Pregame Blog: Minnesota-Wisconsin Friday Line Combinations, TV, Radio & More

#14 Wisconsin (9-6-2, 3-2-1-0 Big Ten) at #7 Minnesota (9-6-1, 3-4-1-1 Big Ten)

Date: Friday December 1st
Time: 7:00 pm CT
Location: 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, MN
TV: Fox Sports North PLUS
Radio: 1130 KTLK AM in Twin Cities
Stream: BTN2Go/Fox Sports Go/TSN Go
Nate is covering for tonight: Everyone

Preview: Gophers trying to get more quality shots on goal and rebounds

Pregame Reading: Rem Pitlick's inch-by-inch journey from "little peanut" to Gophers' leader scorer, by Eric Vegoe (The Athletic) 

Note: You can follow me on Twitter @gopherstate for live, in-person coverage.

Line Combinations

The lines...well they've been blown up real good.

Minnesota shook up most of its pairings after a weekend where the Gophers failed to score a goal at even strength. Darian Romanko gets moved up to an all-new second line as a winger along with Tommy Novak and Leon Bristedt. Jack Ramsey and Brent Gates join Mike Szmatula on the third line while Scott Reedy gets a chance to center on the fourth.

Joey Marooney gets in for the first time since October 20th (a span of 11 games), replacing Ryan Norman. Jack Glover starts in place of Sam Rossini.

One constant is Rem Pitlick and Casey Mittelstadt remaining together. Head coach Don Lucia mentioned earlier in the week that he might split up the two after being together all season, however, they will have at least one more game. Lucia has placed Tyler Sheehy with them.

The three were on the same line twice this season, against North Dakota and Clarkson, when Reedy was out with an injury. (Mittelstadt missed the second North Dakota game to break up the pairing.)

According to Wisconsin State Journal beat writer Todd Milewski, the Badgers are icing the same lineup as it did last Sunday against Mercyhurst. This means both Hurley brothers (UW's Cullen and MN's Connor, out due to transferring) will be watching. Other people to watch include leading scorer Ryan Wagner, Boston Bruins first round pick Trent Frederic and Cameron Hughes. Freshman Tarek Baker was once a Minnesota commit.

Kyle Hayton is expected to start.

University of Minnesota Golden Gophers

Forwards
Rem Pitlick (#15) - Casey Mittelstadt (#21) -  Tyler Sheehy (#22)

Darian Romanko (#26) - Tommy Novak (#17) - Leon Bristedt (#18)

Brent Gates Jr. (#10) - Mike Szmatula (#9) - Jack Ramsey (#16) Brannon McManus (#7) - Scott Reedy (#19) - Joey Marooney (#12)

Defense
Ryan Lindgren (#5) - Jack Sadek (#2)
Steve Johnson (#4) - Tyler Nanne (#29)
Ryan Zuhlsdorf (#20) - Jack Glover (#3)

Goaltenders
Eric Schierhorn (#37)
Brock Kautz (#1)
Nick Lehr (#34)

University of Wisconsin Badgers

Forwards

Seamus Malone (#18) - Cameron Hughes (#19) - Will Johnson (#17)

Ryan Wagner (#13) - Tarek Baker (#16) - Linus Weissbach (#9)

Matthew Freytag (#15) - Trent Frederic - Sean Dhoogie (#24)

Jason Ford (#21) - Jarrod Zirbel (#8) - Jason Dhoogie (#23)

Defense

Peter Tischke (#6) - Josh Ess (#20)

Wyatt Kalynuk (#2) - Jake Linhart (#10)

Tyler Inamoto (#5) - Tim Davison (#26)

Goaltenders

Jack Berry (#1)

Kyle Hayton (#33)

Johan Blomquist (#35)

Italics indicates starter