Both Minnesota Men, Women Stun Rival Wisconsin; 'Hockey Valley" Weekend has Hot Start: Puck Drop

Minnesota scored four unanswered goals to snap an eight-game winless streak with a 4-1 home victory over No. 8 Wisconsin on Friday night. After giving up an early goal to the rival Badgers, freshman LJ Mooney tied the game on a power play and then the Gophers took control on the second period with goals by Brodie Ziemer and Erik Påhlsson.

The Gophers (9-16-1 overall, 5-10 Big Ten) converted both power-play opportunities and have scored a power-play goal in five-straight games, and 16 times in 13 outings since Nov. 15.

"We needed to get rewarded," Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. "I kept saying traction. You know, the words that I've been saying. How many of those games, even in the last six, had we played very well, but we fell behind? Then we're chasing the game. We finally put two power-play goals in, and we finally got a 5-on-5 goal to extend a lead. Then they had to chase us; and then we got comfortable."

It was the fifth straight loss for the Badgers (15-8-2, 8-7), who haven't won since hitting No. 2 in the polls on Jan. 12.

Who let him loose?? 😱

📺: B1G+ & FOX9 pic.twitter.com/Ll2zTNlVw0
— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) January 31, 2026

On the women's side, Avery Hovland scored the tying goal midway through the third period before Molly Jordan netted the game-winner in overtime as No. 3 Minnesota topped No. 1 Wisconsin 3-2 at Ridder Arena. Shots were even, 27-27.

The Gophers (23-4 overall, 17-4 WCHA) are the only team to defeat the Badgers (23-2-2, 17-2-2) this season. However, both sides were without some key players as Team USA and Team Canada have already traveled to Italy for the upcoming Winter Olympics.

"It was a really good effort with both teams a little short-handed," Minnesota coach Brad Frost said. "We're really proud of our group, the way they stepped up, competed with one another and stayed with it."

MOLLY JORDAN WINS IT IN OT 👏#NCAAHockey x 🎥 B1G+ / @GopherWHockey

pic.twitter.com/0Hu0m8C9b0
— NCAA Ice Hockey (@NCAAIceHockey) January 31, 2026

"Hockey Valley" Weekend

Penn State's huge hockey weekend got under way with mixed results for the Nittany Lions.

The No. 5 men's team hosted No. 2 Michigan State at packed Pegula Ice Arena, but quickly fell behind and took a 6-3 loss, as Anthony Romani notched a hat track for the Spartans. However, shots were even and MSU ended up notched two empty-net goals.

While MSU (20-5 overall, 11-4 Big Ten) moved into sole possession of first place in the Big Ten standings, the loss snapped a seven-game winning streak for Penn State (18-7, 10-5). For more check out the game coverage on Michigan State On SI.

Meanwhile, the No. 4 women's team played the first Division I hockey game instead Beaver Stadium and shut out Robert Morris, 3-0. McKenna Walsh was credited with her first game-winning goal of the season and Katie DeSa notched her 22nd career shutout while making 13 saves. In contract, Robert Morris goaltender Maggie Hatch made 39 saves.

Penn State wrapped up a 3-0 win at Beaver Stadium with this goal from Grace Outwater 👏 pic.twitter.com/GjfuMOq8Rs
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) January 30, 2026

The men get their turn when on Saturday at 1 p.m., when Penn State and Michigan State wrap up their series. While Friday's game drew 6,591 fans, the third-largest crowd in Pegula Ice Arena history, the outdoor game is expected to attract more than 10-times that many despite the forecasted high temperature of 18 degrees.

Puck Drop: Saturday, January 31, 2026

• Former Boston University forward Charlie Coyle had his second NHL hat trick and an assist as the Columbus Blue Jackets won at Chicago 4-2. It was also the league's 31st hat trick since January 1, setting a record for the most in a single calendar month. The previous best was 29 in December 1985.

• Devils center Jack Hughes, out of the U.S. Developmental Team Program, was still being evaluated Friday for a lower-body injury sustained in the New Jersey Devils’ 3-2 overtime win against Nashville the night before. Hughes is on the Team USA roster for the Olympic Winter Games Milano Cortina 2026, New Jersey has three more games before the Olympic break.

• Michigan State Trustee Sandy Pierce on the new Spartan Ventures effort per the Detroit News: “The structure is innovative. It's really entrepreneurial. It is the first of its kind in higher education. It will not be the last. ... Even though this is very unique, it rhymes with a lot of the professional sports investment contracts."

• Three Americans Who Could Vie For Patrick Kane's Record

From across the league, congrats, Kaner! 🇺🇸 pic.twitter.com/lgARhd85zl
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 30, 2026

Men's College Hockey Friday Scores

AHA
Niagara 5, Canisius 3
Holy Cross 3, Army 0
RIT 2, Mercyhurst 2 (RIT wins shootout, 2-0)
Bentley 5, Robert Morris 0
Air Force 5, Sacred Heart 2

Big Ten
No. 2 Michigan State 6, No. 5 Penn State 3
No. 1 Michigan 6, Ohio State 4
Minnesota 4, No. 8 Wisconsin 1

CCHA
No. 18 Minnesota State 6, Ferris State 1
Northern Michigan 2, Bemidji State 0
No. 15 St. Thomas 4, No. 19 Michigan Tech 2
No. 16 Augustana 6, Lake Superior 1

ECAC
Colgate 3, Brown 3 (SO, Colgate wins shootout, 1-0)
Princeton 3, Clarkson 1
No. 14 Dartmouth 4, Union 2
Harvard 3, RPI 1
No. 6 Quinnipiac 7, St. Lawrence 0
No. 10 Cornell 5, Yale 2

Hockey East
No. 13 Boston College 4, Boston University 1
Massachusetts 3, Northeastern 2 (OT)
Merrimack 2, New Hampshire 1

