No. 4 Minnesota Faces No. 17 Wisconsin in B1G Hockey Showdown

MINNEAPOLIS – The fourth-ranked Minnesota men’s hockey team will host No. 17/18 Wisconsin in a highly anticipated Border Battle series at 3M Arena at Mariucci on Jan. 31 and Feb. 1. The games mark the penultimate home series of the regular season for the Golden Gophers, presented by Flint Hills Resources.

The action begins Friday at 7 p.m., with Saturday’s game scheduled for a 5 p.m. start as part of a “Gold Out” event, where fans will receive gold pom poms. Friday’s game has limited tickets available, while Saturday’s finale is sold out. Fans can purchase tickets through SeatGeek, the official fan-to-fan ticket marketplace of Gopher Athletics.

Both games will be broadcast live on FOX9 and streamed via B1G+, with audio coverage available on the Gopher Radio Network (103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK) and expanded coverage on KFAN 100.3 FM on Friday.

The Golden Gophers are coming off a challenging road series against No. 2 Michigan State, where they managed only one point after a 3-3 tie on Saturday. Minnesota struggled to gain momentum, tying the score five times across the two games but never taking the lead.

Junior forward Jimmy Snuggerud has been a standout performer for Minnesota, earning the B1G First Star of the Week for the second time this season. Snuggerud has scored 11 goals in his last 12 games, including a career-long five-game goal streak. He ranks second in NCAA scoring with 37 points and leads the team with 13 multi-point outings.

Minnesota’s offensive depth has been a key factor this season, with 20 different players scoring goals and 13 reaching double-digit points. The team leads the NCAA with 112 goals and boasts a plus-1.57 scoring margin, the fifth-best in the nation.

Wisconsin, meanwhile, enters the series unbeaten in its last four games, climbing into the top 20 for the first time since October. The Badgers are led by Quinn Finley, who ranks second nationally with 19 goals, and goaltender Tommy Scarfone, who has posted a 2.36 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage.

Minnesota holds a 186-103-25 all-time record against Wisconsin, including a 3-0-1 mark in their last four meetings. The Gophers swept the Badgers in Madison earlier this season, with standout performances from Snuggerud and defenseman Luke Mittelstadt.

As the regular season winds down, both teams are vying for crucial conference points and positioning ahead of the postseason. The series promises to deliver high-stakes hockey as the Gophers aim to solidify their standing in the Big Ten and national rankings.