Robson, Gophers shut out top-ranked Huskies 2-0

Published Jan. 7, 2018 10:56 p.m. ET

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Minnesota goaltender Mat Robson stopped 34 shots to earn the shutout win over St. Cloud State. Photo courtesy: Maddie MacFarlane (@MissMaddieMac on Twitter).

In his third start of the season, goaltender Mat Robson stopped 34 shots to earn his first collegiate shutout, and the No. 10 Minnesota Gophers bested top-ranked St. Cloud State 2-0 to split a home-and-home series on Sunday night.

Minnesota's junior forward Darian Romanko drew first blood early in the third period, intercepting a St. Cloud State pass just inside the blue line and slinging towards the Huskies' net for a 1-0 advantage. It was Romanko's second goal of the season.

Senior Mike Szmatula finished off the Huskies with an empty netter in the final minute, his ninth score of the year.

It was a rebound victory for the Gophers, who were pounded by St. Cloud State 5-2 on Saturday night at the Herb Brooks National Hockey Center.



“I think our energy was just completely different," Romanko said after the game. "Last night we didn’t have too much, and coming back home tonight, we had to bring the juice."

Controversy struck late in the second period, however. With three minutes to play in the frame, Huskies forward Mikey Eyssimont shot a laser past Robson to light the lamp, but the officials waived off the goal after Minnesota challenged for too many men on the ice.

It would have been Eyssimont's third goal and fourth point of the series, as he tallied two scores and an assist Saturday night.

Minnesota hadn't beaten the Huskies in its last five tries, dating back to a 4-3 overtime win Nov. 1, 2014. The Gophers are now 4-15 against inner-state rivals since 2015.

UP NEXT

St. Cloud State (13-3-3) hosts Western Michigan in a weekend series Jan. 12-13.

The Gophers (13-10-1) will resume play within the Big Ten conference, as Michigan (3-6-2 Big Ten) visits Mariucci Jan. 12-13.

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