Mittelstadt notches first collegiate goal, Gophers top Union 2-0

Published Oct. 7, 2017 8:14 p.m. ET

Well, that didn’t take too long.

Freshman forward Casey Mittlestadt, the former Eden Prairie Eagle and the No. 8 overall pick in the 2017 National Hockey League draft by the Buffalo Sabres, scored his first collegiate goal in the Minnesota Gophers’ 2-0 win over Union.

It was the first win of the season for the Gophers, who lost 4-3 in overtime to Minnesota Duluth on Friday evening.

Mittlestadt’s goal gave the Gophers their first lead with 16:17 left in the second period. Rem Pitlick scored just over six minutes later on a powerplay to boost Minnesota’s lead to 2-0.

And that’s all junior goaltender Eric Schierhorn needed.

Schierhorn picked up his ninth career shutout, which ranks him third in program history. Kellen Briggs, who played for the Gophers from 2003-07, holds the school record with 13.

The Gophers host Penn State next Friday and Sunday to open up Big Ten conference play.