University of Minnesota Athletics
DENVER COMPLETES SWEEP OF MINNESOTA 4-1
12/3/2000 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
An inspired Minnesota team showed up in the first period and took a 1-0 lead into intermission. Senior Erik Westrum moved into towards the net and his backhand ricocheted off goaltender Wade Dubielwicz and fellow senior Stuart Senden put back the rebound for the score. A day after collecting just one rebound shot in a 4-0 loss, the Golden Gophers capitalized on its first shot attempt.
Despite outshooting the Pioneers 12-5 in the period, the Pioneers entered intermission with just a one-goal deficit. Denver would knot the game on the power-play in the second. Moments after a Pioneer shot hit the top of the cross bar, causing players to stop momentarily thinking it was a goal, Denver finally beat Adam Hauser as Bjorn Engstrom's shot snuck through the goalie's legs.
The Pioneers would strike again in the second as Engstrom struck again with a one-timer to the left of Hauser.
In the third, the Denver power-play increased the lead to 3-1 at the 9:36 mark of the final period. The Golden Gophers were unable to mount a comeback as the Pioneers were given a two-man advantage with less than seven minutes to play. Minnesota was able to shut down Denver, but ran out of time before making a serious threat. Denver added an empty-netter to seal the victory.
With four straight losses, the Golden Gophers have managed to score just four goals, the lowest four-game total since January, 1952. That year, Minnesota also scored four goals in a four-game span.
Minnesota will take a month break from league play and will host Quinnipiac at Mariucci Arena on Saturday night.
