Gophers Shut out Penn State 5-0

MINNEAPOLIS (GopherSports.com) - Adam Wilcox moved within one of Kellen Brigg's school shutout record and Kyle Rau added three points as the No. 15 Gopher Hockey program shut out Penn State 5-0 on Friday night to move into a tie for first in the Big Ten with one game left in the regular-season.

The defending Big Ten Player and Goaltender of the Year made 18 saves for his 12th career shutout and fifth of the season. The All-American netminder, who moved to 19-11-3 on the season with the win, now needs one shutout to tie Briggs for the school record with 13 career shutouts.

Meanwhile, Rau led all skaters with three points (one goal, two assists) and was one of four Gophers with multiple points along with Mike Reilly (two assists), Hudson Fasching (one goal, one assist) and Justin Kloos (one goal, one assist).

Minnesota (20-12-3 overall, 11-5-3-0 Big Ten) tallied 40 shots in the win and held Penn State - a team that leads the nation in shots per game - to just 18 shots spread evenly across the three periods. The Gophers' penalty killing unit also held the opposition scoreless on five chances while the power play went 1-for-5.

The Maroon & Gold started the night with a bang -- tripling up the Nittany Lions in goals and shots over the first period while skating out to a 3-0 lead and an 18-6 advantage in shots.

Rau started the scoring for the night with his team-leading 17th goal of the year at 8:48 during a Minnesota power play. The senior captain tipped in a shot from the point by Reilly while Travis Boyd also earned an assist on the goal. Less than two minutes later, Kloos added to the lead when he pounded home a wrap-around tally at 10:42 for his 12th of the year. Fasching set up the play. Later in the period it was Fasching's turn to find the net - scoring his 10th of the year - at 14:57. Reilly and Rau picked up assists for their second points of the night.

After a scoreless second period, the Maroon & Gold added another pair of goals in the third stanza. Rau picked up his third and final point of the night when he picked off an errant pass and fed Leon Bristedt for the empty-net goal at 16:45 for the freshman's fifth goal of the year.  Vinni Lettieri added his eighth of the year moments later at 17:13 when he found the net after being set up by Michael Brodzinski and Kloos.

The win by Minnesota, coupled with a Michigan victory over Michigan State on Friday night, moves the Maroon & Gold into a tie with the Wolverines for first place in the conference. The two front runners have 36 league points each with Michigan State claiming 34 points as each team has one game left in the regular season on Saturday night. The top two seeds receive a bye at next week's Big Ten Ice Hockey Tournament in Detroit.

Minnesota closes out the regular season tonight at 7:05 p.m. Pre-game at 6:30 on KROC AM.