University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Overwhelm Badgers, Win In Madison
2/19/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Taylor Matson scored two goals and Kent Patterson made 36 saves to lift Minnesota to a 5-2 road win against No. 12 Wisconsin on Friday night in front of 14,315 fans at Kohl Center. The Gophers, who also scored three power-play goals, are now 13-12-4 this season and 10-10-3 in the WCHA. The win moves them into a tie for sixth place with 23 points in the WCHA with Colorado College who tied Bemidji State 5-5 on Friday. Wisconsin is in fifth place with 24 points.
Senior Mike Hoeffel opened the scoring for Minnesota at the 15:22 mark of the first period. His power-play shot ricocheted of a Badger defenseman and over the out-stretched arm of goaltender Scott Gudmandson. Hoeffel is now tied with senior captain Jay Barriball, who missed his third straight game with a lower-body injury, for the team lead with 12 goals. After the win tonight, Minnesota is now 12-3-3 when scoring first and 12-1-2 when leading after one period.
Wisconsin tied the score 1-1 just 32 seconds in the second period. With Aaron Ness serving a hooking penalty committed near the end of the first period, Wisconsin displayed good puck movement with the man advantage. Craig Smith's shot from the left circle rang the pipe and went right to Jake Gardiner (Minnesota freshman Max Gardiner's older brother) in the right circle and he quickly put the puck into the net before Patterson could move side-to-side.
The Gophers answered quickly, quelling any Wisconsin momentum with two goals in the next three minutes. Jacob Cepis recorded his team-leading 24th point when he scored a four-on-four goal just 1:10 after Jake Gardiner tied the game. It was Cepis' ninth goal of the season. Matson scored his first goal of the game 1:49 later after Hoeffel and Aaron Ness assisted on the power-play strike.
Matson put Minnesota up 4-1 at the 18:40 mark of the second period. It was his second multiple-goal game of the season and of his career, as the junior also potted two goals at Colorado College on Oct. 29. Freshmen Mark Alt and Max Gardiner assisted on the goal. Alt now has five assists in his last seven games after recording two assists in his first 21 games. The assist was the second of Max Gardiner's career. His first came in a 3-3 home tie against Wisconsin on Nov. 6. His brother Jake was on the ice for Wisconsin both times.
Patterson was the story of the third period, as he made 19 of his 36 saves in the final frame. The junior did yield one goal, a five-on-three tally with 31 seconds remaining. Patterson is now 11-7-4 on the season and Minnesota is 6-2-2 when he makes 30 or more saves.
Pat White scored the lone Minnesota goal in the third period for his third goal of the year and second in as many games.
The Gophers aim for the sweep tomorrow evening when the teams meet at Kohl Center at 8 p.m. The game is starting at 8 p.m. instead of 7 p.m. because of a Wisconsin women's basketball game at 1 p.m. Minnesota's last sweep this season came at Michigan Tech on Nov. 19-20.
