University of Minnesota Athletics
University of Minnesota
Michigan
Gophers Fall to Wolverines in Overtime
1/9/2015 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
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ANN ARBOR, Mich. (GopherSports.com) - For the first time this season, the No. 9 Gopher Hockey program game away from an overtime contest with nothing to show for it as Minnesota fell 4-3 in the extra session to Michigan in the series opener at Yost Ice Arena.
After each team tallied a goal over the first 40 minutes of regulation, the conference foes combined for four more goals in the third period before Cutler Martin tallied the game winner at the 2:16 mark of overtime.
Connor Reilly scored his team-best ninth goal of the year to give the Gophers a lead heading into the first intermission. The redshirt sophomore threw in a rebound at 7:03 of the first period to extend his career-best point streak to seven games while Ryan Collins picked up an assist on the play. The Wolverines would make a game of it in the second period, however. Zach Hyman snuck a breakaway attempt past Adam Wilcox at 1:44 of the second stanza to even the game at 1-1 with assists from Cutler Martin and Tyler Motte.
From there, things got interesting.
Dylan Larkin scored a 7:48 of the third period on a power play to give the Wolverines their first lead of the night, but the visiting Gophers picked up a five-minute power play when Andrew Copp checked Kyle Rau from behind and was given a game misconduct. Minnesota (10-6-1 overall, 1-1-1-0 Big Ten proceeded to score twice while on the advantage - first at 9:54 when Justin Kloos was set up by Michael Brodzinski and Taylor Cammarata and again when Travis Boyd reclaimed the lead at 10:35 with assists form Mike Reilly and Kyle Rau. Minnesota would finish the game 2-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.
The scoring wasn't finished yet, however, as Justin Selman found the equalizer at 13:29 to force overtime before Martin's winner for the Wolverines (11-7-0, 3-1-0-0 Big Ten).
The Gophers outshot Michigan 35-30 on the night. Adam Wilcox made 26 saves in the loss, falling to 10-6-1 on the season. Steve Racine earned the win with 32 saves, moving to 5-1-0. The Gophers are now 2-1-1 in overtime games this season.
Minnesota and Michigan close out this weekend's series on Saturday at 4:06 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor. FOX Sports North PLUS and FOX Sports Detroit will televise the game live with the feed also being streamed live on BTN2Go. 1500 ESPN and the Gopher Radio Network will call the game on the radio waves.
-Pride On Ice-
