The Gophers gymnastics team shined in their season opener Monday in front of a packed, record-breaking regular-season attendance of 3,887 at Maturi Pavilion en route to a victory over Iowa and UCLA.

Minnesota (1-0) got off to a quick start with their vault team in the tri-meet and built off that early momentum to score 196.900 points, topping Iowa (195.950) and UCLA (194.850). The victory marks the first time in Gophers program history that they have defeated UCLA in a meet.

“What a fabulous start. It was so exciting in so many ways. Obviously, we had great performances, but the crowd and the energy were just amazing,” Gophers head coach Jenny Hansen said. “I think our team responded really well. Half of our team has never had a crowd before. I think they did a really great job. We’re just so pleased. [It’s] exactly where we want to be to open up the season.”

Fifth-years Lexy Ramler and Ona Loper fueled Minnesota, scoring all-around totals of 39.700 and 39.525 and accounting for 79.225 of the Gophers’ points.

Ramler won the bars and beam titles after scoring matching 9.950s and tied Iowa’s Lauren Guerin for the floor title with a 9.925, while Loper tallied a 9.950 on vault to win the event.

“They mean a lot [to this team],” sophomore Mya Hooten said. “Their energy in and outside of the gym is just amazing. They’re always so supportive and are just incredible teammates.”

The first two rotations for Minnesota came on vault and bars, where the lineups scored 49.175 and 49.275, and junior Mallory LeNeave made her collegiate debut on bars.

Every lineup found consistency as they all scored at least 49 points.

“That’s exactly what we’re looking for, the consistency at this point in the season,” Hansen said. “We’re looking to continue to get better, so the more we can be consistent now… [it] will give us a lot of confidence when we’re ready to keep adding on a little bit more.”

After two rotations, the Gophers trailed Iowa by just .100 with their new-looking beam team up next as freshmen Lauren Pearl and Haley Tyson made their collegiate debuts for Minnesota.

As the beam team started competing, there were a few slip-ups early in the lineup, and the Gophers needed a massive routine to give them a boost into the rest of the meet.

Then, senior Abbie Nylin gave them just that as she dazzled her way to her career-best score of 9.875. Ramler followed her to close out the beam lineup to provide Minnesota’s floor team a chance to make a comeback.

“That’s why we put her [Nylin] there when we were coming up with the lineup,” Hansen said. “We felt like she was someone that could get us back on track if we needed to be, and she stepped up. She did exactly what we were hoping to have her do. She went in and attacked that beam routine.”

Trailing Iowa by .125 heading into the final rotation, Minnesota’s floor team, which saw the debut of LeNeave, stole the show to earn a comeback win after scoring 49.375, the best of any Gophers lineup and any lineup in the meet.

Outside of Ramler’s commanding 9.925, the five scoring routines for Minnesota were all at least 9.850.

Hooten tallied 9.900 in her new floor routine, while her sophomore counterpart in Emily Koch tied her career-best score of 9.850. Loper and junior Halle Remlinger also matched Koch’s score.

After a 2021 season that saw no fans, the packed, energy-filled bleachers helped boost Minnesota to victory.

With the NCAA allowing their athletes to compete in an extra season due to Covid-19, Ramler, the reigning three-time Big Ten Gymnast of the Year, could not be more excited to be back competing for the Gophers for one last season.

“Last year not having fans, I think we really missed that,” Ramler said. “I was nervous just because it was my last first meet. Just having fans back means so much. It’s so special with this team right now.”

The Gophers return to action when they host No. 1 Michigan on Monday, Jan. 24, at 7 p.m. at Maturi Pavilion.

After a crazy week in the world of Gophers men’s hockey that saw the exit of their starting goaltender Jack LaFontaine, Covid-19 safety protocols, and two injuries, Minnesota’s depth hunkered down and took care of business against Alaska on Friday night.

“We got exactly what we knew out of Alaska. They can skate, they are well-coached, and they are going to put pressure on you,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “We had a good first period, real good third period, and we took the second period off.”

Behind a 14-save performance from junior goaltender Justen Close in his first-career start between the pipes, the No. 8 Gophers (13-8) defeated the Nanooks 4-1. The win over Alaska marks Minnesota’s first three-game winning streak this season.

