Gophers score 2 late 3rd period goals to win 4-3

Gophers win 4-3 over Anchorage Alaska after scoring two powerplay goals at the end of the 3rd period. Story here. Marshall’s Late Goal Propels Gophers to 4-3 Win Over UAA

MINNEAPOLIS – The No. 1 Minnesota men’s hockey team scored twice during a late five-minute major to turn a near loss into a dramatic 4-3 win over Alaska Anchorage on Friday night at Mariucci Arena. Nick Bjugstad tallied a pair of goals in the win while Ben Marshall found the net with 51 seconds left for the deciding score in Minnesota’s first Western Collegiate Hockey Association action of 2013.

After Quinn Sproule sent the Seawolves into the first intermission up 1-0, the Gophers (15-3-3 overall, 7-3-3 WCHA) appeared to right the ship with second period goals from Kyle Rau and Bjugstad to take a 2-1 lead. Alaska Anchorage (3-12-4, 1-11-3) didn’t go quietly, however, opening the third period with two unanswered goals and putting the Gophers in an unusual spot – trailing late.

Minnesota would catch a break though when Tyler Currier was given a five-minute major and a game misconduct for checking from behind with just under five minutes left in regulation. The WCHA’s top power-play took advantage of the opportunity with two power-play one-timers to pick up the win.

Bjugstad picked up his team-high 12th goal of the season (tied for second in the WCHA) to knot the game at 3-3 at 16:49 after being set up by Nate Schmidt and Rau. Minutes later, Marshall snapped a 12-game goal drought dating back to Minnesota’s 4-0 win over the Seawolves on Nov. 9 with a one-timer blast from down low with just 51 seconds remaining in regulation. Mike Reilly and Christian Isackson assisted on the game winner – Marshall’s fourth goal of the season.

The Gophers’s final two goals would push the team to 3-for-6 on the power-play while the penalty kill went 3-for-3 on the night. Minnesota, which outshot the Seawolves 30-20, is now unbeaten in its last seven games – a season-high for the program. Bjugstad (two goals), Schmidt, Rau, and Nate Condon (each with one goal and one assist) paced Minnesota in the win.

Adam Wilcox improved to a WCHA best 14-2-3 this season with the win, making 17 saves. Rob Gunderson fell to 1-5-4 on the season for Alaska Anchorage with 26 saves.

Minnesota and Alaska Anchorage complete this weekend’s series at 7 p.m. CT on Saturday. The series finale will be broadcast on FOX Sports North and 1500 ESPN.

Gophers beat Notre Dame 4-1

No. 1 Gophers Get Hot Early in 4-1 Win Over No. 2/3 Notre Dame

MINNEAPOLIS – Nate Condon scored on the first shot of the game and top-ranked Minnesota would add three more over the course of its final nonconference game to cruise past No. 2/3 Notre Dame 4-1 in a rare Tuesday night contest at Mariucci Arena.

The Gophers (14-3-3 overall, 6-3-3 WCHA) finished the regular season with an 8-0-0 mark in nonconference play with the win and snapped a six-game winning streak by the Irish (14-5-0, 10-1-0 CCHA). Minnesota also improved to 7-1-0 against ranked teams this season with its second-straight win over a top-five team (the Gophers topped then No. 1 Boston College 8-1 on Dec. 30 in the Mariucci Classic title game).

Condon, who was one of three Gophers to finish with a game-high two points on the night along with Zach Budish and Sam Warning, started it off for Minnesota at 1:21 of the first period for his third goal in as many games and sixth overall in 2012-13. Budish and Warning set up the goal with Budish dropping the puck back for a hard Condon wrist shot from the top of the faceoff circle.

Warning added his sixth goal at 7:29 of the first, knocking in a loose puck through a scrum in front of the net with an assist from Travis Boyd before Notre Dame would get its only goal of the night late in the period at 14:31 from Jeff Costello with assists from Bryan Rust and Anders Lee.

The rest of the night would belong to the top-ranked Gophers, however.

Christian Isackson’s second period dangle at 5:23 earned the sophomore the No. 10 spot on ESPN’s SportsCenter after A.J. Michaelson set up the Gophers’ third goal of the night. Budish would add an empty netter at 19:45 after being set up by Kyle Rau and Condon for Budish’s sixth goal of the season. The Gophers are now 13-0-1 this season when Rau earns a point.

In goal, Adam Wilcox turned in another impressive performance to improve to a WCHA-best 13-2-3 in his rookie campaign. The freshman made 22 saves, none bigger than his pad save on a third period breakaway by the Irish’s Rust.

The Gophers outshot Notre Dame 26-23, went 6-for-6 on the penalty kill and 0-for-4 on the power play.

Minnesota returns to action this weekend with a WCHA series against Alaska Anchorage. Friday’s series opener is slated for 8 p.m. while Saturday’s finale is scheduled for 7 p.m.