December 1st, 2023: Rhett Pitlick stays hot with another multi-point effort helping the Gophers cruise past the Nittany Lions.
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Penn State loves to shoot the puck. They have played like this for years and years and tonight was another example of that. The Nittany Lions opened the first period with 12 shots before the Gophers recorded their first shot with around four minutes left in the first period.
The Gophers first shot ended up behind Liam Souliere after Sam Rinzel unloaded on his first collegiate goal. Not long after, the Gophers picked up another goal off the rush after Jaxon Nelson fed one to Bryce Brodzinski in the slot who ripped home his 55th career goal and his 100th career goal.
After Brodzinski became the 88th Gopher to record 100 career points, Connor Kurth and Rhett Pitlick later made it 4-1 as the Gophers eventually walked away with a win over the Nittany Lions after erasing a one goal lead. Minnesota improved to 8-4-3 and 4-3-2 in the Big Ten while the Nittany Lions fell to 8-5-3 and 1-3-3 in the Big Ten.
Kurth’s goal came on another rush chance after Oliver Moore sprung loose on a breakaway. Souliere made the initial save on Moore but with Kurth streaking in behind Moore, Souliere couldn’t dive across as Kurth slid home his third goal of the year and third in his last three games.
Pitlick stayed hot tonight with another multi-point performance. After his one goal and two assist night, the Junior forward has six goals and ten points in his last five games with 15 points in 15 games on the year which is second on the Gophers behind Brodzinski’s 17.
It was yet another stellar game by Justen Close though as he kept the Gophers in the game in the first period when it was all Penn State. After he surrendered the game’s first goal to Dane Dowiak, Close turned aside the next 22 shots helping the Gophers beat Penn State 4-1.
The graduate student finished the night with 33 saves and shutdown the Nittany Lions who entered the night ranked fifth in the NCAA in goals per game at 4.1.
Tonight had many milestones but was highlighted by Jeff Winslow’s 500th career regular season NCAA hockey game. Winslow is the Gophers’ Assistant Athletic Director/Head Athletic Trainer and he joined the program in 2009-10.
“Jeff is one of the best; outstanding and we’re so fortunate to have a guy like that on your staff,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “He is a terrific human being, he’s great at what he does, and we’re so fortunate to have him with us.”
Along with Brodzinski’s 100 career point milestone, Motzko also picked up a big milestone. It was his 200th game with the Gophers where Minnesota has gone 121-64-15 under Motzko.
Minnesota is back at it tomorrow with another matchup with No. 18 ranked Penn State Nittany Lions as they will look to complete the sweep. The game will be on the Big Ten Network starting at 5:00 p.m. central time.