FOUR-GOAL THIRD LIFTS MINNESOTA PAST NEW HAMPSHIRE, 6-2

James van Riemsdyk had a goal and an assist for UNH

MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - With the game tied 2-2 entering the third period, Minnesota erupted for four goals to lift the fourth-ranked Gophers to a 6-2 win over the fifth-ranked University of New Hampshire men's ice hockey team on Saturday night at Mariucci Arena. UNH moves to 4-2-3, while the Gophers are now 5-0-3.

In Minnesota's four-goal third period, it tallied one short-handed, one power-play and two even-strength goals. Minnesota regained the lead on a short-handed goal by Ryan Stoa at 4:42 in the third. Stoa goal, a one-timer from the left point, was assisted by Aaron Ness. The Gophers added three goals in a span of 2:23 late in the third. The first was an even-strength goal at 13:43 as Ryan Flynn scored with assists from Mike Carman and David Fischer. Taylor Matson added a goal just over two minutes later at 15:44 with assists from Fischer and Ness, while the final goal came on the power play just 23 seconds later. Flynn potted the goal, his second of the period, with assists from Fischer and Tony Lucia at 16:07 to conclude scoring.

Overall, the Gophers had four goals in specialty situations going 3-7 on the power play and scoring short handed. UNH was 1-5 in its extra-skater situations.

In a three-goal first period, Minnesota drew first blood netting a power play goal at 5:44 as Cade Fairchild scored with an assist from Jordan Schroeder. UM would tally a second goal during an extra-skater advantage at 14:51. Mike Hoeffel scored with assists from Fairchild and Schoeder. UNH cut Minnesota's lead in half with a power play goal of its own with just three seconds left in the period. James van Riemsdyk (Middletown, N.J.) tapped the puck behind the net over to Danny Dries (Lake Orion, Mich.), who passed the puck around to Mike Sislo (Superior, Wis.). Sislo took the puck around the net and wrapped the puck around UM netminder Alex Kangas and into the left corner of the net for the tally. The Golden Gophers held a 9-6 shot advantage in the period with three of three shots coming on the power play.

UNH scored the equalizer late in the second period. van Riemsdyk scored an even-strength goal with assists from Phil DeSimone (East Amherst, N.Y.) and Dries at 18:33. van Riemsdyk got the puck near center ice and make a move to slip past the Gopher defender and beat Kangas for the tally. Minnesota outshot the Wildcats 13-7 in the period.

UNH netminder Brian Foster (Pembroke, N.H.) stopped 28 shots including 13 in a scoreless second period, while Kangas stopped 26 including 15 in the third period.

For the second-straight night, this marquee matchup of two top-five programs drew over 10,000 fans (10,202).

UNH continues its six-game road trip at Hockey East rival Massachusetts-Lowell on Friday, Nov. 14 (7 p.m.) at Tsongas Arena in Lowell, Mass. The game will be broadcast on the Wildcat Sports Network (Flagship AM-1270). The Wildcats' next home game is Nov. 22 (7 p.m.) against Providence.