The state of Minnesota's annual hockey showcase will benefit from the well-scheduled Gophers-Badgers border rivalry at 5 p.m. on FSN.
It's the first time the rivals have met on Hockey Day Minnesota and it will showcase several former Hockey Day Minnesota high school participants.
Wisconsin's Grant Besse (Benilde-St. Margaret's) and Kevin Schulze (Hill-Murray), and the Gophers' Kyle Rau (Eden Prairie) and Jake Bischoff (Grand Rapids) are among the select group to play outdoors while in high school.
"It's a little bigger stage. You've got probably a little more people watching the game than normal," said Brady Skjei, the Gophers junior defenseman from Lakeville North. "It's a fun day. It's fun watching the high school guys go out and play on outdoor ponds and then our game at 5 p.m. and the Wild at night, so it's a great day and it's fun to watch."
The Gophers are 5-2-1 on Hockey Day and are eager for another victory after Friday's letdown. The quick turnaround from last night's late 11 p.m. finish to Saturday's early 5 p.m. start could be a good thing for Don Lucia's club as they try to forget about their recent trend of setbacks.
Friday replay: Despite 49 shots, Gophers can muster only a tie with lowly Badgers and suffer shootout loss, read Friday night's game story and postgame blog with Wisconsin reaction. Watch postgame video of senior forward Travis Boyd, coach Don Lucia, and Wisconsin sophomore forward and former Mr. Hockey Minnesota Grant Besse.
• Gophers Saturday lines
Forwards (left wing, center, right wing)
Sam Warning, Travis Boyd, Hudson Fasching
Kyle Rau, Justin Kloos, Connor Reilly
Taylor Cammarata, Vinni Lettieri, Seth Ambroz
A.J. Michaelson, Christian Isackson, Leon Bristedt
Defensemen (left, right)
Michael Brodzinski,Mike Reilly
Brady Skjei, Ryan Collins
Jake Bischoff, Ben Marshall
![Seen from the 40th Street pedestrian bridge, a motorcylcist is sihlouetted beneath the 42nd Street Bridge while traveling north along I-35W, Friday, June 6, 2014, just south of downtown Minneapolis, MN.] (DAVIDJOLES/STARTRIBUNE) djoles@startribune.com A surge in deaths and injuries among motorcycle riders in Minnesota, coming just as summer-like weather takes hold, is prompting traffic officials to remind drivers across the vehicle spectrum of what they need to do to safely share the roads and h](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/TWBPBY5GLJVBID2FJZC75KKF4U.jpg?&w=80&ar=1:1&fit=crop)
