University of Minnesota Athletics
Friday, January 23
East Lansing, MI
6:00 PM
University of Minnesota
8-15-1, 4-9-0
1
at
3
Michigan State
18-5-0, 9-4-0
1
2
3
F
Minnesota
0
0
1
1
Michigan St.
1
1
1
3
Team Stats
MIN
MSU
Shots
26
43
PPG
1
0
SHG
0
0
Penalties
3
3
Penalty Mins
6
6
Faceoffs Won
23
33
Game Leaders
+/-
-1
Goals
0
Sh
4
A
1
+/-
0
Goals
0
Sh
3
A
0
Players Mentioned
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Goaltender
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's HockeyForward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Forward
/ Men's Hockey
Photo by: Kelly Branigan
Minnesota Falls at No. 2 Spartans Friday
1/23/2026 9:00:00 PM | Men's Hockey
Mooney nets lone goal in third period
EAST LANSING, Mich. - LJ Mooney scored a power-play goal in the third period to close the margin, but the Minnesota men's hockey team dropped a 3-1 Big Ten Conference matchup at No. 2 Michigan State Friday night inside Munn Ice Arena.
The Golden Gophers (8-15-1 overall, 4-9-0 B1G, 14 points) suffered their sixth-straight loss, five of which have come against top-10 opponents, as the Spartans (18-5-0 overall, 9-4-0 B1G, 27 points) showed why they lead the nation in scoring defense, giving up just the one goal.
It was the visitors that had early chances to open the scoring with Jimmy Clark's rebound bid and a forced turnover from Brodie Ziemer that gave Brody Lamb a shot from the high slot in the first four minutes. MSU pushed right back and caught a sliding goaltender off guard on a backhand shot for a 1-0 lead at 5:06. Luca Di Pasquo settled in and delivered back-to-back saves to keep it a one-goal margin before Teddy Townsend started a 3-on-1 rush where Mason Moe's attempt was stopped in tight. The Gophers had to hold off a surging Spartan squad late in the frame and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the home side through 20 minutes.
The Maroon and Gold generated a pair of near-breakaway opportunities beginning the middle stanza with Beckett Hendrickson and Tanner Ludtke each slipping behind the MSU defense. Javon Moore followed up by ripping a quick shot that tested the home netminder from the right circle to tilt ice for the visitors. The Spartans built their own pressure where Di Pasquo made pad saves, while his defense got sticks and bodies in shooting lanes.
At the 6:14 mark, the first power play of the night was earned by the Gophers due to a post-whistle penalty on MSU. Minnesota was all over the Spartans during the man advantage but could not get one to the back of the net before a goaltender interference penalty put the home team to a power play. The 5-on-4 chance was quickly erased before an odd-man rush up the ice led to a 2-0 advantage with 8:43 to play in the second frame. Looking to pull back into the contest, Moore's breakout pass started a 2-on-1 only to see the final pass jump over the Gophers' stick and it stayed a two-goal deficit at the end of the period.
Michigan State used extended zone time to get a shot through from the point that pushed its lead to 3-0 just 2:53 into the final frame. A backchecking penalty to Minnesota three minutes later gave the Spartans their second power play and again it was shut down. With 6:55 showing on the clock, the Gophers went to a rare 4-on-3 advantage and with the extra space on the ice, broke the shutout. Mooney collected the puck along the boards and walked to the center of the ice where he rifled home a shot over the glove, closing the margin to 3-1 at 13:50. The home side held off any chance of a comeback effort down the stretch and secured the series-opening victory.
Noteworthy
Mooney put away his fifth goal this year and first since Nov. 29 at Denver, also on the man advantage in the third period, and now has 18 points in his freshman campaign ... The West Mifflin, Pa., native has his second point streak of at least three games and has reached the scoresheet in eight of his last 11 games ... With his assist on the power-play goal, Lamb pushed his season point total to 22, tying for the team's scoring lead and his 12 assists are one behind the team leaders ... Returning to a campus where he spent two seasons, Di Pasquo turned away at least 40 shots for a third-consecutive appearance, while it was his sixth-straight start with 32 saves or more ... Ziemer saw his four-game point streak against the Spartans snapped Friday after posting four goals and one assist during the season series a year ago ... The Maroon and Gold went 1-for-2 on the man advantage in the series opener and have now scored a power-play tally in three-straight games and 13 times over the past 11 appearances ... The penalty kill denied both of MSU's opportunities and has now killed off 11 of the last 12 over the course of six outings ... Gophers' sophomore Erik Påhlsson returned to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 5 following an injury ... Minnesota allowed the opening goal for the sixth time in its last seven outings and has given up a goal within the first six minutes of a contest in five-straight appearances.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"We were playing pretty darn good and we had chances. We score a goal; we get more life," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We made one mistake in the second period, now we're down two nothing, and we find ourselves chasing a game. We were pretty good for most of the game tonight, but when you're chasing it, it makes it hard on you. And that's really the bottom line."
