Michigan Set to Travel to Minnesota for B1G Quarterfinal Round

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The No. 6 seed University of Michigan ice hockey team (13-14-7) will travel to No. 3 seed Minnesota (16-15-4) for the quarterfinal round of the Big Ten Hockey Tournament (March 8-10).

The Minnesota Series

Michigan and Minnesota will meet for the 282nd time since 1923, with the Golden Gophers holding a 138-126-17 record in the all-time series against Michigan. The two teams first met on Jan. 23 1923, when Michigan fell to Minnesota, 2-0. Minnesota is U-M's second-oldest opponent behind only Wisconsin. In Minneapolis, the Wolverines hold a 48-79-8 all-time record against Minnesota.

Michigan and Minnesota have met twice in the Big Ten Tournament, with both matchups being in the title game. The Wolverines won the most recent matchup, claiming the 2016 Big Ten Tournament championship, 5-3, in St. Paul, Minnesota (March 19, 2016). The previous season it was the Gophers claiming the tournament title with a 4-2 win over Michigan in Detroit on March 21, 2015.

Last season, the Wolverines earned their first sweep against Minnesota since the 2014-15 season, and the first sweep on the road against the Gophers since the 1976-77 season.

The teams last met Dec. 7-8, 2018, on Red Berenson Rink at Yost Ice Arena and split the weekend series. The Wolverines scored in double overtime to claim the extra Big Ten point, after playing to a 2-2 tie in the series opener. The following evening, after a Michigan goal was disallowed with minutes left in the third period, the Gophers scored with 1:41 left in regulation to earn a 4-3 win. Michigan had outshot Minnesota, 53-28.

The two teams met again in February, with Michigan earning a 4-2 win on Feb. 1 in Minneapolis. The Gophers claimed a 4-3 win on Feb. 2 to earn a weekend split and claim the Mariucci/Renfrew Trophy for winning the season series.

Scouting the Golden Gophers

The Golden Gophers are led by first-year head coach Bob Motzko, who spent the last 13 seasons behind the bench at St.Cloud State. While coaching the Huskies, Motzko went to eight NCAA tournaments including a Frozen Four appearance in 2013.

Minnesota enters the tournament as the No. 3 seed, finishing the season with an 11-10-3-0 conference record to go along with an overall mark of 16-15-4.

The Gophers come into the weekend having won five of their last six games, including weekend sweeps over No. 2 Ohio State (Feb. 15-16) and No. 12 Arizona State (March 1-2).

Leading Minnesota

Minnesota is led by sophomore Rem Pitlick, who leads the team in points (41) and goals (19). Senior captain Tyler Sheehy follows in total points (38) and leads the squad with 27 assists.

Fellow senior captain Brent Gates Jr. comes into the weekend after being named the Big Ten Second Star of the Week. Gates tied the league lead in points over last weekend with four (one goal, three assists) to help the Gophers to a weekend split against ASU. He has set career highs in points (30) and assists (17).

In net, junior Mat Robson has played in 28 games, sporting a 2.93 goals-against average and .918 save percentage to go with his 12-11-4 season record. Senior Eric Schierhorn has played in 11 games, recording a 2.50 goals-against average, .901 save percentage and a 4-4-0 season record.

Lambert Leads the Way

Freshman forward Jimmy Lambert recorded two multi-point games last weekend in Wisconsin and tied the league lead in points over the weekend with four (two goals, two assists). The Saskatoon, Canada, native tallied a goal and an assist in each game (March 1-2) and now leads all U-M rookie scorers with 13 points (six goals, seven assists).

Quinn-tesential Blue-liner

Sophomore defenseman Quinn Hughes has tallied 33 points (five goals, 28 assists) this season, which is the sixth-highest point total of any defenseman in the NCAA. He is third among all blue-liners in assists and ranks tied for fifth amongst all skaters in the country (second in the Big Ten).

Locked In

Junior forward Will Lockwood leads Michigan with 15 goals, while his 30 points are the second most on the team behind Hughes. Lockwood is tied for eighth for goals in the Big Ten. He is riding a team-leading seven-game point streak, while recording points in 12 of his last 13 games. Over the 13-game span, he has recorded 14 points (nine goals, five assists).

Pasta Time

Junior Nick Pastujov comes into the weekend riding a three-game point streak. The Bradenton, Florida, native recorded a goal and an assist in last weekend's matchups in Wisconsin. He has recorded career highs in points (23), goals (11) and assists (12). Nick's younger brother, sophomore forward Michael Pastujov tallied three assists last weekend and also has set career highs in games played (29), goals (eight), assists (nine) and points (17).

Manning the Net

Freshman netminder Strauss Mann recorded a career-high 34 saves last Friday (March 1) at Wisconsin. Mann has started three of the last four games in net and has appeared in 19 games on the season.

Offensive Defensemen

The defensive duo of sophomore Quinn Hughes and senior Joseph Cecconi have a combined 53 points, the highest point total amongst Big Ten defensive pairings.

Winning the Draw

The Wolverines have won 51.5 percent of their draws, going 1,111-1,072 in the circle. Junior Nick Pastujov and redshirt sophomore Luke Morgan lead the team with 56.5 percent and 54.9 percent rates, respectively.

Creating Chances

Michigan has taken 1,224 shots on goal, which is the second most in the country behind Penn State (1,3074). U-M ranks second behind the Nittany Lions (40.41) with 36.00 shots on goal per game. U-M has outshot its opponent in 25 games this season, including all four games against Minnesota. Overall, Michigan outshot the Gophers, 170-112, in the four contests.