Freshman defenseman Luke Mittelstadt had a goal and an assist as No. 2 Minnesota men’s hockey took down No. 3 Michigan 5-2 on the road on Thursday.
Freshman forwards Jimmy Snuggerud and Logan Cooley each had a goal and an assist for the Golden Gophers (9-5-0, 5-2-0 Big Ten). Sophomore forward Rhett Pitlick scored twice, while defensemen Mike Kastor and Jackson LaCombe each had two assists. Sophomore goaltender Owen Bartoskiewicz made 29 saves.
Sophomore forward Dylan Duke scored twice for the Wolverines (9-4-0, 2-4-0 Big Ten), and freshman blue-liner Seamus Casey had two assists. Junior netminder Erik Portillo made 37 saves.
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Minnesota was without senior goaltender Justen Close and sophomore forward Aaron Huglen due to illness, while Michigan was without five players due to illness, including their top-scorer in Adam Fantilli. Third-string freshman goaltender Tyler Shea dressed as a forward for the Wolverines in order to meet the minimum skater requirement.
Pitlick opened the scoring just over five minutes into the first, roofing a wrist shot from the left face-off circle.
Duke tied it 1-1 with 3:21 left in the first, finishing a tic-tac-toe passing play with Rutger McGroarty and Casey on the power play.
Pitlick picked up his second of the night early in the second, scoring off a backdoor setup from Kestor, and Duke tied it 2-2 moments later, batting a rebound out of the air on the power play to earn his first multi-goal game of his career.
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Snuggerud gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead 1:20 after Duke’s equalizer, scoring on a rebound in front after Portillo saved Cooley’s shot.
Cooley made it 4-2 just 38 seconds into the third with a one-timer from the left circle on a 5-on-3 power play, and Mittelstadt’s first collegiate goal extended it to 5-2 on a bomb from the right circle.
Minnesota went 1-for-5 on the power play, while Michigan went 2-for-5.
Game 2 is set for Friday at 6 p.m. at Yost Ice Arena in Ann Arbor.
