No. 5 Minnesota rallies from three goals down to complete weekend sweep of Penn State, 6-4; No. 1 Minnesota State clinches CCHA regular-season title, 5-1; No. 19 Providence survives rally from No. 16 UMass Lowell, 3-2

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There has been plenty to celebrate of late for No. 5 Minnesota and that was no different on Saturday as the Gophers scored the games final four goals to rally from a three-goal deficit in a 6-4 victory over Penn State (File photo: Jim Rosvold)

Minnesota has overcome plenty of obstacles of late including losing a goaltender to the NHL, multiple injuries and, most recently, the departure of key players to the Olympics in Beijing.

Saturday the obstacle may have felt more self-inflicted – falling behind 3-0 on the road against Penn State – but the Gophers again proved able to overcome, scoring the game’s final four goals in a 6-4 victory.

Minnesota has now won six straight and 12 of its last 15 games.

Penn State jumped out to leads of 3-0 and 4-2 before the Gopher offense exploded. After climbing within a goal to 4-3 before the end of the second on a Grant Cruikshank goal, Aaron Huglen evened the score at 4:41 of the third on a power play goal.

That set up Jackson LaCombe’s game-winner at 8:27 and Cruikshank’s second of the night into an empty net with 39 seconds remaining.

Justen Close continues his red hot play since replacing Jack LaFontaine around the New Year, making 23 saves to earn the victory. The Gophers limited the potent Penn State offense to just four shots on goal in the third period.

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No. 1 Minnesota State 5, Bemidji State 1

Minnesota State clinched its fifth straight MacNaughton Cup, its first as a member of the CCHA, with a 5-1 victory over Bemidji State on Saturday.

The Mavericks now hold the destiny to host all of their home playoff games as the tournament’s top seed.

Minnesota State jumped to a 2-0 lead in the opening period on goals by Lucas Sowder and Julian Napravnik and never looked back. Cade Borchardt and Ondrej Pavel doubled the lead in the middle frame.

Will Zmolek broke Dryden McKay’s shutout bid with 7:45 remaining, but McKay earned the victory with 25 saves.

No. 19 Providence 3, No. 16 UMass Lowell 2

Providence earned a much-needed victory, jumping to a 3-0 lead and holding on for a one-goal victory, 3-2, to earn a weekend split with UMass Lowell.

Matt Koopman and Guillaume Richard scored in the first period for the Friars and Nick Poisson extended the lead at 9:10 of the second.

The River Hawks closed the gap to two before the end of the second period on Reid Stefanson’s goal in the closing seconds and Brehdan Engum’s tally in the third with 7:37 left made for an exciting finish.

A late holding call to Providence’s Michael Citara with 2:02 remaining put plenty of pressure on Friars netminder Jaxson Stauber, who finished with 13 saves in the third and 33 in the game to earn the victory.

No. 20 Connecticut 4, No. 10 Massachusetts 2

Connecticut earned a weekend split with I-91 rival UMass on Saturday, rallying from 2-1 down for a 4-2 victory.

Losing keeps UMass from taking advantage of UMass Lowell’s loss to Providence. The Minutemen and River Hawks remain tied atop Hockey East, now just two points ahead of UConn and three ahead of fourth-place Merrimack.

Trailing 2-1 in the second after Bobby Trivigno and Josh Lopina scored 51 seconds apart early in the second, UConn evened the game on Ryan Tverberg’s power play goal at 8:26 of the middle frame.

Hudson Schandor’s goal at 6:59 of the third was the game-winner while Marc Gatcomb tacked on insurance with 1:15 left.

Tverberg finished the game with two goals and two assists.

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