For the second time in program history, the Golden Gophers are Big Ten Tournament champions, as No. 4 Minnesota beat No. 5 Wisconsin 6-4 on March 16 at Notre Dame's Compton Family Ice Arena.
After a pair of overtime wins in the quarterfinals and semifinals, a battle between two of the nation's top offenses favored the Gophers in their 100th season, as 10 Gophers tallied points and six skaters recorded multi-point performances.
Blake McLaughlin opened the night with a goal and ended the championship battle with an empty-net tally for a game-high four points (two goals, two assists).
The Gophers (23-6-0) then outscored the Badgers 4-1 in the second period including a run of three-straight goals to close out the period in a span of less than three minutes.
Wisconsin (20-9-1) closed the gap with three goals in the third, but the Gophers held until McLaughlin added the empty net dagger in the final minute as Minnesota won its third game in three days to win the 2021 Big Ten Men's Ice Hockey Tournament.
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