BTN.com staff, March 14, 2014

With a 3-2 overtime victory Friday against Michigan, Minnesota clinched the outright Big Ten Championship. By virtue of taking the inaugural conference crown, the Gophers (25-4-6, 14-2-3-0 Big Ten) claimed the No. 1 seed in the upcoming Big Ten Men?s Ice Hockey Tournament.

Junior Kyle Rau secured the win with a power-play goal 2:44 into overtime. Hudson Fasching and Travis Boyd tallied assists on Rau?s team-leading fifth game-winning goal of the season. Sophomore goalie Adam Wilcox was credited with 22 saves to earn his 23rd victory of the season.

The Gophers will conclude the regular season Saturday night at Michigan. Minnesota will then make its Big Ten Tournament debut at 7 p.m. CT on Friday, March 21, against the winner of Thursday?s second semifinal.

The 2014 Big Ten Men?s Ice Hockey Tournament will be held March 20-22 at Xcel Energy Center in Saint Paul, Minn. Information on tickets, lodging and tournament history can be found at bigten.org.

— BigTen.org