The Clarkson University Hockey team's opening game at 5th-ranked University of Minnesota did not go as planned as the Gophers knocked off the 8th-ranked Golden Knights 3-1 on the big ice sheet (200x100) at 3M Arena at Mariucci in Minneapolis on Friday night.

Clarkson, which stands at 4-2-1, and Minnesota (4-3-0) will meet up again on Saturday in a 7:00 p.m. CT faceoff.

After a scoreless first period, Minnesota got on the scoreboard at 14:32 of the middle frame with Scott Reedy putting in a rebound for his second goal of the year.

Minnesota made it 2-0 at 7:04 of the third on Rem Pitlick's third goal of the season, and a power-play tally by Steve Johnson gave the Big 10 foe a 3-0 lead on their home ice. That goal snapped Clarkson's string of successful penalty kills at 16.

The Knights averted the shutout when senior captain Nic Pierog (Georgetown, ONT) scored on a backhand shot with 1:18 remaining for his second goal of the year. Senior assistant captain Brett Gervais (Corona, CA) and freshman Grant Cooper (Cornwall, ONT) assisted.

The Gophers held a slim 28-27 advantage in shots. Sophomore Jake Kielly (Eden Prairie, MN) made 25 saves for the Knights.

Clarkson went scoreless on its lone power play of the game, while Minnesota was 1-of-5 with the man-advantage.