University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 2
Bemidji, MN
7:00 PM
University of Minnesota
8-10-1
3
at
3
Bemidji State
9-8-3
1
2
3
OT 1
OT 2
F
Minnesota
2
0
1
0
0
3
Bemidji St.
1
2
0
0
0
3
Team Stats
UMN
BSU
Shots
23
28
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
3
Penalty Mins
8
6
Faceoffs Won
31
33
Game Leaders
+/-
0
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
0
+/-
2
Goals
1
Sh
1
A
0
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
4
A
1
Players Mentioned
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Brent Cizek
'U' Skates to 3-3 Exhibition Tie at Bemidji State Friday
1/2/2026 10:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
First test of 2026 for Gophers
BEMIDJI, Minn. - The Minnesota men's hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie during an exhibition matchup Friday night at Bemidji State inside Sanford Center.
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The Golden Gophers (8-10-1 overall, 4-4-0 B1G) took an early 2-0 lead before the Beavers (9-8-3 overall, 7-2-3 CCHA) scored the next three goals. Tanner Ludtke buried a Tate Pritchard pass in the third period to force overtime where neither team could score a game winner. The home side scored the lone goal in the shootout to cap the night.
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After netminder Luca Di Pasquo made a few critical saves in the game's opening minutes, it was a rush up the ice started by Javon Moore that got the scoring started. Moore pushed the puck ahead to a speeding Luke Mittelstadt and the senior did the rest, slicing past a BSU defenseman before lifting a backhand across the crease and into the open net for a 1-0 advantage at 6:04.
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Minnesota's defense continued to jump into the play and tacked on the second goal of the night. John Whipple buried a one-timer off a cross-ice feed from Teddy Townsend 1:14 after the Mittelstadt goal and the visitors quickly built a two-goal cushion. The Beavers responded on a tally at the 12:55 mark to close the gap to one before the teams went back to the locker room at intermission with the Maroon and Gold in front, 2-1.
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The Gophers got pinned inside their own zone early in the second period and needed saves from Di Pasquo to keep the one-goal edge. In the middle of the frame, Minnesota had to kill off a brief 5-on-3 opportunity as the first two penalties of the night went against the visitors. The power plays were both erased, but momentum stayed with Bemidji State, and it struck for the equalizer at the 12:24 mark. Nathan Airey played the remainder of the period in goal but a turnover inside the Minnesota zone proved costly as the Beavers took a 3-2 lead with only six seconds showing on the clock.
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A quality chance from near the crease by Graham Harris nearly pulled the visitors even in the opening minutes of the final frame. The Gophers brought a surge to the offensive end and tested the home goaltender on a flurry of shots in the middle of the period as they searched to pull even. The momentum was stopped on another Minnesota penalty only to have the best chance come shorthanded via the speed of Brody Lamb. His shot into an empty net was tipped at the last second and the Maroon and Gold erased the man advantage. Immediately after exiting the penalty box, Pritchard won a puck battle and found an open Ludtke at the doorstep and the visitors made it 3-3 with 10:23 to play in regulation.
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After shutting down the Beavers late in the third, the Gophers went to just their second power play in the last four minutes before skating 5-on-3 as the clock read 2:52. The home side wiped away both chances, igniting the capacity crowd as the matchup headed to overtime. Minnesota withstood possession by BSU to open the extra session and nearly closed the night on a pair of shots by Moore. Airey made one final save in the closing seconds, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie. The Gophers were stopped on all three attempts in the shootout and the Beavers scored on their first try to win it.
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Di Pasquo and Airey split the night in goal and finished with 12 and 13 saves, respectively.
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Noteworthy
Minnesota and Bemidji State met in an exhibition contest for the third time over the past four years and no statistics from the contest count in official totals for the campaign ... The Maroon and Gold freshmen combined for four of the team's seven points in the road battle ... The Gophers entered the night with just five goals by their blue line in 2025-26 before putting away a pair in the first period Friday ... It would mark the second time this season where two goals were scored by defensemen after Leo Gruba and Max Rud found the back of the net at North Dakota on Oct. 18 ... Mittelstadt continues to provide offense from his defensive position, scoring the opening tally ... Whipple collected his second point of the year in the final game before the holiday break and tacked on a goal during the matchup at BSU ... Former Lakeville South High School teammates, Ludtke and Pritchard, combined to get the tying goal in the third period ... Ludtke begins 2026 on a four-game point streak, while Pritchard added his first assist since Nov. 8 ... As he has done nearly every night since the start of November, Moore added his name to the scoresheet behind an assist on Mittelstadt's goal ... The freshman from Carver, Minn., closed the first half of the season with points in seven of the last eight games, totaling 10 points in that stretch ... Minnesota was a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and went 0-for-3 on its own man advantage.
