Minnesota Sports: Weekend Ranked Opponent Preview

We apologize in advance for the lack of previews this week, but it’s been a long one. Instead here is a quick preview on how you can watch #4 Minnesota Gophers hockey take on #5 UMD in a home and home series, #4 Minnesota Women’s Hockey take on #3 Colgate on the road, and #12 Gopher Volleyball take on #14 Penn State and #6 Ohio State at the Pav this weekend!

Women’s Hockey:

The Gophers take on Colgate in Hamilton, New York this weekend. It’s the Gophers first non-conference series since January 5th, 2020 and it will be a massive one with the #4 Gophers taking on the #3 Raiders. Minnesota has not lost in 18 consecutive non-conference games this but this will be a much larger test against a Frozen Four team a season ago. Colgate is a perfect 8-0 headed into the weekend while the Gophers are 3-3 after sweeping Minnesota State last weekend.

Both games this weekend will be available to stream live on ESPN+. Faceoff is 1PM on both Friday and Saturday.

Men’s Hockey:

The Gopher men take on another interstate rival for the second weekend in a row as they will face #5 Minnesota-Duluth in a home-and-home series this weekend. Friday’s game will be at 3M Arena at Mariucci, with Saturday’s finale in Duluth at Amsoil Arena.

Minnesota is coming off of a split with #2 St. Cloud State last weekend with the Huskies winning 2-1 in Minneapolis on Friday, and the Gophers winning controversially 4-3 in overtime in St. Cloud on Saturday. Duluth hosted the Icebreaker Invitational last weekend and also earned a split losing to now #1 Michigan on Friday and defeating Providence on Saturday.

UMD has owned the recent results in the series between these two schools, so you know Minnesota would love to try and pick up a pair of wins this weekend. Friday’s night’s game will air live on Bally Sports North with streaming available on the Bally Sports App and BTN+ ($$). Unfortunately watching Saturday night’s game will be much harder for most Gophers fans. The NCHC controls the TV rights, so the only broadcast will be by UMD’s home crew with the action airing on MY9 in the Duluth market. Comcast/Xfinity members in the Twin Cities will be able to view a simulcast of the action on Chanel 999, but other than that the broadcast will not be available to Twin Cities viewers. You can purchase a stream of the game on NCHC.tv, but it will not stream on BTN+

Volleyball:

Minnesota hosts a pair of ranked opponents this weekend in what could go a long way to breaking up a logjam at the top of the conference standings. The Gophers enter the weekend ranked #12 in the nation and have a 6-2 record in the Big Ten, tied for third place along with both the Buckeyes and Nittany Lions, a half game ahead of 6-3 Purdue. It’s the first two of seven ranked opponents for the Gophers in their final 12 regular season matches.

Friday night it’s the Nittany Lions turn as they head to Minneapolis. The Gophers have won three straight matches and four of the last five against the Nittany Lions. Giving this weekends games an added spark will be this is the first time that former Gopher Adana Rollins will face her old team as she transferred to Penn State in the offseason. Minnesota’s last home loss to PSU occurred in 2017, so they will look to keep that streak alive. The match will began at 6PM and will air live on BTN ad stream on the Fox Sports App.

Sunday afternoon will be the battle against the #6 Buckeyes. Ohio State has flashed this season going 16-2 on the year with their only two losses coming in their first two conference matches of the season at Purdue and at Penn State. Minnesota has won 8 in a row over the Buckeyes, and Hug McCutchon has only ever lost once to OSU. The Buckeyes have not won at Minnesota since 2007, so the Gophers will look once again to hold home court. The match begins at 4PM on Sunday and will air live on ESPNU and stream on the ESPN App,

HOW TO WATCH:

Friday:

Women’s Hockey @ Colgate 1 PM ESPN+

Volleyball vs Penn State 6 PM BTN

Men’s Hockey vs UMD 7 PM Bally’s Sports Northj

Saturday:

Women’s Hockey @ Colgate 1PM ESPN+

Men’s Hockey @ UMD 7 PM My9 (Duluth)/ Comcast Channel 999

Sunday:

Volleyball vs Ohio State 4 PM ESPNU

Go Gophers!