Historic performances by goalie Kent Patterson (his school record-setting 6th shutout of the season) and forward Nick Bjugstad (first career hat trick) propelled the Gopher men's hockey team past St. Cloud State Nov. 19, 2011 at Mariucci Arena.
2011-12 • Sophomore Season: Named to the All-WCHA First Team • national Player of the Month for November after recording 13 points and nine goals • WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for Nov. 22 • set a career high in goals (25), assists (17) and points (42) while playing in 39 games • leads team in goals and ranks tied for fifth in the nation entering the Frozen Four with 25 • most goals scored by a Gopher since Ryan Potulny had 38 in 2005-06 • recorded 21 of his points (9g-12a) in 16 road games • had a point in 13 of 16 road games and had five multiple-point games on the road • longest point drought of season is two games and that has happened only twice • tied for second on the team in power-play goals (8) and tied for third in plus-minus rating (+23) • leads team in shooting percentage (17.5%) • team is 20-6-1 when he records a point • leads team (of players who have taken more than 70 faceoffs) with a 57.4% success rate • had a season-high six-game point streak (7g-4a) from Nov. 12-Dec. 2 • made his season debut against Sacred Heart (10/7) and scored two goals and was a +4 • had two assists at Minnesota Duluth (10/14) • registered three points (1g-2a) at Minnesota Duluth (10/15) • scored two goals against Vermont (10/21) • had two points (1g-1a) at Alaska Anchorage (10/29) • won 13 of 16 faceoffs at Alaska Anchorage (10/29) • scored the game-winning goal on the power play against North Dakota (11/4) • scored first goal of the game and had an assist against North Dakota (11/5) • scored an unassisted goal in a win at Wisconsin (11/12) • picked up a power-play goal at St. Cloud State (11/18) • won 13 of 18 faceoffs and recorded the first hat trick of his collegiate career (first for a Gopher since Jay Barriball on Oct. 9, 2010 against Massachusetts) against St. Cloud State (11/19) • scored two goals at Michigan State (11/25) • had two assists at Michigan State (11/26) • won 14 of 18 faceoffs against Minnesota State (12/2) • won 18 of 25 faceoffs versus Minnesota State (12/3) • won 15 of 28 faceoffs and recorded his 16th goal of the year against Michigan Tech (12/10) • missed both games of the Mariucci Classic (12/30 and 12/31) while playing for the United States in the World Junior Championship • returned to the Gopher lineup from the WJC and had one goal against Notre Dame (1/7) and also won 17 of 22 faceoffs • tallied two goals at North Dakota (1/14) • scored his 20th goal of the year against Colorado College (1/20) • won 12 of 18 faceoffs against Colorado College (1/21) • won 14 of 17 faceoffs and scored the game-winning goal against St. Cloud State (1/27) • won 12 of 17 faceoffs against St. Cloud State (1/28) • had two points (1g-1a) and won nine of 14 faceoffs against Bemidji State (2/17) • won 13 of 20 faceoffs and scored a third-period, game-tying goal at Nebraska Omaha (2/24) • missed the Wisconsin game (3/2) with an injury • won 17 of 23 faceoffs and had one goal and one assist against Alaska Anchorage (3/10) in Game 2 of the first round of the WCHA playoffs • scored an empty-net goal against Boston University (3/24) in the NCAA West Regional semifinals.
2010-11 • Freshman Season: Skated in 29 games and had 20 points (8g-12a) during his freshman season • received the Frank Pond Rookie of the Year award • tied for sixth on the team in points (20) • registered 19 (8g-11a) of his 20 points in WCHA games • recorded sixteen points (6g-10a) in his final 16 games of the season • tied for first on the team (Nate Condon) among freshmen in goals (8) and was second among freshmen in assists (12) • led team with two shorthanded goals • registered a point in 15 of 29 games and team was 8-4-3 when he had a point • had three multiple-point games and two multiple-goal games • third on the team in faceoff attempts (355) and wins (170) • made his collegiate debut against Massachusetts (10/8) and racked up 19 penalty minutes • recorded first collegiate point, an assist, against Nebraska-Omaha (10/15) • diagnosed with mononucleosis on Oct. 23 and missed five games • returned to the lineup at Michigan Tech on Nov. 19, taking three shots and recording one assist • notched first career goal (an empty-net tally) at the 19:59 mark of the third period at Michigan Tech (11/20) • took four shots and scored second goal of the season at Minnesota State (12/3) • missed the Mariucci Classic (12/31-1/1) because he was playing for the United States at the 2011 World Junior Championship • had an assist and six penalty minutes in 3-2 win at No. 2 North Dakota (1/14) • had one assist (2/4) and two assists (2/5) at No. 4 Minnesota Duluth • ended a 10-game goalless skid with a goal in a 7-3 win against No. 4 Denver (2/12) • had a four-game point streak (3g-3a) and was +3 from Feb. 12-25 as the Gophers were 3-0-1 during the span • named the WCHA Rookie of the Week on March 1 after the Michigan Tech series • had two shorthanded goals and one assist against Michigan Tech (2/25) • first Gopher to score two shorthanded goals in a game since Tony Lucia accomplished the feat at Alaska Anchorage (10/30/09) • repeated as the WCHA Rookie of the Week on March 8 after the Bemidji State series • recorded four points (3g-1a) in a series at Bemidji State (March 4-5), which included the overtime game-winning goal in the second game • win was Minnesota's first overtime victory in 13 games since it beat Northeastern (1/3/09) in extra time and was the first time the Gophers won after trailing (were down 2-1) heading into the third period since they rallied from a 1-0 deficit to beat Bowling Green (1/2/10).
International: Represented the United States at the 2012 World Junior Championship • tied for first on Team USA with four goals and tied for second with six points • scored the game-winning goal against Denmark (12/26) and had a hat trick against Latvia (1/3) • participated in the 2011 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in August in Lake Placid, N.Y. • represented the United States at the 2011 World Junior Championship • had two goals and two assists in six games for the bronze-winning U.S. squad • both of his goals were game-winning goals, as he scored the overtime winner against Finland (12/26) and the goal that secured the bronze medal for the U.S. against Sweden (1/5) • participated in the 2010 U.S. National Junior Evaluation Camp in Lake Placid, N.Y. and led Team USA with seven goals in seven games • represented the United States at the 2008 Under-17 Five Nations Tournament in Prievidza, Slovakia and at the 2009 Under-18 Ivan Hlinka Memorial Tournament in Piestany, Slovakia.
High School: Played his high school hockey at Blaine • head coach was Dave Aus • earned three varsity letters for the Bengals • won 2010 Minnesota Mr. Hockey Award, given to the state's most outstanding senior high school hockey player • racked up 69 points (35g-34a) in 35 games during his final high school season while leading Blaine to a Section 5AA title • recorded four hat tricks, including a five-goal game against Coon Rapids • competed for Team Northwest in the Minnesota High School Elite League • also lettered in tennis at Blaine, going 18-0 with doubles partner Ryan Carney before missing the section tournament to participate in the NHL Draft Combine in Toronto • selected with the 19th overall pick in the 2010 NHL Entry Draft by the Florida Panthers.
Personal: Plans to major in business and marketing education • accelerated his high school academics to graduate in three years • was an honor student at Blaine • hobbies include fishing and hunting • lists most memorable sports thrill as playing in the Minnesota state hockey tournament • uncle, Scott, was a standout on the Gopher hockey team from 1980-83 and played eight seasons in the NHL for the Minnesota North Stars, Pittsburgh Penguins and Los Angeles Kings • son of Mike and Janeen Bjugstad • born July 17, 1992.
