Gophers Sweep Buckeyes at Columbus

COLUMBUS, Ohio (GopherSports.com) - Hudson Fasching tallied three points to propel the Gopher Hockey program to a 4-3 win over Ohio State on Saturday night, giving Minnesota its first road sweep over the Buckeyes since the 2006-07 season.

Fasching set the tone for Minnesota with two goals and an assist on the night while the Maroon & Gold also picked up goals from Connor Reilly and Leon Bristedt. Vinni Lettieri added two assists for Minnesota.

A night after battling back from an early deficit for a third-straight overtime win over the Buckeyes, the Gophers (16-13-0 overall, 11-3-0-0 Big Ten) grabbed a pair of goals in the first period on Saturday to go up 2-0 after 20 minutes.

Fasching scored his first of the night at 10:18 of the first period during a Minnesota penalty kill after an incredible effort by Justin Kloos to draw the goaltender out of position. Kloos and Fasching have combined for all seven of Minnesota's shorthanded goals this season with Fasching scoring three and Kloos tallying four - one off the school single-season record. The assist from Kloos moved his career-long scoring streak 11 games.

Connor Reilly added to the scoring at 17:37 with his sixth of the year off assists from Fasching and Vinni Lettieri.

Minnesota and Ohio State combined for three goals in the second period with the Gophers improving to a 4-1 margin in the second stanza.

Fasching scored his second of the night and 18th of the season at 14:40 off feeds from Taylor Cammarata and Tommy Novak only for Mason Jobst to put the Buckeyes on the board 18 seconds later at 14:58.

The Gophers struck back quickly themselves when Bristedt rifled home his 14th of the year off a give-and-go with Lettieri. Jack Glover also picked up an assist on the goal.

Ohio State (8-16-2, 3-7-2-1) scored twice in the third period to make it a battle to the end. Luke Stork scored at 3:32 into the third period and John Wiitala made it a one-goal game at 11:45. Unlike Friday's opener, the Buckeyes wouldn't get any closer on Saturday as the Gophers shut down a frenzied attack by the home squad in the final minutes.

Eric Schierhorn moved to 16-13-0 with 20 saves on the night for Minnesota, which outshot Ohio State 32-23. The Gophers also killed all four penalties while adding Fasching's shorthanded tally.

The Gophers have now closed out a seven-week, 14-game stretch to open the second half, going 9-5-0 in that span. The Maroon & Gold enter a bye weekend before returning to action, Feb. 25-26, against Michigan at Mariucci Arena.