No. 2 Gophers thump No. 15 Michigan State 8-0

Eight different players scored goals as the Gophers men’s hockey team beat Michigan State 8-0 Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

The Gophers opened the scoring extremely early in the first period. Minnesota won the opening face-off and Logan Cooley broke loose and scored only nine seconds into the game. It was Cooley’s 13^th goal of the season.

Minnesota added another goal in the first period when Ryan Johnson found Jimmy Snuggerud in the slot for the freshman’s 14^th goal of the season.

The barrage continued in the second period. Senior defenseman Brock Faber collected his second assist on the night on Connor Kurth’s fifth goal of the season. Matthew Knies and Mike Koster also notched goals for a 5-0 Gophers lead through two periods.

In the third period, Jackson Lacombe scored on the power play to push the Gophers’ lead to 6-0.  Aaron Huglen made it 7-0 later in the third and freshman Garrett Pinoniemi scored his first career college goal to cap off the 8-0 win for Minnesota.

Gophers goalie Justen Close stopped all 21 shots he faced for the shutout.