Sophomore forward Scott Reedy scored three goals, registering his first career hat trick Friday to lead the Gophers to a 5-3 win over nonconference foe Ferris State at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
Shut out through the first 11 games of the season, Reedy scored less than two minutes into the game, then added two more goals in the third period, including the game-winner.
The outburst was unexpected: Reedy scored seven goals in 35 games last season as a freshman, and had not registered more than two shots on goal in a single game this season heading into Friday's tilt.
It wasn't the only breakout performance of the evening.
Freshman defenseman Robbie Stucker registered the first three points of his college career, assisting on all three of Reedy's goals.
Reedy and the Gophers' offense had plenty of motivation to score early and often.
Junior goaltender Mat Robson was replaced by senior Eric Schierhorn after allowing three goals on seven shots in the first period.
Schierhorn made 15 saves the rest of the way.
The win is a critical one for the Gophers, who had just one win in the final five games of their pre-holiday schedule.
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Unranked Minnesota last appeared in the 20-team USCHO.com poll on Nov. 12, and entered Friday's game ranked No. 19 in the Pairwise.
Reedy got the Gophers on the board at 1:53 of the first period, tucking the puck inside the near post on a feed from behind the net, kicking off a back-and-forth first period.
Ferris State answered with back-to-back goals at 3:20 and 11:47, but senior forward Brent Gates Jr. cut the tied it up again just a few minutes later.
Gates ripped a one-timer past Bulldogs goaltender Roni Salmenkangas on the power play at 14:42.
Ferris State fought back, retaking the lead with just 59 seconds to play in the first.
However, Minnesota took control for good in the second period.
Junior forward Rem Pitlick tied things up again at 4:10, rifling a wrist shot off the crossbar, before Reedy netted the game-winner at 6:18 on a feed from Stucker.
He completed the hat trick at 16:15 of the third period thanks to another assist from Stucker, who sprung freshman forward Sammy Walker with a long breakout pass.
Walker's quick feed in front of the net found its way past a Bulldogs defender and onto the stick of Reedy.
Minnesota and Ferris State close out their two-game series Saturday, when the Gophers will look to win back-to-back games for the first time since beating St. Lawrence 3-0 on Nov. 17 and Michigan State 7-2 on Nov. 23.