“It was different, obviously not having Jack [LaFontaine] back there, but we all trust Closer [Close],” senior Ben Brinkman said. “We’re all excited for him, and he’s a great goalie. As you saw tonight, he made some good saves for us…we all have complete faith in him.”

Senior Blake McLaughlin pulled off a highlight-reel goal to extend Minnesota’s lead in the third period. He entered Alaska’s zone, brought the puck backward, then pulled off a forehand-backhand move to beat a Nanooks defender and rip a shot into the back of the net to give the Gophers a 3-1 lead 5:15 into the period.

But the goal did more than just help Minnesota to victory. Senior co-captain Sammy Walker recorded a secondary assist on the goal to earn his 100th career point (42 goals, 58 assists in 126 games) in a Gophers uniform. He is the 85th member of the program’s 100-point club.

Motzko has said his freshmen have been coming along week-by-week, all at different paces all season long.

And Friday was freshman Tristan Broz’s night.

The Bloomington, Minn. native scored his first collegiate goal for the Gophers after finding the back of the net on a sharp angle shot from the bottom of the right circle off a rebound to open up the game and give Minnesota a 1-0 lead with 6:07 remaining in the first period.

“It was a nice feeling,” Broz said. “Just to get that first one out of the way, especially it’s taken me a little bit of time, so it was a nice monkey off the back.”

Then, Broz’s freshmen counterpart in Matthew Knies scored his eighth goal this season to extend Minnesota’s lead to 2-0 with just over a minute to play in the first after ripping a shot from the slot into the back of the net off a beautiful feed from junior co-captain Ben Meyers.

The second period was slow for the Gophers. They went to their third penalty kill of the game with 7:58 remaining, and the Nanooks made Minnesota pay for it as Payton Matsui potted in a rebound to cut the Gophers’ lead to 2-1 after the puck fell out of Close’s glove on the initial shot.

Outside of McLaughlin’s highlight-reel goal in the third period, junior Jackson LaCombe cemented Minnesota’s 4-1 victory as he sprung the puck from the Gophers’ slot down the ice into Alaska’s empty net with 4:34 remaining to score his first goal this season shorthanded.

“We got to enjoy it,” Broz said on the win. “Then, [we] get back to resetting and realizing that it’s a new game tomorrow. They’re going to come out and be fired up to play us again.”

With sophomore defenseman Brock Faber out of the lineup, Brinkman tied his career-high point total in a single game Friday as he recorded three assists.

“I was just getting pucks up to our forwards, and they were making great plays,” Brinkman said. “Blake’s goal was unbelievable.”

The Gophers will look to extend their three-game winning streak to four as they look to sweep Alaska on Saturday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

USA Hockey named three current Gophers men’s hockey players in junior co-captain Ben Meyers, sophomore Brock Faber and freshman Matthew Knies and Minnesota alum Aaron Ness to its 2022 U.S. Olympic Men’s Ice Hockey Team Thursday evening.

“There’s no greater honor than representing your country at the Olympics, and we’re certainly proud that four players from the University of Minnesota are going to get that opportunity this year,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said in a statement. “Gopher hockey has a tremendous legacy over the last century, and part of that history is our connection to USA Hockey and some of the most iconic moments in U.S. Olympic history. We look forward to watching this group add to that legacy.”

Meyers, a Delano, Minn. native, leads the Gophers with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 20 games this season. The Olympics will mark his first international competition with USA Hockey.

“With this being my first opportunity to represent the United States at the international level, this is certainly an honor and a dream come true,” Meyers said in a statement. “It’s hard to put into words just how thankful I am, but I’m looking forward to putting on that U.S. jersey and representing my country.”

Faber, a Maple Grove, Minn. native, has 11 points (two goals, nine assists) in 20 games this season. The Gophers’ defenseman served as an alternate captain for the U.S. National Junior Team at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship this year, and he also helped the team win a gold medal last year.

“Playing for the United States at the Olympics is a dream come true, and it is a tremendous honor to be selected by USA Hockey,” Faber said in a statement. “Representing my country is something I’ve always been proud of, and I’m excited to fulfill a life-long dream at the Olympics.”

