University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, October 25
3M Arena at Mariucci
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
4-1-0
7
vs
1
St. Thomas
1-2-1
1
2
3
F
St. Thomas
1
0
0
1
Minnesota
3
1
3
7
Team Stats
UST
UMN
Shots
21
33
PPG
0
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
3
2
Penalty Mins
6
4
Faceoffs Won
23
26
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
5
Goals
2
Sh
3
A
1
+/-
3
Goals
1
Sh
5
A
2
+/-
4
Goals
1
Sh
2
A
2
+/-
2
Goals
0
Sh
5
A
3
Players Mentioned
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Bjorn Franke
Gophers Crush Tommies, 7-1, in Home Opener Friday
10/25/2024 9:30:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Three-point nights from Kurth, Rinzel
MINNEAPOLIS - Connor Kurth and Sam Rinzel each posted three points, and the No. 5 Minnesota men's hockey team hung seven goals on St. Thomas Friday night in a 7-1 victory in its home opener at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Despite allowing the game's first goal for the first time this season, the Golden Gophers (4-1-0 overall) responded in a big way with the final seven tucks to take down the Tommies (1-2-1 overall). Ten different skaters recorded a point, while six had multi-point performances to pace the Maroon and Gold to its seventh-straight home-opening win.
A pair of defensive-zone turnovers in the early stages of the contest nearly proved costly for the Gophers. The Tommies got free looks at the goal where netminder Nathan Airey was up to the task and shut down the visitors. That did not hold for long as UST struck for the opening tally seven minutes into the frame, marking the first time the Maroon and Gold have trailed in a game this season.
The lead was short lived as Minnesota answered right back, scoring three times over a span of 6:19 to jump in front, 3-1. Ryan Chesley got the offense going, ripping a shot from the right circle for the tying goal at the 11:13 mark. The home team took the lead 76 seconds later when August Falloon held his ground at the right post and finished off a rebound in the crease for his first collegiate goal. The Maroon and Gold continued to show off the quick-strike ability and Connor Kurth added the third goal of the frame thanks to a slick pass from behind the goal line by Mike Koster with 2:28 remaining in the stanza.
Less than eight minutes into the second period, newcomer Matthew Wood made it a memorable 3M Arena at Mariucci debut. After Koster forced a turnover, the junior corralled the puck and skated right past the UST defense before lifting a shot into a tight, short-side window as Minnesota stretched the margin to 4-1. Holding the three-goal cushion, the Gophers needed to erase a penalty to prevent the Tommies from building any momentum and held the 4-1 edge through 40 minutes of action.
Minnesota drew its first power play of the evening 1:17 into the final frame but were unable to convert the chance. After holding off a UST attack, the home side struck again, this time with Rinzel joining the rush and buried the fifth goal of the night for the Gophers. The offense did not stop there as Brody Lamb tipped home a Chesley shot from the point four minutes later. Rinzel capped his three-point effort scoring with less than five minutes to play, using a backhand in tight to the Tommies' net that put the finishing touches on a 7-1 win.
Airey continued to be solid between the pipes for Minnesota and won his fourth-consecutive start to begin his career. The sophomore closed the contest with 20 saves, allowing just one goal, and is 3-0-0 this year.
Noteworthy
Rinzel extended his team-best point streak to all five games during the 2024-25 season and has doubled his career high goals with his fourth tally this season ... The sophomore tallied a three-point night for the fourth time in his career and finished a career-best, plus-5 ... Chesley reached a new single-season high for goals as the junior put away his third of the season in just the fifth game ... He posted his second multi-point game this year, fourth of his career, with an assist in the third period ... For the first time in his young Gophers' career, just his third appearance, Falloon scored a goal and has two points as a freshman with his first NCAA game-winning goal ... Falloon is the 14th different Minnesota skater to score a goal this season ... Kurth added to his team-leading point total, scoring his fifth goal this year before adding a pair of helpers, and now has reached double-digit points at 11 ... It was his third time reaching three or more points this season, a feat he did not reach in either of his first two years on campus ... After registering a first-period assist, Wood scored his third goal of the campaign and made it four games with multiple points wearing the Maroon and Gold ... For the second time in his past three games, Lamb found the back of the net, and increased his career point total to 40 ... Snuggerud continued to find his way to the scoresheet, picking up two assists, and has points in all three career appearances versus the Tommies ... With an assist, Aaron Huglen now has a point in all three Friday games this season ... After totaling 11 of his 14 points at home a year ago, Koster kept that trend going with two assists in Friday's home opener ... Jimmy Clark collected his team-leading seventh assist, setting a new career high, and pushed his point streak to three games, while leading the team by winning 9-of-12 faceoffs ... The Gophers scored seven goals for the third-consecutive series opener in 2024-25 and are averaging 5.4 goals per game ... Minnesota is now 70-31-3 (.688) all-time in home openers, including seven-consecutive wins, which ties a program record.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"The right guys got the puck tonight and made plays," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We had some big-time goals out there, but a lot of the game was 50/50. The coach in me thinks that much more of the game was tight, especially the second period was hard ice. Some of our big boys made some great plays tonight and stretched that game."
