Gophers beat Badgers 6-4 earning weekend sweep

A scoring barrage during a six-minute stretch was all the No. 2/3 Golden Gophers men’s hockey team needed to finish off a sweep of Wisconsin in a 6-4 victory Saturday evening from 3M Arena at Mariucci.

Six goals by six different skaters in a span of 5:53 across the end of the first and start of the second periods turned the game around as Minnesota (15-5-0 overall, 10-2-0 B1G) erased a two-goal deficit and secured both games of the series against the Badgers (7-10-0 overall, 1-8-0 B1G) in the final regular season game of 2022.

Facing a rare two-goal deficit late in the first period, Rhett Pitlick got the home side on the scoreboard with 2:23 remaining in the first period and it was all Maroon and Gold from there. Three power-play goals ensued for the Gophers as Wisconsin was given a late five-minute major to turn the tide and two more tallies gave the home team a 6-2 advantage that they clung to down the stretch.

The visitors came out of the gates with a strong push that Minnesota fended off by getting sticks in the lane and blocking shots, while Justen Close turned away any that reached his goal crease. The Gophers then went on the offensive getting a breakaway by Connor Kurth that was stopped before Jaxon Nelson rang a backhand off the post. Wisconsin turned the momentum as they skated to a rare 4-on-3 as both Matthew Knies and Logan Cooley were whistled for penalties while the home side was on a power play in the middle of the opening period. The Badgers were able to capitalize on a 5-on-3, jumping out to a 1-0 advantage with 8:23 remaining in the frame. The deficit doubled three minutes later as Wisconsin struck again.

Pitlick and the Gophers turned things around in a hurry when the Plymouth, Minn., product took a perfect, cross-crease pass from Cal Thomas and buried his seventh goal in the last eight games with 2:23 to play in the first. The major penalty by Wisconsin proved critical as Jimmy Snuggerud evened the score at two, 28 seconds after the Pitlick goal, as Nelson came away with the puck behind the net and found the freshman at the top of the circle. Snuggerud buried his team-leading 12th goal high over the blocker. Luke Mittelstadt beat the buzzer as his last-second shot crossed the goal line with less than a tenth of a second to go before intermission, giving the Gophers a 3-2 edge.

Minnesota tacked on another power-play marker 45 seconds into the second stanza as Mason Nevers tipped in a Mike Koster shot from the point, pushing the lead to 4-2. The onslaught continued when Kurth banked in a shot from below the goal line on an assist by Charlie Strobel, in what turned out to be his first collegiate game winner. Cooley made it a half dozen for the Gophers flipping the puck over the goalie’s shoulder 26 seconds later and the home side took a four-goal cushion into the locker room after 40 minutes.

Two goals from the visitors in the first six minutes of the final frame made things interesting as the gap was cut to 6-4 and the Badgers carried that into another chance on the man advantage. Minnesota erased the penalty and needed a breakaway save by Close with four minutes to play that maintained the edge before finishing its 11th win over the past 13 games heading into the holiday break. Close ended the night making 16 saves to pick up his 12th victory this season.