Gophers Men’s Hockey Series Preview Against Michigan: Broadcast Information and Analysis
Preview by Randy Johnson:
Commencement: This weekend marks the final showdown of the regular season as the Gophers (19-8-5, 12-6-4 Big Ten) and Wolverines (17-12-3, 10-10-2) vie for third place in the Big Ten standings. With Minnesota holding 37 points and Michigan trailing slightly with 34, the Gophers need just two points to secure third place. Their previous encounter in November in Ann Arbor, Mich., saw the Gophers clinch a narrow 4-3 victory in the opener, followed by a 2-2 tie in the finale where Michigan earned the extra point through a shootout win. After a bye week, the Gophers are riding high on a 10-2-1 streak, while Michigan comes off a successful sweep against Notre Dame and holds a 7-5 conference record in the latter half of the season.
Keep an Eye On: This series boasts a remarkable 24 NHL draft picks, with 13 representing the Gophers and 11 the Wolverines. Among them, five are first-round picks, including forwards Jimmy Snuggerud and Oliver Moore, as well as defenseman Sam Rinzel for the Gophers, and forwards Rutger McGroarty and Frank Nazar III for Michigan.
Outlook: Discipline will be crucial for the Gophers to avoid the penalty box, as they currently hold the lowest average penalty minutes per game in the nation at 6.6. Meanwhile, Michigan boasts the nation’s leading power play with a remarkable 35% success rate (42-for-120). Spearheaded by forwards Gavin Brindley (20-22-42) and Rutger McGroarty (12-28-40), Michigan demonstrates formidable offensive strength, averaging 4.28 goals per game, ranking third nationally, and boasting six players with 30 or more points.
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