Warning shot: Freshman spurs Gophers win

Warning shot: Freshman spurs Gophers win

Published Jan. 28, 2012 8:37 p.m. ET

ST. CLOUD -- Freshman Sam Warning buried the go-ahead goal with 1 minute, 19 seconds remaining Saturday night, lifting third-ranked Minnesota to a dramatic, 3-2 road triumph over rival St. Cloud State.

"I like the way the whole team played tonight," Gophers coach Don Lucia said afterward. "They felt confident."

This WCHA dust-up was intense throughout.

The Gophers, now 19-9-1 overall and 15-5-0 in WCHA action, knotted things at 1-all in the second period, thanks to a fierce Ben Marshall slap-shot. Erik Haula soon gave the Gophers a 2-1 advantage.

St. Cloud State star Ben Hanowski promptly notched his second goal of the night, as he snuck a goal past Minnesota netminder Kent Patterson to tie the score once more.

However, Warning silenced the St. Cloud State crowd late, helping solidify the Gophers' hold on first place in the WCHA.

"It was a big goal," Warning said afterward. "We got two points -- that's what matters. We just never gave up -- we battled the whole game."

The host Huskies fell to 10-14-4 overall -- and 7-10-3 in league action -- with their loss.

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