Gophers face huge test with BU

It all comes down to tonight: BU vs. Minnesota. The two teams met in Tampa last April in a game that could have been 9-2 in favor of the Gophers. Don’t expect that to be the case this year. This will by far be the biggest test this young defensive core will have faced all season. BU is loaded with top-end talent and boasts four fluent lines. The Gophers, on the other hand, run three deep lines and a fourth line that lacks a pure scoring threat but grinds harder than any other line. The young defensive core is led by Sam Rinzel, who has quietly climbed the points board with a load of assists throughout the season. The Gophers will rely heavily on top-end players named Jimmy Snuggerud and Rhett Pitlick, but none more importantly than goaltender Justen Close, who has been very sharp as of late. If you're not nervous for this evening's game, then I'm not sure what to say. What’s at stake is simple: win and you play in the Frozen Four in your hometown with a chance at redemption. Lose and you graduate an entire line, a top-end goalie, and very likely lose pure goal scorer Jimmy Snuggerud, and wonder what could have and probably should have been over the last several years. The Gophers will look to stifle BU’s transition and the threats of Lane Hutson and Freshman phenom Macklin Celebrini. While it seems tricky, most of BU’s defeats were a result of stopping Celebrini. Last year, the Gophers did a great job stopping Lane Hutson, but this year, you need to stop him and his superstar teammate. When talking to the media, coach Motzko said that this defensive group isn't that much different from last year, while stating that last year's core might have been the best in the history of college hockey. The Gophers look to punch their ticket to their 3rd straight Frozen Four. Curious to see if the Gophers embrace the rare underdog role and come out firing on all cylinders; either way, tonights game should be a dandy.

Gophers defeated BU in the 2023 Tampa Frozen Four 6-2. Photo credits, Boston Herald.