University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, November 22
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
5-6-2, 2-3-2-2
4
vs
1
Wisconsin
6-7-0, 1-4-0-0
1
2
3
F
Wisconsin
0
1
0
1
Minnesota
2
0
2
4
Photo by: Ben Ludeman
Gophers Take Down UW 4-1 in Border Battle Opener
11/22/2019 10:35:00 PM | Men's Hockey
MINNEAPOLIS – The Gopher Hockey program skated to a 4-1 win over No. 16 Wisconsin on Friday night, snapping a five-game winless drought at 3M Arena at Mariucci to pick up the program's 100th all-time Border Battle win on home ice.
The Gophers (5-6-2 overall, 2-3-2-2 Big Ten) improve to 100-32-9 against the Badgers on home ice and 171-96-23 overall dating back to 1922.
Jack LaFontaine matched his season-high with 34 saves on 35 shots in net for the Maroon & Gold, improving to 2-3-1 on the year while Jared Moe came in for a brief relief session in the third period, making two saves on two shots. Daniel Lebedeff took the loss for Wisconsin, falling to 6-7-0 on the year with a 25-save effort.
Minnesota jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period as Blake McLaughlin (Ben Meyers) lit the lamp for his third of the season at 4:26 of the opening stanza before Scott Reedy (Brannon McManus, Jackson LaCombe) added his fifth of the year just over a minute later at 5:33.
Wisconsin (6-7-0, 1-4-0-0) drew back to within one with a power-play goal from Sean Dhooghe at 11:18 of the second period, but that's all that the stingy Minnesota defense would allow as Minnesota combined for a season-high 29 blocked shots including five by senior captain Tyler Nanne.
The Maroon & Gold added another pair of goals in the third period with Jonny Sorenson (Jaxon Nelson, Ryan Johnson) finding the net for the third time this season at 6:45 and Sampo Ranta (unassisted) sealing the win with his fifth of the year at 12:54.
Minnesota was outshot 37-29 on the night.
Notable
Sampo Ranta's third period goal improved the sophomore forward's career-long point streak to six games while junior forward Brannon McManus has now tallied nine points (three goals, six assists) in nine career games against Wisconsin.
Quotable
"I think it starts with our preparation, the right to focus for us has been so huge. It's an attitude thing with us…having a little piss and vinegar, not being complacent and being a little more intense," LaFontaine said. "I thought it really helped us and got us off to a hot start, and then we had a strong third period."
Up Next: Border Battle Comes to 3M Arena at Mariucci
Minnesota continues its six-game, November home stand and closes out this weekend's Big Ten series with Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North PLUS; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports Go/TSN).
All tickets for the 2019-20 Gopher Hockey season – the 99th campaign in program history – are now on sale through GopherSports.com. Season tickets start at $500 – the lowest price point for season tickets at the University of Minnesota since 1999-2000. Highlighting the 2019-20 slate is one of the strongest home schedules in program history with Minnesota hosting all six Big Ten opponents (Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin) along with nonconference foes in North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State and Niagara.
The Gophers (5-6-2 overall, 2-3-2-2 Big Ten) improve to 100-32-9 against the Badgers on home ice and 171-96-23 overall dating back to 1922.
Jack LaFontaine matched his season-high with 34 saves on 35 shots in net for the Maroon & Gold, improving to 2-3-1 on the year while Jared Moe came in for a brief relief session in the third period, making two saves on two shots. Daniel Lebedeff took the loss for Wisconsin, falling to 6-7-0 on the year with a 25-save effort.
Minnesota jumped out to a two-goal lead in the first period as Blake McLaughlin (Ben Meyers) lit the lamp for his third of the season at 4:26 of the opening stanza before Scott Reedy (Brannon McManus, Jackson LaCombe) added his fifth of the year just over a minute later at 5:33.
Wisconsin (6-7-0, 1-4-0-0) drew back to within one with a power-play goal from Sean Dhooghe at 11:18 of the second period, but that's all that the stingy Minnesota defense would allow as Minnesota combined for a season-high 29 blocked shots including five by senior captain Tyler Nanne.
The Maroon & Gold added another pair of goals in the third period with Jonny Sorenson (Jaxon Nelson, Ryan Johnson) finding the net for the third time this season at 6:45 and Sampo Ranta (unassisted) sealing the win with his fifth of the year at 12:54.
Minnesota was outshot 37-29 on the night.
Notable
Sampo Ranta's third period goal improved the sophomore forward's career-long point streak to six games while junior forward Brannon McManus has now tallied nine points (three goals, six assists) in nine career games against Wisconsin.
Quotable
"I think it starts with our preparation, the right to focus for us has been so huge. It's an attitude thing with us…having a little piss and vinegar, not being complacent and being a little more intense," LaFontaine said. "I thought it really helped us and got us off to a hot start, and then we had a strong third period."
Up Next: Border Battle Comes to 3M Arena at Mariucci
Minnesota continues its six-game, November home stand and closes out this weekend's Big Ten series with Wisconsin on Saturday, Nov. 23 at 7:00 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North PLUS; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM; Stream: FOX Sports Go/TSN).
All tickets for the 2019-20 Gopher Hockey season – the 99th campaign in program history – are now on sale through GopherSports.com. Season tickets start at $500 – the lowest price point for season tickets at the University of Minnesota since 1999-2000. Highlighting the 2019-20 slate is one of the strongest home schedules in program history with Minnesota hosting all six Big Ten opponents (Notre Dame, Michigan, Michigan State, Ohio State, Penn State, Wisconsin) along with nonconference foes in North Dakota, Minnesota Duluth, Minnesota State, Bemidji State, St. Cloud State and Niagara.
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Team Stats
UW
MINN
Shots
37
29
PPG
1
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
1
3
Penalty Mins
2
6
Faceoffs Won
28
32
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
+2
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
+2
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
+1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
Players Mentioned
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyForward
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