MEN'S COLLEGE HOCKEY:

-St. Cloud State fell to the University of Denver 6-2 at home. Denver jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first period and increased the lead to 4-0 after two. The Huskies cut the lead to 4-1 in the third on a goal by Adam Ingram. The Pioneers would answer back to increase the lead to 5-1. Tyson Gross would score around the 8-minute mark to make it 5-2 but that is all the closer SCSU would get. The two teams play again on Saturday night.

--The University of Minnesota dominated Michigan on their way to a 6-2 victory. Jaxson Nelson led the way with his first collegiate hat trick and Oliver Moore scored twice in the win. It was the team’s 8^th straight home win and secured the No. 3 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Conference Tournament.

Get our free mobile app

WOMEN’S COLLEGE HOCKEY:

- It was a rough start to their best-of-three-game WCHA playoff series as St. Cloud State would get shut out by the University of Minnesota-Duluth 5-0 on Friday.  After a scoreless first period, the Bulldogs put up two goals in the second and held a 2-0 lead after two. UMD scored three more times in the third for the final margin.  The Huskies will need to win Game 2 on Saturday in order to force a Game 3.

-- The Minnesota Golden Gophers lost to Minnesota State-Mankato 5-4  in the first game of their best-of-three WHCA playoff series. It was a tight game all the way through with the score tied 4-4 late into the third period when Mankato’s Kamryn Van Batavia scored with just 1:38 remaining to get them the win. Ella Huber scored her first career hat trick to lead the Gophers. Like St. Cloud State, Minnesota must win Saturday to force a game three or be eliminated.

JUNIOR HOCKEY:

-- The St. Cloud Norsemen fell to the Austin Bruins on Friday 1-0. The two teams will faceoff again on Saturday.

-- The Granite City Lumberjacks took down the Rochester Grizzlies 6-4. Thomas Gerum and Parker Mitchell each scored twice for the Jacks. Granite City will take on the Alexandria Blizzard on Saturday.

COLLEGE SOFTBALL

--Both of the College of St. Benedict’s games were canceled on Friday due to inclement weather.  The Bennies have two games scheduled for Saturday, weather permitting.

--The Gophers clobbered Fordham 10-2 on Friday. Fordham held an early 2-0 lead that would not last long as the U of M would tie things up in the bottom of the first. The Gophers would put up 4 runs in the second inning highlighted by a three-run-homerun off the bat of Jess Oakland. Minnesota would increase the lead in the fourth inning to 8-2 and then scored twice more on a two-run -HR by Kayla Chavez. The Gophers will take on Fordham again on Saturday as well as a 2^nd game against Kentucky.

COLLEGE BASEBALL

--The Gophers game against Pacific was postponed due to rain.

READ MORE FROM AUTHOR PAUL HABSTRITT:

• KVSC Trivia Zaniness Provided By “Goat Posse” For 30 Years
• Paynesville Broadcast Club Continues to Grow In 6th Year
• Sartell Schools Doing Its Part To Boost State’s Computer Ranking
• Era Coming To An End For Cold Spring Opera House
• Destiny Calls Hanowski For Flyers Hall Of Fame

• YOUNG GYMNASTS MAKING HISTORY IN ALBANY