Logan Cooley's five points send Big Ten champion Gophers hockey to 7-2 victory over Penn State

Called one of the best lines in college hockey — if not the best, the Gophers' first line provided more evidence that's a correct assessment.

Freshmen Logan Cooley and Jimmy Snuggerud and sophomore Matthew Knies — the team's top three scorers — combined for four goals and six assists as the No. 2 Gophers routed No. 7 Penn State 7-2 on Friday night in State College, Pa., in Big Ten men's hockey.

"I liked how we practiced all week,I liked our energy and I liked how our team was going tonight," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. "Obviously, Cooley coming back to Pennsylvania, his home state, puts on a show with five points tonight. That line was great, and our power play clicked when we needed it."

Cooley had one goal and four assists — all in the middle period. Snuggerud had two goals and Knies one goal and two assists.

Minnesota (22-8-1, 16-4-1 Big Ten), which clinched its sixth conference title on Thursday night when second-place Michigan tied with Ohio State and lost in a shootout, led 2-0 after the opening period on goals by Connor Kurth and Snuggerud.

Then the Gophers' offense really got going, with five goals in the second, four in the first 10 minutes. Cooley set up Knies at 39 seconds and Ryan Johnson at 2:56. Snuggerud and Jackson LaCombe had power-play goals at 6:47 and 9:44 and, after Penn State's goal, Cooley got his goal less than two minutes later at 16:15.

Cooley now has 15 goals and 28 assists for 43 points, passing Snuggerud by one (19-23-42) for the team points lead. Knies (18-16-34) remains third.

Penn State (19-11-1, 9-11-1) scored the lone goal of the third period with 2:54 left to play against Owen Bartoszkiewicz, who replaced starting Gophers goalie Justen Close halfway through the final period.

Close made 35 saves, Bartoszkiewicz four. Two Penn State goalies stopped 21 shots.