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Gophers men and women both cruise to dominant shutout wins Friday night

It was a good night to be a fan of Gophers hockey.

Nolan O'Hara

Gophers hockey celebrates a goal.
Gophers hockey celebrates a goal. / Photo by Bjorn Franke, University of Minnesota

It was a good night to be a fan of Gophers hockey.

Both the Gophers men's and women's hockey teams cruised to dominant shutout wins Friday night. At 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, the fourth-ranked Gophers men got two goals from Matthew Wood and the team scored three apiece in each the first and second periods on their way to a 6-0 win over No. 6 Michigan. In Mendota Heights, Minn., the third-ranked Gophers women got two goals each from Abbey Murphy and Josefin Bouveng in a 5-0 win over St. Thomas.

The Gophers men (14-2-1) broke open the game against the Wolverines (10-4-1) in the final 7 minutes, 29 seconds in the first period, starting with Wood's first goal of the night. Jimmy Snuggerud scored 55 seconds later, the 50th goal of his career, before Aaron Huglen made it a three-goal game with 3 minutes, 50 second remaining in the opening period.

Wood scored his second of the night just 48 seconds into the second period to ensure it'd be nothing but Gophers. August Falloon scored about nine minutes later, and Connor Kurth scored 1:03 after that to make it 6-0 Minnesota.

That was the final margin as Nathan Airey turned away 14 Michigan shots in the third on his way to a 32-save shutout.

Oliver Moore had three assists.

Bouveng got the Gophers women (12-4-1) on the scoreboard first with her goal 9 minutes, 59 seconds into the opening frame. The Tommies (5-12-2) were able to keep it at a one-goal deficit entering the second period, but Bouveng scored her second of the night on the power play midway through the second frame to make it a two-goal Gophers advantage.

Murphy then scored twice in a three-minute span, the first coming 11 minutes, 35 seconds into the frame, to make it an insurmountable four-goal lead. Chloe Primerano scored with 2 minutes, 31 seconds remaining for the final margin.

Hannah Clark stopped all 14 shots she faced for the Gophers.

The Gophers women will be back in Mendota Heights Saturday night for a 6 p.m. puck drop for the second of their two-game series against the Tommies. The Gophers men will host the Wolverines again Saturday for a 5 p.m. puck drop.

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Nolan O'Hara
NOLAN O'HARA

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