Gopher hockey gets back on the ice after a weekend off where they split a home and home series with Minnesota State. This weekend they take on the the St. Cloud State Huskies who are leading the WCHA conference and are ranked #10 in the country. Add that the series takes place in St. Cloud at the National Hockey Center and that’s makes even tougher for the Gophers to get back in the race for the top spot in the WCHA. This is also the last regular season series for another big rivalry for the Gopher hockey team. Fortunately, this rivalry won’t end as there is a plan for an annual tournament* featuring the Minnesota, St. Cloud State, Minnesota State and Minnesota-Duluth starting next season. That’s the future so let’s get back to the now! GOPHERS vs HUSKIES!!!
*The Minnesota Cup? The Cup of Minnesota? Would you order a Cup of Minnesota? What would be in that? For a while the Minnesota based team from the WCHA was given the DQ Cup for having the most points against the other WCHA Minnesota based teams but that hasn’t happened for a few years and it went away without a peep. I hope they come up with a good name that looks into the history of Minnesota Hockey & the state of Minnesota. How ’bout the Herb Brooks Cup or Herb Brooks Trophy? The Herbie Cup? The Loonie? Any thoughts?
Line Chart – Minnesota Golden Gophers
Left Wing – Center – Right Wing
Kyle Rau-7 – Nick Bjugstad-27 – Nate Condon-16
Sam Warning-11 – Erik Haula-19 – Zach Budish-24
Tom Serratore-14 – Travis Boyd-22 – Seth Ambroz-17
Jake Parenteau-6 – Christian Isackson-26 – Justin Holl-12
Left Defenseman – Right Defenseman
Brady Skjei-2 – Nate Schmidt-29
Ben Marshall-10 – Seth Helgeson-4
Mike Reilly-5 – Mark Alt-20
Goalie
Adam Wilcox-32
Mike Shibrowski-1
Scratches: G-Matt LaPrade-30, G-Ryan Coyne-31, D-Blake Thompson-3 (Transferred), F-Ryan Reilly-9, F-AJ Michaelson-15, F-Chirstian Horn-18, F-Jared Larson-23
Injured: F-Connor Reilly-21
Line Chart – St. Cloud State Huskies
Left Wing – Center – Right Wing
Ben Hanowksi-10 (C) – Drew LeBlanc-19 (C) – Kalle Kossila-11
Jimmy Murray-16 – Nic Dowd-26 – Jonny Brodzinski-22
Joey Holka-17 – Joe Rehkamp-37 – Brooks Bertsch-21
Joey Benik-9 – David Morley-13 – Cory Thorson-8
Left Defenseman – Right Defenseman
Andrew Prochno-28 – Nick Jensen-14 (A)
Kevin Gravel-7 – Ethan Prow-12
Tim Daly-40 – Taylor Johnson-4
Goalie
Ryan Faragher-29
Joseph Phillippi-33
Scratches/Injured: G-Rasmus Reijola-35, D-Jarrod Rabey-2, D-Brendon Burrell-20, F-Garrett Milan-18, F-T.J. Belisle-23, F-Nick Oliver-27
It’s Friday night and we have another WCHA in-state rivalry! Two great teams with two great goalies and two great offenses. This should be fun! Are you in a State of Hockey, physically and mentally?
Let’s DROP THE CLUTTERPUCK!!!
All comments are from an offensive point of view unless otherwise noted.
1st Period
- Why don’t they go over the lines for each team before the game?
- Do they do it in the pre-game show?
- I don’t watch that because I try to limit my exposure to FSN!
- I can only take so much before I snap!!!
- Lots of long hair from the Huskie players. What’s that about?
- This is a charity thing for Locks of Love according to Casey Hankinson.
- Sam Warning collides with Jimmy Murray in the neutral zone at the red line and the Huskies get a scoring chance out of it but Adam Wilcox makes a good save to keep the game scoreless.
- Jimmy Murray made a pass to Andrew Prochno for a quick tip right in front of the net. He tried to go five-hole but Wilcox took it away at the last second.
- The Huskies get another scoring chance off a shot from the left when Nate Schmidt stops the puck and Adam Wilcox has to know the puck away from Andrew Prochno.
- GOAL – NO GOAL – Zach Budish from Sam Warning at 4:52 of the 1st period – A turnover in the neutral zone by Cory Thorsen off a Joey Benik pass lets Nate Schmidt make a quick play off the right boards that goes to Zach Budish. Budish makes a quick pass to Sam Warning to his left and Warning is able to make a move around Ethan Prow and get to the net. He tries to make a move around Ryan Faragher, gets a shot off and then runs into Faragher, knocking his mask off. The rebound comes out to Zach Budish and he puts it into the mostly open net. The whistle was blown about the same time as the puck went into the net.
