Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off https://www.holidayfaceoff.com College Hockey's Premier In-Season Tournament Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:09:12 +0000 en hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.4.8 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/08/cropped-KT-HolidayFace-Off_Logo_B-32x32.png Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off https://www.holidayfaceoff.com 32 32 2024 Holiday Face-Off https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2024-holiday-face-off/ Wed, 06 Mar 2024 19:09:12 +0000 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/?p=1125
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KWIK TRIP HOLIDAY FACE-OFF RETURNS TO FISERV FORUM ON DEC. 28-29

March 6, 2024

PRINCETON, NJ/MILWAUKEE, WI – The fourth annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off men’s college hockey tournament returns to Fiserv Forum on Dec. 28-29, featuring #5 Wisconsin, UConn, Alaska Fairbanks and Ferris State. Single-day tickets, as well as discounted two-day tickets, will go on sale tomorrow, March 7 at 3 p.m. ET/2 p.m. CT at Ticketmaster.com.


Semifinal play will take place on Saturday, Dec. 28, with the championship and third-place games on Sunday, Dec. 29. Matchups and times will be announced at a future date.

Currently ranked #5 in the nation, Wisconsin returns to the tournament to defend its 2023 Holiday Face-Off title. Wisconsin has three consecutive championship game appearances and won the inaugural tournament in 2021. The 2023-24 Badgers finished second in the Big Ten with a regular season record of 25-9-2, marking their first 25-win regular season since 2000. Wisconsin has 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and six National Championships on its resume.

UConn is under the direction of tenth-year head coach Mike Cavanaugh. The Huskies wrap up their regular season tomorrow against Vermont before the Hockey East tournament.

Alaska Fairbanks is led by head coach Erik Largen, a former goaltender who was the youngest NCAA ice hockey head coach when he joined the program in 2018. The Nanooks currently sit at 15-14-3 heading into their final two games of the season.

Ferris State, led by two-time Central Collegiate Hockey Association Coach of the Year Bob Daniels, has made four NCAA Tournament appearances.

In the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Wisconsin shut out Northeastern 3-0 to capture their second event title after shutting out Air Force 3-0 in their semifinal matchup.


About the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off

First played in 2021, the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off has quickly become a highlight on the college hockey calendar. It attracts the top programs in the sport with an opportunity to win a championship in a state that loves hockey and in a magnificent venue – Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee.

About Kwik Trip

Kwik Trip is a family-owned company founded in 1965. Kwik Trip operates over 870 stores and employs 38,000 co-workers across six states in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Illinois, Michigan, and South Dakota. The stores receive daily deliveries of fresh baked goods, dairy products, soups, salads, fruit, produce, and sandwiches. Kwik Trip also sells grocery products, general merchandise, gasoline, and related petroleum products. The company operates its own bakery, dairy, water bottling line, kitchens, food safety lab, distribution center, ice plant, LP plant, blow mold facility, transportation company and health clinics. Kwik Trip makes, ships, and sells 80 percent of its own branded products and serves over 11.5 million guests per week. The C-store chain consistently ranks as a Top Workplace in each of its market areas. For more, visit www.kwiktrip.com.


About the Gazelle Group

The Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off is produced by the Gazelle Group of Princeton, N.J. The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. In addition to the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Gazelle produces numerous nationally recognized college basketball events, such as the Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project, the Legends Classic, the Gotham Classic, the Sunshine Slam, the jersey Jam, and the College Basketball Invitational. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com.

About Fiserv Forum

Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and was selected to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the 2024 Republican National Convention. Fiserv Forum hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2021, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Gold Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Motorola, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino and Beechwood Sales and Service / Anheuser-Busch. For more information, please visit fiservforum.com.

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Badgers blank Northeastern to win Holiday Face-Off

MILWAUKEE – A hat trick from Simon Tassy and another perfect outing from Kyle McClellan helped the No. 6 Wisconsin men’s hockey capture the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off with a 3-0 victory over Northeastern on Friday Night at Fiserv Forum.

Sophomore forward Tassy scored all three goals in the contest to record his first-career hat trick as Wisconsin (16-4-0, 8-2-0) secured its second Holiday Face-Off championship title in the tournament’s third year. Senior goaltender Kyle McClellan was perfect in net, stopping all 28 of Northeastern’s (6-9-1, 1-8-0) shots on goal to earn back-to-back shutout victories for the second time this season.

