Michigan
Minnesota
Michigan to Host No. 4 Minnesota for Pair of Top-Five Battles at Yost
12/7/2020 5:36:00 PM | Ice Hockey
THIS WEEK
Tuesday, Dec. 8 -- vs. Minnesota (Yost Ice Arena), 8 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
Wednesday, Dec. 9 -- vs. Minnesota (Yost Ice Arena), 6:30 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network | Live Stats | Live Video | Live Audio
• Complete Game Notes (PDF)
• Social Media: Twitter | Facebook | Instagram
The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team will welcome the No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers to Yost Ice Arena on Tuesday and Wednesday (Dec. 8-9). Tuesday's game is now scheduled for 8 p.m., moved up from its original 8:30 p.m. start time, and Wednesday's contest is set for 6:30 p.m. Both games will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
Due to Big Ten policy currently in place, there is no public access at Michigan athletic events.
Hail From Home
Game days may look different this season, but the tradition of cheering on Michigan ice hockey continues. Hail From Home is our way to virtually bring the excitement of game day to fans. Throughout the season, fans can look forward to a variety of digital engagements including fan cutouts at Yost, game day playlists, Yost scoreboard messages, virtual Zamboni rides, a season ticket giveaway, and more. » Hail From Home
The Series
Michigan and Minnesota will face off for the 288th and 289th times. The Wolverines trail 127-141-9 in the all-time series against the Golden Gophers, but the teams split last season's games, going 1-1-2 with each squad stealing a win at the other's home rink.
Wolverine Bites
• Attempting to close out the season's first half with two strong performances against Minnesota, Michigan will look to upperclassmen Michael Pastujov, Jimmy Lambert, Nick Blankenburg and Jack Becker.
• The Wolverines will be shorthanded this week, having loaned five players -- sophomores Johnny Beecher and Cam York, and freshmen Matty Beniers, Thomas Bordeleau and Brendan Brisson -- to USA Hockey for the U.S. World Junior Championship team, and they have joined the pre-tournament camp in Plymouth, Mich.
• The remaining freshmen, Owen Power, Kent Johnson, Jacob Truscott, Philippe Lapointe and Josh Groll will look to make an impact in their classmates' absence. As a group, the newcomers have paced the team offensively. Up front, Thomas Bordeleau (three goals, seven assists) leads the Wolverines with 10 points, while Johnson (1G, 8A), Brendan Brisson (2G, 5A), Matty Beniers (3G, 3A) and Power (1G, 3A) have been equally impressive.
• Donning the captain's "C" for Michigan, Strauss Mann has continued the strong play that earned him the 2019-20 Big Ten Goaltender of the Year Award. This season, his 1.99 goals-agaonst average and .923 save percentage have been a steadying presence. He is tied for sixth in program history with seven shutouts.
Scouting the Golden Gophers
Battling WJC-related attrition like the Wolverines, the Golden Gophers will be without three of their stellar defensemen -- sophomores Jackson LaCombe and Ryan Johnson, and freshman Brock Faber -- for this series. Players like Robbie Stucker and Carl Fish along with Ben Brinkman, if healthy, will look to fill in the gaps left in the wake of World Juniors. At forward, Scott Reedy has paced the team with five goals and seven points in six games, while Sammy Walker, Sampo Ranta, Brannon McManus, Ben Meyers and Blake McLaughlin have all contributed early.
Minnesota will look to a familiar face in between the pipes, with former Wolverine Jack LaFontaine leading the team after being named an alternate captain. LaFontaine recently was named as the National Goaltender of the Month in recognition of his strong 6-0 start.
Up Next
The Minnesota series ends the first half of the Michigan ice hockey season. The remainder of the schedule will be released at a later date.
