NOTRE DAME, Indiana – For the second time in the show’s history, the Golden Gophers are the champions of the Big Ten Tournament, as Minnesota No. 4 defeated Wisconsin No. 5 6-4 Tuesday night at the Compton Family Notre Dame Ice Arena.
After two wins in overtime in the quarter-finals and semifinals, a battle between two of the country’s main offensives favored Maroon & Gold in its 100th season, with 10 Gophers scoring points and six skaters recording performances from several points.
Blake McLaughlin opened the night with a goal and ended the championship battle with an empty scoreboard for the best score in the game four points (two goals, two assists).
McLaughlin gave Minnesota its first game advantage in the tournament by forcing an attempt at 10:32 of the first period, just after the end of a Wisconsin penalty.
The Gophers (23-6-0) then beat the Badgers 4-1 in the second period, including a streak of three consecutive goals to close the period in less than three minutes.
Wisconsin (20-9-1) narrowed the gap with three goals in the third, but the Gophers held on until McLaughlin added the empty net dagger in the final minute, when Minnesota won its third game in three days to win the 2021 Big Ten Men’s Ice Hockey tournament.
Brannon McManus, Jaxon Nelson, Mike Koster and Scott Reedy all goals added for Maroon & Gold.
Newly minted Big Ten Goaltender of the Year Jack LaFontaine made 46 saves, the best of the season, to win the victory. The Hobey Baker Award nominee and Mike Richter Award finalist won his 21st win of the season as best NCAA (21-6-0 and improved to 5-0-0 this year at the Compton Family Ice Arena.
2021 – Men’s Big Ten – Hockey All-Tournament Time
Sampo Ranta, F, Minnesota
Sammy Walker, F, Minnesota
Cole Caufield, F, Wisconsin
Mike Koster, D, Minnesota
Ty Emberson, D, Wisconsin
Jack LaFontaine, G, Minnesota (also voted the most outstanding player in the tournament)
Noteworthy
With the win over Wisconsin, the Gophers improved to 10-7 at all times in the Big Ten tournament and now played with all conference teams in the post-season Big Ten … Maroon & Gold were making their third appearance in the tournament Big Ten and first since 2016 (Minnesota won their first Big Ten Tournament title in 2015) … the Gophers will go to the national tournament with 23 NCAA-best wins this season in 29 games.
Next: NCAA selection show on Sunday
Big Ten automatic qualifier and possible seed # 1 for the NCAA tournament, Minnesota will now wait to see where it will head for the NCAA Division I Men’s 2021 Ice Hockey Championship. The selection program will air on ESPNU on Sunday, March 21 at 6pm.