Gophers men's hockey takes over Big Ten lead with 5-0 romp over Wisconsin

On Saturday night, the Gophers will have a straightforward path to glory: Win a game in regulation, and they will win the Big Ten hockey regular-season championship.

By defeating Wisconsin 5-0 on Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci, the Gophers gave themselves the opportunity to win that title.

Minnesota's victory secured three points in the Big Ten standings and — coupled with Michigan's 4-1 loss at Notre Dame — moved the Gophers one point ahead of the Wolverines (52-51) with only Saturday's games to play.

If the Gophers beat Wisconsin in regulation again — or if Michigan loses in regulation again — they will win their fifth Big Ten regular-season championship since the conference was formed for the 2013-14 season. The conference champion receives an added bonus — a bye into the Big Ten tournament semifinals on March 12. The other six Big Ten teams must play best-of-three quarterfinal series next weekend.

"We've just got to control our destiny," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. "It's all on how we prepare ourselves to play tomorrow."

On Friday in front of a season-high crowd of 9,350, Olympian Ben Meyers got a third-period hat trick and Justen Close made 20 saves for his first career shutout as the fourth-ranked Gophers (22-11, 17-6 Big Ten) beat the Badgers (9-21-3, 6-16-1) for their seventh consecutive victory.

Jonny Sorenson scored in the first period and Jaxon Nelson late in the second.

The victory wasn't easy for the Gophers because one of their former teammates made it difficult for two periods. Wisconsin goalie Jared Moe, who spent the previous two seasons at Minnesota before transferring to Madison, made 39 saves and kept his team within a goal for more than 39 minutes.

The Gophers took a 1-0 lead at 6:08 of the first period when Sorenson scored from the slot off a pass from Grant Cruikshank, with Moe hearing it from Minnesota's large student section.

At 6:43 of the first, the Gophers got the game's first power play, but Wisconsin killed it, and shortly afterward Close made a huge pad save in tight on Mathieu De St. Phalle to preserve the lead.

"He earned it tonight, too," Motzko said, referring to Close. "He made a couple critical saves early in the game."

Wisconsin's Sam Stange was whistled for tripping with 37 seconds left in the second period, and the Gophers quickly made it 2-0. Nelson, playing his first game since Jan. 7 because of a leg injury, tipped defenseman Jackson LaCombe's shot from the point past Moe only eight seconds into the man advantage.

Meyers, who has six points in the past two games, and linemates Matthew Knies, a freshman, and Mason Nevers took over in the third.

Meyers stretched the lead to 3-0 at 4:25 when he followed up his rebound and beat Moe.

Knies, hustling from end to end and winning a battle along the boards, fed Meyers for the captain's second goal at 11:41. Meyers scored again with 2:41 to play.

Hats rained down on the ice sheet.

"Unbelievable," Meyers said of Knies' effort on his second goal. "The kid's work ethic is second to none, and he just plays like a man.