Michigan to Renew Rivalry with Gophers This Weekend at Yost

UPCOMING GAMES
#9 U-M vs. Minnesota	#9 U-M vs. Minnesota
Friday, Dec. 11	Saturday, Dec. 12
7:05 p.m.	8:35 p.m.
TV: Big Ten Network \| Live Stats Live Audio \| BTN2Go	TV: ESPNEWS \| Live Stats Live Audio \| BTN2Go
150th Anniversary Celebration, Commemorative Cup Giveaway	Chuck-a-Puck, Food Gatherers Food Bank

• Complete Game Notes (PDF)

PROMOTIONS

Friday
• 150th Anniversary Celebration
• Michigan Ice Hockey Commemorative Cup (first 2,500 fans)

Saturday
• Food Gatherers Canned Food Drive
• Postgame Chuck-a-Puck

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 9-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team (8-2-3, 1-0-1-1 Big Ten) takes a five-game unbeaten streak (3-0-2) into a two-game series against rival Minnesota (6-7-0, 2-0-0-0 Big Ten) this weekend at Yost Ice Arena. Action starts at 7:05 p.m. Friday (Dec. 11) and 8:35 p.m. Saturday (Dec. 12).

• The Michigan-Minnesota rivalry is a battle between the No. 1 (Minnesota) and No. 2 (Michigan) winningest programs in college hockey. Minnesota is Michigan's second oldest rival, with the first meeting taking place on Jan. 23, 1923 (L, 2-0) at Minnesota. The Gophers have the most wins against Michigan than any other team in college hockey, with a 134-120-15 record against the Wolverines, but Michigan owns a 67-48-7 record at home against the Gophers, including wins in each of the last three meetings at Yost Ice Arena (swept Big Ten home series on Jan 9-10, 2015, last season).

• Both teams were members of the WCHA from 1951-1981, before Michigan left for the CCHA before the start of the 1981-82 season. During that time period, Michigan and Minnesota met in the 1953 NCAA Championship Game, with Michigan earning a 7-3 win over the Gophers for their third straight national title and fourth overall. Michigan head coach Red Berenson played his first collegiate game at Minnesota on Feb. 5, 1960 (L, 6-3).

• Beginning in 1993, the Mariucci/Renfrew Trophy was created as an award for the winner of the annual Michigan-Minnesota game. The trophy is named after legendary coaches John Mariucci of Minnesota and Al Renfrew of Michigan. U-M has won the trophy nine out of the 20 times it has been awarded. Renfrew passed away on Nov. 10, 2014 at the age of 89.

• On March 21, 2015, with an automatic NCAA Tournament bid on the line, Michigan suffered a 4-2 defeat to Golden Gophers in the Big Ten Championship Game at Joe Louis Arena. Zach Hyman and Alex Kile notched second period power play goals for the Wolverines in a game that was tied 2-2 heading into the third period before Minnesota's Justin Kloos scored the game-winner on a power play at 9:29 of the third period. U-M goaltender Steve Racine was outstanding in net, making 29 saves, including 20 saves on 20 shots in the first period. Racine added to his impressive postseason record - he is 7-2-0 with a 2.01 goals-against average and .926 save percentage in nine playoff starts.

• The Wolverines earned five out of a possible six Big Ten points last weekend earning a win (6-4) and a tie (6-6, SO win) against Wisconsin in a wild series with the Badgers. 18 different U-M skaters recorded a point in the series, with Justin Selman (3G, A), JT Compher (2G, 2A), and Kyle Connor (G, 3A) leading the way. The Wolverines rallied from a 3-0 deficit on Friday night to earn the win, and came back from a 5-3 third period deficit on Saturday night to earn the tie. The Wolverines have rallied from deficits of two goals or more in four games this season to earn a win or a tie, including a 5-5 tie at Union on Oct. 23 (trailed 3-1 entering third period), and a 5-3 win vs. Robert Morris on Oct. 30 (trailed 3-1 entering third period). Michigan is outscoring teams 23-10 in the third period of games so far this season.

• Michigan is once again one of the top scoring teams in the nation with an average of 4.38 goals per game (No. 3 NCAA). The Wolverines have topped the five goal mark in 8 of 13 games this season. Last season, the Wolverines topped five goals in 14 games, the most in a single season since 2009-10 (15). Michigan is also No. 2 in the nation in shots on goal per game (37.69), and has topped the 40 shots in four games this season.

• Sophomore defenseman Zach Werenski has been selected for the 2016 U.S. National Junior Team preliminary roster, USA Hockey announced Monday (Dec. 7). The team will participate in the International Ice Hockey Federation World Junior Championship from Dec. 26, 2015-Jan. 5, 2016 in Helsinki, Finland. Werenski is one of 29 players selected to participate in a training camp from Dec. 14-18 at Boston University, followed by an additional camp in Vierumaki, Finland, from Dec. 19-24. The final 23-man roster is expected to be named by Dec. 24. Forty-three Wolverines have played in the World Junior Championship, including 35 for the United States, seven for Canada and one for Sweden. Michigan players have brought home 21 medals (11 gold, four silver, six bronze). Werenski was one of four Wolverines that skated for Team USA at the World Junior Championship last year in Montreal and Toronto. In five games, Werenski notched a goal and an assist with a plus-3 rating.

• Senior forward Justin Selman was named Big Ten Second Star of the Week (Tuesday, Dec. 8). Selman led Michigan with four points and three goals on the weekend, helping Michigan earn five out of a possible six points against Wisconsin to open Big Ten play. On Friday night (Dec. 4) against the Badgers, Selman scored the game-tying goal in the second period as Michigan rallied from an early 3-0 deficit to tie the game at 4-4 en route to a 6-4 win. On Saturday (Dec. 5), Selman had two goals and an assist, blocked two shots, and was plus-3 on the night. He had a hand in all three of Michigan's first-period goals, notching the primary assist on the first goal of the night by senior forward Cristoval 'Boo' Nieves, scoring his first career shorthanded goal at 4:38 of the frame and adding another score at 15:45 of the frame. The three points were the most by Selman in a single game this season. Selman has been honored twice with Big Ten weekly awards this season (Third Star, Oct. 20) and has three career weekly honors.