University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Michigan State
Gophers Pick Up Win in B1G Opener
12/5/2014 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
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EAST LANSING, Mich. (GopherSports.com) – Welcome back to the lineup, Travis Boyd!
After missing seven games with an injury, the senior forward didn’t take long to make in impact in his return for the No. 3/6 Gopher Hockey program – just 3:25 actually – with the game-winning goal on his first shift back on the ice as Minnesota topped Michigan State 5-0 in the Maroon & Gold’s Big Ten Conference opener.
Mike Reilly led all players with three points in the win while Adam Wilcox made 24 saves to pick up his third shutout of the year and improve to 9-4-0 on the season. Wilcox continues to climb the Minnesota goaltending records with his 10th career shutout (second all-time at Minnesota) and 60th career win.
Minnesota (9-4-0, 1-0-0-0 Big Ten) continued to shine on special teams in Friday’s win with three power-play goals and a short-handed tally. The Gophers went 3-for-7 on the power play tonight to move to 15-48 (.312) on the season – the best in the Big Ten and third best in the nation – and now have five power-play goals in the last two games. Meanwhile, the penalty kill went 3-for-3 on Friday night and has successfully killed its last 13 penalties.
Boyd’s fourth goal of the year came at 3:25 of the first period and kicked off a three-goal period for the Maroon & Gold as Sam Warning added a short-handed tally at 8:50 and Kyle Rau tallied his fifth goal of the year with a power-play strike at 13:57.
Mike Reilly added the game’s only even-strength goal at 3:47 of the second period while his older brother Connor Reilly scored on a 5-on-3 power play at 13:32 of the third period.
Minnesota outshot Michigan State 28-24 in the win.
The Gophers and Spartans close out the weekend on Saturday at Munn Ice Arena.
-Pride On Ice-
