Gophers Score 7 in Rout of Penn State

UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. (GopherSports.com) – Justin Kloos notched four points and Hudson Fasching added a pair of short-handed goals as the Gopher Hockey program posted a 7-1 win on the road against No. 14/15 Penn State on Saturday, marking the team’s highest offensive output of the season as well as its largest margin of victory.

Minnesota (9-10-0 overall, 4-2-0-0 Big Ten) boasted 11 players with at least a point while Nick Seeler joined Kloos and Fasching as multi-point Gophers with a pair of assists – his first multiple-point game with the Maroon & Gold.  

The Gophers put up a pair of goals in the first period with Leon Bristedt and Fasching finding the net – Fasching’s goal came on a Penn State power play – as Minnesota moved to 7-1-0 on the season when scoring first.

Minnesota kept pouring on the offensive pressure in the opening minutes of the second period when Tyler Sheehy scored his eighth goal of the year at 2:29, but the Maroon & Gold really turned it on with four goals in the third period.

Vinni Lettieri made it 4-0 when he stole a loose puck and deposited in the net at 1:31 for his third of the year and then Kloos scored Minnesota’s second short-handed goal of the night at 9:24 when Penn State pulled its goalie for a two-man advantage. Kloos then fed Fasching for yet another short-handed goal -- Minnesota’s third of the night – at 13:51. Penn State (13-4-3, 3-1-0-0) finally got on the board at 16:21 when Vince Pedrie scored, but the Gophers answered right back with a goal from Ryan Norman at 17:25.

In net, Eric Schierhorn made 29 saves for the Gophers to move to 9-10-0 in his freshman campaign while the Gophers outshot the Nittany Lions 32-30 – the second-straight game Minnesota outshot Penn State.

Kloos, who ended the night with a goal and three assists, matched his career high with four points in the win while Fasching now leads Minnesota with 11 goals and 19 points this season.

Minnesota returns to Big Ten action next weekend with a two-game series against Michigan State at Mariucci Arena.