Before puck drop between the No. 2/3 Gophers and No. 4 Michigan, fans waited in some of the longest lines the arena has seen. Minutes before the puck dropped the 10,774 fans in the stands, which comes at an all-time record at 3M Arena at Mariucci, were erupting as loud as ever for the home team.
However, the loudness of the crowd proved not enough to help fuel Minnesota to victory as they fell in the Big Ten Championship to the Wolverines 4-1 at home Saturday evening.
“It was unbelievable and so cool to see that many people come out, especially the student section,” senior co-captain Sammy Walker said. “It was awesome to see and fun to play in front of.”
Minnesota junior Jaxon Nelson opened up the scoring just 32 seconds into the game as he roofed a breakaway shot into the back of the net. Immediately, the crowd was going bonkers, and it seemed like Minnesota would thrive behind all the energy in the building. But Michigan had other plans for the next 59:27.
Michigan responded in less than a minute, scoring 45 seconds later as Olympian Brendan Brisson beat junior goaltender Justen Close point-blank from just outside the goal crease to equalize the game at 1-1.
The Gophers would not see a lead the rest of the game as Michigan took control.
Much of the first period, the game was an intense back-and-forth, as both teams saw opportune chances. But Michigan took their first lead of the game with 2:09 remaining in the first period as Mackie Samoskevich finished a rush off with a sharp-angle shot to make it 2-1 Wolverines.
Michigan extended their lead to 4-1 after adding two goals in a bruising, chippy second period, with goals coming from Dylan Duke at even strength and Kent Johnson on the man advantage.
“We weren’t being hard and weren’t getting pucks in their end,” junior Jackson LaCombe said of Minnesota’s second period. “We were playing a lot in the d-zone, which you don’t want to do.”
As the game progressed, the Gophers faithful stayed loud despite the scoreboard reading 4-1 at the end of the middle frame of play, partly because they believed the refs missed penalties.
With the Gophers attempting to mount a comeback, the referees whistled down freshman Aaron Huglen for goaltender interference 6:33 into the final period of play.
Twenty-seven seconds later, chaos broke loose in Mariucci. Nelson received a five-minute major for hitting from behind and a game misconduct. Almost immediately, a variety of beverages were thrown onto the ice from fans livid with the harsh call. The volleys stopped only when the PA announcer warned a delay of game penalty would be assessed to Minnesota if the fans continued. The crowd remained ornery towards the officials all night, launching several rounds of chants against them.
With everything seemingly destined to continue going sideways, Minnesota killed Michigan’s 5-3 man advantage that lasted 1:33—then held the Wolverines from scoring on their 5-4 power-play that continued for another 3:27.
The Gophers didn’t give up until the final buzzer sounded as freshman Matthew Knies scored two power-play goals. One came on a 6-3 man advantage with 57.7 seconds remaining, the other on a 6-4 man advantage with 4.7 seconds remaining. His eleventh and twelfth goals cut Minnesota’s deficit to 4-3 and helped the crowd return to its loud form, this time positively.
As the final horn sounded, it marked Minnesota’s first game that they have dropped since Jan. 29 as their nine-game winning streak comes to a close.
“If we could have got a second goal [earlier], we could have got back in the game. We really believe that,” Gophers head coach Bob Motzko said. “That was the only disappointing thing, [the crowd] was ready to go tonight. We teased them with the first [goal] and we never got the second one [quick enough].”
Although they lost, Minnesota’s season is not yet over. They will surely be in the NCAA tournament as the Selection Show takes place on Sunday, March 20, at 5:30 p.m. On ESPNU.
