University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, January 27
East Lansing, Mich.
3:00 PM
University of Minnesota
15-7-4, 8-5-3
5
at
1
Michigan State
17-6-3, 11-3-2
1
2
3
F
Minnesota
2
1
2
5
Michigan St.
0
1
0
1
Team Stats
MIN
MSU
Shots
36
25
PPG
1
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
3
4
Penalty Mins
6
8
Faceoffs Won
28
37
Game Leaders
+/-
2
Goals
2
Sh
5
A
1
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
'U' Dominates Spartans to Earn Road Split
1/27/2024 5:30:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Two goals and three-point effort from Moore
EAST LANSING, Mich. - It was a dominating performance from the ninth-ranked Golden Gophers men's hockey team Saturday afternoon during a 5-1 victory at No. 8/7 Michigan State inside Munn Ice Arena. Oliver Moore's three-point effort led the way and Justen Close limited the home team with 24 saves.
Minnesota (15-7-4 overall, 8-5-3 B1G) bounced back from a tough finish Friday night to pick up a season split against the Spartans (17-6-3 overall, 11-3-2 B1G) and add three important points to its Big Ten Conference total.
The Gophers were sent to the penalty box less than three minutes into the action, but the call quickly was negated as Jaxon Nelson was held while breaking free for a shorthanded chance. Seconds after Minnesota returned to full strength, Cal Thomas took a cross-ice feed from Bryce Brodzinski and gave a pass right back to his teammate in the slot. Brodzinski controlled the puck off his skate and fired a shot past the MSU netminder's blocker, giving the Maroon and Gold a 1-0 edge at the 4:52 mark with a power-play tally.
The lead extended to 2-0 less than 90 seconds later as Aaron Huglen followed a Connor Kurth chance and tapped home the rebound inside the blue paint. Both teams were called for the same infraction with too many players on the ice and skated 4-on-4 for the second time during the opening frame. Close helped the Gophers fend off a late surge from MSU to preserve the two-goal cushion at intermission.
The Spartans began the second period with another strong push in their offensive zone where Close delivered key saves, allowing the visitors to strike back. Moore stole the puck from a MSU defenseman at the blue line and capitalized on space given to him, wiring a shot from the right circle to the blocker side as Minnesota's advantage stretched to 3-0 five minutes into the stanza. MSU took advantage of a failed clearance by the Gophers during a power play to get on the board with 9:55 remaining in the middle frame, cutting the margin to 3-1. Huglen nearly got the goal back, but his shot on a man advantage rang off the post, and Minnesota pushed back to keep its lead through 40 minutes.
An early third-period giveaway from the home side gifted both Brodzinski and Nelson point-blank chances on target that needed to be turned aside. The Gophers forecheck helped keep the sellout crowd quiet and it was Moore again that tacked on an insurance marker with nine minutes left in regulation. Rhett Pitlick chipped the puck ahead to Jimmy Snuggerud, who pushed a slick pass across the crease to the waiting stick of Moore and the Mounds View, Minn., native buried the chance for his third goal of the weekend and first multi-goal performance of his young career. Mason Nevers added a goal into the empty net via a bank shot from distance down the stretch and Minnesota skated away with a 5-1 victory.
Noteworthy
Moore pushed his point streak to seven games behind his 19th helper and goals number five and six as he tied the longest point streak by a Gopher this year ... The freshman posted his sixth multi-point performance and has 13 points during his current streak, including goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his career ... Brodzinski opened the scoring with his 13th goal, fifth via the power play, and 26th point of the year ... Thomas picked up his sixth assist and set a new single-season high with his seventh total point ... Huglen found the back of the net for the sixth time in 2023-24 and has a goal in four of the last five series finales ... The junior has started to find his offensive rhythm with a point in seven of the past 10 outings ... Kurth now has 17 points for the year, including five over the last five games, while Lamb is up to 19 points after recording his ninth assist ... Pitlick and Snuggerud remain the top two scorers for Minnesota, increasing their point totals to 29 and 28, respectively, thanks to assists Saturday ... Nevers scored his second goal of the season and registered his eighth point, which was the 50th of his college career ... After being held 0-for-5 on the man advantage Friday, the Gophers responded with a power-play goal on their first chance Saturday ... Brodzinski skated in the 172nd game of his Minnesota career and moved into a tie with Andy Sertich (2002-06), Judd Stevens (2001-05), Jeff Nielsen (1990-94), and Paul Broten (1984-88) for ninth in program history in games played ... The Gophers held MSU to one goal, matching it's season low for the third time in 2023-24.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"That's what a 60-minute, road victory against one of the better teams in the country looks like," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "I give our guys an enormous amount of credit, they bounced back, and to a man, they battled."