Next Up: Away vs. No. 2/2 Michigan State (Jan. 24)
The Gophers and Spartans close the B1G series Saturday night at 5 p.m. (CT) live on Big Ten Network, streaming on the Fox Sports app, and through the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
The Golden Gophers (8-15-1 overall, 4-9-0 B1G, 14 points) suffered their sixth-straight loss, five of which have come against top-10 opponents, as the Spartans (18-5-0 overall, 9-4-0 B1G, 27 points) showed why they lead the nation in scoring defense, giving up just the one goal.
It was the visitors that had early chances to open the scoring with Jimmy Clark's rebound bid and a forced turnover from Brodie Ziemer that gave Brody Lamb a shot from the high slot in the first four minutes. MSU pushed right back and caught a sliding goaltender off guard on a backhand shot for a 1-0 lead at 5:06. Luca Di Pasquo settled in and delivered back-to-back saves to keep it a one-goal margin before Teddy Townsend started a 3-on-1 rush where Mason Moe's attempt was stopped in tight. The Gophers had to hold off a surging Spartan squad late in the frame and the score remained 1-0 in favor of the home side through 20 minutes.
The Maroon and Gold generated a pair of near-breakaway opportunities beginning the middle stanza with Beckett Hendrickson and Tanner Ludtke each slipping behind the MSU defense. Javon Moore followed up by ripping a quick shot that tested the home netminder from the right circle to tilt ice for the visitors. The Spartans built their own pressure where Di Pasquo made pad saves, while his defense got sticks and bodies in shooting lanes.
At the 6:14 mark, the first power play of the night was earned by the Gophers due to a post-whistle penalty on MSU. Minnesota was all over the Spartans during the man advantage but could not get one to the back of the net before a goaltender interference penalty put the home team to a power play. The 5-on-4 chance was quickly erased before an odd-man rush up the ice led to a 2-0 advantage with 8:43 to play in the second frame. Looking to pull back into the contest, Moore's breakout pass started a 2-on-1 only to see the final pass jump over the Gophers' stick and it stayed a two-goal deficit at the end of the period.
Michigan State used extended zone time to get a shot through from the point that pushed its lead to 3-0 just 2:53 into the final frame. A backchecking penalty to Minnesota three minutes later gave the Spartans their second power play and again it was shut down. With 6:55 showing on the clock, the Gophers went to a rare 4-on-3 advantage and with the extra space on the ice, broke the shutout. Mooney collected the puck along the boards and walked to the center of the ice where he rifled home a shot over the glove, closing the margin to 3-1 at 13:50. The home side held off any chance of a comeback effort down the stretch and secured the series-opening victory.
Noteworthy
Mooney put away his fifth goal this year and first since Nov. 29 at Denver, also on the man advantage in the third period, and now has 18 points in his freshman campaign ... The West Mifflin, Pa., native has his second point streak of at least three games and has reached the scoresheet in eight of his last 11 games ... With his assist on the power-play goal, Lamb pushed his season point total to 22, tying for the team's scoring lead and his 12 assists are one behind the team leaders ... Returning to a campus where he spent two seasons, Di Pasquo turned away at least 40 shots for a third-consecutive appearance, while it was his sixth-straight start with 32 saves or more ... Ziemer saw his four-game point streak against the Spartans snapped Friday after posting four goals and one assist during the season series a year ago ... The Maroon and Gold went 1-for-2 on the man advantage in the series opener and have now scored a power-play tally in three-straight games and 13 times over the past 11 appearances ... The penalty kill denied both of MSU's opportunities and has now killed off 11 of the last 12 over the course of six outings ... Gophers' sophomore Erik Påhlsson returned to the lineup for the first time since Dec. 5 following an injury ... Minnesota allowed the opening goal for the sixth time in its last seven outings and has given up a goal within the first six minutes of a contest in five-straight appearances.
Coach Motzko's Comments
"We were playing pretty darn good and we had chances. We score a goal; we get more life," Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. "We made one mistake in the second period, now we're down two nothing, and we find ourselves chasing a game. We were pretty good for most of the game tonight, but when you're chasing it, it makes it hard on you. And that's really the bottom line."
Next Up: Away vs. No. 2/2 Michigan State (Jan. 24)
The Gophers and Spartans close the B1G series Saturday night at 5 p.m. (CT) live on Big Ten Network, streaming on the Fox Sports app, and through the Gopher Radio Network 103.5 FM/AM-1130 KTLK.
Highlights: Gophers 1, Michigan State 3
Friday, January 23
Highlights: Gophers 2, MIchigan 3
Saturday, January 17
Highlights: Gophers 1, Michigan 5
Friday, January 16
Highlights: Gophers 2, Penn State 5
Saturday, January 10