After Minnesota and Minnesota State skated into overtime the last three times the two teams met at the Alltel Center, FridayâÄôs game was a welcome sight for the record 5,201 fans in attendance. For Mavericks fans at least. Unranked Minnesota State (12-13-3 overall, 8-13-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) skated over the Gophers Friday night 6-1 at home âÄì where the Mavericks had not won on a Friday since Nov. 14. âÄúThey had the killer instinct, and we didnâÄôt,âÄù junior forward Ryan Stoa said. âÄúWe didnâÄôt even give ourselves a chance to win.âÄù After Mick Berge and Jake Hansen each tallied in the first period, the Mavericks scored five unanswered goals in the second period before Aaron Ness knocked in a meaningless goal in the third to end the nightâÄôs scoring. âÄúThey played like men out there, and we played like babies or little boys,âÄù senior defenseman R.J. Anderson said. MinnesotaâÄôs top-ranked penalty killing unit fell apart in a game filled with power-play opportunities for both teams. In a game that totaled 94 penalty minutes, the Gophers gave up two power-play goals on six chances and let in a shorthanded goal to boot. Twenty-nine penalties in a rare 60 minute game between the two teams still gave fans plenty to watch if eight goals was not enough. However, some of those penalties mean several players might not be on the ice tomorrow. Trevor Bruess was given a game misconduct for his hit on Tony Lucia as was junior defenseman Brian Schack for his hit on Channing Boe âÄì both will miss SaturdayâÄôs game. Boe was carried off the ice on a backboard but was seen on crutches after the game while Luica didnâÄôt play in the third period and was already in his street clothes when the game ended. Coach Don Lucia was short on words when it came to the game and its physicality. âÄúWhen you get some of the hits we had tonight, I donâÄôt know if thatâÄôs part of hockey, but it was part of the game,âÄù Don Lucia said. âÄúIt didnâÄôt look like college hockey to me at times.âÄù The loss marks the fourth time in the last five games that Minnesota has surrendered six goals. Earlier this week, Don Lucia said he had complete confidence in sophomore Alex Kangas between the pipes, and reiterated his comments after the game. âÄúWe made some big-time mistakes in the second period and left our goalie hung out to dry,âÄù Don Lucia said. Kangas, who was pulled for the third time in five games, stopped 19 of the 26 shots he faced in the first two periods before freshman Kent Patterson stopped all five shots he saw in the third. âÄúWe embarrassed ourselves, if we donâÄôt win tomorrow, weâÄôve got to do some serious looking in the mirror,âÄù senior defenseman R.J. Anderson said. âÄúThatâÄôs the thing about getting your butt kicked on Friday, you can come back and try to salvage something on the weekend on Saturday.âÄù The two in-state rivals conclude this weekendâÄôs home and home series with a 6 p.m. game at Mariucci Arena Saturday night. Dorr transfers to MSU After leaving the team earlier this season, freshman forward Michael Dorr was seen outside the Gophers locker room. According to spokesmen for both teams, Dorr is enrolled at Minnesota State and will be eligible to play after next Christmas.
Mavericks roll past Gophers in 6-2 win
Jake Hansen and Aaron Ness both recorded their second career goals in the loss.
Published January 30, 2009
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