Michigan to Travel to No. 14 Wisconsin for Big Ten-Opening Series

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The No. 6-ranked University of Michigan ice hockey team plays for its first chance to earn Big Ten points when the Wolverines face No. 14 Wisconsin on Thursday and Friday (Nov. 19-20) at LaBahn Arena in Madison. Both games are set to begin at 6 p.m. CST and will be broadcast both nights on Fox Sports Detroit.

Hail From Home

Game days may look different this season, but the tradition of cheering on Michigan ice hockey continues. Hail From Home is our way to virtually bring the excitement of game day to fans. Throughout the season, fans can look forward to a variety of digital engagements including fan cutouts at Yost, game day playlists, Yost scoreboard messages, virtual Zamboni rides and a season ticket giveaway, and more. » Hail From Home

The Series with Wisconsin

Michigan and Wisconsin will face off for the 154th and 155th times in program history. The Wolverines maintain a 78-62-13 advantage over the Badgers in the all-time series and have won the last three meetings by a combined score of 16-8. In Madison, U-M is 23-39-3. Last season, U-M and UW split the first series (Nov. 30-Dec. 1) in Madison, and Michigan swept Wisconsin at Yost Ice Arena (Feb. 7-8).

Wolverine Bites

• Michigan is ranked No. 6 in the latest edition of the USCHO.com rankings (Nov. 16), up six places from their No. 12 preseason ranking, after a dominating performance over then-No. 15 Arizona State last weekend. The Wolverines outscored the Sun Devils, 11-1, behind a 16-point effort by the freshman class.

• Big Ten Third Star of the Week, freshman Kent Johnson leads all Michigan skaters with five points, tallying his first career goal on Sunday (Nov. 15) after a four-assist night on Saturday (Nov. 14).

In all, the freshman class accounted for 48.5 percent of the team's points on the weekend. Johnson (one goal, four assists), Matty Beniers (2G, 1A), Owen Power (1G, 2A) and Brendan Brisson (2A) tallied points vs. Arizona State.

• Junior goaltender Strauss Mann picked up last weekend where he left off last season, capturing his seventh career shutout and posting a 0.50 goals-against average. He stopped 32 of 33 shots and was named the Big Ten First Star of the Week.

Scouting the Badgers

Wisconsin welcomes six newcomers to their 2020-21 roster, including forwards Sam Stange and Mathieu De St. Phalle. Returning for the Badgers is standout sophomore Cole Caufield, who led the Big Ten in goal scoring last year while tallying 36 points (19 goals, 17 assists). Dylan Holloway (8G, 9A - 17P) helped lead UW to a season-opening sweep on the road at Notre Dame with a two-goal performance last weekend. Holloway will miss the remainder of the first half due to Hockey Canada's extended training camp. On the back end, returners Josh Ess and Ty Emberson pace the Badgers along with senior Tyler Inamoto and graduate transfer Robbie Beydoun in net. Beydoun spent the past three seasons at Michigan Tech, and opened the this season with a shutout of the Fighting Irish.

Up Next

Friday, Nov. 27 -- vs. Notre Dame (Yost Ice Arena), 7 p.m.
Saturday, Nov. 28 – vs. Notre Dame (Yost Ice Arena), Time/Network TBA