11/17 RECAP: Casey Mittelstadt, Minnesota Get Highlight-Reel Win Over No. 13 Harvard

Casey Mittelstadt bounced right back from a rough weekend.

So did the Gophers.

Minnesota scored four times in the first two periods on Friday, and held on for a 4-2 victory over No. 13 Harvard to get back in the win column. Mittelstadt, held off the scoresheet last weekend versus Michigan, finished with two points and a highlight-reel goal in the second period against Crimson goaltender Merrick Madsen.

“Obviously, there’s going to be times where you don’t play your best, and for us that might have been last weekend,” said Mittelstadt. “We came out and tried to play with pace, make plays and when we do that we play pretty well.”

Facing a Harvard team (2-4-0, 2-3-0 ECAC) that made the 2017 Frozen Four, the seventh-ranked Gophers (8-4-1, 3-2-1-1 Big Ten) put together one of its best performances of the season during the first two periods.

Minnesota’s defense was able to hold a speedy Crimson attack at bay while limiting turnovers. Eric Schierhorn made 26 saves in goal for the Gophers. Meanwhile, the team’s penalty kill went 4-4.

“I thought Eric played well tonight,” said head coach Don Lucia. “Our penalty kill has been good. They were dialed in and, if we had to make a save, Eric made it.”

Brent Gates Jr. and Rem Pitlick opened the scoring for the Gophers. After Gates’ fifth goal of the season, Pitlick tapped in a quick pass by Mittelstadt to give Minnesota a 2-0 first-period lead.

“Casey’s a great player. Brannon’s a great player,” said Pitlick, who had a new linemate Friday with Brannon McManus taking Scott Reedy’s spot. “They make a lot of great plays to me and I’m just lucky to finish a couple or give them the puck and they finish.”

At the right place at the right time, Steve Johnson pinched in and buried a shot for his second goal of the season.

Mittelstadt made it 4-0 with 3:16 remaining in the second period by showing off his skills. The eighth overall pick in the 2017 NHL Draft skated from his own zone into Harvard’s. He then faked as if he was going to pass before quickly releasing the puck into the back of the net for his fourth goal of the season.

Harvard’s Jack Badini scored his first collegiate goal 52 seconds into the third, which was followed by Ryan Donato eight minutes later.

“All night long we were just a little bit tentative, lost a lot of one-on-one puck battles. They were a little stronger on their sticks and I just thought we didn’t play with a lot of conviction,” Harvard head coach Ted Donato said. “In the third it was a little bit better, but it’s something we’ll take a look at. We can execute in a number of areas better.”

After failing to hold on to 3-0 and 4-0 leads last weekend against Michigan, the Gophers said they had learned from the experience. The team finished Friday ahead. The Crimson outshot Minnesota 12-7 and had two power-play chances yet Minnesota stopped both to improve its home record to 6-1-0 on the season.

“We just have to mature as a team. It’s still early. We’re doing a really good job of getting goals. I think it’s just bounces sometimes. Pucks are getting into the back of the net somehow,” said Pitlick. “We’re really focusing on it and we’re going to lock down and I don’t think it’s going to be an issue anymore in the future.”

The two teams play again Saturday night at 7:00 p.m. on Fox Sports North PLUS and KTLK 1130 AM.

“To come out with a win is huge, and we’re obviously going to try and carry the momentum into tomorrow night,” Mittelstadt said.


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