For the first time in more than 80 years, the No. 1 Gopher men’s hockey program is off to a 10-0-0 start after picking up a 6-4 win over Arizona State on Monday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Twelve Minnesota players picked up points in the win including two-point performances from Mike Koster, Brannon McManus, Bryce Brodzinski, Blake McLaughlin and Sam Rossini. McLaughlin picked up his first two goals of the season while McManus, Brodzinski, Sampo Ranta and Jonny Sorenson each added a tally of their own.
Minnesota’s six goals in the win are the most the team has scored in a game this year.
Jared Moe picked up the win in his first start of the season and added his first career assist — the sophomore made 20 saves on 24 shots.
The Gophers (10-0-0 overall, 8-0-0-0-0-0 Big Ten) have now won 12-straight games dating back to the end of the 2019-20 season.
Minnesota outshot Arizona State (4-8-2) 32-24 in Monday’s series finale.
Minnesota returns to Big Ten play next weekend with a road series at No. 12/14 Wisconsin on Saturday, Jan. 9 and Sunday, Jan. 10. Game times and broadcast information for that series will be announced at a later date.
Quotes from Coach
“(Moe) made a couple monsters saves for us,” head coach Bob Motzko said. “He’s been awesome. We’ve won some big games, and he’s the first guy out to congratulate (LaFontaine). He really had a good week of practice…we had to get him in there.”
More Motzko
Notes
Minnesota’s 10-0-0 start is the program’s best since the 1939-40 season when the Maroon & Gold went 18-0-0 on the year and won an AAU national tournament title…Koster notched his first career multi-point game with two assists while Sorenson has now scored in back-to-back games for the first time in his career.
(info and picture courtesy of Gopher Sports)