Last but not least for current players is Knies, the Phoenix, Ariz. native is averaging a point per game with the Gophers as he has recorded 20 points (seven goals, 13 assists) in 20 games this season. Earlier this year, he represented Team USA at the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship alongside Faber.
“It’s a surreal feeling to be given this opportunity, and I feel very fortunate to have another chance to wear the colors and the crest after the World Junior Championship event was canceled,” Knies said in a statement. “It’s an honor to represent the United States as well as Gopher hockey at the highest level of international competition, and I’m excited to do so alongside two of my teammates in Brock Faber and Ben Meyers.”

Ness, a native of Roseau, Minn., spent three seasons with the Gophers and served as an alternate captain for one season. He has played with the New York Islanders, Washington Capitals, and Arizona Coyotes throughout his professional career while recording seven points (one goal, six assists) in 72 NHL games.

Currently, the 31-year-old defenseman plays for the Providence Bruins of the AHL and has seven assists in 25 games this season.

Team USA has 25 players on their roster, with 15 from the NCAA, eight from European pro leagues, and two from the AHL.

With the NHL pulling out of the Olympic games, it left opportunities for players from these leagues worldwide to represent the U.S.

While talking on Gopher Hockey Weekly, Motzko noted Meyers, Faber and Knies plan to miss at least six games of Minnesota’s season, depending on how Team USA performs overseas in the Olympics.

The 2022 Olympic Winter Games will be underway Feb. 3-20 in Beijing, China.

Gophers men’s hockey’s starting goaltender Jack LaFontaine has signed with the Carolina Hurricanes of the National Hockey League (NHL), the pro team announced Sunday.

LaFontaine, the Mississauga, Ont. native, was selected by the Hurricanes in the third round, 75th overall in the 2016 NHL Draft.

“We would like to thank Jack for his contributions to the Gophers program,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said in a statement. “We wish him well as he begins his professional career.”

The signing comes as a massive loss for Minnesota.

LaFontaine held a 12-8-0 record this season for the Gophers, recording a 2.69 goals-against average an

Last season, LaFontaine was the recipient of the Mike Richter Award, given to college hockey’s best goaltender, and was the Big Ten Goaltender of the Year.

The Gophers’ co-captain played in 96 collegiate games with Michigan and Minnesota from 2016-22, holding a 2.52 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage with five shutouts.

With LaFontaine heading to the NHL, the Gophers will look to junior Justen Close and freshman Brennan Boynton between the pipes.

Close has only played in six games for Minnesota, holding a .792 save percentage, while Boynton has yet to see any collegiate action.

After a slow start in East Lansing against Michigan State, the No. 9/11 Gophers found their footing to mount a 6-3 comeback win to earn the sweep, its seventh-straight victory against the Spartans, and take hold of first place in the Big Ten with 25 points.

The Gophers, who have split their last five series, are on their way toward “more consistency,” something head coach Bob Motzko wants to see his team improve on in the second half of the season.

Much of the first period was not pretty for Minnesota. The Gophers allowed a goal on the penalty kill and only converted on just one of four power plays.

Michigan State’s Erik Middendorf scored the game’s first goal just 3:01 into the first period on an empty net after graduate student goaltender Jack LaFontaine gave up the puck behind Minnesota’s net. Then, Jeremy Davidson extended Michigan State’s lead to 2-0 after he buried a rebound on the power play with 8:29 remaining.

However, the “nine” line stopped the bleeding for the Gophers with 1:16 remaining in the first period. Freshman Chaz Lucius buried a sharp angle shot from the bottom of the left circle on the power play to cut Michigan State’s lead to 2-1.

As the second period got underway, Minnesota began to control the game much as they did on Friday night, even though they did not convert on two more power plays.

However, the Spartans had the first answer as Middendorf scored his second goal of the game off a rebound to extend Michigan State’s lead to 3-1 with 10:38 remaining in the period.

In a game where the Gophers started to control the pace of play and shots on goal column, nothing seemed to be going their way, especially for most of the second period.

But with under two minutes remaining in the second period, that all changed as junior Ben Meyers and freshman Aaron Huglen tallied goals just 38 seconds apart to equalize the game at 3-3 heading into the third period.

