Gophers return from holiday break with 6-2 win over Mercyhurst

In their first game since December 14, the 3rd-ranked Gophers men’s hockey team trounced Mercyhurst 6-2 Friday night in Minneapolis.

Goals by Jimmy Snuggerud and Connor Kurth had Minnesota up 1-0 after the first period. Just 1:57 in the 2nd period, Brody Lamb scored on the power play to give Minnesota a 3-0 lead.

Mercyhurst finally found some momentum with back-to-back goals from Riley Fitzgerald and Connor Pelc to trim the Gophers’ lead to 3-2 midway through the 2nd. The Gophers closed the period strong with Matthew Wood extending the lead to 4-2 with a deflection in front of the net, then Erik Pahlsson made a beautiful drop pass to John Mittelstadt to give Minnesota a 5-2 lead after two periods.

Pahlsson added a short-handed goal in the 3rd period to finish the scoring.

The Gophers outshot Mercyhurst 45-22.