Next Up: Away at Wisconsin (Feb. 2-3)
The Gophers continue their extended trip away from home Feb. 2-3 as they travel to Madison, Wis., looking for revenge in the Border Battle. Both games will be streamed live on B1G+ at 7 p.m. with an audio broadcast available via the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
Minnesota (15-7-4 overall, 8-5-3 B1G) bounced back from a tough finish Friday night to pick up a season split against the Spartans (17-6-3 overall, 11-3-2 B1G) and add three important points to its Big Ten Conference total.
The Gophers were sent to the penalty box less than three minutes into the action, but the call quickly was negated as Jaxon Nelson was held while breaking free for a shorthanded chance. Seconds after Minnesota returned to full strength, Cal Thomas took a cross-ice feed from Bryce Brodzinski and gave a pass right back to his teammate in the slot. Brodzinski controlled the puck off his skate and fired a shot past the MSU netminder's blocker, giving the Maroon and Gold a 1-0 edge at the 4:52 mark with a power-play tally.
The lead extended to 2-0 less than 90 seconds later as Aaron Huglen followed a Connor Kurth chance and tapped home the rebound inside the blue paint. Both teams were called for the same infraction with too many players on the ice and skated 4-on-4 for the second time during the opening frame. Close helped the Gophers fend off a late surge from MSU to preserve the two-goal cushion at intermission.
The Spartans began the second period with another strong push in their offensive zone where Close delivered key saves, allowing the visitors to strike back. Moore stole the puck from a MSU defenseman at the blue line and capitalized on space given to him, wiring a shot from the right circle to the blocker side as Minnesota's advantage stretched to 3-0 five minutes into the stanza. MSU took advantage of a failed clearance by the Gophers during a power play to get on the board with 9:55 remaining in the middle frame, cutting the margin to 3-1. Huglen nearly got the goal back, but his shot on a man advantage rang off the post, and Minnesota pushed back to keep its lead through 40 minutes.
An early third-period giveaway from the home side gifted both Brodzinski and Nelson point-blank chances on target that needed to be turned aside. The Gophers forecheck helped keep the sellout crowd quiet and it was Moore again that tacked on an insurance marker with nine minutes left in regulation. Rhett Pitlick chipped the puck ahead to Jimmy Snuggerud, who pushed a slick pass across the crease to the waiting stick of Moore and the Mounds View, Minn., native buried the chance for his third goal of the weekend and first multi-goal performance of his young career. Mason Nevers added a goal into the empty net via a bank shot from distance down the stretch and Minnesota skated away with a 5-1 victory.
Noteworthy
Moore pushed his point streak to seven games behind his 19th helper and goals number five and six as he tied the longest point streak by a Gopher this year ... The freshman posted his sixth multi-point performance and has 13 points during his current streak, including goals in back-to-back games for the first time in his career ... Brodzinski opened the scoring with his 13th goal, fifth via the power play, and 26th point of the year ... Thomas picked up his sixth assist and set a new single-season high with his seventh total point ... Huglen found the back of the net for the sixth time in 2023-24 and has a goal in four of the last five series finales ... The junior has started to find his offensive rhythm with a point in seven of the past 10 outings ... Kurth now has 17 points for the year, including five over the last five games, while Lamb is up to 19 points after recording his ninth assist ... Pitlick and Snuggerud remain the top two scorers for Minnesota, increasing their point totals to 29 and 28, respectively, thanks to assists Saturday ... Nevers scored his second goal of the season and registered his eighth point, which was the 50th of his college career ... After being held 0-for-5 on the man advantage Friday, the Gophers responded with a power-play goal on their first chance Saturday ... Brodzinski skated in the 172nd game of his Minnesota career and moved into a tie with Andy Sertich (2002-06), Judd Stevens (2001-05), Jeff Nielsen (1990-94), and Paul Broten (1984-88) for ninth in program history in games played ... The Gophers held MSU to one goal, matching it's season low for the third time in 2023-24.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"That's what a 60-minute, road victory against one of the better teams in the country looks like," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "I give our guys an enormous amount of credit, they bounced back, and to a man, they battled."
Next Up: Away at Wisconsin (Feb. 2-3)
The Gophers continue their extended trip away from home Feb. 2-3 as they travel to Madison, Wis., looking for revenge in the Border Battle. Both games will be streamed live on B1G+ at 7 p.m. with an audio broadcast available via the Gopher Radio Network 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM.
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