Tassy put the Badgers on the board 12:13 into the first period. The sophomore forward battled with a Northeastern player to gain possession of the puck in the neutral zone before using a boost of speed to rush into Husky territory. Tassy finished top shelf for his second of the tournament.
 
Cruz Lucius found the back of the net nine minutes into the second period on the power play but the goal was waived off due to goaltender interference.

Three minutes later, while Wisconsin had an extra attacker on the ice during a Northeastern delayed penalty, Tassy notched his second goal of the evening. Senior forward Mathieu De St. Phalle passed the puck from the top of the Huskies’ right circle to find Tassy in the middle of the zone, who let a shot fly past Northeastern goaltender Cameron Whitehead to make it 2-0 in favor of the Badgers. 


With 3:28 remaining in the game, Tassy completed the hat trick. The forward dumped the puck into the Huskies’ zone and won the race to the ricochet in front of the net before pushing it through the goaltender’s five-hole. 

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Falcons fall to Minnesota Duluth, 4-1

MILWAUKEE, Wisc. – Minnesota Duluth scored four unanswered goals for a 4-1 win over Air Force in the consolation game of the third annual Kwik Trip Holiday Faceoff, Friday, Dec. 29, at the Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisc.

Air Force (8-11-1 overall, 5-4-1 AHA) ended its six-period scoring drought with a power-play goal in the first period. Luke Rowe slid the puck to Clayton Cosentino on the right side and Cosentino found Will Gavin in the slot. Gavin scored his team-leading 10th goal of the season, and his team-leading sixth power-play goal, at 13:58. UMD answered 15 seconds later as Carter Loney scored on a wrap-around to tie the game.

Minnesota-Duluth (6-9-4, 2-5-1 NCHC) owns the nation's No. 2 power-play unit, but the Falcons killed two of them midway through the second period. However, the Bulldogs took a 2-1 lead on their third power play of the period. UMD leading scorer Ben Steeves scored on the power play with a one-timer from the right dot with just 4.7 seconds left in the period.

The Bulldogs took a 3-1 lead with 6:44 left when Anthony Menghini centered a puck for Luke Johnson from behind the net. Air Force pulled the goalie with 4:07 remaining and had four shots on goal, but were unable to light the lamp. With 1.2 seconds left, Steeves scored an empty-netter for his second goal of the game.

Each team had 34 shots on goal. Air Force was 1-for-4 on the power play while UMD was 1-for-3. Guy Blessing made 30 saves in the game and 65 in the series. Zach Stejskal made 33 for the Bulldogs.

"We played better tonight than last night," head coach Frank Serratore said. "We managed the puck better. Playing against Duluth is never easy, its like getting  a root canal. It is tough sledding for us right now. We've scored one goal in our last three games. We are being tested as a group right now. But we do have some good indicators. We are getting good goaltending and we are getting chances. If we weren't getting chances, I'd be a lot more concerned. We just need a few of those chances to go in and get this thing turned around."

Air Force returns to Atlantic Hockey play with a two-game series at Bentley, Friday-Saturday, Jan. 5-6, in Waltham, Mass.

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No. 6 Badgers shut down Air Force, 3-0

MILWAUKEE – A perfect performance from goaltender Kyle McClellan helped the No. 6 Wisconsin men's hockey team shut down the Air Force Falcons 3-0 on Thursday Night at the Fiserv Forum to advance to the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off championship game.

Two goals from senior forward David Silye and a tally from sophomore forward Simon Tassy propelled Wisconsin (15-4-0, 8-2-0 Big Ten) to its sixth-straight win and third-straight Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off finals appearance. Senior goaltender Kyle McClellan also made an impact, stopping all 27 of Air Force's (8-10-1, 5-4-1-1 Atlantic Hockey) shots on goal for his fourth shutout of the season.

The Badgers got on the score board first 4:45 into the opening period. Sophomore defenseman Ben Dexheimer gained possession of the puck at Air Forces's blue line before skating to the bottom of the left circle and making a cross-ice pass to find Simon Tassy in the middle of the zone. Tassy then ripped home a one-touch shot to give Wisconsin the early lead. 

The second period was quiet, with neither team finding the back of the net. The Badgers received three power plays but were unable to convert on any scoring chances.

One minute into the third period, David Silye scored his first of the evening to extend Wisconsin's lead to two. Senior defenseman Anthony Kehrer picked up the puck after a Cruz Lucius crossbar at the top of the Falcon's left circle and passed behind him to find Silye in the center of the zone. Silye stick-handled the puck before sinking a swift shot past Air Force goaltender Guy Blessing to make it 2-0.

