Gopher Hockey takes on maybe their toughest opponent so far this season in the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks. These look like two very evenly matched teams with their Goals For (UNO-45, UM-44), Goals Against (UNO-25, UM-23), Power Play % (UNO-22.0, UM-23.0) and Penalty Kill % (UNO-86.8, UM-90.5) almost identical! Both teams are also on 6-game undefeated streaks! That makes for a great 2-game series!
The head coach of the now Omaha Mavericks is Dean Blais. Most Gopher Hockey fans are familiar with Dean Blais from the 10 years he spent coaching the North Dakota Fighting Sioux from 1994-2004. He spent a couple years as an assistant coach in the NHL with the Columbus Blue Jackets, went to the USHL for a couple years, led USA to a Gold Medal in the 2010 World Junior Championships and finally found his way back to college hockey with Nebraska-Omaha. and is turning that program into a contender. The Mavericks are currently ranked #14 in college hockey!
Line Chart – Minnesota Golden Gophers
Left Wing – Center – Right Wing
Kyle Rau-7 – Nick Bjugstad-27 – Christian Isackson-26
F-Sam Warning-11 – Erik Haula-19 – Zach Budish-24
Nate Condon-16 – Travis Boyd-22 – Seth Ambroz-17
AJ Michaelson-15 – Tom Serratore-14 – Jake Parenteau-6
Left Defenseman – Right Defenseman
Brady Skjei-2 – Nate Schmidt-29
Mike Reilly-5 – Mark Alt-20
Seth Helgeson-4 – Ben Marshall-10
Goalie
Adam Wilcox-32
Ryan Coyne-31
Scratches: G-Matt LaPrade-30, D-Blake Thompson-3, D-Justin Holl-12, F-Ryan Reilly-9, F-Christian Horn-18, F-Jared Larson-23
Injured: F-Connor Reilly-21, G-Mike Shibrowski-1
Line Chart – Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks
Left Wing – Center – Right Wing
Matt White-21 – Brock Montpetit-12 – Zahn Raubenheimer-13
Ryan Walters-17 – Domonic Zombo-14 – Josh Archibald-15
Brent Gwidt-25 – Johnnie Searfoss-23 – Andrew Schmit-22
James Polk-9 – Aaron Pearce-27 – Tanner Lane-19
Left Defenseman – Right Defenseman
Jaycob Megna-8 – Andrej Sustr-3
Tony Turgeon-4 – Bryce Aneloski-24
Michael Young-7 – Brian O’Rourke-28
Goalie
John Faulkner-30
Anthony Stolarz-33
Scratches/Injured: G-Dayn Belfour, D-Brian Cooper-2, Nick Seeler-11, F-Charlie Adams-18, F-Joe Krause-15, F-Alex Simonson-10
Sam Warning is BACK!!! That’s good for Gopher Hockey but not good for someone who has been in the lineup as it will push them back out of the lineup. Tonight, that someone is Justin Holl, who’s been playing well in that rotating forward 4th line role. I’m sure he’ll get back in the lineup soon and maybe even back on defense.
For the Mavericks, a lineup change of note to Minnesota hockey fans would be Nick Seeler not playing because of an injury he sustained last weekend. Nick is from Eden Prairie and was selected in the 5th round of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft by the Minnesota Wild so it would’ve been nice to see how the freshman is playing but we’ll have to wait for that.
Let’s DROP THE CLUTTERPUCK!!!
1st Period
* GOAL! – Domonic Zombo from Josh Archibald at 4:17 of the 1st period – A forecheck gets Christian Isackson the puck behind the Mavericks net. Isackson skates towards the right corner and tries to make a pass to Nick Bjugstad that hits Domonic Zombo’s stick and deflects into the right corner. Zombo lifts Isackson’s stick and quickly turns up ice coming up the left side. He makes a pass to Josh Archibald coming up the center and breaking out of the zone. Archibald is able to freely skate the puck through the neutral zone into the right of the Gopher zone. Brady Skjei is about 5 feet back but not close enough to force a play or make any kind of a check on Archibald, thus letting him survey the ice until he sees Zombo breaking to the goal. Archibald makes a pass from the right half-wall to just in front of the goal crease that goes through Nate Schmidt tp Zombo for the tip into the low left corner of the net. Adam Wilcox didn’t have much of a chance to get to that one. MAVERICKS 1-0!!!
