University of Minnesota Athletics
Saturday, January 11
Columbus, OH
5:30 PM
University of Minnesota
18-4-2, 9-2-1
6
at
1
Ohio State
15-6-1, 8-4-0
1
2
3
F
Minnesota
3
2
1
6
Ohio State
0
0
1
1
Team Stats
UMN
OSU
Shots
33
33
PPG
3
1
SHG
0
0
Penalties
4
4
Penalty Mins
8
8
Faceoffs Won
33
36
Game Leaders
Skaters
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
3
A
2
+/-
0
Goals
2
Sh
3
A
0
+/-
1
Goals
1
Sh
4
A
1
+/-
1
Goals
0
Sh
0
A
2
Players Mentioned
Defense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyDefense
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Defense
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Kirk Irwin
Koster's Pair Leads 'U' to 6-1 Road Win at OSU
1/11/2025 8:30:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Three power-play goals to split series
COLUMBUS, Ohio - The third-ranked Golden Gophers men's hockey team put together a dominating performance on the road at No. 11 Ohio State and skated to a 6-1 victory inside Value City Arena Saturday night.
Mike Koster buried a pair of power-play tallies and Minnesota (18-4-2 overall, 9-2-1 B1G) scored three times in the first nine minutes of the Big Ten Conference matchup with the Buckeyes (15-6-1 overall, 8-4-0 B1G). The three graduate students were the difference Saturday as Koster, Mason Nevers, and netminder Liam Souliere combined for three goals and 32 saves to split the series.
The visitors were gifted an early power-play chance as OSU was called for having too many players on the ice 86 seconds into the contest. The Maroon and Gold peppered the Buckeyes goaltender with four shots before Koster got one through to open the scoring at the 2:48 mark. Following a faceoff win, the captain ripped a slapshot through traffic for the early edge. The momentum helped the Gophers sustain pressure in the offensive zone and Jimmy Clark nearly doubled the advantage, but his shot was stopped by a pad save.
It was all Minnesota over the next two shifts as it scored twice in a span of 15 seconds that drove the Buckeyes into using their timeout after eight minutes had elapsed. Beckett Hendrickson forced a center ice turnover and Mason Nevers made it 2-0 when he fought through a stick check and chipped a shot over the goalie's glove at 7:49. Even a line change could not stop the Gophers' attack as Oliver Moore won a footrace to the puck behind the net and fed Connor Kurth at the left side of the crease. Kurth buried the quick pass before the OSU netminder could get back in position and the Maroon and Gold held a 3-0 lead with 11:56 to play in the first period. The margin stayed through to intermission.
Less than two minutes into the middle frame, Minnesota moved to its second man advantage where Koster delivered for the second time. This time he buried a one-timer from the blue line off a pass from Luke Mittelstadt 3:36 into the period. The Buckeyes battled back to test Souliere where the goaltender shut down each chance, allowing his offense to go back to work and earned another crack with the power play.
The Gophers converted for the third-straight man advantage as Jimmy Snuggerud finished off a beautiful passing play between Sam Rinzel and Matthew Wood with a one-timer from the left faceoff dot, giving the visitors a 5-0 cushion with six minutes remaining in the stanza. The tally also chased the OSU goalie after the NCAA's goals-against leader allowed a season-high five. With the second period clock winding down, Minnesota was called for two penalties 14 seconds apart but fought off the Buckeyes' extended 5-on-3 to maintain the five-goal edge after two completed frames.
The visitors were content to get pucks deep in the attacking zone to limit OSU's possession beginning the third period. The Maroon and Gold were still able to create chances on target, leading to the sixth goal of the night at the 8:24 mark. A shot from Snuggerud bounced hard off the end boards to a waiting Ryan Chesley at the near post. The junior followed the play and tapped home the loose puck, extending the Gophers' advantage.
A power-play for the Buckeyes in the middle of the period was promptly erased but another penalty on the Gophers late in the contest proved costly. Souliere's shutout bid was snapped with 2:15 on the clock as OSU scored on a cross-ice one-timer. The Montreal, Quebec, product finished the night with a season-best 32 saves during the 6-1 road win.