The second period was quiet, with neither team finding the back of the net. The Badgers received three power plays but were unable to convert on any scoring chances.

One minute into the third period, David Silye scored his first of the evening to extend Wisconsin's lead to two. Senior defenseman Anthony Kehrer picked up the puck after a Cruz Lucius crossbar at the top of the Falcon's left circle and passed behind him to find Silye in the center of the zone. Silye stick-handled the puck before sinking a swift shot past Air Force goaltender Guy Blessing to make it 2-0.

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Williams’ Hat Trick Wins It In Overtime

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – The Northeastern men's hockey team skated to an overtime victory over Minnesota Duluth led by a hat trick from sophomore Jack Williams.

  • Trailing by two after the first period, the Huskies came to life in the middle frame. Getting on the board first for Northeastern was Williams. As he collected the rebound from a shot by sophomore Hunter McDonald, Williams circled the crease for the bury.
  • Scoring did not stop there for the Maine native. Williams netted his second goal of the night just before the midway point in the game. His rebounded equalizer was assisted by junior Justin Hryckowian and senior Alex Campbell.
  • The Bulldogs took back the advantage with a goal at the 11:04 mark in the period.
  • With 6:10 remaining in the second, the Huskies once again tied the game. With momentum, senior Gunnarwolfe Fontaine was ready and beat the Bulldog's netminder gloveside to even the game, 3-3. Once again, the Huskies' goal was assisted by Campbell and Hryckowian.
  • With the score knotted at the end of regulation, the game went into overtime. Only 2:45 in, Williams broke away from Northeastern's blueline for a wrister in the slot. His overtime winner completed the hat trick for the 5-11 forward.
  • A star for the Huskies in game one was freshman goaltender Cameron Whitehead. Coming up with several game-winning saves, the Quebec native finished with 33 stops in 61:45 minutes of action.
  • Captain Justin Hryckowian led the team with 20 faceoff wins, while freshman Dylan Hryckowian tallied a team-high five shots.

The Huskies will play in the championship game tomorrow against the winner of the Air Force-Wisconsin matchup.

]]> https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/williams-hat-trick-wins-it-in-overtime/feed/ 0 2023 Kwik trip Holiday Face-Off Bracket https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off-bracket/ https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off-bracket/#respond Tue, 29 Aug 2023 18:29:41 +0000 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/?p=956 ]]> https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off-bracket/feed/ 0 Matchups Announced https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-matchups-announced/ https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-matchups-announced/#respond Wed, 02 Aug 2023 13:37:48 +0000 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/?p=948
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MATCHUPS ARE SET FOR THE 2023 Kwik Trip HOLIDAY FACE-OFF

August 2, 2023

PRINCETON, N.J. – The matchups are set for the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off (@HolidayFaceoff) which will take place December 28 – 29, 2023 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

The third annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off will begin with the semifinal round on Thursday, December 28 when Wisconsin takes on Air Force, and Minnesota Duluth squares off against Northeastern.

The Semifinal winners will meet for the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off title game on Friday, December 29, preceded by the consolation match.

Tickets for the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off are currently on sale. Both single-day and two-day packages are available for purchase at TicketMaster.com.

To be the first to receive updates on the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, sign up for Gazelle Updates and follow us on Twitter @HolidayFaceoff and Instagram @HolidayFaceoff.

 

---- FULL SCHEDULE----

              Semifinal Doubleheader                                         Championship Doubleheader

 Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin                      Fiserv Forum – Milwaukee, Wisconsin

 December 28 – 4:00 p.m. (CT)                                    December 29 – 4:00 p.m. (CT)

Minnesota Duluth vs. Northeastern                                       Consolation Game

 Wisconsin vs. Air Force                                                  Championship Game

All games will air on Bally Sports.

THE FIELD

Wisconsin Head Coach: Mike Hastings, Big Ten

The Badgers, who won the inaugural event in 2021 and advanced to the title game in 2022, are led by new head coach Mike Hastings. Hastings spent eleven seasons as the head coach of Minnesota State posting a 299-109-25 record and two Frozen Four appearances. The Badgers have 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and six National Championships on their resume.