* A relatively innocent looking play turns into a goal for a variety of reasons.
* Brady Skjei has to step up and make a play on Josn Archibald in the neutral zone.
* That could be as easy as getting closer to him to force a dump-in or throwing a body check or forcing him to make a move at the blue line but you can’t just let him skate the puck into your zone and have time and space to look for a pass.
* Nate Schmidt had good position but he didn’t do a good job taking the pass away. He was right there to make the play but the puck snuck through behind his stick.
* Get down and make sure you don’t let that pass get through.
* Nate did tell Isackson to cover Zombo but probably should’ve covered him himself and had Isackson get a trailer especially since there was nobody else to pass the puck to.
* Kyle Rau had the trailer covered.
* Christian Isackson was back checking but didn’t get back completely to cover Zombo.
* Take the pass away on defense so the goalie can focus on the shooter! This goes for all situations, not just 2-on-1s!
* GOAL! – Zach Budish from Sam Warning & Erik Haula at 5:40 of the 1st period – An attempted shot by ? goes wide left and wraps around the left boards. Erik Haula has position on the wall to get to the puck and dump it back down the left boards. The dump goes through defenseman Brian O’Rourke’s skates to Sam Warning coming around the net at the left half-wall and he makes a pass through Michael Young’s legs to Zach Budish breaking to the goal and he has a 1-0n-1 with the goalie, John Faulkner. Budish shoots the puck to the low right corner over Faulkner’s left pad and under his glove and we have a GAME TIED AT 1!!!
* Too much puck-watching for the Mavericks defense and not enough having their sticks ready for the puck and active feet pursuing the offense.
* We miss 24 seconds of live action because Fox Sports North is introducing new sideline reporter Ben Clymer so they feel they have to show some highlights and come out of highlights to a shot of Ben between the benches and while he’s talking, the Gophers score! THAT IS RIDICULOUS!!! FIGURE IT THE HELL OUT, FSN!!!
* Does FSN have the technology to come out of a highlight into live action? out of a commercial? Is that possible?
* Probably! Do they know how to use it? THAT’S DEBATABLE!!!
* One of the good things that might come out of the new Big Ten Hockey Conference….No More FSN Coverage!!!
* Gopher Hockey coverage should move to the Big 10 Network, right? Tell me that’s right! No more Gorg!
* NO MORE GORG! NO MORE GORG! EVERYONE!!! NO MORE GORG!!! Nevermind!
* For what its worth, I’m not fond of Doug McLeod and whatever color hair that is! Find the real, man! Embrace your age…don’t try to hide it! We know you’re old!
* How many people have told him that his hair looks good? Huh? HOW MANY? LIARS!!!
* Sorry…went on a rant there. I’ll be ok! Haha!
* PENALTY – Jaycob Megna for Hooking on Seth Ambroz at 6:55 of the 1st period – Nate Schmidt has the puck at the center of the Gopher zone and he sees Seth Ambroz breaking to the center of the Maverick blue line and he gets him the puck in stride to get him a mini-breakaway in on John Faulkner and Jaycob Megna gets his stick in the midsection of Ambroz to disrupt his scoring chance and getting a hooking penalty for his efforts!
* PENALTY – James Polk for Boarding on Travis Boyd at 10:17 of the 1st period – A loose puck in the neutral zone is retrieved by Travis Boyd near the benches at the red line and he turns towards the boards to dump it back in and gets checked by James Polk and hits the boards awkwardly drawing a boarding penalty.