Next Up: Away vs. St. Thomas (Oct. 26)
The Gophers go for the sweep of the Tommies when the teams meet again Saturday night with an 8 p.m. start at Xcel Energy Center, airing on FOX9+. Wally Shaver and Eric Schierhorn are also on the call via the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
Despite allowing the game's first goal for the first time this season, the Golden Gophers (4-1-0 overall) responded in a big way with the final seven tucks to take down the Tommies (1-2-1 overall). Ten different skaters recorded a point, while six had multi-point performances to pace the Maroon and Gold to its seventh-straight home-opening win.
A pair of defensive-zone turnovers in the early stages of the contest nearly proved costly for the Gophers. The Tommies got free looks at the goal where netminder Nathan Airey was up to the task and shut down the visitors. That did not hold for long as UST struck for the opening tally seven minutes into the frame, marking the first time the Maroon and Gold have trailed in a game this season.
The lead was short lived as Minnesota answered right back, scoring three times over a span of 6:19 to jump in front, 3-1. Ryan Chesley got the offense going, ripping a shot from the right circle for the tying goal at the 11:13 mark. The home team took the lead 76 seconds later when August Falloon held his ground at the right post and finished off a rebound in the crease for his first collegiate goal. The Maroon and Gold continued to show off the quick-strike ability and Connor Kurth added the third goal of the frame thanks to a slick pass from behind the goal line by Mike Koster with 2:28 remaining in the stanza.
Less than eight minutes into the second period, newcomer Matthew Wood made it a memorable 3M Arena at Mariucci debut. After Koster forced a turnover, the junior corralled the puck and skated right past the UST defense before lifting a shot into a tight, short-side window as Minnesota stretched the margin to 4-1. Holding the three-goal cushion, the Gophers needed to erase a penalty to prevent the Tommies from building any momentum and held the 4-1 edge through 40 minutes of action.
Minnesota drew its first power play of the evening 1:17 into the final frame but were unable to convert the chance. After holding off a UST attack, the home side struck again, this time with Rinzel joining the rush and buried the fifth goal of the night for the Gophers. The offense did not stop there as Brody Lamb tipped home a Chesley shot from the point four minutes later. Rinzel capped his three-point effort scoring with less than five minutes to play, using a backhand in tight to the Tommies' net that put the finishing touches on a 7-1 win.
Airey continued to be solid between the pipes for Minnesota and won his fourth-consecutive start to begin his career. The sophomore closed the contest with 20 saves, allowing just one goal, and is 3-0-0 this year.
Noteworthy
Rinzel extended his team-best point streak to all five games during the 2024-25 season and has doubled his career high goals with his fourth tally this season ... The sophomore tallied a three-point night for the fourth time in his career and finished a career-best, plus-5 ... Chesley reached a new single-season high for goals as the junior put away his third of the season in just the fifth game ... He posted his second multi-point game this year, fourth of his career, with an assist in the third period ... For the first time in his young Gophers' career, just his third appearance, Falloon scored a goal and has two points as a freshman with his first NCAA game-winning goal ... Falloon is the 14th different Minnesota skater to score a goal this season ... Kurth added to his team-leading point total, scoring his fifth goal this year before adding a pair of helpers, and now has reached double-digit points at 11 ... It was his third time reaching three or more points this season, a feat he did not reach in either of his first two years on campus ... After registering a first-period assist, Wood scored his third goal of the campaign and made it four games with multiple points wearing the Maroon and Gold ... For the second time in his past three games, Lamb found the back of the net, and increased his career point total to 40 ... Snuggerud continued to find his way to the scoresheet, picking up two assists, and has points in all three career appearances versus the Tommies ... With an assist, Aaron Huglen now has a point in all three Friday games this season ... After totaling 11 of his 14 points at home a year ago, Koster kept that trend going with two assists in Friday's home opener ... Jimmy Clark collected his team-leading seventh assist, setting a new career high, and pushed his point streak to three games, while leading the team by winning 9-of-12 faceoffs ... The Gophers scored seven goals for the third-consecutive series opener in 2024-25 and are averaging 5.4 goals per game ... Minnesota is now 70-31-3 (.688) all-time in home openers, including seven-consecutive wins, which ties a program record.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"The right guys got the puck tonight and made plays," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We had some big-time goals out there, but a lot of the game was 50/50. The coach in me thinks that much more of the game was tight, especially the second period was hard ice. Some of our big boys made some great plays tonight and stretched that game."
Next Up: Away vs. St. Thomas (Oct. 26)
The Gophers go for the sweep of the Tommies when the teams meet again Saturday night with an 8 p.m. start at Xcel Energy Center, airing on FOX9+. Wally Shaver and Eric Schierhorn are also on the call via the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
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