 

Air Force Head Coach: Frank Serratore, AHA

In 26 years at the Air Force Academy, Frank Serratore has led the Falcons to 438 wins, one of only seven active coaches with over 400 career wins. He has also guided the Falcons to seven conference championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances – the only NCAA trips in Academy history.

 

Minnesota Duluth Head Coach: Scott Sandelin, NCHC

In 23 seasons behind the Bulldogs bench, head coach Scott Sandelin has led the Bulldogs to over 440 wins and three National Championships, including back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs have been to 15 NCAA Tournaments.

 

Northeastern Head Coach: Jerry Keefe, Hockey East

Northeastern is under the direction of third year head coach Jerry Keefe, who was the 2021-2022 Hockey East Coach of the Year for guiding the Huskies to a 25-13-1 mark and earning the program’s first-ever regular season title. The Huskies are coming off a 17-13-5 campaign in 2022-2023. Northeastern has been to the NCAA Tournament eight times.

 

Last year, Clarkson won the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off after defeating UMass 6-3 in the semifinal and Wisconsin 3-1 in the championship game.

 

About Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip is a family-owned company founded in 1965. Kwik Trip operates 775 stores and employs 31,000 co-workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. The stores receive daily deliveries of fresh baked goods, dairy products, soups, salads, fruit, produce, sandwiches and sell grocery products, general merchandise, gasoline, and related petroleum products. The company operates its own bakery, dairy, water bottling line, kitchens, food safety lab, distribution center, ice plant, LP plant, blow mold facility, transportation company and health clinics. Kwik Trip makes, ships, and sells 80 percent of its own branded products and serves over 9 million guests per week. The C-store chain consistently ranks as a Top Workplace in each of its market areas. For more information, visit www.kwiktrip.com.

 

About the Gazelle Group

The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally recognized college sports events, such as the Empire Classic, Legends Classic, Gotham Classic, Sunshine Slam, College Basketball Invitational, Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Barstool Sports Invitational, Holiday Hoopfest, Jersey Jam as well as on-campus events at Duke, Kentucky, Nebraska, and other institutions across the country. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com and follow us on Twitter @Gazelle_Events.

 

About Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Epstein Uren Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and also hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2021, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Gold Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Miller Brewing Company and Motorola. For more information, please visit Fiserv Forum. 

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]]> https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/2023-matchups-announced/feed/ 0 Tickets on Sale Now to see Wisconsin, Minnesota Duluth, Northeastern and Air Force in the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/tickets-on-sale-now-to-see-wisconsin-minnesota-duluth-northeastern-and-air-force-in-the-2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off/ https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/tickets-on-sale-now-to-see-wisconsin-minnesota-duluth-northeastern-and-air-force-in-the-2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off/#respond Mon, 01 May 2023 14:26:10 +0000 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/?p=927
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Tickets on Sale Now

May 2, 2023

PRINCETON, N.J. - Tickets are on sale now for the third annual Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off  (@holidayfaceoff), which will take place December 28-29 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee.

Single-day tickets as well as discounted 2-day tickets may be purchased through TicketMaster.com

The field for the event consists of Wisconsin, Minnesota Duluth, Northeastern, and Air Force. Semifinal play will take place on Thursday, December 28 with the Championship game and third-place game on Friday December 29. Matchups will be announced at a later date.

Wisconsin, who won the inaugural event in 2021 and advanced to the title game of the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off will be led by new head coach Mike Hastings. Hastings spent 11 seasons as the head coach of Minnesota State posting a 299-109-25 record and two Frozen Four appearances. The Badgers have 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and six National Championships on their resume.

In 23 seasons behind the Minnesota Duluth bench, head coach Scott Sandelin has led the Bulldogs to over 440 wins and three National Championships, including back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs have been to 15 NCAA Tournaments.

Northeastern is under the direction of third year head coach Jerry Keefe, who was the 2021-2022 Hockey East Coach of the Year for guiding the Huskies a 25-13-1 mark and earning the program’s first-ever regular season title. The Huskies are coming off a 17-13-5 campaign in 2022-2023. Northeastern has been to the NCAA Tournament eight times.

In 26 years at the Air Force Academy, Frank Serratore has led the Falcons to 438 wins, one of seven active coaches (along with Scott Sandelin) with over 400 career wins. He has also guided the Falcons to seven conference championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances – the only NCAA trips in Academy history.

Last year, Clarkson won the Holiday Face-Off after defeating Wisconsin 3-1 in the championship game and UMass 6-3 in the semifinal.

