The No. 5 Gopher Hockey program returns to the NCAA tournament this season, earning a No. 1 seed for the Northeast Regional, March 25-26, at SNHU Arena in Manchester, N.H. Minnesota opens up the tournament against future Big Ten foe Notre Dame on Saturday, March 25 at 2:30 p.m. CT. Cornell and UMass-Lowell face off in the opening game of the regional while the regional final is set for Sunday, March 26 at 2:30 p.m. CT.
Gophers Set New Standard for NCAA Tournament
The 2017 NCAA Men’s Ice Hockey Tournament marks the 37th appearance in the national tournament for the Maroon & Gold — the most of any program in college hockey. The Gophers are 55-37 (.598) all-time in the NCAA tournament including five national championships (1974, 1976, 1979, 2002, 2003).
Gophers Make NCAA History
With a 14-5-1-0 record in conference play this season, the Maroon & Gold wrapped up the 2017 Big Ten Regular-Season Championship in the final series of the regular season. The conference title marks Minnesota’s fourth in four years in the Big Ten and sixth-straight regular-season conference title — setting a new NCAA record. Minnesota has won 18 regular-season conference championships in program history — eight of them under head coach Don Lucia.
Sheehy Up For Hobey Baker Award
Sophomore forward Tyler Sheehy has been named one of 10 finalists for the 2017 Hobey Baker Award after a stellar regular season with the Maroon & Gold. Sheehy is the 15th Gopher to be named a finalist for the Hobey Baker Award with four Minnesota players winning college hockey’s top honor (Neal Broten in 1981, Robb Stauber in 1988, Brian Bonin in 1996, Jordan Leopold in 2002). Sheehy currently leads the Big Ten and ranks eighth nationally with 53 points (20 goals, 33 assists) – all three statistics are career highs for the sophomore. Sheehy’s 53 points are the most in a season by a Gopher since Ryan Potulny recorded 63 during the 2005-06 season.
Captain Kloos Hits 150-Point Milestone
Senior captain Justin Kloos continues to climb the Minnesota all-time scoring list and became the 28th Gopher to reach 150 career points (63 goals, 87 assists) last weekend. Kloos leads all active Big Ten skaters and ranks third among active NCAA skaters. His six game-winning goals this season are tied for the NCAA lead. Kloos already has a new career high with 17 goals this season and matched his career single-season high with his 43rd point last weekend. The Gophers are 68-18-9 all-time when Kloos records a point.
Kloos spoke with MNN Sports Director Mike Grimm:
Captain Kloos celebrates (photo courtesy of Gopher Sports)