Fans instantly frustrated after Gophers get swept to start the season

· Yahoo Sports

The Brett Larson era of Gophers men’s hockey got off to a shaky start over the weekend in Houghton, Michigan. After “unplayable ice conditions” delayed the series opener from Friday to Saturday, No. 14 Minnesota was swept by 19th-ranked Michigan Tech, losing 3-2 on Saturday and 3-1 on Sunday.

Visit moryak.biz for more information.

Luca Di Pasquo started between the pipes on both nights for Minnesota. He was tested with 53 total shots in the two games and was only able to stop 48 of them for a .906 save percentage. Minnesota had a 31-28 edge in shots on Saturday, and a 30-26 advantage on Sunday, making for an overall frustrating weekend.

First-year defenseman Axel Lofgren was the only Gopher to finish the weekend with multiple points. He assisted on two of Minnesota’s three goals, which were scored by Tate Pritchard, Beckett Hendrickson, and Mason Moe.

Second-year forward LJ Mooney and defenseman Tarin Smith, who was a marquee offseason addition, were both out of the Gophers’ lineup. Both are considered difference-makers, so playing without them put Minnesota in a hole before they even took the ice. Still, Larson and his coaching staff need to find a way to fit all of the new pieces together.

Michigan Tech was voted the favorite in the preseason CCHA coaches’ poll, so the weekend’s result is one that could age well for the Gophers. But Minnesota’s passionate fan base is growing frustrated after last year’s 11-22-3 disaster, which led to the firing of longtime head coach Bob Motzko.

“Embarrassed. 0-2 heading into UMD and North Dakota. One week in and already digging a hole,” popular social media account Gopher Hockey 365 wrote on X. “It’s only two games…,” another fan account wrote.

The (0-2-0) Gophers are off this weekend before hitting the road again for another nonconference test against Minnesota Duluth, which started its season with two emphatic wins over LIU by a combined score of 11-4.

Minnesota’s first home series will be Oct. 22-23 against rival North Dakota.

We are in the age of big media consolidation and content networks. But even with the proliferation of AI, nothing can beat the quality and inherent knowledge of local sports journalism. Our writing room consists of a Wildcat, a Gopher, and even a Mustang. We know the Minnesota towns and the great names that played on its diamonds, courts, fields or rinks. Subscribe NOW to the new Bring Me The Sports newsletter. We would appreciate your readership and support!

Related Articles

This story was originally published by Bring Me The Sports on Oct 5, 2026, where it first appeared in the MN Gophers section. Add Bring Me The Sports as a Preferred Source by clicking here.

Read full story at source