 

About Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip is a family-owned company founded in 1965. Kwik Trip operates 775 stores and employs 31,000 co-workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa and Illinois. The stores receive daily deliveries of fresh baked goods, dairy products, soups, salads, fruit, produce, sandwiches and sell grocery products, general merchandise, gasoline, and related petroleum products. The company operates its own bakery, dairy, water bottling line, kitchens, food safety lab, distribution center, ice plant, LP plant, blow mold facility, transportation company and health clinics. Kwik Trip makes, ships, and sells 80 percent of its own branded products and serves over 9 million guests per week. The C-store chain consistently ranks as a Top Workplace in each of its market areas. For more, visit www.kwiktrip.com.

About the Gazelle Group
The Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off is produced by the Gazelle Group of Princeton, N.J.
The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized college sports events, such as the Empire Classic, Legends Classic, the Gotham Classic, the Sunshine Slam, the College Basketball Invitational, the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, the Barstool Sports Invitational as well as on-campus events at Duke, Kentucky, Nebraska and other institutions across the country. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com.

About Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Epstein Uren Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and also hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2021, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Gold Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO Harris Bank, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Miller Brewing Company and Motorola. For more information, please visit fiservforum.com. 

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WISCONSIN, MINNESOTA DULUTH, NORTHEASTERN, AND AIR FORCE TO PLAY IN THE 2023 KWIK TRIP HOLIDAY FACE-OFF

January 5, 2023

PRINCETON, N.J. – The Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off returns to Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee with Wisconsin, Minnesota Duluth, Northeastern, and Air Force comprising the third annual event from December 28-29.

Wisconsin, who won the inaugural event in 2021 and advanced to the title game of the 2022 tournament last week, enters this weekend’s series with Big Ten foe Notre Dame with a pair of underclassmen atop the scoring chart. Freshman Cruz Lucius leads the Badgers in goals (8), assists (10), and points (18), while sophomore defenseman Corson Ceulemans has 13 points on five goals and eight assists. Head coach Tony Granato is in his seventh season at his alma mater and is a member of the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame and a two-time Big Ten Coach of the Year honoree. The Badgers have 26 NCAA Tournament appearances and six National Championships on their resume.

In 23 seasons behind the Minnesota Duluth bench, head coach Scott Sandelin has led the Bulldogs to over 430 wins and three National Championships, including back-to-back titles in 2018 and 2019. The Bulldogs head into their NCHC weekend series at Bemidji State led in scoring by freshman Ben Steeves, who has a team-best 12 goals and 15 points. Sophomore Dominic James is second on the team with six goals to go with his 11 points. In addition to their three National Championships, Minnesota Duluth has been to 15 NCAA Tournaments.

Northeastern is under the direction of second-year head coach Jerry Keefe, who is the reigning Hockey East Coach of the Year for guiding the Huskies a 25-13-1 mark, including 15-9-1 in league play in earning the program’s first-ever regular season title. This year, the Huskies get their production from senior Aidan McDonough, who leads the team in goals (12) and points (25) and is tied for the lead in assists (13). Behind him, sophomore Justin Hryckowian is tied with McDonough with 13 assists and adds 10 goals to the cause. Junior Gunnarwolfe Fontaine is the third Husky with 20 or more points, posting seven goals and 13 assists. Northeastern, who takes on UConn at Fenway Park on Saturday, has been to the NCAA Tournament eight times.

In 26 years at the Air Force Academy, Frank Serratore has led the Falcons to 432 wins, one of seven active coaches (along with Scott Sandelin) with over 400 career wins. He has also guided the Falcons to seven conference championships and seven NCAA Tournament appearances – the only NCAA trips in Academy history. Heading into this weekend’s Desert Hockey Classic, Air Force is led in scoring by juniors Will Gavin and Nate Horn, each of whom is tied for the team lead with six goals and 13 points.

An on-sale date for tickets to the 2023 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off as well as the schedule will be announced at a later date.

In the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off last week, Clarkson scored six unanswered goals in downing No. 15 UMass, 6-3, in the semifinals and then captured the title with a 3-1 win over Wisconsin.

 

About the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off
First played in 2021, the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off has quickly become a highlight on the college hockey calendar. It attracts the top programs in the sport with an opportunity to win a championship in a state that loves hockey and a magnificent venue – Fiserv Forum in downtown Milwaukee.

