Update: Minnesota finally got on the board in the third period when Patrick White picked up his own rebound and scored on the open net. Drew Fisher picked up his first point of the season with an assist. Kangas out at 1:17 for the empty net, but it wasn’t enough as Harrison (7) scored the empty netter with assist from Irwin at 19:47. The Gophers dropped their second in a row and are swept. 5:09 Minn goal, White (5) from Flynn (9) and Drew Fisher (1). 9:33 MSU pen, Irwin for holding 11:57 Minn pen, Bostrom for hooking. Second: After losing Nico Sacchetti and Ryan Stoa to game misconducts and killing off over three minutes of five-on-three, Minnesota looked to have all the momentum late in the third period. But like last night when the Gophers had chances to get back in the game, the team just couldn’t complete anything in the second. Mike Hoeffel lifted a shot over Zacharias that was cleared out of the crease by the defense. Kevin Wehrs set up a beautiful no-look pass but Patrick White bounced his shot off Zacharias. Again Hoeffel sent a centering pass to the slot, but nobody was there. Hoeffel a third time, cross-ice pass to Barriball, but the forward was already past the net and couldn’t get a shot off. On a lighter note, we had our own version of the Henrik Zetterberg stick controversy. Somehow an MSU stick wound up in the stands, prompting cheers of “throw it back” from the student section nearby. And similar to the Winter Classic, when Henrik Zetterberg gave his stick to a young fan only to have it confiscated by someone claiming to be an authority, a police officer came and took the stick tonight. He although brought it to the scorers’ table. Second period rundown (lots of penalties, lots of chances, no goals): 1:05 Minn pen, Wehrs for tripping 3:43 Minn pen, Sacchetti five-minute major for checking from behind and a game misconduct. Penalty served by Scott. 5:26 Minn pen, Stoa five-minute major for checking from behind and game misconduct. Penalty served by Jake Hansen 8:32 MSU pen, Irwin for slashing 10:08 MSU pen, Youds for holding First: The Mavericks lead 2-0 thanks to goals from Kurt Davis and James Gaulrapp. Davis tapped a power-play rebound through the crowd and past Kangas to put his team up 1-0. Gaulrapp deked Kangas to the ground while shorthanded for MSU’s second goal after a Jake Hansen turn over in the neutral zone. Grant Scott and Drew Fisher have both been nearly invisible in the first period. Scott saw one shift early in the period and that was it, we haven’t seen either one since. Really makes you wonder if it was worth giving up his redshirt for the game? Say what you want about Kangas, but neither of the goals was his fault. The sophomore stopped the initial shot on Davis’ goal and was heavily screened. Gaulrapp just guessed right on his move and even then, Kangas almost denied him. Gaulrapp’s goal just slipped in between Kangas’ skate and the pipe. Here’s the rundown. 4:55 MSU pen, Berge for interference 7:25 Coincidental pen, Bostrom for holding and Canzanello for high sticking 8:17 MSU pen, Irwin for kneeing 9:36 Coincidental pen, Hansen and Kilburg for goalie interference 9:36 MN pen, Ness for slashing 11:24 MSU PP goal, Davis(6) from Irwin (11)and Berge (19). Kangas blocked the initial rebound but Davis popped in the game’s first goal –his 28th point of the year. 16:51 MSU pen, Irwin for hooking. 17:59 MSU SH goal, Gaulrapp (2) unassisted. 18:38 MN pen, Ness for hooking.

Pre-game: After watching Minnesota last year, I never thought I’d see a team play more shorthanded than the 2007-08 Gophers – until now.

A 6-2 thumping from Minnesota State last night has Minnesota’s lines looking a bit crazy:

Stoa-Schroeder-Barriball

Hoeffel-Carman-Hansen

Bostrom-White-Flynn

Miller-Sacchetti-Scott

Ness-Anderson

Fairchild-Lofquist

Fisher-Wehrs

Kangas in goal with Patterson and Kremer backing up.

Okay here’s the lineup analysis. David Fischer and Taylor Matson are still out with their respective injuries. Tony Lucia is presumably dinged up after taking a check from behind last night. Brian Schack is serving a one-game suspension after his hit last night on Channing Boe. Nick Larson is also scratched tonight although I’m not sure why.

That opens up a lot of spaces for other Gophers. Joe Miller and Grant Scott will both skate with Sacchetti on the fourth line.  Dressing Scott is a bit of a surprise. He hasn’t played all year, and many of us thought the team would look to red shirt him. He’s also skating up on offense instead of the blue line although he was originally a forward.

Drew Fisher is just as surprising. He’ll replace Brian Schack on the blue line – a position he hasn’t played at Minnesota.