Four Gophers make U.S. roster for world junior championship

The U.S. junior national hockey team pared its roster to a final 25 players, with Gophers Ryan Chesley, Logan Cooley, Jimmy Snuggerud and Luke Mittelstadt making the cut.

Also on Team USA for the world junior championship, which starts Dec. 26 in New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, are former Gophers forward Chaz Lucius (AHL Manitoba); Eden Prairie's Jackson Blake (North Dakota) and Grand Rapids' Jack Peart (St. Cloud State).

Chesley is from Mahtomedi, Snuggerud from Chaska, Mittelstadt from Eden Prairie, and Lucius from Grant. Cooley, the No. 3 overall pick in the NHL draft and the Gophers leading scorer as a freshman, is a Pennsylvania native.

Jakub Lewandowski, Jere Vaisanen and Jackson Jutting scored the first three goals as Bemidji State edged host and No. 16 Minnesota State Mankato 4-1 to sweep their series and move into first place in the CCHA by one point over the Mavericks (10-9-1, 7-6-1). The Beavers (9-5-4, 7-2-3), who scored a late empty netter, have won three in a row.

• Jake Braccini had a goal and three assists, Luke Manning two goals and one assist and Mack Byers two goals as host St. Thomas beat Ferris State 7-4. The seven goals were a season high for the Tommies (5-13-1, 4-8-1 CCHA).

Minnesota United's reserve team signed Lakeville's Loic Mesanvi to a one-year MLS Next Pro contract with a club option.

A 19-year-old forward born in Togo, Mesanvi played for the Minnesota United Academy U19 teams, where he scored 13 goals in 15 academy-level games. He also trained and played two games with that MNUFC2 reserve team during the 2022 season.