Michigan
Providence
Michigan to Open 2023-24 Season Hosting No. 18 Providence
10/4/2023 3:32:00 PM | Ice Hockey
Promotions
vs. Providence
• Oct. 7 -- Come take a photo  Big Ten Championship trophy on the concourse!
• Oct. 8 -- Wolverine Kids Club Day
ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 5-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team opens the 2023-24 season this weekend hosting No. 18 Providence in a two-game series at Yost Ice Arena. Puck drop is slated for 7 p.m. on Saturday (Oct. 7) and 4 p.m. on Sunday (Oct. 8). Saturday's game will be streamed live on B1G+, while Sunday's series final will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.
Notes
• Michigan and Providence have played each other just three times in program history, with Michigan holding a 3-0 record in the all-time series. The Wolverines won a 3-2 game in the semifinal of the 1964 NCAA Tournament, won 6-3 in an early season tournament in Omaha in 2001 and most recently won a 6-0 game at Joe Louis Arena in 2007.
• Michigan is unbeaten in its last four season openers, having defeated Lindenwood 7-4 in 2002, Lake Superior 6-1 in 2001, Arizona State 8-1 in 2020 and a 1-1 tie with Clarkson in 2019. The last season opening loss was a 5-2 decision to Vermont that opened the 20018-19 season.
• Thirteen Wolverines made the scoresheet in last Saturday's 8-1 exhibition win over Simon Fraser, and five had multi-point games. Defenseman Seamus Casey led the way with a five-point outing with a goal and four helpers. He was one of two defensemen selected first team all-College Hockey News.
• T.J. Hughes was excellent at the faceoff dot against Simon Fraser, going 11-for-12, winning 91.7 percent of his draws. Frank Nazar III won 76.9 percent (10 of 13) and Mark Estapa went 6-for-10. Michigan's power play went 1-for-4 last weekend with the penalty kill going a perfect 4-for-4 with a short-handed goal.
• Jake Barczewski made 11 saves on 11 shots in just over 30 minutes of ice time last weekend. Noah West stopped seven of eight in just under 30 minutes. The pair are expected to continue to battle for the starting role or share the duties.
• The Wolverines return 17 lettermen from last year's squad and lost 10 players including Hobey Baker Award winner Adam Fantilli and All-American defenseman Luke Hughes. U-M brings in four freshmen, two transfers and four graduate transfers.
• Senior Jacob Truscott was named the captain of Team 103. Alternate captains include Dylan Duke, Ethan Edwards, Philippe Lapointe and Marshall Warren.
• Michigan led the nation in scoring offense last season, averaging 4.20 goals per game. The Wolverines return 43.8 percent of their scoring after losing the top three scorers in Fantilli (65 pts), Hughes (48 points) and Mackie Samoskevich (43 pts). The team returns four 30-point scorers, including Rutger McGroarty (39 pts), Gavin Brindley (38 pts), T.J. Hughes (36 pts) and Duke (32 pts). Compared to the other teams in the NCAA, Michigan ranks third in the most goal production returning to the roster from last season with 96.
• The Wolverines were selected by Big Ten coaches to finish second in the annual preseason poll. Brindley and Casey were named to the preseason all-Big Ten first team, McGroarty and Nazar were named to the second team and Duke is an honorable mention.
• Warren enters the season ranked third among active career leaders in goals by a defenseman with 20, and is seventh in career points with 57. His five career game-winning goals rank him second in the nation among active defensemen. He enters the game with 130 games under his belt and a +32.
• Truscott ranks third in the nation and first in the conference in on-ice rating for an active defenseman. He has a +42. Former Wolverine Keaton Pehrson, using his final year of eligibility at North Dakota, is eighth at a +34, Warren is right behind with a +32.
• Barczewski is the nation's leader in saves, as he enters his fifth season and first at Michigan with 2,719 career saves. He has played in 100 games, the second most in the nation and most in the Big Ten his 44 career wins is the second most in the nation behind Blake Pietila (Michigan Tech).
