Coming into the 2021-2022 season, Minnesota sat at No. 4 in the nation in the rankings. The Big Ten preseason coaches poll also tabbed them as the favorites to win the conference.
The Gophers (21-11) have been getting on a roll in the second half of the season. Minnesota has swept three-straight series to stay undefeated throughout February, defeating Michigan State, Ohio State and Penn State, with the last two series on the road.
Minnesota has put itself in a position to have a chance at winning the Big Ten regular-season title and now sit back at No. 4 in the nation for the first time since the week of Oct. 18. The ranking ties their highest this season.
Trailing Michigan by two points in the Big Ten standings, Minnesota can pull ahead to win the Big Ten if they sweep their final series this season against Wisconsin this weekend and/or get help from Notre Dame, who plays the Wolverines. However, the Gophers will remain in second place in the standings regardless of whatever happens, as Ohio State can’t pass them.
“We got to win Friday night. Whatever scenario happens,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “We’re going to have to scoreboard watch with Michigan at Notre Dame, but there’s no sense in doing it if we don’t take care of Friday … we got to take care of what we can take care of.”
As the Gophers prepare for Wisconsin, their Olympians have returned from Beijing as they arrived in time for game two of their series against Penn State this past weekend.
While freshman Matthew Knies did not return to the lineup after being banged up in Team USA’s Olympic finale, junior co-captain Ben Meyers and sophomore Brock Faber decided to skate in Minnesota’s 6-4 comeback win over Penn State Saturday.
Meyers helped fuel the Gophers to victory after recording three assists in his first game with the team since Jan. 29 en route to the conference naming him the Big Ten Third Star of the Week. He co-leads the team in points with senior Blake McLaughlin at 29 (11 goals, 18 assists) this season.
“It took me a little bit to get into the game. I think Brock said the same thing,” Meyers said. “We [were] just tired with the lack of sleep and the jetlag, but once we got halfway through the game, we settled in.”
As of Tuesday, Motzko said he thinks Knies and junior Jaxon Nelson, who has missed 13 games due to a leg injury, will return to Minnesota’s lineup against Wisconsin. At the same time, he mentioned freshman Chaz Lucius is about 50/50 to make his return from injury.
The Gophers have been battling injuries throughout the season, so everyone has contributed at various points. However, if Knies, Nelson and Lucius can all return this weekend, Motzko will have tough lineup choices to make given how the team’s depth pieces have performed recently, both on offense and defense.
“I’d like to get our full lineup back. We had our full lineup at Michigan State. That was our first [real] game after Christmas. [Since], we have not had our full lineup,” Motzko said. “I’d like to get healthy and stay healthy.”
When the Badgers (9-20-3) come into Dinkytown this week, the Gophers will search to finish their season by continuing to build on their six-game winning streak.
In their first meeting against Wisconsin earlier this season, Minnesota split the series against the Badgers in Madison.
“We got the border battle this weekend,” Faber said. “That’s one you always have circled on your calendar, so it’s going to be special. We’re looking forward to it.”
As Minnesota takes on the Badgers this weekend on Friday, Feb. 25, at 8 p.m. and Saturday, Feb. 26, at 7 p.m., the team will honor its senior class following the regular-season finale. Since the 2007-2008 season, the Gophers are 10-1-2 in regular-season home finales.
“We’re anticipating a pretty good crowd,” Motzko said. “There’s going to be excitement in the building this week. This is a big series and it’s Wisconsin. That’s exciting.”