- The goal was waved off right away but they’ll review it anyways.
- I assume the goal was waved off for goalie interference and/or the goalie’s mask coming off.
- It’s usually an instant stoppage once a goalie’s mask comes off.
- Yep…NO GOAL!
- How does a no goal affect both teams?
- Are the Gophers able to keep up the aggressiveness? Keep up the intensity?
- Do the Huskies start playing safe worrying about defense?
- How about the goalie? Is Ryan Faragher rattled from the puck going into his net even if its called off?
- Christian Isackson takes a shot that is blocked by Kevin Gravel and he gets up limping to the bench after the whistle.
- I didn’t realize that Bob Motzko coached under Herb Brooks in 1986-87.
- Zach Budish hits the post off a line rush that turns into a quick 2-on-1 with Erik Haula. PING!!!
- GOAL – Nick Bjugstad from Kyle Rau and Nate Condon at 8:45 of the 1st period – Jake Parenteau dumps the puck around the left corner behind the net. Both Nick Jensen and Andrew Prochno go back to get it. Prochno had gone around the right of the net with Kyle Rau following him to pressure the puck. Nick Jensen went to the left of the net and gets to the puck first but he sees Nick Bjugstad coming to throw a body check so he throws the puck back around the left corner again (to Ryan Faragher’s right). Nate Condon gets the puck at the left half-wall, skates toward the net at the goal line and makes a pass to Kyle Rau behind the net. Bjugstad had gone to the front of the net and is knocked down by Nick Jensen and Andrew Prochno so Rau just skates around the net (to Faragher’s left) and takes a shot that rebounds out to Bjugstad, who is now on his feet again, and he’s able to take a quick shot on the ice that goes under Ryan Faragher. GOPHERS 1-0!!!
- A little puck-watching by the Huskies and nobody getting open for a pass when the puck was dumped in behind the net.
- It doesn’t help that both defenseman are within 5 feet of each other behind the net.
- Nick Jensen should know where most of the Gopher players are and not throw the puck back to where they are.
- He knows two are behind the net because he saw Rau and he sees Bjugstad coming at him so even eating it behind the net and forcing a puck battle is a better option than trying to wrap it around the corner.
- or play it back into the other corner.
- It’s obviously easy to second guess the game after but the players should know the options they have in every situation.
- Are his teammates talking to him and telling him where to play the puck?
- Then you have both defenseman defending one man in front of the net.
- Even if that man is Nick Bjugstad, you need to be able to defend him with one man.
- We miss the penalty because FSN decides to look at another replay of the goal by Nick Bjugstad. Oops!
- FSN = Failed Sports Network!
- PENALTY – for Interference at 9:52 of the 1st period – I’d love to tell you about it but FSN didn’t show it and didn’t show a replay either so…
- GOAL (POWER PLAY) NO GOAL – Zach Budish from Kyle Rau and Erik Haula at 10:07 of the 1st period – Erik Haula sets up on the right half-wall, gets a pass from Nate Schmidt and skates toward the center. The Huskies are in a diamond formation in front of the net giving easy passing lanes on the outside so Haula passes it to Kyle Rau at the right side of the net. Rau takes the puck to the net with Zach Budish in front of the net. The puck is blocked by Ryan Faragher and Rau kind of runs into Faragher. The puck goes out to to the right of the net and Budish is there to shoot the puck into the empty net.
- The officials will review the goal.
- Casey Hankinson thinks it should be a goal but the officials say no because of goalie interference by Kyle Rau.
- Rau did run into Faragher but he was pushed into him by Nick Jensen so that’s a bit of a controversy.
- My biggest question when goals are called off for goalie interference is why doesn’t that wind up in a penalty for the offender committing goalie interference?
- Is taking away a goal enough of a penalty?
- If a goal isn’t scored there, is a penalty called?
- Not in most cases.
- Does this mean that the rules are different when a goal is scored?
- Two goals taken away? WOW! How often does that happen?
- Will that affect the Gophers and Huskies for the rest of the game? Faragher?
- Is Nic Dowd related to Jim Dowd, the former Minnesota Wild player who used to circle the offensive zone?
- It’s Time to Circle the Offensive Zone with Jimmy Dowd!!!
