NOTRE DAME, Ind. – Nominated by Hobey Baker and Mike Richter Award Jack LaFontaine put Minnesota’s first rugby closings in just a meager decade of the weekend, concluding a two-game Big Ten game at Notre Dame with another 3-0 victory Saturday night.
Minnesota (17-5-0 overall, 13-5-0-0-0-0 Big Ten) dropped its opponent in rugby games for the first time since Kent Patterson closed Sacred Heart twice in Minneapolis in October. 7-8, 2011, while this weekend’s road sweep was only the second time in the program’s modern era (after 1950) that the team earned two straight exclusions in a road series (LaFontaine is the first goalkeeper in the modern era of the program featuring the road feat as the sole goalkeeper of record).
The alternate captain hit 28 shots on 28 shots to secure his 15th NCAA Award of the Year award. Ryan Bischel took the loss for Notre Dame (10-11-1, 8-9-1-1-2-1), hitting 25 times on 28 shots.
On the other side of the ice, the Gophers overcame a slow first period for another three-goal on offense as linemen Sampo Ranta, Brannon McManus and Scott Reedy connected twice while Nathan Burke added an unaided score.
McManus picks up the eventual match winner with his seventh goal of the year after an incredible pass from Ranta at 4:09 of the second period (Reedy also helps with the deciding goal). Then Burke added to the lead just over two minutes later when he forced a turnover and scored his third of the year at 6:16.
The trio of Ranta, Reedy and McManus teamed up again in the third period when Ranta passed on his 14th of the year at 15:11 when the junior won the match in second place in the country in goal kicks. Ranta, who are now level with the lead for the team Sammy Walker, has already set new career highs for goals (14) and points (22) this year.
Both teams scored 28 strokes in the match.
Coach Quotes
“We’ve seen Jack at the top of his game for the best part of almost a year and a half,” said Minnesota head coach Bob Motzko said. “He also looks just as calm … nothing is rattled. That’s when you know a goalkeeper is being called – nothing seems difficult, everything seems easy to him.”
Remarkable
Minnesota finishes in the top ten this weekend with 39 points ahead of Wisconsin with currently 34 (the Badgers will end their series on Sunday in Michigan after starting the series) …Blake McLaughlin almost continued an incredible series at Compton Family Ice Arena as the junior was unable to score a goal for the first time in six games in the regular season. The junior actually found the back of the net on Saturday, with only a highlight for officials to judge the game and consider the Gophers offside … the Maroon & Gold have now won eight times this season.
Next: the presentation of the Spartans
Minnesota is back in action next weekend, hosting Michigan State for a two-game series Big Ten at the 3M Arena in Mariucci. The weekend starts on Friday 19 February at 19:00 CT (TV: FOX Sports North Plus; Stream: BTN + / FOX Sports Go; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM / 103.5 FM) before closing on Saturday 20 February. at 17:00 CT (CT (TV: FOX Sports North / FOX Sports Detroit; Stream: BTN + / FOX Sports Go; Radio: 1130 KTLK-AM / 103.5 FM).