 pm | Penn State* | #8 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Quarterfinal Game 2) | FS2 | Close | W 3–2 | 5,363 | 22–9–5 | ||
| March 16 | 8:00 pm | #11 Michigan* | #6 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Semifinal) | BTN | Close | L 1–2 | 10,336 | 22–10–5 | ||
| NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 28 | 7:30 pm | vs. #11 Omaha* | #7 | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center • Sioux Falls, South Dakota (West Regional Semifinal) | ESPNU | Close | W 3–2 | 5,691 | 23–10–5 | ||
| March 28 | 5:30 pm | vs. #2 Boston University* | #7 | Denny Sanford PREMIER Center • Sioux Falls, South Dakota (West Regional Final) | ESPNU | Close | L 3–6 | 6,113 | 23–11–5 | ||
| *Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Central Time. Source:[7] | |||||||||||
NCAA tournament
[edit]Regional semifinal
[edit]| March 28, 2024 7:30 pm | (2) Minnesota | 3–2 (0–0, 1–1, 2–1) | (3) Omaha | Denny Sanford Premier Center Attendance: 5,691 |
| Game reference | |||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justen Close | Goalies | Simon Latkoczy | Referees: Jeremy Tufts Terrence Murphy Linesmen: Steven Murray Jeff McCorkle | ||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||
| 9 min | Penalties | 4 min | |||||||||||||||
| 39 | Shots | 36 | |||||||||||||||
Regional final
[edit]| March 30, 2024 5:30 pm | (1) Boston University | 6–3 (1–2, 3–1, 2–0) | (2) Minnesota | Denny Sanford Premier Center Attendance: 6,113 |
| Game reference | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mathieu Caron | Goalies | Justen Close | Referees: Cameron Lynch Jason Williams Linesmen: Steve Drain John Rey | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 0 min | Penalties | 0 min | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| 38 | Shots | 28 | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Game summary |
| Boston University began the game on offense, getting several shots on Justen Close in the first few minutes. Minnesota's defense kept the Terriers from getting a great chance for a goal and then started matching BU's effort level. After several near-misses, the Gophers finally got their first shot just before the 5-minute mark. Shortly afterwards, Boston University set up for an extended period in the offensive zone and had several scoring chances but Close kept the game scoreless. Minnesota responded with an attack of their own and Jaxon Nelson twisted his body to fire a sharp-angle shot into the far corner of the goal for the opening score. The pace slowed down afterwards and little occurred over the next several minutes. Coming out of the TV timeout, Minnesota won a defensive zone faceoff and moved the puck up the ice. BU was first on the rubber but they turned the puck over and the Gophers got two great shots on goal. A minute later, the Terriers got their own high-percentage shot after a turnover but Sam Stevens could not get the puck into the goal. The near-miss appeared to reawaken Boston University and the Terriers got back to the same pace they had at the start of the period. The Gopher defense soon recovered and shut down a pair of Terrier rushes. Near the end of the period, Aaron Huglen forced Case McCarthy into a turnover along the wall. The puck was quickly moved to Bryce Brodzinski who shot the puck past Mathieu Caron's glove. After the ensuing faceoff, Quinn Hutson brought puck up the right side into the Minnesota zone and directed the puck towards the Gopher cage. The slow-motion puck seemed to catch Close off-guard and somehow slipped beneath the netminder's pad and was directed into the goal. The Gophers attacked after the fluky goal and were nearly able to regain their 2-goal edge but Caron made several saves to keep his team within one.
After the start of the second, BU wasted little time in getting to the offense. Macklin Celebrini grabbed the puck at the Minnesota blueline and skated to the right faceoff circle. He wheeled around a found a wide-open Shane Lachance at the left circle for a one-timer. Meanwhile, a Minnesota player ended up sliding into Justen Close and prevented the goaltender from getting into position. This allowed the shot from Lachance to easily sail into the net for the tying goal. The Terriers kept the pressure on and, four minutes later, Celebrini made another pass from the right side of the Gopher cage that ended up in the back of the net, this time to Jack Harvey. BU completely dominated the first seven minutes of the period but Minnesota finally got back into the game in the middle of the period. During an extended stay in the Terriers' end, Caron was forced to made several grade-A saves. The Gophers were able to make a line change and keep the pressure until a shot from from Brody Lamb from the right circle. After sliding to his left, Caron was out of the crease as the puck settled in the blue paint. Aaron Huglen found the biscuit at his feet and was able to slap it into the net. In the second half of the period, Jaxon Nelson got a clean break in on the BU cage. While Caron made the save, the puck stayed with Minnesota and the Terrier netminder was forced to make several more stops. BU slowly got back to their game afterwards and continued the see-saw nature of the game. With less than five minutes in the period, Lane Hutson got the puck inside the Minnesota blueline and, after evading a Minnesota defender, skated in an arc down the left side and fired the puck towards the goal. He was apparently trying to find Sam Stevens, who was set up in the goal crease, but the puck hit Close in the left pad and was redirected into the goal. Minnesota took over in the waning minutes and got a good chance on goal but Caron made the save. Minnesota took the initiative at the start of the third and Nelson had a chance to tie the score just 30 seconds in. BU evened out play afterwards and the two teams exchanged scoring chances. Neither team was able to establish a presence in the offensive