Gophers’ disciplined fashion results in sweep of Notre Dame – InForum

MINNEAPOLIS — Possibly the way in which to deal with the beginning of what may very well be an extended Minnesota winter is to faux that it’s spring as an alternative. The Minnesota Gophers did one thing much like sweep Notre Dame on Saturday, taking part in a sport befitting of the tight-checking, low-scoring school hockey playoffs to clean the Irish.

Second-period targets by Jaxon Nelson and Matthew Knies, together with a defensive effort that appeared to reflect what Notre Dame has normally executed so effectively, lifted the Gophers to a 3-0 win and a sweep of their weekend Huge Ten sequence.

For the second consecutive night time, Minnesota was in full management of the offensive zone, pelting Notre Dame goalie Ryan Bischel with 31 photographs and scoring on an prolonged energy play.

“Precisely what we knew, it was going to be a battle. We acquired the primary one, and we acquired a power-play aim,” mentioned Gophers coach Bob Motzko. “After which it was an arm wrestling match. We gained some battles and misplaced some battles.”

With the win, the Gophers improved to 7-3-0 and at the moment are 3-1-0 in convention play. Logan Cooley scored into an empty internet with 3.1 seconds on the clock for the clincher.

The Irish (4-4-2, 1-2-1) struggled to seek out offensive continuity all through. Bischel completed with 28 saves whereas Gophers goalie Justen Shut had 21 for his second shutout of the season.

“Nearer was good after we wanted him,” Motzko mentioned. “Nice grow-up sport for our group. I wish to have classes like that whenever you win.”

After a scoreless first interval, Nelson gave Minnesota the lead on a reasonably backhander on the prime of the crease, following a cross-ice cross from Bryce Brodzinski. On the play, Gophers captain Brock Faber was hit up excessive, resulting in a significant penalty and an ejection from the sport for Irish ahead Jesse Lansdell. Knies scored on the prolonged man-advantage to double the Gophers’ lead.

The Irish, who acquired their solely aim of the weekend within the remaining minute of Friday’s 4-1 Gophers win, are struggling to generate offense.

“Aside from the Friday night time in opposition to Michigan State, we haven’t scored plenty of targets five-on-five,” Irish coach Jeff Jackson mentioned, referencing a 5-0 win versus the Spartans on Oct. 28. “Our energy play dried up a bit and also you’re not going to attain for those who don’t rating in these conditions.”

Shut discovered a lesson in regards to the nature of the NCAA playoffs final March, backstopping the Gophers first journey to the Frozen 4 since 2014 and clinching the journey to Boston with a shutout in a lock-down all-out defensive sport to beat Western Michigan within the regional remaining.

Towards a Notre Dame staff that at all times performs that sort of sport, the Gophers acquired a reminder of what it is going to take a number of months from now if they’ll return to the Frozen 4.

“We’re used to that sort of sport versus Notre Dame. We’ve seen it for 4 years now,” mentioned Shut. “They play a decent checking sport that sort of goes up and down the ice and it may well take some time for issues to get going. We had been ready for that sort of sport.”

Nelson, who scored for the second consecutive night time, was cognizant of how valuable targets might be when going through that staff with the shiny gold helmets.

“Enjoying Notre Dame, it’s the identical sport each time. We simply say you may’t get boring with it,” Nelson mentioned. “Dumping the puck isn’t essentially the most enjoyable factor to go retrieve it again, however that’s what you have to do to beat them. You’ve acquired to play disciplined and play laborious and play easy.”

Wholesome scratches from the Gophers lineup on Saturday had been forwards Carl Fish, John Mittelstadt and Colin Schmidt, and defenseman Matt Staudacher.

Previous to the sport, the Gophers gamers got here out onto the staff bench to look at the disclosing of the staff’s 2022 Huge Ten common season champions banner.

The Gophers proceed Huge Ten play subsequent week with a Thursday-Friday sequence versus Penn State at 3M Area.

Minnesota 0-2-1—3

Notre Dame 0-0-0—0

First interval — No scoring. Penalties — None.

Second interval — 1. MN, Jaxon Nelson (Bryce Brodzinski, Mason Nevers), 10:15. 2. MN, Matthew Knies 7 (Jimmy Snuggerud, Ryan Johnson), 13:31, (PP). Penalties — Solag Bakich, ND (slashing), 6:16; Jesse Lansdell, ND (5 & sport misconduct – contact to the top), 10:15; Jackson LaCombe, MN (hooking), 18:08.

Third interval — 3. MN, Logan Cooley 3 (Johnson), 19:57, (EN). Penalties — Aaron Huglen, MN (interference), 2:44; Nick Leivermann, ND (cross checking), 13:43.

Pictures on aim — MN 9-17-5—31 ND 3-7-11—21. Goalies — Justen Shut, MN (21 shots-21 saves); Ryan Bischel, ND (30-28). Energy performs — MN 1-of-4, ND 0-of-2. Referees — Jake Rekucki, Kenny Anderson. Linesmen — Dan Cohen, Johnathan Morrison. Att. — 8,291.