When the Minnesota Gophers needed a lift on Saturday night, Matthew Knies was able to provide it.
With the second-ranked Gophers trailing late in their game at No. 7 Penn State, Knies scored the equalizer with 41 seconds to go and scored the game-winner in overtime to lead Minnesota to a 3-2 victory.
The path to get there was frustrating for the Toronto Maple Leafs prospect as missed some empty nets and hit the pipe earlier in the game. With time winding down in regulation and the Gophers down 2-1, Jimmy Snuggerud skated into the zone, went behind the Penn State net and banked a pass off of a skate in front of the goal to find Knies, who tied the game with his 19th goal of the season.
WHAT A PASS JIMMY
WHAT A FINISH KNIESY pic.twitter.com/fjq44S1yIQ
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) February 19, 2023
Knies wasn’t finished as the Gophers headed into the extra frame as Logan Cooley skated along the boards in the Penn State zone with just over two minutes left in overtime. Cooley stopped on a dime, skated in on Penn State goalie Liam Souliere and passed the puck to Knies, who buried the one-timer to give the Gophers the victory with his 20th goal of the season.
MINNESOTA.
MAGIC.BREAK OUT THOSE BROOMS! pic.twitter.com/gStBroLf4h
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) February 19, 2023
With Cooley logging a five-point game in Friday’s 7-2 win over Penn State, the Gophers are 23-8-1 on the season and in first place of the Big Ten. Minnesota will wrap up the regular season next weekend with a two-game series against Ohio State at 3M Arena at Mariucci.
