Gophers men’s hockey fans had waited a long time for a night like Friday at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
After dropping Thursday’s matchup 3-1 to the Eagles, Minnesota battled to a 2-2 draw in the rematch. When overtime failed to produce a winner, it went to a shootout — a scenario that had long spelled trouble for the Gophers, who had lost 11 straight shootouts entering the night.
To find the Gophers’ last shootout win, you’d have to rewind all the way to Feb. 14, 2020 — when Brannon McManus scored the clincher against Notre Dame in South Bend. That night also marked the last time Minnesota even converted a shootout attempt.
So when L.J. Mooney fired a shot over the opposing goalie’s left shoulder to open Friday’s shootout scoring, it ended a streak of 28 straight failed attempts.
Adding to the rarity, Tanner Ludtke’s game-winner made it the Gophers’ first home shootout victory since Dec. 30, 2007, against Air Force — a drought that spanned 11 home shootouts.
Historically, the Gophers have struggled mightily in shootouts. Since 1988, they’ve gone just 5-23 overall, including identical 2-11 marks at home and on the road, and a 1-1 record on neutral ice.
Minnesota sits at 1-2-1 on the season following Friday’s draw with the nation’s No. 11-ranked team. Next up, the Gophers hit the road for a two-game series against North Dakota in Grand Forks on Oct. 17–18, with puck drop scheduled for 7 p.m. CT on Thursday and 6 p.m. CT on Friday.
Source: SI.COM
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