Looking to continue their momentum after Huglen’s bonkers pinball-style goal, the Gophers did just that as they scored three goals in the third period.

https://twitter.com/GopherHockey/status/1479994876380987392?s=20

Senior Blake McLaughlin scored the game-winning goal for the Gophers after deflecting a shot from the point by sophomore Brock Faber, marking Minnesota’s first lead of the game at 4-3.

To close out Minnesota’s dominating finish to their sweep, junior Jack Perbix scored his third goal this season, and Meyers closed out the win by scoring his second goal of the night.

The first four unanswered goals for the Gophers came in a span of 5:03 that stretched from late in the second period to early in the third period.

Meyers dominated in the sweep as he recorded four goals and an assist. He leads Minnesota with 23 points (nine goals, 14 assists) in 20 games this season.

The Gophers (12-8) earned their third series sweep this season and the first since they swept Notre Dame on Saturday, Oct. 30, 2021.

Perbix, Meyers, junior Bryce Brodzinski, and freshman Matthew Knies recorded multi-point games as 12 Minnesota skaters tallied a point in Saturday’s comeback win.

The Gophers recorded a season-high 60 shots on goal as Michigan State had 24 of their own.

Minnesota will look to continue their undefeated start to the new year as they host Alaska on Friday, Jan. 14, at 6 p.m. and Saturday, Jan. 15, at 6 p.m. at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Throughout the week leading up to Friday night’s game against Michigan State to open up the second half of the Gophers’ Big Ten season, head coach Bob Motzko said that his team needs to play more consistently.

Minnesota has struggled on Friday nights, but they are starting the second half of the season, and 2022, on a good note.

Led by the “nine” line of junior co-captain Ben Meyers and freshmen Chaz Lucius and Matthew Knies, the Gophers defeated Michigan State in a 4-1 victory Friday night on the road to improve their record to 11-8 this season.

Meyers scored two goals in the game, including the game-winning goal for Minnesota, which came in the first period that saw three goals.

Meyers received a pass from Lucius in the neutral zone, then skated into the left faceoff circle, where he fired a low wrist shot into the back of the net with 5:12 remaining to give the Gophers a 2-0 lead.

Before Meyers’ game-winning tally, one of his co-captains in senior Sammy Walker, opened up the scoring 8:34 into the game after he sprung out of the penalty box.

Senior Blake McLaughlin received an outlet pass from junior Jaxon Nelson. Then, McLaughlin worked his way into the Spartans’ zone on the left side of the ice to create an odd-man rush, where he fed Walker a cross-crease pass, and Walker made no mistake burying the puck inside the back post.

The Spartans’ lone goal came from Nash Nienhuis, who scored his first collegiate goal, just minutes after Meyers’ game-winning goal.

Just before the halfway mark of the second period, graduate student goaltender Jack LaFontaine challenged a loose puck in the Gophers’ zone to prevent a breakaway. He collided heavily with Michigan State’s Jagger Joshua, but luckily for Minnesota, he did not get injured as a result.

Meyers scored his second goal of the game to give the Gophers a 3-1 lead with 3:16 remaining in the second period after he buried a one-timer in the slot from Knies.
Nelson left the game early in the third period after suffering an injury following a shot, which appeared to be an ankle injury. He later received help off the ice.

Lucius added the fourth goal for Minnesota with 3:41 remaining in the game, which Meyers and Knies assisted. Meyers leads the team with 21 points (seven goals, 14 assists) in 19 games this season.

The Gophers outshot Michigan State 36-25 and went a perfect 4-4 on the penalty kill. However, their power play that ranked second in the Big Ten coming into the game went 0-4.

LaFontaine looked back to form as he held a .960 save percentage after making 24 saves on 25 shots faced.

Minnesota is on the right track toward “more consistency” in their game, and a win Saturday night would help fuel them toward this goal.

The Gophers will wrap up their series against Michigan State when they take on the Spartans on Saturday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m.

Walker Watch

The Edina, Minn. native needs one more point to reach 100 collegiate points. He has 42 goals and 57 assists in 124 games.

