Matt VanVoorhis is equally at home on the blue line or shredding wicked guitar solos as a charter member of the Grant Arnold Experience.

The junior from Edina, Minn., also relishes what has become an annual tradition for the Pioneers – going to Minneapolis for the NCHC Frozen Faceoff. As an added bonus this season, he and his teammates will return to the Twin Cities to play in the NCAA West Regional in St. Paul, where they could again play St. Cloud State, which as topped the Pioneers three times this season, including last Friday in the NCHC semifinals.

“The whole atmosphere (around the NCHC Frozen Faceoff) is a blast,” he told us. “It’s cool being in downtown Minny. A lot of other guys enjoy it. It’s always fun going back home and playing in Minny, nice to have parents and grandparents be there.

Having North Dakota and its legion of fans in the area was a bonus for VanVoorhis.

“My family has a big history with North Dakota – many of them went there, and a lot of my family lives there,” he said. “I was born in Grand Forks, so when we play there or in Minnesota a lot of buddies drive down. It’s always pretty fun.”

Should the Pioneers defeat Boston University on Saturday, and St. Cloud State beat Ferris State, DU could face a Huskies team that it came closer to solving on Friday but still has not defeated in three chances this season.

“We weren’t happy about results (in December, when St. Cloud won 5-2 and 6-2, or Friday when the Huskies won 4-2 with an empty-net goal). We got embarrassed (in December) quite frankly,” he said. “They’re a team we’ve had marked on the calendar. St. Cloud is definitely one of the best teams in the country the way they move puck and their ability to score.”

Should the Pioneers play St. Cloud and defeat it, it also would give VanVoorhis bragging rights against one of his pals from junior – Charlie Lindgren, the NCHC’s Goaltender of the Year. The two were teammates on the Sioux Falls Stampede.

“He was a huge factor in why we were so successful,” VanVoorhis said.

Time to tee up some sweet feeds to VanVoorhis on the point and let him fire away.

MM: Do you have a favorite pregame meal?

MVV: Chicken, rice, some fruit. They have this cream of rice soup at the rink, it’s believable.

Do you have a favorite hockey player?

I really like (defenseman) Jared Spurgeon from the Wild. … Love (Chicago forward) Patrick Kane.

Is there any piece of your gear we should not mess with?

Don’t touch my jock strap!

No need to worry about that! Anything else?

I guess my skates. Nobody probably wants to touch them. My freshman year they called me Stinky. I didn’t wear socks under my skates. I stopped doing that because I was destroying.

Have you ever forgiven Trevor Moore for the embarrassing stories he’s told about you?

No, because I still have nightmares about them. I had re-live one five times at the NCHC awards (last year). Against Western Michigan, a guy was taking me wide. He fished it out from between his legs and roasted me.

I meant the infamous own-goal clearing attempt.

Oh that one. I want to say it was in summer hockey. That one’s pretty vivid in my memory, too. I think we were killing a penalty. I went to ring it around the boards, it hit a stanchion, bounced off the back of our goalie’s head into the net.

We should move on if I ever hope to interview you again. … When you need a good laugh who do you turn to?

When (Gabe) Levin starts giggling, that makes me laugh. I get a good laugh out of Mooresy. (Matt) Marcinew is good for a good laugh. Whenever I look at Will Butcher I cannot help but laugh. He cracks me up.

Do you have a favorite sport other than hockey?

Golf. Trev and I golf a lot in the offseason. I’m always watching U.S. Open, Masters, all the majors. I really like watching Jordan Spieth. Rory (McIlroy). Phil Mickelson. Phil’s one guy you’ll watch an entire round and he will not hit a fairway and he still makes pars.

Are you into music?

I am. I love country music. Eric Church is my go-to. Darius Rucker. Lady Antebellum and Sam Hunt. Luke Bryan. They’re all up there but Eric Church is my favorite.

What has your critically-acclaimed career in the Grant Arnold Experience meant?

Any time I have that axe in my hand is a great time. The band actually started with Zac Larraza, Trevor Moore and me. When Zac graduated, we fell behind Grant.

What’s the breakfast of champions?

What I get every morning is a scramble with peppers, tomatoes, mushrooms, sausage, hash browns and fruit on the side. I have to have some Cholula hot sauce.

Do you have a favorite playoff tradition?

I like to get a goofy haircut every now and then but that hasn’t worked the past two years. I’m open to suggestions.

Who has better flow, Evan Janssen or Jaromir Jagr?

Jaromir in the ’80s maybe. I think I got to give to Janny. He rocks it well, especially afterthe season when he cuts it into a mullet. You have to see that.

 

@MagnessMayhem