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Next Up: Away at No. 8 Penn State (Jan. 9-10)
The Gophers return to Big Ten Conference play with a road test at No. 8 Penn State Jan. 9-10. Both games are set for 5 p.m. (CT) and will be broadcast live on BTN along with audio coverage on the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
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The Golden Gophers (8-10-1 overall, 4-4-0 B1G) took an early 2-0 lead before the Beavers (9-8-3 overall, 7-2-3 CCHA) scored the next three goals. Tanner Ludtke buried a Tate Pritchard pass in the third period to force overtime where neither team could score a game winner. The home side scored the lone goal in the shootout to cap the night.
Â
After netminder Luca Di Pasquo made a few critical saves in the game's opening minutes, it was a rush up the ice started by Javon Moore that got the scoring started. Moore pushed the puck ahead to a speeding Luke Mittelstadt and the senior did the rest, slicing past a BSU defenseman before lifting a backhand across the crease and into the open net for a 1-0 advantage at 6:04.
Â
Minnesota's defense continued to jump into the play and tacked on the second goal of the night. John Whipple buried a one-timer off a cross-ice feed from Teddy Townsend 1:14 after the Mittelstadt goal and the visitors quickly built a two-goal cushion. The Beavers responded on a tally at the 12:55 mark to close the gap to one before the teams went back to the locker room at intermission with the Maroon and Gold in front, 2-1.
Â
The Gophers got pinned inside their own zone early in the second period and needed saves from Di Pasquo to keep the one-goal edge. In the middle of the frame, Minnesota had to kill off a brief 5-on-3 opportunity as the first two penalties of the night went against the visitors. The power plays were both erased, but momentum stayed with Bemidji State, and it struck for the equalizer at the 12:24 mark. Nathan Airey played the remainder of the period in goal but a turnover inside the Minnesota zone proved costly as the Beavers took a 3-2 lead with only six seconds showing on the clock.
Â
A quality chance from near the crease by Graham Harris nearly pulled the visitors even in the opening minutes of the final frame. The Gophers brought a surge to the offensive end and tested the home goaltender on a flurry of shots in the middle of the period as they searched to pull even. The momentum was stopped on another Minnesota penalty only to have the best chance come shorthanded via the speed of Brody Lamb. His shot into an empty net was tipped at the last second and the Maroon and Gold erased the man advantage. Immediately after exiting the penalty box, Pritchard won a puck battle and found an open Ludtke at the doorstep and the visitors made it 3-3 with 10:23 to play in regulation.
Â
After shutting down the Beavers late in the third, the Gophers went to just their second power play in the last four minutes before skating 5-on-3 as the clock read 2:52. The home side wiped away both chances, igniting the capacity crowd as the matchup headed to overtime. Minnesota withstood possession by BSU to open the extra session and nearly closed the night on a pair of shots by Moore. Airey made one final save in the closing seconds, and the game ended in a 3-3 tie. The Gophers were stopped on all three attempts in the shootout and the Beavers scored on their first try to win it.
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Di Pasquo and Airey split the night in goal and finished with 12 and 13 saves, respectively.
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Noteworthy
Minnesota and Bemidji State met in an exhibition contest for the third time over the past four years and no statistics from the contest count in official totals for the campaign ... The Maroon and Gold freshmen combined for four of the team's seven points in the road battle ... The Gophers entered the night with just five goals by their blue line in 2025-26 before putting away a pair in the first period Friday ... It would mark the second time this season where two goals were scored by defensemen after Leo Gruba and Max Rud found the back of the net at North Dakota on Oct. 18 ... Mittelstadt continues to provide offense from his defensive position, scoring the opening tally ... Whipple collected his second point of the year in the final game before the holiday break and tacked on a goal during the matchup at BSU ... Former Lakeville South High School teammates, Ludtke and Pritchard, combined to get the tying goal in the third period ... Ludtke begins 2026 on a four-game point streak, while Pritchard added his first assist since Nov. 8 ... As he has done nearly every night since the start of November, Moore added his name to the scoresheet behind an assist on Mittelstadt's goal ... The freshman from Carver, Minn., closed the first half of the season with points in seven of the last eight games, totaling 10 points in that stretch ... Minnesota was a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill and went 0-for-3 on its own man advantage.
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Next Up: Away at No. 8 Penn State (Jan. 9-10)
The Gophers return to Big Ten Conference play with a road test at No. 8 Penn State Jan. 9-10. Both games are set for 5 p.m. (CT) and will be broadcast live on BTN along with audio coverage on the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
Highlights: Gophers 3, Bemidji State 3 (EXH)
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