Michigan
Minnesota
Wolverines to Travel to No. 9 Minnesota for B1G Showdown
1/11/2017 12:00:00 AM | Ice Hockey
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
THIS WEEK
Friday, Jan. 13 -- at No. 9 Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 8 p.m. CST
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Watch | Listen
Saturday, Jan. 14 -- at No. 9 Minnesota (Minneapolis, Minn.), 7 p.m. CST
Live Stats | Watch | Listen | TV: Fox Sports North Plus
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THE SERIES
The Michigan-Minnesota rivalry is a battle between the No. 1 (Minnesota) and No. 2 (Michigan) winningest programs in college hockey. Minnesota is Michigan's second-oldest rival, with the first meeting taking place on Jan. 23, 1923, (L, 2-0) at Minnesota.
Beginning in 1993, the Mariucci/Renfrew Trophy was created as an award for the winner of the annual Michigan-Minnesota game or series. The trophy is named after legendary coaches John Mariucci of Minnesota and Al Renfrew of Michigan. U-M has won the trophy nine out of the 20 times it has been awarded. Renfrew passed away on Nov. 10, 2014, at the age of 89.
The two historic programs last met in the 2016 B1G Championship last spring in St. Paul, Minnesota, where the Wolverines came out victorious, 5-3.
Last season, the two schools split the two-game series at Mariucci, with the Maize and Blue winning Friday night's contest, 6-2, and then falling in overtime on Saturday, 3-2, to the Gophers.
The win at Mariucci last season snapped a five-game winless streak for Michigan at the home of the Gophers, which dated back to Nov. 28, 2008.
Michigan head coach Red Berenson played his first collegiate game at Minnesota on Feb. 5, 1960 (L, 6-3).
WELCOME BACK COOP
After returning to the team for the second half of the season, sophomore forward Cooper Marody led the team with three assists in the Wolverines' 5-4 OT win over Michigan State on Dec. 30 to claim third place in the 52nd Annual Great Lakes Invitational.
ROOKIE KEEPERS
Freshmen Jack LaFontaine and Hayden Lavigne have seen the bulk of the action between the pipes for the Maize and Blue, totaling 14 starts in the team's 18 games coming into the weekend. Lavigne comes into the weekend tied for third in save percentage in NCAA DI (.937) and ranks 18th with a 2.27 goals-against average.
TONY TIME
Junior forward Tony Calderone has scored six goals in his last eight games and three in his last three games coming into the weekend; he is currently leading the Wolverines with 10 on the year.
LOCKED IN
Freshman forward Will Lockwood recorded a goal in the Wolverines' 5-4 OT win over Michigan State and has now recorded a point three of his last four games. The Vancouver Canucks draft choice heads into the weekend leading the Maize and Blue with 13 points (7g, 6 a).
RED, WHITE AND GO BLUE
Sophomore defenseman Joseph Cecconi captured a gold medal with Team USA at the 2017 IIHF World Junior Championship (Dec. 26-Jan. 5). Cecconi became the 44th Wolverine to have played in the World Junior Championship, including 36 for the United States, seven for Canada and one for Sweden. Michigan players have now brought home 23 medals (12 gold, four silver, seven bronze).
SHORTIES
U-M has registered five short-handed goals thus far, tied for second most in NCAA DI coming into the weekend. The Wolverines have already reached more than half the total from last season (6). Freshman Will Lockwood's two short-handed goals are currently tied for second in NCAA DI.
SHORT-HANDED SUCCESS
Michigan has killed 86.2 percent (81/94) of its penalties thus far, 11th best in NCAA DI. Their 13 goals-against on the penalty kill are also ranked tied for sixth in NCAA DI coming into the weekend.
JUST BLOCKIN' IT
Michigan leads all of NCAA DI in blocked shots per game with 18.5 average heading into the weekend. Freshman defenseman Luke Martin currently is tied for eighth in all of NCAA DI with 46 blocked shots coming into the weekend.
PRO BLUE
Michigan currently has 18 alumni on an NHL roster, which is the most of any NCAA program. Making their NHL debuts are Kyle Connor, Tyler Motte, Cristoval Nieves and Zach Werenski, who were members of last season's Big Ten championship squad.
FOR MATZKA
The Wolverines and the Dekers Blue Line Club hosted an alumni game on Saturday, Jan. 7, against the Red Wings alumni at Yost Arena. Proceeds from the game went towards Scott Matzka, a member of the 1998 national championship team who was diagnosed with ALS in 2015.
UP AHEAD
Michigan will return to Big Ten Conference next weekend in a home and home series with Michigan State. Friday the Wolverines will host their in-state rival at Yost with a scheduled 6:30 p.m. puck drop and then will travel to East Lansing on Saturday night for a 7 p.m. showdown. This will be the second time seeing Michigan State, as U-M defeated the Spartans, 5-4, in overtime at Joe Louis Arena to claim third place in the 52nd Annual Great Lakes Invitational on Dec. 30.
