ANN ARBOR, MICH. – Senior forward Jaxon Nelson has not found the net a lot for the Gophers this season. But when he scores, his goals are timely.
His third and fourth goals of the season, both coming in the second period, carried the No. 2 Gophers to a 6-3 victory over No. 3 Michigan on Friday night at Yost Ice Arena.
Nelson's first goal of the night put Minnesota ahead 3-0 in the fifth minute of the middle period and his second, in the 18th minute, made it 4-1 and proved to be his third game-winner of the season.
Gophers coach Bob Motzko, in a Big Ten Network postgame interview, said his team's power play and penalty kill were both strong and his players got timely goals.
"Our D-corps stood tall," he added, "... and Owen was outstanding all weekend."
Owen Bartoszkiewicz, filling in for ill starter Justen Close, made 35 saves after stopping 29 the night before in a 5-2 victory. The sweep of the Wolverines assures the Gophers (10-4, 6-2 conference) of first place, at least for a day, in the Big Ten standings.
Defenseman Jackson LaCombe, playing a shift at left wing for the Gophers who were down two centers, gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead and Rhett Pitlick, who had two goals Thursday, made it 2-0 midway through the opening period.
Matthew Knies, on the power play, and Ryan Johnson, into an empy net, had the Gophers' final two goals in the third.
"Give Michigan a lot of credit," Motzko said, referring to the Wolverines having six players out with illness. They also lost another forward. Eric Ciccolini for the second game of the series after being cross-checked into the boards by the Gophers' Logan Cooley on Thursday.
Cooley was not in Minnesota's lineup after the Big Ten suspended him Friday for that incident.
Erik Portillo stopped 27 shots for Michigan (9-5, 2-4) and Dylan Duke scored twice, giving him four goals in the series.