NCHC
Arizona State 6, Colorado College 5 (OT)
No. 11 Denver 4, No. 7 Minnesota Duluth 3
Miami 2, No. 20 St. Cloud State 1
No. 3 Western Michigan 5, Omaha 2

Non-Conference
Bowling Green 3, Notre Dame 3 (OT)
Vermont 3, Stonehill 2 (OT)
Alaska 5, Long Island 1

Women's College Hockey Friday Scores

AHA
No. 4 Penn State 3, Robert Morris 0
Lindenwood 6, RIT 2
No. 15 Mercyhurst 4, Delaware 0

ECAC
No. 11 Clarkson 4, No. 5 Quinnipiac 1
No. 8 Princeton 2, St. Lawrence 0
Colgate 3, Harvard 0
No. 12 Cornell 5, Dartmouth 0
No. 10 Yale 8, RPI 2
Brown 7, Union 3

Hockey East
Boston University 3, Merrimack 0
Providence 4, Vermont 1
No. 7 UConn 1, New Hampshire 0
Maine 4, Boston College 3

NEWHA
Long Island 2, Franklin Pierce 1 (OT)
Assumption 7, Stonehill 0
Saint Anselm 6, Post 3
Sacred Heart 3, Saint Michael's 2

WCHA
St. Thomas 3, St. Cloud State 2 (OT)
No. 3 Minnesota 3, No. 1 Wisconsin 2 (OT)
No. 14 Minnesota State 3, Bemidji State 0
No. 2 Ohio State 6, No. 9 Minnesota Duluth 2

Games between ranked opponents are bolded. All times are local to where the game is being played.

Men's College Hockey Saturday Schedule

AHA
RIT at Mercyhurst, 5 p.m. ET
Sacred Heart at Air Force, 5 p.m. MT
Canisius at Niagara, 7 p.m. ET
Bentley at Robert Morris, 7 p.m. ET

Big Ten
No. 2 Michigan State at No. 5 Penn State, BTN, 1 p.m. ET
No. 1 Michigan at Ohio State, 5 p.m. ET
No. 8 Wisconsin at Minnesota, 6 p.m. CT

CCHA
No. 18 Minnesota State at Ferris State, 6 p.m. ET
Bemidji State at Northern Michigan, 6 p.m. ET
No. 19 Michigan Tech at No. 15 St. Thomas, 6 p.m. CT
Lake Superior at No. 16 Augustana, 6 p.m. CT

ECAC
No. 10 Cornell at Brown, 7 p.m. ET
No. 6 Quinnipiac at Clarkson, SNY 7 p.m. ET
RPI at No. 14 Dartmouth, 7 p.m. ET
Princeton at St. Lawrence, 7 p.m. ET
Colgate at Yale, 7 p.m. ET

Hockey East
No. 9 Providence at No. 17 Maine, 7 p.m. ET
Merrimack at New Hampshire, NESN, 7 p.m. ET

NCHC
Arizona State at Colorado College, 6 p.m. MT
No. 7 Minnesota Duluth at No. 11 Denver, 6 p.m. MT
Miami at No. 20 St. Cloud State, 6 p.m. CT
Omaha at No. 3 Western Michigan, 6 p.m. ET

Non-Conference
Notre Dame at Bowling Green, 7 p.m. ET
Long Island at Alaska, 7 p.m. AT
Stonehill at Vermont, 7:30 p.m. ET

Women's College Hockey Saturday Schedule

AHA
RIT at Lindenwood, 1 p.m. CT
No. 15 Mercyhurst at Delaware, 2 p.m. ET
Robert Morris at No. 4 Penn State, 6 p.m. ET

ECAC
No. 8 Princeton at No. 11 Clarkson, 2 p.m. ET
No. 5 Quinnipiac at St. Lawrence, 2 p.m. ET
Dartmouth at Colgate, 3 p.m. ET
Harvard at No. 12 Cornell, 3 p.m. ET
Brown at Rensselaer, 3 p.m. ET
No. 10 Yale at Union, 3 p.m. ET

Hockey East
Providence at Vermont, 2 p.m. ET
Merrimack at Boston University, NESN, 4 p.m. ET
New Hampshire at No. 7 UConn, 6 p.m. ET
No. 6 Northeastern at No. 13 Holy Cross, 6 p.m. ET

NEWHA
Post at Saint Anselm, 1 p.m. ET
Assumption at Stonehill, 2 p.m. ET
Sacred Heart at Saint Michael's, 3 p.m. ET
Long Island at Franklin Pierce, 3 p.m. ET

WCHA
No. 1 Wisconsin at No. 3 Minnesota, 2 p.m. CT
St. Cloud State at St. Thomas, 2 p.m. CT
No. 14 Minnesota State at Bemidji State, 3 p.m. CT
No. 9 Minnesota Duluth at No. 2 Ohio State, 3 p.m. ET

Hockey Quote of the Day

“As a little girl, growing up in Minnesota, I never dreamed of being inducted in the Hall of Fame. I was too busy putting on my brother's hockey equipment, My Little Pony Rollerblades and pretending that I was on the Minnesota North Stars converting 2-on-1s with Neal Broten in our unfinished basement in Eagan, Minnesota.I wasn't your everyday little girl, and somehow my mom was on to me. Despite some obvious distraction techniques on her part, in the name of tap-dancing classes and shopping trips, she knew where my heart was, and on my fifth birthday, my blonde French braid strolled into the hockey rink.”
Natalie Darwitz (Minnesota)

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We'll Leave You With This ...

What a way to arrive in Milan! 🇺🇸 #WinterOlympics pic.twitter.com/PITk3oDjBU
— USA Hockey (@usahockey) January 30, 2026