Gophers men’s hockey capitalizes on power play in 6-3 victory at Notre Dame

Fueled by three power-play goals, the No. 4 Gophers men’s hockey team skated past Notre Dame 6-3 on Friday in South Bend, Ind.

Sam Rinzel scored twice on the power play for the Gophers (11-2, 5-0 Big Ten), who were 3-for-5 with the man advantage.

“I liked a lot of things tonight.” Gophers coach Bob Motzko told reporters in South Bend. “A lot of good second efforts, good netfront presence, and our power play was good. Our whole focus now is we have to be better tomorrow.”

Notre Dame (5-8, 1-6) got off to a fast start, scoring in the game’s opening two minutes. After having a goal waved off, the Irish scored 69 seconds later to take a 1-0 lead.

A goal by the Gophers’ Brody Lamb tied the score at 6:30 of the first.

The Gophers opened the second period on a power play after a penalty was called on the Irish in the final minute of the first period. Rinzel’s power-play goal 38 seconds into the second put his team up 2-1.

Oliver Moore extended the Gophers lead to 3-1 with a goal with 5½ minutes left in the second. Three minutes later, Jack Larrigan got the Irish within 3-2.

Rinzel’s second power-play goal — with 24 seconds left in the period — gave the Gophers a 4-2 lead. Aaron Huglen’s power-play goal in the first two minutes of third period made it 5-2.

Blake Biondi’s power-play goal got the Irish within 5-3, but Connor Kurth’s empty-net goal with 1:35 remaining sealed the victory.

Biondi, who transferred to Notre Dame from Minnesota Duluth, added an assist for the Irish.

After Saturday’s series finale in South Bend, the Gophers, who have had just one home game since Nov. 3, will play their next three series — Alaska, Michigan and Michigan State — at home.