Noteworthy
Koster put together the second multi-goal game of his career, both of which have come against the Buckeyes as he has 10 points in 17 career outings against OSU ... The Chaska, Minn., native pushed his point total to nine and has four points in the past six games ... After missing seven games for injury, Nevers returned to the lineup this weekend and scored his second goal of the year, first since Oct. 12 against Omaha, and recorded his first point since the final game of October ... Kurth collected at least three points for a team-leading fifth time this season with a goal and two assists and has 11 points in his last eight outings ... Snuggerud saw his six-game point streak snapped Friday before burying his 12th goal of the campaign, stretching his point total to 30 behind his 18th career power-play tally and an assist ... Already having a career year in goal production, Chesley tacked on his seventh, reaching 16 total points ... Playing in the 100th game of his Minnesota career, Mittelstadt picked up his third point of the weekend behind his fourth multi-point performance of his last 11 appearances ... The junior has seven assists across his past six road contests as more than half of his 13 points this year have come away from home ... Hendrickson registered his third assist and sixth point of the year, four of which have come over his last 10 outings ... After missing the last series while winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, both Moore and Brodie Ziemer picked up their first points since returning and have 18 and 13 on the season, respectively ... It was Ziemer's fourth collegiate multi-point effort as he tallied two helpers ... Wood matched his season-long point streak at five games thanks to an assist, increasing his total points to 26 ... Rinzel added another point to his impressive resume this year and now has 24 from his spot along the blue line, the most of any NCAA defenseman ... Souliere lowered his goals-against average in league play to 1.32 as he owns a 4-1-0 record with two shutouts against B1G foes ... The Gophers posted five or more goals for the 13th time for the year and fourth in B1G competition ... Saturday's three power-play goals matched a season high and the third time it has happened in 2024-25 ... The 15 seconds between goals in the first period was the fastest two-goal span this season, and third time Minnesota's scored twice in less than 30 seconds ... The Gophers have outscored their opponents by a 20-6 margin in the first period of games this year.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"It just was not a good look to us last night. Tonight, absolutely the other way around from the first shift," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "All four lines, all the defensemen, Liam was great in net and give our guys credit, we responded. I hope it's a lesson for us and I hope that's a game to get us going now."
Next Up: Home vs. Notre Dame (Jan. 17-18)
The Gophers return home for a B1G series against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame Jan. 17-18. Both games will be available on FOX9 and streaming via B1G+.
Mike Koster buried a pair of power-play tallies and Minnesota (18-4-2 overall, 9-2-1 B1G) scored three times in the first nine minutes of the Big Ten Conference matchup with the Buckeyes (15-6-1 overall, 8-4-0 B1G). The three graduate students were the difference Saturday as Koster, Mason Nevers, and netminder Liam Souliere combined for three goals and 32 saves to split the series.
The visitors were gifted an early power-play chance as OSU was called for having too many players on the ice 86 seconds into the contest. The Maroon and Gold peppered the Buckeyes goaltender with four shots before Koster got one through to open the scoring at the 2:48 mark. Following a faceoff win, the captain ripped a slapshot through traffic for the early edge. The momentum helped the Gophers sustain pressure in the offensive zone and Jimmy Clark nearly doubled the advantage, but his shot was stopped by a pad save.
It was all Minnesota over the next two shifts as it scored twice in a span of 15 seconds that drove the Buckeyes into using their timeout after eight minutes had elapsed. Beckett Hendrickson forced a center ice turnover and Mason Nevers made it 2-0 when he fought through a stick check and chipped a shot over the goalie's glove at 7:49. Even a line change could not stop the Gophers' attack as Oliver Moore won a footrace to the puck behind the net and fed Connor Kurth at the left side of the crease. Kurth buried the quick pass before the OSU netminder could get back in position and the Maroon and Gold held a 3-0 lead with 11:56 to play in the first period. The margin stayed through to intermission.
