DENVER — Bob Motzko was in his first season as Minnesota head coach when the Gophers played in 2018 U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game in Las Vegas against North Dakota.
“I just remember the North Dakota fans giving it to me leaving the ice sheet,” Motzko said.
Around Thanksgiving 2025 (the exact date has not yet been set), his Gophers will travel to Denver to play the Pioneers in the same game. It’ll be the first time these two teams, which now have a combined 18 national championships, since the WCHA disbanded after the 2012-2013 season.
The Gophers have faced more than 40 NCAA teams since Nick Bjugstad’s third-period goal broke open a 1-1 game in the third as the Gophers cruised to a 5-1 win on March 2, 2013 in Minneapolis.
Scott Slarks / Gopher Sports
“Our fans still love chances for us to play those old WCHA teams any chance we get,” Motzko said.
Denver, meanwhile, hasn’t played in a Hall of Fame game since Dec. 29, 2012 when they hosted and beat Boston University at Magness Arena. The Gophers-Pioneers clash will be at Ball Arena (18,007), nearly three times the size of Magness.
Recent U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame games
- 2025: Minnesota vs. Denver in Denver
- 2024: North Dakota vs. Providence in Grand Forks
- 2023: Michigan Tech vs. Minnesota Duluth in Duluth
- 2022: North Dakota vs. Arizona State in Las Vegas
- 2021: North Dakota vs. Penn State in Nashville
- 2020: ppd. to 2021
- 2019: North Dakota vs. Michigan Tech in Grand Forks
- 2018: North Dakota vs. Minnesota in Las Vegas
- 2017: Wisconsin vs. Michigan Tech in Madison
- 2016: North Dakota vs. RPI in Grand Forks
- 2015: Minnesota vs. Vermont in Minneapolis
- 2014: North Dakota vs. Air Force in Grand Forks
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