zone for any length of time, however, and both teams were limited to end-to-end rushes. The Terriers finally got set up near the middle of the period but the Gopher defense kept them mostly to the outside. Minnesota counterattacked and got a few chances of their own but they too were checked closely by Boston University. In the later half of the period, Macklin Celebrini made a third miraculous pass from the right side but this time the shot was stopped by Close. As the play continued, the puck came back to Celebrini but the teenager caught an edge and Minnesota broke up the ice on a 2-on-1. Nelson passed the puck to Ryan Chesley but he fanned on the shot. About a minute later, Hughes got the puck near the Minnesota goal line and had a partially open net to shoot at but he couldn't overcome the steep angle. Both teams remained on an offensive footing and scoring chances were coming from all quarters. After BU iced the puck with about 2 two minutes to play, Close was pulled for an extra attacker. Minnesota could not get set up in the offensive zone and after their second attempt, Case McCarthy cleared the puck 200 feet into the Minnesota cage for a 2-goal lead. With no other option, Close was pulled again and minute later, Macklin Celebrini chipped the puck out of the zone to Sam Stevens and the second empty-net goal sealed the win for BU. |
Scoring statistics
[edit]| Name | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rhett Pitlick | LW | 39 | 19 | 17 | 36 | 14 |
| Bryce Brodzinski | RW | 39 | 14 | 22 | 36 | 18 |
| Jimmy Snuggerud | RW | 39 | 21 | 13 | 34 | 42 |
| Oliver Moore | C | 39 | 9 | 24 | 33 | 8 |
| Jaxon Nelson | C | 39 | 19 | 12 | 31 | 6 |
| Sam Rinzel | D | 39 | 2 | 26 | 28 | 20 |
| Brody Lamb | RW | 39 | 12 | 15 | 27 | 6 |
| Aaron Huglen | C/W | 37 | 13 | 8 | 21 | 21 |
| Connor Kurth | F | 37 | 7 | 14 | 21 | 14 |
| Luke Mittelstadt | D | 38 | 2 | 18 | 20 | 14 |
| Mason Nevers | C | 35 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 12 |
| Michael Koster | D | 33 | 2 | 12 | 14 | 4 |
| Jimmy Clark | C/LW | 39 | 5 | 6 | 11 | 4 |
| Cal Thomas | D | 38 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 8 |
| Ryan Chesley | D | 39 | 2 | 6 | 8 | 19 |
| Justen Close | G | 38 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 0 |
| Charlie Strobel | C | 29 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 17 |
| Garrett Pinoniemi | C | 35 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 2 |
| Carl Fish | D | 38 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 15 |
| John Mittelstadt | F | 33 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 6 |
| Nathan Airey | G | 3 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Axel Begley | D | 14 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Max Rud | D | 20 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 135 | 225 | 360 | 256 |
Goaltending statistics
[edit]| Name | Games | Minutes | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals Against | Saves | Shut Outs | SV % | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Justen Close | 38 | 2233:07 | 22 | 10 | 5 | 88 | 1052 | 4 | .923 | 2.36 |
| Nathan Airey | 3 | 129:54 | 1 | 1 | 0 | 7 | 45 | 0 | .865 | 3.23 |
| Empty Net | - | 11:12 | - | - | - | 5 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 39 | 2374:13 | 23 | 11 | 5 | 100 | 1097 | 4 | .916 | 2.53 |
Rankings
[edit]| Poll | Week | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pre | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 12 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 17 | 18 | 19 | 20 | 21 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 26 (Final) | ||
| USCHO.com | 3 (10) | 2 (18) | 1 (33) | 1 (42) | 6 | 6 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 10 | 9 | – | 10 | 12 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | – | 7 | |
| USA Hockey | 2 (6) | 1 (17) | 1 (23) | 1 (33) | 6 | 5 | 6 | 8 | 6 | 9 | 9 | 9 | – | 11 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 7 | 8 | 8 | 8 | 6 | 8 | 7 | 7 | 7 | |
Note: USCHO did not release a poll in weeks 11 or 25.[9]
Note: USA Hockey did not release a poll in week 12.
Awards and honors
[edit]| Player | Award | Ref |
|---|---|---|
| Jimmy Snuggerud | Big Ten First Team | [citation needed] |
| Ryan Chesley | Big Ten Second Team | [citation needed] |
| Sam Rinzel | ||
| Rhett Pitlick | ||
| Sam Rinzel | Big Ten Freshman Team | [citation needed] |
| Oliver Moore |
2024 NHL Entry Draft
[edit]| Round | Pick | Player | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 3 | 71 | Brodie Ziemer † | Buffalo Sabres |
| 4 | 112 | Javon Moore † | Ottawa Senators |
| 5 | 144 | John Whipple † | Detroit Red Wings |
| 7 | 213 | Erik Pahlsson † | Nashville Predators |
† incoming freshman [10]
References
[edit]- ^ "Big Ten and USCHO announce pre-season Rankings, Big Ten Hockey Honorees". The State News. September 25, 2023. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Highlights: Gopher Men's Hockey Sweeps Penn State in Big Ten Quarterfinals". YouTube. March 9, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Minnesota vs Michigan - NCAA College Hockey - Highlights - March 16, 2024". YouTube. March 16, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Minnesota vs Omaha - NCAA College Hockey - Highlights - March 28, 2024". YouTube. March 28, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "Boston University vs Minnesota - NCAA College Hockey - Highlights - March 30, 2024". YouTube. March 30, 2024. Retrieved May 21, 2024.
- ^ "2022–23 Men's Ice Hockey Roster". University of Minnesota Athletics. Retrieved July 27, 2017.
- ^ "2023-24 Men's Hockey Schedule". Minnesota Golden Gophers. Retrieved September 7, 2023.
- ^ "Univ. of Minnesota 2023-2024 Skater Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved March 7, 2020.
- ^ "USCHO Division I Men's Poll". USCHO.com. Retrieved November 26, 2019.
- ^ "NCAA player rankings, selections in 2024 NHL Draft". USCHO.com. Retrieved June 29, 2024.