- GOAL – Joey Benik from Cory Thorsen at 14:48 of the 1st period – Travis Boyd is skating behind the net and tries to stop and go the other way but loses the puck. Cory Thorsen was going to forecheck Boyd so he’s right there to get the loose puck and he just throws it in front of the net. The puck bounces off of Ben Marshall’s skates and goes right to Joey Benik for a quick shot that beats Adam Wilcox through the five-hole. HUSKIES TIE it at 1-1!!!
- Puck-watching after a turnover! Three Gophers go for (gopher?) the puck leaving Benik open for the shot. FIND A MAN!!!
- Kind of a tough goal off a turnover behind your own net but you still have to cover a man and not space.
- Turnovers cause panic and panic causes puck-watching.
- Panic is never good! Change panic to poise and instantly look for somebody to cover!
- This is easier said than done and I’m not sure you can work on it in practice.
- It happens in all levels of hockey so if you can find a way to coach it or practice it and get players to adopt it in game situations, you could probably win a lot of games and not give up many goals!
- Joey Benik holds the Minnesota high school record for goals scored in a single season with 63. He
- St. Francis’ Joey Benik breaks Minnesota’s scoring mark for a season – TwinCities.com – Kevin Hagstrom – 2/13/2009
- Benik Blasts his way to scoring record – Minnesota Hockey Hub – 2/14/2009
- Unexpected Sequel – ESPN RISE – Christopher Parish – 1/19/2010
- PENALTY – Jake Parenteau for Checking from Behind on David Morley at 17:43 of the 1st period – David Morley is receiving the puck at the right boards of his own blue line and he turns as Jake Parenteau goes to body check him. Parenteau lets up a little bit but not enough to avoid a penalty.
- This is a minor penalty! No doubt about it! He let up and actually hit him at an angle not directly into the boards.
- PENALTY – Nic Dowd on Jake Parenteau for Hooking at 19:58 of the 1st period – Jake Parenteau gets a loose puck in front of the net after coming out of the penalty box and Nic Dowd takes a couple whacks at him and gets his stick under him slowing him up and the official gives him a minor penalty for it.
2nd Period
- Gophers start the period on the POWER PLAY!!! A nice, clean sheet of ice to see if they can take the lead right away in the 2nd period!!!
- and…..nothing!!!
- GOAL – Erik Haula from Mark Alt at 4:31 of the 2nd period – Zach Budish gets pressure on the puck in the Gophers defensive zone and forces a play to the point where an attempted dump in is blocked by Mark Alt at the left half-wall. He tries to get a pass to Erik Haula going up the center of the neutral zone but its stopped by Jonny Brodzinski. Alt keeps coming at Brodzinski and poke checks the puck away from him and up to Haula now at the right blue line. Alt drives the net for force a 2-on-1 and forcing Ethan Prow to hesitate in defending Haula. This gives Haula enough time to take a wrist shot that goes in low left past Ryan Faragher’s right pad. GOPHERS 2-1!!!
- Prow decides at the last second to try to get in front of the shot but instead of getting low he looks like he’s jumping up like he’s afraid to get hit with the puck and actually looks like he gets a piece of the puck with his stick deflecting it past his goalie.
- Ryan Faragher looks like he’s trying to stop a shot from going to his five-hole that ends up going to his left.
- Get down to block a shot! Don’t just let a player shoot the puck!
- AND put your stick in front of the puck forcing the player to change the angle or pass the puck.
- That was on a partial 2-on-1 so that made it a little harder to defend.
3rd Period
- PENALTY – Seth Helgeson for Hooking on Jimmy Murray at 3:21 of the 3rd period – Seth Helgeson is trying to chase down Jimmy Murray while the Huskies are cycling the puck and he puts his stick in Murray’s midsection and gets called for hooking by the official.
- GOAL (POWER PLAY) – Drew LeBlanc from Kalle Kosilla and Nick Jensen at 3:59 of the 3rd period – On the power play, Nick Jensen makes a nice spin move at the left point to create some space and then skates in, fakes a slap shot then takes a wrist shot that deflects to the right off Mark Alt’s stick. Kalle Kosilla gets to the puck and passes it back to Drew LeBlanc at the right point. LeBlanc takes a low snap shot that appears to deflect off Kyle Rau’s stick and goes high off the left post and in to the net for a 2-2 TIE!!!
- After seeing the replay, I’m not sure the shot got deflected at all! Really hard to tell with the replays FSN showed.
- PENALTIES – Seth Ambroz & Taylor Johnson for Roughing at 8:47 of the 3rd period – After the whistle roughhousing and we will get some 4-on-4 hockey!!!
