The young guys are looking sharp tonight for the Gophers. Mike Hoeffel and Jake Hansen both score, five of Minnesota’s six points come from freshmen and sophomores, and several others had great chances. The Gophers hold a sizable 12-8 shot advantage considering it’s only 20 minutes into the game. Minnesota took no penalties in the first period and capitalized on the Tigers’ lone offense.
Goal Breakdown:
6:21, MN Goal, 1-0: After Gabe Guentzel took a penalty for CC, the Gophers power play looked much better than it had the past few months and much like the unit from the beginning of the season. The lines peppered Bachman with shots instead of just passing the puck around waiting for the perfect opportunity. Mike Hoeffel finally ended the advantage when he rifled a wrister from the face-off dot to Bachman’s left – going top shelf for his fourth goal of the season. It didn’t help that Bachman lost his stick earlier in the play and was using one of his defensemen’s. Fairchild and Schroeder both assisted on the power-play goal.
7:23, MN Goal, 2-0: Prior to the game, the press box consensus was that the line of Lucia-White-Hansen wasn’t going to have great chemistry. The trio had combined for four goals all season and three of them had come from Lucia, who hasn’t exactly been an offensive dynamo this season. But of all the Minnesota players on the ice, Jake Hansen was the least likely to keep the Gophers in front with his first career goal.
13:59, CC goal, 2-1: This play was one of those ridiculous plays that you would expect only Jeff Frazee to give up. Guentzel broke his stick taking a slapper from the point, but got just enough on it to get the puck to the slot, where Bill Sweatt tipped it just enough for it to inch past Kangas, bounce ever so softly off the post and into the net. Chad Rau also assisted on the play and with his 25th point he is now tied for the league lead.