Nelson’s hat trick leads Gophers past Michigan
Jaxon Nelson’s first collegiate hat trick helped drive the No. 8 Minnesota men’s hockey team to a dominating, 6-2 victory over No. 16 Michigan Friday night from 3M Arena at Mariucci.
The Golden Gophers (20-8-5 overall, 13-6-4 B1G) scored three power-play goals during the second period, including two from Oliver Moore, to break a 2-2 tie and handed the Wolverines (17-13-3 overall, 10-11-2 B1G) the loss with the game’s final four goals. Minnesota’s eighth-straight home victory clinched the No. 3 seed for the upcoming Big Ten Conference Tournament after holding the nation’s third-highest scoring offense to just 21 shots on goal.
It was the visitors that struck first at the 4:11 mark of the opening period after a shot deflected off two Minnesota defenders before finding the back of the net. The Maroon and Gold responded with a strong push at the other end of the ice and drew a man advantage that was negated via a penalty of its own. After both teams returned to full strength, Luke Mittelstadt buried a rebound to pull the Gophers even, 1-1, with 7:32 remaining in the frame and a video challenge confirmed the goal. Bryce Brodzinski started the play with a pass to the middle of the ice and Nelson created havoc in the crease.
That veteran line stayed on the attack and gave Minnesota a 2-1 edge less than three minutes later as Nelson backhanded a shot through the Michigan goalie’s pads following a feed from Mason Nevers. The Wolverines answered with an unassisted goal, capitalizing on a defensive zone turnover in the final minute of the period, and the teams went back to the locker room tied 2-2.
It was a battle for space beginning the middle stanza and neither side generated much offense until the Gophers went to a power play seven minutes into the period. Moore was rewarded from a sharp angle as the freshman whipped home the go-ahead tally from the bottom of the right circle. Minnesota appeared to extend its advantage at the 12:53 mark as Nelson scored, but was pushed into the Michigan netminder, forcing the goal to be wiped off the scoreboard. The home side challenged, and the call stood to remain a one-goal cushion.
The Maroon and Gold were undeterred by the call and went to another 5-on-4 opportunity late in the second period. This time, Nelson made no doubt, burying an odd-angle rebound after Sam Rinzel’s initial shot was blocked. A minute later, the Wolverines were assessed a bench minor for unsportsmanlike conduct and Moore made them pay with his second goal as the clock read 2:53, tapping home a loose puck near the right post and the margin swelled to 5-2 through two periods.
Michigan turned to its backup goalie for the final frame and the action went back and forth with the defense holding firm. Nelson completed the hat trick at the 10:51 mark of the third period as he skated right past the Wolverines defenseman and wired a wrister home. Minnesota cruised to the finish and closed out their eighth-straight home win.
Justen Close stopped all 13 shots he faced over the final two periods, allowing the Gophers offense to take over, and the graduate student recorded his 59th all-time victory by making 19 saves.