Michigan to Head to Minnesota for B1G Tournament Semifinal

ANN ARBOR, Mich. -- The No. 4 seeded University of Michigan ice hockey team (20-13-3) returns to Minnesota (22-9-5), the No. 3 seed, on Saturday (March 16) for the Big Ten Tournament semifinals at 3M Arena at Mariucci. Puck drop is slated for 8 p.m. CST, and the game will be broadcast live on Big Ten Network.

Notes

• Michigan swept No. 5 seed Notre Dame in the quarterfinals at Yost Ice Arena last Friday and Saturday (March 8-9), taking 5-4 and 4-3 decisions to end the Fighting Irish's season. Rutger McGroarty and Seamus Casey both had five-point weekends, while T.J. Hughes and Gavin Brindley had four points apiece. Jake Barczewski went 2-0 with 45 total saves.

• Michigan's 4-3 win on Saturday (March 8) gave the program its 20th win of the season. It marked the third straight season U-M has reached the marker and 19th time in the modern era (post 1999).

• Minnesota holds a 152-134-20 advantage in the 101-year series with Michigan. The Gophers went 2-1-1 in the four meetings this season, with the teams splitting the final series two weeks ago in Minneapolis.

• The Wolverines are 4-2 in Big Ten semifinal games and have played Minnesota just one time in that circumstance -- during the 2021 COVID-19 shortened season when all games were played in South Bend, Ind.

• On Wednesday (March 13), Brindley was named a finalist for the Big Ten Player of the Year, while Casey was named a finalist for the Big Ten Defensive Player of the Year. Winners will be announced on live on Big Ten Network on Tuesday (March 19).

• McGroarty is now third in the Big Ten Tournament record books with 14 career points, three from the record of 17, held by Alex Limoges (Penn State, 2018-21). Brindley is fourth with 12 points.

• McGroarty and Brindley reached the 50-point marker last weekend. McGroarty ranks fourth in the nation in points per game at 1.61 while Brindley is ninth at 1.43. Hughes (44), Casey (43) and Dylan Duke (42) follow with 40+ points. Michigan continues to have six point-per-game players including Frank Nazar III at 1.03.

• Casey sits in a first-place tie as the nation's top scoring defenseman. Lane Hutson (BU) and Zeev Bium (Denver) are all at 43 points.

• The Wolverines power play ranks tops in the nation at 35.6 percent, converting on 48 of 135 chances. The program's best power play is 35.8 percent from the 1979-80 season. Michigan is the only program over 30 percent nationally.