About Kwik Trip
Kwik Trip is a family-owned company founded in 1965. Kwik Trip operates 800+ stores and employs 36,000 co-workers in Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Michigan and Illinois. The stores receive daily deliveries of fresh baked goods, dairy products, soups, salads, fruit, produce, sandwiches and sell grocery products, general merchandise, gasoline and related petroleum products. The company is vertically integrated operating its own bakery, dairy, bottling line, kitchens, food safety lab, distribution center, ice plant, LP plant, blow mold facility, transportation company and health clinics. Kwik Trip serves over 10 million guests per week and consistently ranks as a Top Workplace in each of its markets sharing 40% of its pretax profits with coworkers.

About the Gazelle Group
The Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off is produced by the Gazelle Group of Princeton, N.J. The Gazelle Group is a sports marketing firm, specializing in event production and management, client representation, and sponsorship consulting. In addition to the Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off, Gazelle produces numerous nationally-recognized college basketball events, such as the Empire Classic benefiting Wounded Warrior Project, the Legends Classic, the Gotham Classic, the Sunshine Slam, and the College Basketball Invitational. For more information on the Gazelle Group, please visit www.gazellegroup.com.

About Fiserv Forum
Fiserv Forum is a preeminent sports and entertainment arena in downtown Milwaukee that opened on Aug. 26, 2018. Designed by Populous, Eppstein Uhen Architects and HNTB, the venue offers incomparable sightlines, customer service, technology and amenities. Fiserv Forum includes 17,341 seats for basketball, 15,178 for hockey and up to 18,000 for concerts, with 34 luxury suites and three clubs. The world-class arena is home to the NBA’s Milwaukee Bucks and Marquette University’s men’s basketball team and was selected to host the 2020 Democratic National Convention and the 2024 Republican National Convention. Fiserv Forum hosts a diverse variety of year-round events, including major concerts, family shows and other sports and entertainment events. Fiserv Forum is the anchor of the surrounding 30-acre Deer District neighborhood, which is Milwaukee’s premier location for people to live, work and play. In 2021, Fiserv Forum was awarded LEED Gold Certification for sustainability performance. Founding Partners for Fiserv Forum include Fiserv, BMO, Froedtert & the Medical College of Wisconsin, Johnson Controls, Motorola, Potawatomi Hotel and Casino and Beechwood Sales and Service / Anheuser-Busch. For more information, please visit fiservforum.com.

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]]> https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/wisconsin-minnesota-duluth-northeastern-and-air-force-to-play-in-the-2023-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off/feed/ 0 CLARKSON WINS KWIK TRIP HOLIDAY FACE-OFF CHAMPIONSHIP https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/clarkson-wins-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off-championship/ https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/clarkson-wins-kwik-trip-holiday-face-off-championship/#respond Fri, 30 Dec 2022 15:05:56 +0000 https://www.holidayfaceoff.com/?p=852
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CLARKSON WINS KWIK TRIP HOLIDAY FACE-OFF CHAMPIONSHIP

December 29, 2022

MILWAUKEE, Wis. – Clarkson’s mission was to come to Wisconsin and beat the defending champions in front of a partisan crowd dressed in red. Mission accomplished as the Golden Knights earned the 2022 Kwik Trip Holiday Face-Off with a 3-1 win over Wisconsin at Fiserv Forum.

Chris Klack opened the scoring with an unassisted goal at the 8:35 mark of the first period to give Clarkson the lead heading into intermission. Penalties then began to play a major role as the Knights, on a 5-on-3 power play, extended their lead when Anthony Romano scored his third goal of the tournament at 6:32. Cruz Lucius cut the lead in half at 16:34.

The third period belonged to Ethan Haider as the Clarkson keeper stopped all 10 shots to hold off the Badgers. The game wasn’t cemented until Erik Bargholtz scored on an open net to begin the celebration. 

Haider stopped 29 of 30 shots in the game.

Mathieu Gosselin of Clarkson was named the tournament’s Most Outstanding Forward, based on his hat trick the previous night against No. 15 UMass. Teammate Tommy Pasanen was named Most Outstanding Defenseman. He had two assists and six blocked shots over the two games. Wisconsin’s Jared Moe was named the Most Outstanding Goalkeeper based on his .958 save percentage over two games.

In the consolation game, No. 15 UMass earned a 4-1 victory over Lake Superior State. Aaron Bohlinger potted two goals for the Minutemen while keeper Henry Graham, in his first career start, stopped 31 of 32 shots.

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