MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. – A pair of early second period goals over a three-minute stretch for No. 8 Minnesota proved to be the difference one again as Penn State dropped its second-straight, 3-0, contest in Big Ten Conference action on Saturday afternoon inside 3M Arena at Mariucci.
The Nittany Lions fall to 12-13-3 on the year and 4-11-3-0-0-2 in conference action with the loss with the Gophers move to 18-7-5 overall and 11-5-4-2-0-0 in Big Ten play with the victory.
HOW IT HAPPENED
- After a scoreless first frame, the Gophers opened the scoring taking advantage of a neutral zone turnover that led to an odd-man rush and the 1-0 lead as Aaron Huglen finished into a yawning net just 72 ticks into the second period.
- Minnesota extended the lead further with another odd-man rush this time immediately after a penalty ended as Huglen was the benefactor again finishing a cross-ice pass with a one-timer from the near dot for the 2-0 edge at 4:34 of the second period.
- Late in the third period Mason Nevers used a great individual effort to give the Gophers the 3-0 lead at the 14:54 mark of the frame.
GOALTENDING
Senior Liam Souliere (Brampton, Ontario) drops to 9-9-1 on the year after making 30 saves in the defeat while his counterpart, Justen Close, improves to 17-7-5 after stopping all 30 shots he faced for his fourth shutout of the season.
NOTES
- Minnesota held the slim 33-30 edge in shots on goal, just the fifth time all season Penn State has been outshot falling to 0-5-0 in such contests.
- Each team was unable to capitalize on a pair of powerplay chances.
- Penn State was shutout for the third time this season and it marks the first time in the history of the program that the Nittany Lions have been shutout in back-to-back games.
- The three shutouts against this season are tied for the second-most in a single-season and the first time since they were shutout four times during the 2019-20 season.
NEXT UP
Penn State returns to Hockey Valley to begin a four-game homestand when they host No. 11 Michigan for a pair of games during THON weekend.
For more information on the 2023-24 season presented by the Penn State Bookstore: Official Bookstore of Penn State Athletics, visit the men's hockey page at GoPSUsports.com or call 1-800-NITTANY Monday-Friday from 8 a.m. – 5 p.m.