Gopher men’s hockey preps for season opener vs NCAA-newcomer Lindenwood

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The Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the most storied programs in the history of NCAA hockey. To open the 2022-23 season, they will host a team with no history in NCAA hockey.

Lindenwood makes its Division I debut this weekend at Mariucci Arena, making the leap from club hockey to the NCAA’s top division.

The Gophers enter the season coming off a trip to the NCAA Frozen Four and have a promising mix of returning veterans and highly-touted freshmen.

Vets like Brock Faber, Ryan Johnson and Matthew Knies all could have opted to leave school to begin their pro career. They’ve returned to try to take two more steps after last year’s campaign ended in the National Semifinals.

Eleven freshmen – including first round NHL draft picks Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud – fill the spots of the eleven players from last year’s team who departed.

Click the video box on this page to watch conversations with co-captains Brock Faber and Ryan Johnson, as well as head coach Bob Motzko