STATE COLLEGE, Pa. — If you have experienced a winter blizzard or a summer downpour in Minnesota, you know about the need to batten down and weather a storm from time to time. The same applies, sometimes, when you’re indoors, in the middle of Pennsylvania.

The Minnesota Gophers found themselves pelted by a hailstorm of pucks early in their game at Penn State on Friday. They survived the onslaught, only down by a goal, then turned the tables, scoring four consecutive goals en route to a 4-1 win in their Big Ten series opener.

Rhett Pitlick had a highlight-reel power-play goal and a pair of assists, as Minnesota improved to 8-4-3 overall and 4-3-2 in the Big Ten. The Gophers got 33 saves from goalie Justen Close — a dozen of them during an opening period in which the offense-happy Nittany Lions outshot their guests 13-3, only to see Minnesota emerge from the period with a lead it never relinquished.

Penn State (8-5-3, 1-3-3) saw its three-game winning streak snapped despite an early goal from Dane Dowiak, which ignited the large crowd at Pegula Ice Arena. Liam Souliere finished with 17 saves for the Nittany Lions. The Gophers have now won five consecutive games at Penn State.

Trailing early and getting outshot by a notable margin, the Gophers got goals from San Rinzel — his first as a collegian — and Bryce Brodzinski just 93 seconds apart for a 2-1 lead, which quieted the audience. It was a team-leading ninth goal of the season for Brodzinski.

Minnesota took control of the game in the middle period, with Connor Kurth and Pitlick opening up a commanding lead. A potential fifth Gophers goal was waved off when officials ruled Mason Nevers played the puck with a high stick.

The Gophers’ rapidly-improving power play struck again for the fourth goal, as Jimmy Snuggerud’s cross-ice pass went airborne, but Pitlick swatted the waist-high puck out of the air and past the Penn State goalie for a goal.

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