(Minneapolis, MN) – The Sacred Hear University Men's Hockey team lost 9-0 to the Minnesota Golden Gophers in the 2011-12 season opener.

SHU hung in for the first period, trailing only 1-0 in the first intermission.  The Gophers scored only 56 seconds into the game on a goal by Kyle Rau, who took a misfired shot by Zach Budish and jammed it in on a rap-around goal.  The Pioneers nearly tied the game at the end of the first, with a power play chance, but a shot from the right win by Bryan Felice (Middletown, NJ) hit the post. 

In the second, Jake Hansen drove a slap shot on a right-wing rush inside the far post at 5:26, with Erik Haula and mark Alt getting the assists.  Once again, the Pioneers nearly got on the board not long after, but Matt Gingera (Winnipeg, MB) was stopped on a breakaway from center by Kent Patterson with about nine minutes to play in the second.

Minnesota broke the game open soon after, getting goals by Nick Bjugstad at 14:24, Haula at 16:27, and Sam Warning at 18:37 to take a 5-0 lead after two periods.  They kept the pressure going in the third when Bjugstad scored on a wrap-around 48 seconds into the final period.  Tom Serratore deflected a shot from the point for another Gopher goal at 8:35 of the third, and Set Ambroz finished off the Pioneers with goals at 16:19 and 19:11.

Steven Legatto (Kelowna, BC) made 38 saves, as Minnesota outshot SHU 47-20 in the game.  Patterson earned the shutout with 20 saves.

Sacred Heart takes on Minnesota again Saturday, October 8 at 8:00 pm EST.