Logan Cooley scores twice and Justen Close makes 25 saves as No. 4 Gophers hockey shuts out Spartans

Freshman forward Logan Cooley scored the first and last goals of the game as the No. 4 Gophers beat No. 13 Michigan State 5-0 on Friday night in a Big Ten men's hockey game at Munn Arena in East Lansing, Mich.

Justen Close made 25 saves for his third shutout of the season.

"It was a great win for us," said Cooley, the No. 3 overall pick in the 2022 NHL draft by the Arizona Coyotes, on a postgame interview on the Big Ten Network. "We didn't like the way we ended in Arizona.

"We came back the next week ready to work and it showed tonight."

The Gophers (12-5, 7-2 Big Ten) were coming off a 6-5 overtime loss at Arizona State. This victory expanded Minnesota's lead over the Spartans (11-5-1, 6-3) from one point to four (21-17).

Cooley, alone in front, scored his first goal of the game just under eight minutes into the game.

Rhett Pitlick got the lone goal of the second period with three minutes left.

And then the Gophers pulled away with three goals in the third. Bryce Brodzinski and Matthew Knies scored goals 1:25 apart to make it 4-0 with about 7½ left in the third. Cooley got his second goal of the game — and seventh of the season — on a rebound with 1:06 to play.

Dylan St. Cyr had 34 saves for Michigan State.