After the No. 11/12 Gophers dominated No. 3/2 Michigan Friday night, the opposite happened Saturday night. Michigan scored six unanswered goals in a commanding 6-2 victory over Minnesota, who holds a 10-8 overall record this season.

The only similarity between Friday and Saturday night was that the Gophers opened up the scoring and played well for the first 14 minutes of play. Besides that, it was a completely different game.

“Michigan responded, and we didn’t have a response,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “The game got behind us, and we chased it all night long.”

Junior Bryce Brodzinski scored his team-leading ninth goal, a career-high, after he buried the puck past Michigan’s Erik Portillo to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead 9:25 into the game, their only of the night. He made no mistake after receiving a cross-slot feed from senior Blake McLaughlin on an odd-man rush.

Minutes later, 11:31 into the first, Minnesota earned the game’s first power play, which they did not convert, and then from there, it was all Michigan.

Wolverines’ Mark Estapa scored the game-tying goal with 5:12 remaining in the first period. Then, 28 seconds later, Michael Pastujov found the back of the net to give Michigan a 2-1 lead.

Pastujov went on to add the following two goals for Michigan to earn a hat trick.

Before the period came to a close, Pastujov added his second goal of the game with 1:51 remaining, which came just 24 seconds after Michigan killed another power-play attempt from the Gophers to extend the Wolverines’ lead to 3-1.

As the second period got underway, the Gophers could not stop the bleeding as Michigan continued to dominate by adding three more goals for a second-consecutive period.

Immediately after another Gophers’ man advantage, Michigan responded with a goal as Pastujov scored his third of the night to extend the Wolverines’ lead to 4-1 just 3:54 into the period. He made a nifty play by pulling the puck between his legs to create enough space to get around senior Ben Brinkman and get a shot off.

Jay Keranen and Nolan Moyle went on to add two more goals for the Wolverines in the second period to cement their commanding victory over the Gophers, where they scored six unanswered goals.

After Keranen’s goal, graduate student Jack LaFontaine’s night in the crease ended with 6:24 remaining as junior Justen Close took over in the net for the Gophers for the rest of the game.

Before the final buzzer, senior Grant Cruikshank scored his third goal this season in the closing minutes to cut Michigan’s lead to 6-2.

Michigan outshot Minnesota 44-23, the Gophers’ power play went 0-4, and the Wolverines never took their foot off the gas pedal after scoring their first two goals in a short stretch.

McLaughlin assisted on each of the Gophers’ goals in the loss. He has four goals and a team-leading 14 assists on the season — his 18 points ties junior co-captain Ben Meyers’ total for the most points on the team.

The loss marks the first time the Gophers have lost to Michigan at Yost Ice Arena since Nov. 10, 2017.

This series concludes the first half of the Big Ten season as the Gophers have a long break before they resume play in the second half when they travel to East Lansing, Mich., to take on Michigan State on Friday, Jan. 7, at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, Jan. 8, at 6:30 p.m.

All season long, Gophers head coach Bob Motzko has talked about how his team needs to come into series and play better on opening Friday night games.

Before last Friday’s win against North Dakota, Minnesota held a 2-5 record on Friday nights, snapping a three-game losing streak on that day, respectively.

And now, after getting their third Friday victory of the season, the No. 11/12 Gophers (10-7) added another one to that column after dominating No. 3/2 Michigan in a win as they are now 5-1 in games following a loss this season.

Minnesota, led by freshman Chaz Lucius, had a heck of a first period as they scored three goals and did not concede one goal against one of the nation’s best teams.

Lucius earned his first-career multi-goal game after he capped off the offensive explosion after he scored his second goal of the night with 19.5 seconds remaining in the period.

Sophomore Brock Faber opened up the scoring for the Gophers 8:33 seconds into the game, pulling off a forehand-backhand move and showing off his keen patience after receiving a pass on a 2-1 odd-man rush with junior Jaxon Nelson. Nelson collected his first assist this season.

Then, Lucius added onto the lead after scoring his first goal in the slot 1:55 seconds later after finishing off the play from a pretty feed from freshman Matthew Knies.

In the second period, Minnesota continued to play stingy defense, killing two penalties and dominating Michigan in the score column. They added two more goals after a Wolverines’ goal from Dylan Duke was waived off due to an offside entrance into the offensive zone.

