Three goals in the third period launched the University of Minnesota Gophers to a 4-1 win over No. 18 Notre Dame Saturday at Compton Family Ice Arena.
Leon Bristedt, Michael Brodzinski, Justin Kloos and Connor Reilly scored for Minnesota, while Eric Schierhorn picked up the win with 28 saves.
For the second night in a row, the two non-conference competitors battled through a scoreless first period - on this occasion the Gophers successfully killed a pair of two-minute minors.
After killing off four minutes of penalties in the first, the Maroon and Gold opened the second period with an early power play that eventually led to an even-strength tally from Bristedt. Just seconds after the advantage ended, Bristedt found a loose puck in the crease and pounded it home for his fourth goal of the season and third of the weekend. Tyler Sheehy and Jake Bischoff were credited with the assists on the goal. The lead would last for most of the second period until a blocked shot on the other end of the ice found Thomas DiPauli at the top of the slot for the equalizer at 17:40.
After trading goals in the second period, the third was all Gophers (3-4-0 overall, 0-0-0-0 Big Ten) as they rattled off three-straight tallies to end the game.
ADVERTISEMENT
Brodzinski broke the tie at 6:08 of the third period when Taylor Cammarata found him open at the top of the circle for his second goal of the year. Then Kloos gave the Gophers an insurance goal with his first of the year - a wraparound tally at 11:48 - with assists from Sheehy and Jack Glover.
Reilly followed suit with his first goal of the year late in the period when he scored an empty-net goal with less than a second to play. Vinni Lettieri picked up the assist on the final goal for his first point of the year.
Sheehy and Bischoff both recorded their second career multi-point game with two assists each
Meanwhile, the win moved Schierhorn to 3-4-0 on the season, while Cal Peterson made 22 saves for the Irish (4-2-2, 2-0-0 Hockey East) to fall to 4-2-2 on the year.
-- GopherSports.com
