Gophers Lose to Michigan in OT

ANN ARBOR, Mich. (GopherSports.com) - For the first time this season, the No. 9 Gopher Hockey program game away from an overtime contest with nothing to show for it as Minnesota fell 4-3 in the extra session to Michigan in the series opener at Yost Ice Arena.

After each team tallied a goal over the first 40 minutes of regulation, the conference foes combined for four more goals in the third period before Cutler Martin tallied the game winner at the 2:16 mark of overtime.

Connor Reilly scored his team-best ninth goal of the year to give the Gophers a lead heading into the first intermission. The redshirt sophomore threw in a rebound at 7:03 of the first period to extend his career-best point streak to seven games while Ryan Collins picked up an assist on the play. The Wolverines would make a game of it in the second period, however. Zach Hyman snuck a breakaway attempt past Adam Wilcox at 1:44 of the second stanza to even the game at 1-1 with assists from Cutler Martin and Tyler Motte.

From there, things got interesting.

Dylan Larkin scored a 7:48 of the third period on a power play to give the Wolverines their first lead of the night, but the visiting Gophers picked up a five-minute power play when Andrew Copp checked Kyle Rau from behind and was given a game misconduct. Minnesota (10-6-1 overall, 1-1-1-0 Big Ten proceeded to score twice while on the advantage - first at 9:54 when Justin Kloos was set up by Michael Brodzinski and Taylor Cammarata and again when Travis Boyd reclaimed the lead at 10:35 with assists form Mike Reilly and Kyle Rau. Minnesota would finish the game 2-for-5 on the power play and 2-for-3 on the penalty kill.

The scoring wasn't finished yet, however, as Justin Selman found the equalizer at 13:29 to force overtime before Martin's winner for the Wolverines (11-7-0, 3-1-0-0 Big Ten).

The Gophers outshot Michigan 35-30 on the night. Adam Wilcox made 26 saves in the loss, falling to 10-6-1 on the season. Steve Racine earned the win with 32 saves, moving to 5-1-0. The Gophers are now 2-1-1 in overtime games this season.

Minnesota and Michigan close out this weekend's series on Saturday at 4:06 p.m. ET in Ann Arbor.