Reunited with senior Sammy Walker, senior Blake McLaughlin received a pass from the co-captain at the Wolverines’ goalline and worked his way toward the front of the net to fire the puck past Michigan’s Erik Portillo to extend the Gophers’ lead to 4-0.

Serving as Minnesota’s extra-skater for a third-straight game, junior Jonny Sorenson added the Gophers’ fifth goal of the night after he buried a pass from Walker on an odd-man rush.

Even though the Gophers conceded one goal to Michigan’s Thomas Bordeleau in the third period, they continued to play stingy defense as they killed three more penalties against a lethal Wolverines offensive attack. Minnesota’s penalty kill units finished a perfect 5-5.

Notables

Against his former team, graduate student co-captain Jack LaFontaine made 30 saves, earning a .968 save percentage.

Lucius’ two-goal night extends his point streak to three games. He has four goals and one assist over that stretch, which account for five of his eight points this season.

Junior co-captain Ben Meyers had two secondary assists as he holds a team-high 18 points (five goals, 13 assists).

Knies recorded an assist on Lucius’ first tally of the night, which marks his ninth assist. He now has four goals and seven assists in his last eight games.

Walker tallied two assists. He has 98 career points (41 goals, 57 assists) in 122 career games.

What’s up next

The Gophers will look to earn their third series sweep of the season when they take on Michigan on Saturday, Dec. 4, at 6 p.m. in the first half finale of the Big Ten season.

The No. 11/12 Gophers men’s hockey team split their series against No. 6/5 North Dakota on the road this past weekend as they now sit with a 9-7 record, winning a Friday game for just the third time this season as Saturday’s loss marked the 300th all-time game between the two teams.

The series against the Fighting Hawks saw the return of senior forward Grant Cruikshank, where he played in his 100th collegiate game Saturday after missing the last six games due to injury.

Gophers take Friday’s game 5-1

The Gophers have struggled on Friday nights so far this season. However, an offensive explosion from their juniors and 21 saves from graduate student Jack LaFontaine fueled them to victory.

Junior Bryce Brodzinski led the way with two goals. He scored the opening goal on a power play, firing home the loose puck after senior Blake McLaughlin tried to stuff the puck into the net multiple times. Later, he closed out the Gophers’ dominating night with a breakaway goal.

In the second period, juniors Jack Perbix and Ryan Johnson each scored their second goals this season to give the Gophers a 3-0 lead heading into the third period.

North Dakota’s Riese Gaber scored their lone goal 3:41 seconds into the third period. Then, freshman Chaz Lucius scored an empty-net goal with 4:21 seconds remaining to extend the Gophers’ lead to 4-1 before Brodzinski’s late tally.

Brodzinki’s two-goal night puts him at a team-high eights goal on the season, tying his career-high in just 15 games, while McLaughlin assisted on both, putting him at a team-high 12 assists.

Freshman Matthew Knies extended his point streak to six games with an assist on Lucius’ goal as he now has 15 points (seven goals, eight assists) this season.

Gophers drop Saturday’s contest 3-2

Saturday night was a much different game for the Gophers as North Dakota outshot them 26-13, their lowest shot total in a game this season.

The Fighting Hawks scored three unanswered goals (one from Gavin Hain and two from Mark Senden) before the Gophers found the back of the net, tallying one goal in each period, which included one on the man advantage in the second period.

After a second period where North Dakota outshot the Gophers 11-2, Minnesota’s solid third period was not enough to mount a comeback.

Junior Ben Meyers stopped the bleeding for the Gophers as he scored a power-play goal, assisted by junior Jackson LaCombe and Lucius, 7:35 seconds into the final period of play.

Continuing to battle back, Lucius scored his third goal of the season, from senior Sammy Walker and Meyers, with 3:30 seconds remaining in the game, to cut North Dakota’s lead to 3-2, but they could not find the equalizer before the final horn sounded.

Lucius recorded his first-career multi-point game, LaFontaine made 23 saves in the loss, while Meyers’ three-point weekend, and current four-game point streak, put him at a team-high 16 points (five goals, 11 assists).

