Gophers break 17-year streak against Boston College

Minnesota won their first shootout since 2020. For their last home shootout win, you have to go back even further.

Fans inside 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis, Minnesota. | University of Minnesota Athletics

Fans of the Gophers men's hockey team have been waiting a very long time for what they witnessed Friday night at 3M Arena at Mariucci.

A night after the Gophers fell 3-1 to Eagles, Minnesota and Boston College skated to a 2-2 draw. With neither team able to break the deadlock in the extra session, the game went to a penalty shootout. For longtime Gophers fans, that nearly always signaled a loss was on the way. Before Friday's night's penalty shootout, Minnesota had lost their previous 11 shootouts.

Ludtke walks it off! 🚨 pic.twitter.com/azM1HOEquk

— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 11, 2025

To find the last time the Gophers won a shootout, you have to go back to Feb. 14, 2020, when Minnesota beat Notre Dame in South Bend on a Brannon McManus shootout goal. Coincidentally enough, that was also the last time Minnesota had even converted a shootout attempt.

When L.J. Mooney smashed the puck over the left shoulder of the Boston goaltender to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead in the shootout, it was Minnesota's first shootout goal in their previous 28 attempts.

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To add to the rarity of the event, Tanner Ludtke's winning shootout goal marked the first time the Gophers had won a home penalty shootout since besting Air Force on Dec. 30, 2007. That streak spanned 11 home shootout attempts.

Historically, the Gophers have been downright miserable in shootouts. Since 1988, the Gophers are just 5-23 in shootouts, with identical 2-11 records at home and on the road, and a 1-1 mark on neutral ice.

Before tonight, Minnesota's only home shootout victory was on Dec. 30, 2007 against Air Force in the Dodge Holiday Classic consolation game. https://t.co/zyMDkJ4h1r pic.twitter.com/IWmWSqxeeH

— Gopher Game Notes (@GopherGameNotes) October 11, 2025

Minnesota is now 1-2-1 on the season after Friday's draw with No. 11-ranked Boston College. Next up for the Gophers is a pair of away games to take on North Dakota on Oct. 17-18 in Grand Forks. Puck drop for the Oct. 17 game is set for 7 p.m. CT, and 6 p.m. CT for the Oct. 18 game.