Story of Two Nights: No. 7 Minnesota used the third set of three goals to win the men’s hockey 4-2

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – No. 7 Minnesota used three third-round goals, two of which were in the power game, to defeat Penn State 4-2 and earn a series in the Big Ten conference in action on Saturday night at the 3M Arena in Mariucci.

Penn State drops 7-6-0 a year and 1-5-0 in Big Ten after a loss, while the Gophers improve 8-6-0 a year and 5-3-0-0-1-0 in conference operations.

HOW DID IT HAPPEN

• After an undefeated first set, Penn State opened the goal for the second consecutive night as a freshman. Ben Schoen (Maumee, Ohio) sent a shot from high in the rear window and bounced right into another student’s stick Jimmy Dowd Jr. (Point Pleasant Beach, NY) who hit it from the back door and reached a 1-0 set at 5:45.
• Minnesota leveled the score as Sammy Walker took a stretch pass from Jackson Lacombe and skated to a partial detachment, shooting a laser over Nittany Lion’s senior net guard blocker. Oskar Autio (Espoo, Finland) and inside the far post for a 1-1 situation at the middle frame at 11:49.
• The Gophers took their first lead in the game with a power drop at the start of the third period as Matthew Knies slipped through one of Auto’s five holes at the back post and led to a 2-1 lead at 4:57.
• Nittany Lions secured a tie in the attack area draw as a junior Kevin Wall (Penfield, NY) bounces home on a welcome mat after freshmen Ryan Kirwanin (DeWitt, NY) The first shot was turned aside in the third set to a 2-2 situation at 12:24.
• Minnesota took advantage of an extended 5-3 power game to regain the lead when Mason Nevers lit the lamp to the right when the first PSU penalty ended in a 3-2 lead in the third set at 14:49.
• Walker increased the result with an empty net with 1:22 left in the game, which explains the 4-2 final.

PAINT EFFECT

• Desolate drops 5-4-0 in 25 fights as LaFontaine stopped 35/37 shots to break their record 8-6-0.

COMMENTS

• The win is only Fifth for Gophers against Penn State in the last 19 matches.
• Penn State’s first goal is the tenth time in 13 matches when Nittany Lions have scored their first goal, but now they are 7-3-0 this season.
• With his second-round entry, Schoen has now scored points in consecutive games for the second time in his career.
• Second year student Christian Sarlo (Lynbrook, NY) scored a secondary entry point in the second-round goal of Dowd and has now recorded points in consecutive games and is a one-game shy career from the three-match points tube last season.
• With his goal in the third set, Wall has extended his points against Gophers to five games and now has eight points in eight career matches against Minnesota and has failed to score at least one point in just one of those races.
• Kirwan now has points in three consecutive games in a new career best points tube.
• Thanks to his third-inning pass, Copeland is expanding his scoring streak to four games in three games, but sees his goal’s best three-match goal tube cut off. Copeland have now scored at least one point in their last eight matches.
• Penn State dominated with a 37-29 lead on goal shots, but went with a 0-4 crew when Minnesota was 2-4.
• After winning the Gophers 2-0 in the third set last night, Minnesota regained popularity with a 3-1 margin on Saturday night in the last 20 minutes. Penn State has now allowed two or more third-round goals six times, and the opponent has scored three or more goals in four of those cases.

NEXT

The Lions of Nittany are making a quick turn as they stay in the Twin Cities and begin a two-game series with the St. Thomas Tommies on Tuesday night at 7pm (CT) / 8pm (ET).

For more information on the 2021-22 season, featured at the Penn State Bookstore: Penn State Athletics Official Bookstore, visit the men’s hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday through Friday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.