What’s up next

The Gophers will wrap up the first half of Big Ten play this weekend on Friday, Dec. 3, at 5:30 p.m., and Saturday, Dec. 4, at 6:00 p.m., when they travel to Ann Arbor, Mich., to take on No. 4/3 Michigan.

The No. 7 Gophers men’s hockey team (8-6) scored three goals in the third period en route to a 4-2 victory over Penn State Saturday evening to split the series.

“[We had] much greater detail tonight,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “I thought we really played a strong game in the last half of the second period and the third period.”

The keener attention to detail helped fuel the Gophers. Minnesota’s penalty kill went a perfect 4-4, and their power play scored two goals on four attempts.

After their 5-3 loss Friday in the series opener, Motzko made changes to all their forward lines, except the fourth line. Senior Sammy Walker switched from center to right-wing for the first time this season, while junior Ben Meyers centered freshmen Matthew Knies and Chaz Lucius on the first line that produced offense early and onward.

The first line accounted for five of the Gophers’ nine shots in the game’s scoreless first period, and their penalty kill killed off a hooking penalty from junior Jackson LaCombe.

“They were outstanding to start,” Motzko said on the first line. “We are seeing that coming, especially with the big fella [Knies] on the left and that center [Meyers], they have been together a while. Lucius had great chances both nights.”

Penn State’s Jimmy Dowd Jr. scored the game’s opening goal 5:45 seconds into the second period after one-timing a loose puck that ricocheted off the back glass from the bottom of the right circle.

However, the Gophers quickly responded. LaCombe made a heads-up play, sending a bank pass from the left defensive corner off the right boards near Penn State’s blueline. Walker gathered the puck in stride, worked his way to the right faceoff dot, and snapped a shot into the upper right corner of the net to equalize the game at 1-1 with 8:09 remaining in the second.

“When LaCombe got that [puck], I sprung to the far blue line,” Walker said. “We made eye contact and he made a great pass off the boards and luckily [my shot] went in.”

Before he scored, Walker took an unpleasant hit. Later, Motzko stood up for him just 48 seconds after the tying goal but received a bench minor. The Gophers would kill that team penalty, along with one other in the opening minutes of the period, to keep the game tied at 1-1 heading into the second intermission.

“I have never liked getting hit,” Walker said. “But I think we all just had an edge tonight and we got to learn to play like that every game.”

As the third period got underway, freshman Aaron Huglen got tripped in the offensive zone. The Gophers went to their second power play of the night, 4:14 seconds into the third period, in search of a go-ahead goal on the man advantage as they did not capitalize on their first one in the first period.

Just 43 seconds into the man advantage, Meyers fed a pass to Knies at the goal line. Then, he gathered the puck and fired a low, sharp angle shot into the back of the net to give the Gophers a 2-1 lead with 15:03 remaining in the game.

Penn State’s Kevin Wall tied the game at 2-2 with 7:36 remaining. However, the Nittany Lions quickly received two penalties 23 seconds apart and the Gophers found themselves on a 5-3 man advantage for 1:37 seconds.

The Gophers’ power play went back to work and once again capitalized just after Penn State’s first penalty expired. Sophomore Brock Faber circled the top of the left circle and fired a shot toward the goal. As the puck approached the front of the Nittany Lions’ goal, sophomore Mason Nevers deflected it into the back of the net to give the Gophers a 3-2 lead with 5:11 seconds remaining.
“You kind of notice a big-time moment,” Nevers said. “If they do get that kill, it’s kind of a big momentum swing. We knew we had to do our job and get a goal, and we did.”

To close out the 4-2 win for the Gophers, Walker skated in his second goal of the night off an effort from Knies to spring him to the empty net.

Notables

Knies’ two-point night (one goal, one assist) brings his point total to 14 this season, as he now has nine of those points in his last five games. He and Walker lead the team in goals with seven each. LaCombe also tallied two assists. Graduate student Jack LaFontaine made 35 saves.

Next weekend, the Gophers will travel to Grand Forks, N.D., to take on North Dakota on Friday, Nov. 26, at 7 p.m., and Saturday, Nov. 27, at 6 p.m. at Ralph Engelstad Arena.