* GOAL! – Christian Isackson from Nick Bjugstad & Nate Schmidt at 15:12 of the 1st period – A nice breakout gets Seth Helgeson a slap shot from the top of the left face-off circle that is tipped wide over the net & wraps around the right boards for Christian Isackson to dump the puck back around the right corner of the Maverick zone. Andrej Sustr is the first to get to the puck but is closely pursued by Nick Bjugstad so he backhands the puck back into the right corner where Kyle Rau has the time to check the point then look back and see Bjugstad coming back behind the net towards him so he wraps the puck back around the right corner again. Bjugstad stops just short of the right corner to catch the puck, facing the boards. Rau followed the puck and passed Bjugstad on the boards going around the back of the net. Rau tried to take the puck with him but missed it and the puck went between Bjugstad’s legs but he’s able to turn around and keep possession of the puck because both defenseman followed Rau. Now Bjugstad is coming off the back boards with the puck and passes it off the boards to Nate Schmidt at the right point. Schmidt skates toward the center of the blue line and passes it back to Bjugstad, now coming off the right half-wall, and he passes it to Isackson in the slot for the one-timer that goes through John Faulkner’s 5-hole for a 2-1 GOPHER LEAD!!!
* More puck-watching for the Mavericks so nobody sees Isackson backing into the slot for the one-timer.
* I wish I could hear if the defense is talking to each other when a turnover happens.
* They need to be talking to each other and telling each other who they are covering and to go get the player with the puck!
* “I got #7!…I got #27!….You take the puck holder!” or something like that!
* PENALTY – Mark Alt for Tripping on Johnnie Searfoss at 19:53 of the 1st period – A battle for a loose puck results in Mark Alt getting his stick between Johnnie Searfoss’ legs and tripping him. OOPS!
2nd Period
* PENALTIES – Nick Bjugstad for Cross-checking & Tony Turgeon for Roughing at 8:11 of the 2nd period – A scoring chance for the Gophers results in a save by John Faulkner and some after the whistle activity getting Nick Bjugstad and Tony Turgeon two minutes to think about what they’ve done! 4-on-4 hockey!!!
* PENALTY – Travis Boyd for Interference on Josh Archibad at 9:51 of the 2nd period – Josh Archibald and Travis Boyd are both going to the half-wall to get the puck with Archibald high and Boyd low. Archibald leans into Boyd initiating a battle for position. Boyd tries to jump around Archibald but gets his stick around Archibald’s neck and Archibald goes down easier than a division I college hockey player should but the official only gives Boyd a penalty for interference and nothing to Archibald.
* The official must not see Archibald initiate the battle for position and/or he doesn’t see the embellishment from Archibald because of his viewing angle.
* That’s a problem as now Nebraska-Omaha gets an advantage off the missed embellishment call. We’ll see if it matters.
* GOAL! (POWER PLAY)- Jaycob Megna from Ryan Walters & Josh Archibald at 11:51 of the 2nd period – A shot that goes wide wraps around the right corner to Andrej Sustr at the right half-wall. Sustr skates the puck down towards the right corner looking to get the puck to Ryan Walters in the corner but Jake Parenteau is denying that pass so Sustr passes it to Josh Archibald just to the right of the goal and Archibald makes a quick one-time pass to Archibald at the back boards. Parenteau body checks Archibald but Walters is able to keep possession and come out from the back boards to the right half-wall. Nate Condon is at the top of the right face-off circle and he and Parenteau back off of Walters on the penalty kill. Walters sees Jaycob Megna coming in from the left point and gets him the puck at the top of the left circle. Megna catches the pass, takes one stride and roofs a shot into the right corner over Mark Alt, who’d come out to attempt a shot block and Adam Wilcox’ glove hand (or arm just over his elbow.) TIE GAME AT 2!!!
* The Gophers are killing a penalty but they still can’t just watch the puck.
* Mark Alt gets out to block the shot but blocks the short side instead of the long side.
* He needs to know what angle to come out on the shooter from while making sure not to screen his goaltender.
* That can be difficult but they should be clear on how and where to block a shot when coming out on a shooter.
* You can always count on Tom Serratore to make his presence known on the forecheck with a few hits on the opposing defenseman!
* PENALTY – Ryan Walters for Tripping Hooking on Kyle Rau at 18:04 of the 2nd period – Kyle Rau is coming down the right half-wall of the Maverick zone being chased by Tony Turgeon and Ryan Walters joins the battle but gets his stick in Rau’s legs tripping him up at the blue line, causing Rau to fall and the official to call! TWOOOOO MINUTES!!!
* Mr. Rau may have trapped Walters stick against his leg to draw that penalty – veteran move!