Less than two minutes into the middle frame, Minnesota moved to its second man advantage where Koster delivered for the second time. This time he buried a one-timer from the blue line off a pass from Luke Mittelstadt 3:36 into the period. The Buckeyes battled back to test Souliere where the goaltender shut down each chance, allowing his offense to go back to work and earned another crack with the power play.
The Gophers converted for the third-straight man advantage as Jimmy Snuggerud finished off a beautiful passing play between Sam Rinzel and Matthew Wood with a one-timer from the left faceoff dot, giving the visitors a 5-0 cushion with six minutes remaining in the stanza. The tally also chased the OSU goalie after the NCAA's goals-against leader allowed a season-high five. With the second period clock winding down, Minnesota was called for two penalties 14 seconds apart but fought off the Buckeyes' extended 5-on-3 to maintain the five-goal edge after two completed frames.
The visitors were content to get pucks deep in the attacking zone to limit OSU's possession beginning the third period. The Maroon and Gold were still able to create chances on target, leading to the sixth goal of the night at the 8:24 mark. A shot from Snuggerud bounced hard off the end boards to a waiting Ryan Chesley at the near post. The junior followed the play and tapped home the loose puck, extending the Gophers' advantage.
A power-play for the Buckeyes in the middle of the period was promptly erased but another penalty on the Gophers late in the contest proved costly. Souliere's shutout bid was snapped with 2:15 on the clock as OSU scored on a cross-ice one-timer. The Montreal, Quebec, product finished the night with a season-best 32 saves during the 6-1 road win.
Noteworthy
Koster put together the second multi-goal game of his career, both of which have come against the Buckeyes as he has 10 points in 17 career outings against OSU ... The Chaska, Minn., native pushed his point total to nine and has four points in the past six games ... After missing seven games for injury, Nevers returned to the lineup this weekend and scored his second goal of the year, first since Oct. 12 against Omaha, and recorded his first point since the final game of October ... Kurth collected at least three points for a team-leading fifth time this season with a goal and two assists and has 11 points in his last eight outings ... Snuggerud saw his six-game point streak snapped Friday before burying his 12th goal of the campaign, stretching his point total to 30 behind his 18th career power-play tally and an assist ... Already having a career year in goal production, Chesley tacked on his seventh, reaching 16 total points ... Playing in the 100th game of his Minnesota career, Mittelstadt picked up his third point of the weekend behind his fourth multi-point performance of his last 11 appearances ... The junior has seven assists across his past six road contests as more than half of his 13 points this year have come away from home ... Hendrickson registered his third assist and sixth point of the year, four of which have come over his last 10 outings ... After missing the last series while winning a gold medal with Team USA at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship, both Moore and Brodie Ziemer picked up their first points since returning and have 18 and 13 on the season, respectively ... It was Ziemer's fourth collegiate multi-point effort as he tallied two helpers ... Wood matched his season-long point streak at five games thanks to an assist, increasing his total points to 26 ... Rinzel added another point to his impressive resume this year and now has 24 from his spot along the blue line, the most of any NCAA defenseman ... Souliere lowered his goals-against average in league play to 1.32 as he owns a 4-1-0 record with two shutouts against B1G foes ... The Gophers posted five or more goals for the 13th time for the year and fourth in B1G competition ... Saturday's three power-play goals matched a season high and the third time it has happened in 2024-25 ... The 15 seconds between goals in the first period was the fastest two-goal span this season, and third time Minnesota's scored twice in less than 30 seconds ... The Gophers have outscored their opponents by a 20-6 margin in the first period of games this year.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"It just was not a good look to us last night. Tonight, absolutely the other way around from the first shift," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "All four lines, all the defensemen, Liam was great in net and give our guys credit, we responded. I hope it's a lesson for us and I hope that's a game to get us going now."
Next Up: Home vs. Notre Dame (Jan. 17-18)
The Gophers return home for a B1G series against the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame Jan. 17-18. Both games will be available on FOX9 and streaming via B1G+.
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