LaFontaine blanks Irish again in Gophers’ repeat 3-0 win

Hobey Baker Award and Mike Richter Award nominee Jack LaFontaine posted Minnesota’s first back-to-back shutouts in just shy of a decade this weekend, closing out a two-game Big Ten sweep at Notre Dame with another 3-0 win on Saturday evening.

Minnesota (17-5-0 overall, 13-5-0-0-0-0 Big Ten) blanked its opponent in back-to-back games for the first time since Kent Patterson shut out Sacred Heart twice in Minneapolis on Oct. 7-8, 2011 while this weekend’s road sweep marked just the third time in the program’s 100-year history that the team earned two-straight shutouts on the road (LaFontaine is the first goalie in program history to accomplish the road feat as the lone goaltender of record).

The alternate captain made 25 saves on 25 shots to pick up his NCAA-leading 15th win of the year as LaFontaine (15-5-0) ended the weekend with 49 saves on 49 shots and now has five shutouts on the season. Ryan Bischel took the loss for Notre Dame (10-11-1, 8-9-1-1-2-1), making 25 saves on 28 shots.

On the other end of the ice, the Gophers overcame a slow first period for another three-goal performance on offense as linemates Sampo Ranta, Brannon McManus and Scott Reedy hooked up twice while Nathan Burke added an unassisted tally.

McManus picked up the eventual game winner with his seventh goal of the year after an incredible pass from Ranta at 4:09 of the second period (Reedy also assisted on the deciding goal). Then Burke added to the lead just over two minutes later when he forced a turnover and scored his third of the year at 6:16.

The trio of Ranta, Reedy and McManus teamed up again in the third period when Ranta tacked on his 14th of the year at 15:11 as the junior ended the game ranked second in the nation in goal scoring. Ranta, who is now tied for the team scoring lead with Sammy Walker, has already set new career highs for goals (14) and points (22) this year.

Both teams tallied 28 shots in the game.

Quotes from Coach
“We’ve seen Jack on top of his game for the better part of almost a year and a half now,” Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. “He just looks so calm too…nothing was rattled. That’s when you know a goalie is dialed in – nothing looks hard, everything looked easy for him.”

Noteworthy
Minnesota will end the weekend in first place in the Big Ten with 39 points, ahead of Wisconsin with 34 currently (the Badgers will close out their series at Michigan on Sunday after falling in the series opener)…Blake McLaughlin nearly continued an unbelievable streak at Compton Family Ice Arena as the junior failed to score a goal for the first time in six regular-season games at the venue. The junior actually found the back of the net on Saturday with a highlight goal only for officials to review the play and deem the Gophers offside…the Maroon & Gold have now earned eight sweeps this season.

Up Next: Hosting the Spartans
Minnesota returns to action next weekend, hosting Michigan State for a two-game Big Ten series at 3M Arena at Mariucci. The weekend kicks off on Friday, Feb. 19 at 7:00 p.m. CT (TV: FOX Sports North Plus; Stream: BTN+/FOX Sports Go; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM) before concluding on Saturday, Feb. 20 at 5:00 p.m. CT (CT (TV: FOX Sports North/FOX Sports Detroit; Stream: BTN+/FOX Sports Go; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM/103.5 FM).

Courtesy: University of Minnesota Sports Information