3rd Period
* PENALTY – Tony Turgeon for Interference on Kyle Rau at :56 of the 3rd period – Mike Reilly brings the puck up the left-center of the neutral zone on a 2-on-2 break with Kyle Rau to his right. Rau drives the net and tries to get around Tony Turgeon but Turgeon takes him down and gets the call for interference.
* GOAL! – Josh Archibald from Ryan Walters at 4:43 of the 3rd period – A loose puck at the right half-wall of the Gopher zone is retrieved by Zach Budish but instead of making the easy play and getting the puck out of the zone, Zach tries to make a turnaround pass to Nate Schmidt but its off the mark and Ryan Walters intercepts the puck on his forehand (he’s a left-handed shooter), moves it to his backhand while going to the right of the net. Instead of shooting the backhand shot, Walters sees Josh Archibald coming out from the right half-wall wide open and passes him the puck for a point blank shot that goes top shelf over Adam Wilcox glove hand! MAVERICKS 3-2!!!
* The replay shows that Josh Archibald got a stick check on Zach Budish’s pass to Nate Schmidt which very well may have caused the bad pass.
* GREAT VISION by Ryan Walters to see Archibald coming free off the wall.
* I’m sure Archibald called for the pass.
* Mark Alt got caught on a long shift and he probably took too long messing with Josh Archibald once the puck was gone.
* It hasn’t been a good season for Mark Alt so far. Let’s hope he can improve or the playing time will diminish big time.
* The Gophers just don’t have the energy needed in a game like this with a team on a roll like the Mavericks are.
* PENALTY – Nate Schmidt for Tripping on Brock Montpetit at 16:52 of the 3rd period – Brock Montpetit gets the puck and drives up the middle of the ice all alone. Brady Skjei tries to take him with a body check but misses half of him and Nate Schmidt has to try to dive to keep Montpetit from a good scoring chance and takes his feet out from underneath him and gets a tripping penalty for it.
* Tough penalty with only 3:08 left in the game and the Gophers down by a goal.
* Brady Skjei could have taken more time to defend in a better position than he did but that’s an easy thing to say when second guessing.
* It looked like an innocent play and Brock Montpetit made something out of nothing for the most part.
* It was Skjei’s pass/shot that was intercepted in the Maverick zone that started the transition. He probably should’ve just dumped it down the wall.
* Brady Skjei seems at a loss for what to do when playing defense!
* He gives way too much space sometimes and other times he’s way too aggressive.
* Giving too much space gives the offense options and time to make a play!
* Being too aggressive would be fine if you are winning those battles but if you get beat and leave your partner or goalie out to dry, then you need to pick your spots better.
* The Gophers are getting some decent chances with the goalie pulled but can’t get it past John Faulkner!
FINAL SCORE
Minnesota Gophers 2, Omaha Mavericks 3
The Gophers played a great first period and came out with the lead but didn’t play with the same energy until the waining moments of the game. That may be partly due to adjustments made by the Mavericks defensively but the Mavericks kept working and ended up getting the job done. Defensive errors by the Gophers have usually been their downfall in their losses this season.
Will the Don make some lineup adjustments for tomorrow night’s rematch?
Gopher Hockey Recap from GopherSports.com – Mavericks Outlast Gophers in Series Opener
Gopher Hockey Box Score from GopherSports.com – Minnesota-Omaha Stats
Gopher Hockey Recap from OMavs.com – Archibald’s Goal Gives Mavs Win at UM
Gopher Hockey Recap from Russo’s Rants at StarTribune.com – Gophers asleep at the switch in the final 40 minutes
In other WCHA College Hockey action tonight,
Home=”vs”, Away=”@”
Colorado College won vs North Dakota 5-3
Wisconsin tied @ Denver 1-1
Minnesota State won vs Bemidji State 3-0
Minnesota-Duluth won @ Michigan Tech 7-3
and
St. Cloud State won @ Alaska-Anchorage 4-3 in OT
In other College Hockey action,
Home=”vs”, Away=”@”
Boston University won vs Boston College 4-2
and
Penn State won vs Arizona State 8-3 – Arizona State? Really? The Hockey Hotbed…Literally!
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You’ve Been ClutterPUCKED!!!
