Gophers Blitz Spartans in Series Opener

Minneapolis, Minn. -- The No. 2 Minnesota Golden Gophers handed visiting Michigan State a 8-0 loss on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci. It was the most goals surrendered by the Spartans this season, as MSU falls to 13-12-2 overall and below .500 in the big Ten (7-8-2). Minnesota improves to 19-7-1, 13-3-1 atop the Conference.

The wheels came off for MSU late in the second period, as a pair of goals in the final 4:13 blew open a 3-0 game, and two goals under 90 seconds apart in the third period handed MSU its most lopsided loss of the season. MSU surrendered three goals in the third period – two on the power play – for the final 8-0 margin.

The Gophers spread out their offense with the goals distributed among eight different players; freshmen Jimmy Snuggerud and Logan Cooley and blueliner Mike Koster each had a goal and two assists for Minnesota.

Dylan St. Cyr stopped 16 shots in two periods, and Pierce Charleson came on in the third and made nine stops for MSU. Justen Close made 21 saves in the shutout effort for the Gophers.

The two teams wrap up the weekend series with a Saturday rematch. Puck drop is 5 pm ET/ 4 pm CT.

STATISTICS OF NOTE

The elapsed game time between MSU and Minnesota this season without a penalty for either team was 152:03. Seven complete periods, plus 12:03 here in the second-longest in college hockey history.
The Spartans surrendered a season-high eight goals. Minnesota and Ohio State had the previous high for an opponent this season (six).
MSU was shut out for the fourth time this season, all in Big Ten games. Two of the shutout losses have come to the Gophers, and all four are in Big Ten play.
The Spartans took four penalties in the final period, which led to two Minnesota power play goals, Minnesota had three penalties for six minutes in the game.
The Spartans blocked 15 shots, led by four from sophomore David Gucciardi. Michael Underwood had three.
Pierce Charleson made his third appearance of the season and second straight in relief. He made nine saves after Dylan St. Cyr made 16 in the frist two periods.

PERIOD SUMMARIES

First Period:   The Gophers wasted zero time getting on the scoreboard, the Gophers won the opening faceoff, and Logan Cooley walked in alone and beat St. Cyr with his 13^th goal of the season. From there, the Spartans settled in and got down to business, generating a pair of good chances – a great look from Jeremy Davidson, and a blast from the point from Nash Nienhuis that Miroslav Mucha nearly got a stick on the rebound.   As the period entered its final four minutes, the Gophers rushed the puck into the zone, with Ryan Johnson going across the top of the right circle to Jimmy Snuggerud, who picked the top left corner and went bar-down for his 14^th goal of the season.   The Gophers outshot MSU just 9-7 in the period but held the 2-0 lead at the first intermission.

Second Period:     The Gopher third line got a goal to make it 3-0 at 7:36, as Connor Kurth got the puck back at the hash marks after a St. Cyr save and lifted the puck past the goalie. Minnesota's high-end talented forward corps took over the final five minutes with some nifty passing, swarming in their offensive zone and creating two goals in the final five minutes to blow open the game. Matthew Knies scored with just over four minutes remaining to give a goal to each member of the Gophers' top line, and went into the locker room up 5-0 with a goal by Mike Koster at 17:26.

Third Period:   The Spartans took four penalties in the final period after just one in the first two frames, and it led to a pair of power play goals for the home team and three overall in the period. Jackson Lacombe struck 3:09 into the period, just six seconds into a man advantage to start the third-period scoring, and Aaron Huglen scored on an absolute breakaway snipe at 4:26. With just over three minutes remaining, freshman winger Garrett Pinoniemi got his first collegiate goal with a power play marker. Charleson, who came on in the third period in relief of St. Cyr, made nine saves.

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Team Stats

Miroslav Mucha

Matt Basgall

Tanner Kelly

Christian Krygier

Players Mentioned

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

David Gucciardi

Miroslav Mucha

Nash Nienhuis

Dylan St. Cyr

Michael Underwood

Players Mentioned

Pierce Charleson

Jeremy Davidson

David Gucciardi

Miroslav Mucha

Nash Nienhuis

Dylan St. Cyr

Michael Underwood