University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, March 12
3M Arena at Mariucci
8:00 PM
University of Minnesota
24-11-0, 19-6-0
3
vs
2
Penn State
17-20-1, 6-18-1
1
2
3
F
Penn State
0
2
0
2
Minnesota
1
1
1
3
Photo by: Brad Rempel
Gophers Punch Ticket to B1G Championship Game
3/12/2022 11:29:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Minnesota will host Michigan next Saturday for the Big Ten playoff title at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
MINNEAPOLIS – For the second year in a row, Sammy Walker notched the game-winning goal to send the Gopher men's hockey program to the Big Ten tournament championship as No. 2 Minnesota picked up a 3-2 win over Penn State on Saturday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Minnesota (24-11-0) has now won nine-straight games and will host Michigan next Saturday for the conference playoff crown. The Gophers have reached the Big Ten title game four times in eight conference tournaments (the 2020 playoffs were canceled heading into the semifinals) and will play Michigan in the Big Ten final for the third time with the Gophers winning in 2015 and Michigan winning in 2016. Minnesota is in search of its third Big Ten playoff title and second straight (2015, 2021).
On Saturday, the Big Ten regular-season champions were led by Big Ten Player of the Year finalist and Hobey Baker Award candidate Ben Meyers, who opened the night with his team-leading 16th goal of the year in the first period and then set up Jackson LaCombe's power-play goal early in the second period for his career-best 36th point of the season. Meyers has now tallied 10 points (five goals, five assists) in four games since returning from the Olympics and has multi-point performances in all four contests. Ryan Johnson and Brock Faber earned assists on Meyers' tally while Aaron Huglen picked up an assist on LaCombe's strike.
Penn State (17-20-1) pocketed a pair of goals later in the second period as Tyler Paquette brought the visitors within a goal and Dylan Lugris tallied on the power-play for the equalizer. The power-play strike snapped Minnesota's unblemished penalty kill streak at nine games and is just the second power-play goal allowed by the Gophers in the last 14 games.
Minnesota's hopes of repeating as Big Ten playoff champions fell on the stick of Walker, who pocketed the game winner at 17:21 of the third period with assists from Blake McLaughlin and Bryce Brodzinski. Walker scored the overtime winner last year against Michigan to send the Gophers on to the championship game.
Justen Close made 28 saves to improve to 12-3-0 on the year while Liam Souliere made 22 saves for the Nittany Lions. Close carried his shutout streak into the second period on Saturday with the unblemished performance clocking in at a final time of 179:59.
Noteworthy
Minnesota has now won four-straight games over Penn State although tonight's win is the first for the Maroon & Gold over the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten tournament (1-3) – the victory also gives the Gophers a win over every Big Ten team in conference tournament play…Minnesota's 24 wins this season are tied for the most by the program under Bob Motzko (2021-22)…Saturday's attendance of 6,856 at 3M Arena at Mariucci set a new Big Ten tournament attendance record under the current format (2018-present).
Coach's Comments
"Penn State was playing with a whole lot of confidence…we survived, and we found a way," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We didn't have many chances – we needed one, and we got it. We survived, and we'll be better next week."
Next Up: B1G Tournament Championship
3M Arena at Mariucci will host the Big Ten championship game for the first time as the Gophers host Michigan on Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Stream: FOX Sports App; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM). Tickets are on sale now at GopherSports.com.
Minnesota (24-11-0) has now won nine-straight games and will host Michigan next Saturday for the conference playoff crown. The Gophers have reached the Big Ten title game four times in eight conference tournaments (the 2020 playoffs were canceled heading into the semifinals) and will play Michigan in the Big Ten final for the third time with the Gophers winning in 2015 and Michigan winning in 2016. Minnesota is in search of its third Big Ten playoff title and second straight (2015, 2021).
On Saturday, the Big Ten regular-season champions were led by Big Ten Player of the Year finalist and Hobey Baker Award candidate Ben Meyers, who opened the night with his team-leading 16th goal of the year in the first period and then set up Jackson LaCombe's power-play goal early in the second period for his career-best 36th point of the season. Meyers has now tallied 10 points (five goals, five assists) in four games since returning from the Olympics and has multi-point performances in all four contests. Ryan Johnson and Brock Faber earned assists on Meyers' tally while Aaron Huglen picked up an assist on LaCombe's strike.
Penn State (17-20-1) pocketed a pair of goals later in the second period as Tyler Paquette brought the visitors within a goal and Dylan Lugris tallied on the power-play for the equalizer. The power-play strike snapped Minnesota's unblemished penalty kill streak at nine games and is just the second power-play goal allowed by the Gophers in the last 14 games.
Minnesota's hopes of repeating as Big Ten playoff champions fell on the stick of Walker, who pocketed the game winner at 17:21 of the third period with assists from Blake McLaughlin and Bryce Brodzinski. Walker scored the overtime winner last year against Michigan to send the Gophers on to the championship game.
Justen Close made 28 saves to improve to 12-3-0 on the year while Liam Souliere made 22 saves for the Nittany Lions. Close carried his shutout streak into the second period on Saturday with the unblemished performance clocking in at a final time of 179:59.
Noteworthy
Minnesota has now won four-straight games over Penn State although tonight's win is the first for the Maroon & Gold over the Nittany Lions in the Big Ten tournament (1-3) – the victory also gives the Gophers a win over every Big Ten team in conference tournament play…Minnesota's 24 wins this season are tied for the most by the program under Bob Motzko (2021-22)…Saturday's attendance of 6,856 at 3M Arena at Mariucci set a new Big Ten tournament attendance record under the current format (2018-present).
Coach's Comments
"Penn State was playing with a whole lot of confidence…we survived, and we found a way," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We didn't have many chances – we needed one, and we got it. We survived, and we'll be better next week."
Next Up: B1G Tournament Championship
3M Arena at Mariucci will host the Big Ten championship game for the first time as the Gophers host Michigan on Saturday, March 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT (TV: Big Ten Network; Stream: FOX Sports App; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM). Tickets are on sale now at GopherSports.com.
Team Stats
PSU
UMN
Shots
30
25
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
1
1
Penalty Mins
2
2
Faceoffs Won
23
36
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
-1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
0
Sh
2
A
1
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey2025-26 Non-Conference Schedule
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Herb Brooks Statue
Wednesday, August 06
Meet the Newcomers: Teddy Townsend
Friday, July 18
Meet The Newcomers: Jacob Rombach
Friday, July 11