Gophers sweep North Dakota for first win under Larson

The Minnesota Gophers men’s hockey team completed a home sweep of No. 3 North Dakota, securing their first victory under new coach Brett Larson. The series concluded with a four-goal assault by the Gophers, who overcame an early deficit to defeat the Fighting Hawks in Minneapolis.

Wyatt Cullen initiated the Gopher comeback with a power-play goal at 8:47 to tie the score. Christian Humphreys subsequently gave Minnesota the lead at 13:58 of the period. North Dakota arrived in Minneapolis ranked third in the national polls with a perfect 4-0 record, following a trip to the 2026 NCAA Frozen Four. The Hawks featured a goalie tandem of sophomore Jan Spunar and freshman Caleb Heil.

The Gophers entered the series with a 0-3-1 record after a 7-1 loss to Minnesota Duluth the previous week. In that game, the team had rallied from a 2-0 deficit in the second period with two goals by Brodie Ziemer. First-year coach Brett Larson, who has played and coach against North Dakota in his career, emphasized a strategy of “patient urgency” for the team. The victory marks a turning point for the Gophers, who had previously struggled in their season opener at Minnesota Duluth.