Gophers Suffer First Big Ten Loss

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (GopherSports.com) – Hudson Fasching scored two goals while Jack Glover picked up two assists as the Gopher Hockey program dropped this weekend’s series opener at No. 9 Michigan by an 8-3 margin.

The two Big Ten rivals played through an exciting first 20 minutes of action including a pair of goals in the first 30 seconds of play. Tyler Motte snuck in a goal for Michigan just 16 seconds into the contest on Saturday night only for Fasching to strike back immediately for the Maroon & Gold with his sixth of the year 30 seconds into the first period. Glover and Leon Bristedt picked up assists on the play. The Wolverines would benefit from the period’s only penalty in an unlikely way as the Gophers managed to kill the advantage only for Dexter Dancs to pocket the go-ahead goal moments later to make it a 2-1 game for the home team.

After two goals in less than a minute to start the game, the conference foes managed to pick up the pace in the second with three goals in less than a minute. Tyler Sheehy deflected in his seventh goal of the year on Minnesota’s first power-play of the night at 10:09 (assisted by Vinni Lettieri and Jake Bischoff), but the Wolverines answered right back with goals from Cristoval Nieves and Kyle Connor and 10:43 and 10:58 of the period, respectively. Connor added his second of the night at 14:38 to make it a 5-2 game before Fasching’s second tally of the night came at 16:26 (assisted by Tommy Novak and Glover).

Michigan picked up a trio of goals in the third with an even-strength tally, a short-handed goal and a power-play goal.