The 2024-25 University of Minnesota men’s hockey season is here and the No. 6/5 Gophers head west to kick off the year at the Ice Breaker Tournament at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. Puck drop for the opener is slated for 9:30 p.m. (CT) versus the Falcons of Air Force in game two of the action as UMass and Omaha battle in the event’s first game at 6 p.m. (CT).
LAST TIME OUT
Minnesota unofficially opened its 2024-25 campaign on the road at St. Cloud State last Saturday with an exhibition tilt against the No. 16-ranked Huskies. The Gophers scored the game’s final five goals to secure a 5-1 victory. Five different players found the back of the net for the Maroon and Gold, including the hometown kid, August Falloon, playing in St. Cloud for the first time since his prep days. Connor Kurth and Brodie Ziemer posted multi-point efforts with two assists each and were two of the team’s 11 skaters that reached the scoresheet. Nathan Airey and Liam Souliere split the minutes in goal for Minnesota and held SCSU to just one goal.
BOB ON TEAM’S EXHIBITION WIN
SUCCESSFUL STARTS
The Maroon and Gold have consistently found success to begin a campaign, holding a 64-37-2 all-time record in the first game of the year. That total includes a 31-18-2 mark away from home following last year’s overtime win over St. Thomas. The Gophers have even more success in their home openers behind a record of 69-31-3, which contains a 21-8-2 mark in home openers at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
BREAKING THE ICE
Minnesota will make its sixth all-time appearance in the Ice Breaker Tournament and first since 2017 when it opens the season Oct. 11-12. The Gophers hold an 8-2 all-time record in the event and have won three titles, all of which happened in three-consecutive trips in 2007, 2013, and 2014. Six of the 10 games played by the Maroon and Gold have been decided by one goal, while the team has picked up three shutout victories, coming against Mercyhurst (6-0 in 2013 at 3M Arena at Mariucci), RPI (3-0 in 2014 at Notre Dame), and Union (2-0 in 2017 at Minnesota Duluth). The Ice Breaker Tournament, which began in 1997, traditionally marks the beginning of the men’s hockey season and brings together four teams, typically from different conferences. The Gophers previously hosted the event at 3M Arena at Mariucci in 1998 and 2013.
BACK UNDER THE BRIGHT LIGHTS
For the first time since 2018, the Gophers are making a return to the Entertainment Capital of the World when they open the 2024-25 campaign at Orleans Arena in Las Vegas, Nev. It’s Minnesota’s second trip to Orleans Arena as the venue showcased college hockey in front of a capacity crowd during the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game between the Maroon and Gold and rival North Dakota. Las Vegas has since become a standout hockey destination, aided by the Golden Knights winning the Stanley Cup in 2023 and hosting the 2024 NHL Entry Draft over the summer at Sphere.
STARTING IN SECOND
Following its back-to-back Big Ten Conference regular season titles in 2021-22 and 2022-23, Minnesota finished in third place in the league standings a year ago. With a league-leading six B1G titles already under their belt, the Gophers are looking to get back to the top of the conference this season and were picked to place second in the preseason poll as voted upon by the B1G’s seven head coaches. Defending champion Michigan State holds the top honor after claiming its first-ever regular season and tournament titles last season.
B1G PRESEASON HONORS TO FOUR
Four players representing the Maroon and Gold were recognized by the league’s head coaches and named to one of the Preseason All-B1G Teams for 2024-25. Jimmy Snuggerud was a unanimous selection to the All-B1G First Team where he was joined by Sam Rinzel. Mike Koster and newcomer Matthew Wood earned spots on the All-B1G Second Team.
HISTORY WITH THE FALCONS
Minnesota and Air Force have only met three times in program history with the Maroon and Gold holding an unbeaten, 2-0-1 (.833) all-time record. The teams last met in 2012 when the fourth-ranked Gophers claimed a 4-0 shutout to open the Mariucci Classic on Dec. 29. Minnesota also hosted the Falcons at the 2008 Dodge Holiday Classic, a game that finished in a 2-2 tie. The first meeting came in 2007 at the NCAA West Regional at Pepsi Center in Denver, Colo., and the Gophers picked up a 4-3 victory to advance to the regional final.
INSIDE LOOK AT AIR FORCE
The Falcons are coming off a series split at home versus No. 20 Arizona State last weekend, using a 4-3 come-from-behind, overtime win Saturday to bounce back after an 8-1 setback in their season opener Oct. 4. Clayton Cosentino and Brendan Gibbons combined to score all five Air Force goals during the series, recording three and two goals, respectively. Goaltender Guy Blessing started both outings, but was pulled in the third period Friday, and has allowed eight goals on 49 shots. As a team, the Falcons gave up three shorthanded goals and two power-play tallies against the Sun Devils in Friday’s opener.
READY FOR THE ROAD
Minnesota opens the season with five of its first six games away from home, but after its season-opening trip to the Ice Breaker Tournament in Las Vegas, Nev., play the next four games inside state lines. Following their trip west, the Gophers travel north to Duluth, Minn., for a weekend series against the Bulldogs Oct. 18-19 before their home opener Oct. 25 versus St. Thomas. The series with the Tommies ends with a Saturday night tilt at Xcel Energy Center, a rematch of last year’s season opener that had more than 11,000 fans in attendance.
DRAFTED THE SWEET 16
The Gophers have more NHL draft picks on their roster than any other NCAA hockey program in 2024-25. Minnesota’s 16 players are the most for the team since 2011-12 when it had 17. From that roster more than a decade ago, four players (Nick Bjugstad, Travis Boyd, Erik Haula, Justin Holl) are still playing in the NHL. This year’s roster features four first-round selections in Matthew Wood (15th overall), Oliver Moore (19th overall), Jimmy Snuggerud (23rd overall), and Sam Rinzel (25th overall). Minnesota has had the most all-time draft selections (242) by any NCAA men’s hockey program after adding three over the summer. At least one Gopher has been drafted in 50 of the last 51 NHL Entry Drafts dating back to 1974, with 2001 being the only exception.
SEEKING THE NATIONAL SPOTLIGHT
Minnesota’s win over Omaha in the 2024 NCAA Sioux Falls Regional opener last season was the program’s 62nd all-time victory in the NCAA Tournament, the most of any college hockey program. The Gophers own a 62-42 record (.596) in 41 trips to the national stage since 1953 and have made four-consecutive appearances. Under the guidance of head coach Bob Motzko, the Maroon and Gold own a mark of 7-4 in the postseason event, including at least one win in each of the last four years.
RETURNING PRODUCTION
Minnesota brings back nearly 60 percent of its goal scoring from a season ago, led by a trio that all reached double digits. Jimmy Snuggerud paced the Gophers in 2023-24 and put up 20-plus goals in back-to-back campaigns, while Aaron Huglen and Brody Lamb added 13 and 12 goals, respectively. Those three also combined to tally 14 of the team’s 19 returning game-winning goals. Minnesota has 11 different players back in the lineup that finished last year with double-digit points, including seven that had more than 20.
(info and stock photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)
