ANCHORAGE – A two-goal game for both senior Jake Bischoff and sophomore Brent Gates Jr. led the nationally-ranked No. 13 Golden Gophers to a 6-0 shutout over the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves in the season opener at the Sullivan Arena on Friday.

The Golden Gophers (1-0-0) ended the Seawolves' 15-year unbeaten streak in season openers, where they had gone 12-0-3. The Seawolves, whose last lost in a season opener was Oct. 13, 2000 vs. Michigan State (5-4), start the 2016-17 slate 0-1.

Minnesota kept the Seawolves scoreless by keeping the shot total to 14 throughout the 60 minutes of play. Meanwhile, the Golden Gophers peppered junior netminder Olivier Mantha with 39. Anchorage local Eric Schierhorn made 14 saves for his fourth career shutout in front of his hometown crowd.

The Gophers first tally came on a 3-on-2 rush, where freshman defenseman Ryan Zuhlsdorf collected his first collegiate goal at 11:42 in the opening period. Bischoff furnished his first at 1:35 of the second with a backhander, before Gates made it 3-0 at 18:13. Bischoff made it 4-0 with his second at 1:24 of the third, while Rem Pitlick (14:46) and Gates (15:59) added the final tallies.

Both teams were scoreless on the man advantage, with UAA going 0-for-5 and Minnesota going 0-for-2. The Seawolves enjoyed four straight power plays before senior forward Dylan Hubbs was tagged for a five-minute major at 9:40 of the second.

The Seawolves return tomorrow night to face in-state rival Alaska Fairbanks at 7:07 p.m. ADT at the Sullivan Arena. UAF will then play host to Minnesota at 4:07 p.m. ADT on Sunday.