Gophers Snap Seven-Game Skid to Sweep Badgers

Minneapolis, MN – Our long national nightmare is finally over.

After a loooooooong January, the Minnesota Golden Gophers (10-16-1 Overall, 6-10-0 B1G) finally found their footing – and did it in emphatic fashion – snapping a seven-game winless streak with a convincing home sweep of rival Wisconsin (15-9-2, 8-8-0) over the weekend. Minnesota took care of business with a 4–1 win on Friday night before erupting for an 8–goal outburst in Saturday’s series finale, delivering a much-needed confidence boost as the calendar turns toward February.

Friday’s opener set the tone, with the Gophers leaning on structure, special teams, and stellar goaltending to secure a 4–1 victory, their first since a 6-3 win at Ohio State on December 4th. Goaltender Luca DiPasquo was sharp from the opening faceoff, turning aside quality chances and settling the game down whenever Wisconsin attempted to generate momentum. The Badgers opened the scoring with a goofy fluttering PPG at 12:06 of the opening frame, but DiPasquo’s calm presence allowed Minnesota to slowly turn the tide back in their direction. Minnesota leads the nation in blocked shots, and the ice bags were out again this weekend, as the Gopher d-zone structure made it a struggle for the Badgers to find clean looks through traffic.

Minnesota’s power play proved to be the difference in the opener. LJ Mooney tied the game at 16:08 of the first with a power play snipe from the left-wing circle, while Erik Pahlsson scored what would be the game-winner in his first game back from injury at 9:19 of the second on the man-advantage. The Gophers controlled the middle frame and never let Wisconsin seriously threaten after building their lead, closing out the win with a disciplined third period.

If Friday was about execution, Saturday was about explosion.

The Gophers erupted for eight goals in a dominant performance that left little doubt about which team had control of the rivalry this weekend. Brodie Ziemer and Erik Pahlsson again led the charge, each scoring twice as Minnesota’s offense rolled in waves. The Gophers forechecked hard, won battles down low, and consistently forced Wisconsin into defensive breakdowns that turned into high-quality scoring chances.

Once again, special teams told the story. Minnesota’s power play struck repeatedly, finishing the weekend an absurd 6-for-8, good for a staggering 75 percent conversion rate. That surge has pushed the Gophers’ power-play efficiency to over 30 percent on the season, all of a sudden ranking second nationally – a remarkable turnaround that’s become a defining strength of this team.

While Minnesota surged forward, Wisconsin left Minneapolis searching for answers. The Badgers have now dropped six straight games and suddenly find themselves in desperation mode heading into February. Ranked second nationally with a record of 15-3-2 after their win on January 10th, Wisconsin has now been swept three times in a row as they hit the meat-grinder of the Big Ten. Losses to Michigan State, Penn State, and now Minnesota move them from near the top of the heap nationally to the another team fighting for its life in February and March.

For the Gophers, the sweep represents more than just two wins – it’s a potential turning point. After weeks of frustration, Minnesota has stacked back-to-back victories and looks to build upon the newfound momentum in February and beyond. With meaningful games still to come against quality opponents, an at-large NCAA bid is still not out of the question.

The Gophers will look to build on their two-game winning streak next weekend when they return to Mariucci Arena to host the Ohio State Buckeyes.