Close makes 46-saves as Gophers complete first round sweep of Penn State

Justen Close’s 46-save effort backstopped the No. 8 Golden Gophers men’s hockey team to a 3-2 win over Penn State in the Big Ten Conference Tournament Quarterfinals. Jaxon Nelson scored twice, and Aaron Huglen provided the game winner with 1:08 remaining in regulation to complete the series sweep Saturday afternoon inside 3M Arena at Mariucci.

After Nelson staked the team to a two-goal lead in the first period, Minnesota (22-9-5 overall) held off the dangerous Nittany Lions (15-18-3 overall) power play during a pair of 5-on-3 chances. Close shut the door down the stretch to send the Gophers to the B1G Semifinals for the sixth-straight season. The graduate student stopped all 20 shots he faced in the final frame as the visitors tilted play, holding a 35-7 edge in shots on goal during the last 40 minutes of action.

It was all offense to begin the matinee for the Maroon and Gold and Brody Lamb nearly gave the home side the advantage less than a minute into the game after Huglen intercepted a PSU clearing attempt. The Gophers remained on the attack and Nelson found the back of the net from just inside the blue line as his shot fooled the visiting netminder just 1:39 into the contest. Things changed in a hurry as Minnesota was issued a five-minute major and game misconduct at the 4:07 mark.

After the Gophers killed off more than three minutes of the major penalty, they were called for another infraction, while simultaneously challenging for a hit from behind by PSU. The Nittany Lions were deemed to have a clean hit via video review and moved to a 5-on-3 power-play for 90 seconds. While on the penalty kill, Minnesota was issued another penalty, putting three players into the penalty box. The crowd erupted as the Gophers shut down the entirety of PSU’s man advantages, which extended to nearly seven minutes. The path to the box remained open, but this time it was two penalties on the Nittany Lions over a 39-second span that gave the home side a two-man advantage in the middle of the first period.

Minnesota capitalized on the back half of the penalties thanks to a quick stick at the blue line from Ryan Chesley. The sophomore found his classmate Luke Mittelstadt, who quickly wheeled down to Oliver Moore and the freshman fed a perfect, cross-ice pass to a waiting Nelson. The graduate student buried a one-timer to the short side, giving the Gophers a two-goal edge with 6:50 to play in a chaotic opening frame.

The visitors were desperate in the second stanza and increased the pressure in the offensive zone where Close was up to the task, making nine saves during a four-minute stretch. The Nittany Lions got on the scoreboard via a rebound at the 8:59 mark by taking advantage of a Gophers’ turnover in their own zone. Another giveaway from the home side led to the tying goal four minutes later as momentum shifted in a 2-2 contest. Minnesota looked to break the deadlock as it moved to a power play late in the frame but could not convert and was forced to hold off a surging PSU squad until intermission, keeping the score even through 40 minutes. After holding the Nittany Lions to one shot in Friday’s second period, the visitors fired 15 Saturday.

Close stole the show beginning the final period and turned away chance after chance to singlehandedly slow the PSU offense, including a sliding glove stop from point-blank range. The Gophers played on their heels for a majority of the frame before Lamb found a streaking Huglen and the junior’s shot whistled wide as the search for the go-ahead goal continued for both teams. The Nittany Lions came less than an inch from taking the lead as an awkward bounce off the end wall sat along the goal line before being cleared. The very next shift saw PSU find the back of the net on another rebound opportunity with 5:48 to play in regulation. Minnesota successfully challenged for offsides, and the goal was wiped off the board, which gave the home team new life.

With the game hanging in the balance, a strong forecheck from Huglen forced a turnover at the offensive blue line. Lamb corralled the loose puck and attacked the PSU net before dishing off a slick feed to the waiting stick of Huglen for the eventual game winner with 1:08 remaining in the contest.

Minnesota advanced to the 2024 B1G Semifinals set to be played next weekend and will learn its opponent based on the outcomes of the rest of the quarterfinals. The Gophers will face either No. 2 Wisconsin on the road or host No. 4 Michigan or No. 5 Notre Dame.