- Which team does this favor?
- Gophers have more speed?
- GOAL – Erik Haula from Nate Schmidt at 9:31 of the 3rd period – Drew LeBlanc makes a backhand centering pass that Ethan Prow doesn’t get all of so the puck is flat on the ice for Nate Schmidt to intercept the puck and transition to offense with Erik Haula on his right on a 2-on-1 against Kevin Gravel. LeBlanc is back checking so Gravel decides to go towards Schmidt forcing the play. Gravel gets his stick in front of the puck but Schmidt is still able to get the puck over to Erik Haula for a 1-on-1 with Ryan Faragher. Haula catches it on his backhand, moves to his forehand and puts it through Faragher’s five-hole! GOPHERS 3-2!!!
- I guess the Gophers have the advantage in a 4-on-4 matchup.
- Kevin Gravel forces the play and he doesn’t have to.
- He can deny the pass or…
- he can go down and try to deny the pass and force Schmidt to shoot over him.
- LeBlanc wasn’t close enough to Haula for Gravel to leave him alone.
- GOAL! – Nate Schmidt from Brady Skjei at 10:29 of the 3rd period – Nate Schmidt starts the play from behind his own net, passes to Brady Skjei going up the left side. Skjei skates the puck into the zone then turns around on his backhand at the half-wall and makes a backhand sauce pass to Nate Schmidt and he has enough time to tee up a slap shot that is blasted past Ryan Faragher for a 4-2 GOPHER LEAD!!!
- SCHMIDT HAPPENS!!!
- Drew LeBlanc and Andrew Prochno wasn’t really covering anyone on that play. They were both covering Nick Bjugstad until he passed the net. LeBlanc then turns and nobody ever had the trailer Nate Scmidt
- How often does the trailer end up scoring a goal or being the most important player to cover on the ice?
- Too often!!! Look for the trailer!!!
- BIG SAVE! – Adam Wilcox on Jimmy Murray at 16:55 of the 3rd period – Jimmy Murray gets a pass from Jonny Brodzinski for a breakaway. He fakes to his backhand and tries to go upstairs but Adam Wilcox gets his blocker on it and deflects the puck out of play keeping the game at a 2-goal lead!
- I love how Adam Wilcox gets low and basically forces the player to raise the puck but then takes that away by coming out and challenging them cutting down the angle.
- The Huskies pull their goalie at the 17:15 mark!!! WOW!
- It’s been said that you want a minute per goal behind so maybe this isn’t that shocking.
The Minnesota Gopher hockey team came out with a sense of urgency and purpose in this game. That’s what they didn’t do last weekend letting Minnesota State steal the Friday night game late! The Huskies came back twice to tie it but a critical two minute 4-on-4 was the difference as Erik Haula and Nate Schmidt made it a 4-2 game and the Gophers finished it off with a couple good saves by Adam Wilcox, who was sharp all game long and had to make some big saves early to keep the Gophers even in the opening minutes!
We’ll see ya tomorrow night! Same Gopher Time! Same Gopher Channel! The Saturday night rematch is also on FSN Plus but it starts at 7pm as opposed to 7:30pm so I guess that means Different Gopher Time!!!
Gopher Hockey Recap from GopherSports.com – Gophers Open Weekend with 4-2 Win Over League-Leading Huskies
Gopher Hockey Box Score from GopherSports.com – Minnesota-St. Cloud State Stats
Gopher Hockey Recap from .com – SCSUHuskies.com – #8/10 St. Cloud State Men’s Hockey Falls 4-2 to #1 Minnesota
In other WCHA College Hockey action tonight,
Home=”vs”, Away=”@”
Colorado College tied Denver 1-1 in OT,
Alaska-Anchorage won @ Michigan Tech 5-4,
Minnesota State won @ Minnesota-Duluth 4-2,
North Dakota won @ Nebraska-Omaha 2-1, – Former Gopher Ryan Walters scored the 1st goal of this game and Minnesota Wild Draft Pick Nick Seeler was a -1
and
Bemidji State tied @ Wisconsin 2-2 in OT
In other College Hockey action,
Home=”vs”, Away=”@”
Notre Dame won vs Michigan 7-4 – It doesn’t look like Mario Lucia played in this game. I’m not sure why.
Penn State won vs Alabama-Huntsville 4-0 – Former Gopher Max Gardiner scored the 2nd goal of the game
Bring The CLUTTER in the comments, on Twitter, on Facebook and on Google+.
You’ve Been ClutterPUCKED!!!
