Canisius hockey heads to Fargo, will face No. 1 Minnesota in the NCAA Tournament

Canisius College’s hockey team will take on the top-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers in the first round of the NCAA Tournament.

The Golden Griffins, who finished their regular season with an impressive 24-11-5 record, will travel to Fargo, North Dakota for the NCAA tournament. Canisius earned the 15th seed in the tournament and will face the No. 1 seeded Golden Gophers Thursday night.

Canisius head coach Trevor Large said his team is excited to compete against one of the top programs in the country.

“We are confident in the preparation we have put in all season and are looking forward to the opportunity to compete against the No. 1 team in the country,” said Large. “We know it will be a difficult task, but we’re confident in our abilities and look forward to the challenge.”

Canisius has had a successful season, winning the Atlantic Hockey regular season championship and the conference tournament. The Golden Griffins are led by senior forward Nick Hutchison, who leads the team in goals with 14.

The Golden Gophers, who are making their ninth NCAA tournament appearance, are the top seed in the tournament and are 28-7-6 overall. Minnesota is led by forward Rem Pitlick, who leads the team with 39 points (18 goals, 21 assists).

The winner of the Canisius-Minnesota game will play the winner of the No. 8 seed Notre Dame versus No. 9 seed Michigan Tech game in the second round of the tournament Saturday.

The Golden Griffins are hoping to continue their successful season against the Golden Gophers and advance in the NCAA tournament.

“We have worked hard to get to this point and are excited to compete against one of the top teams in the country,” said Large. “It will be a difficult test, but we feel confident in our ability to play hard and compete.”