University of Minnesota Athletics
Golden Gophers Advance to Final Five Championship Game
3/15/2002 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
ST. PAUL, Minn. -- Surging Minnesota (29-7-4) won its eighth straight with a convincing 4-1 victory over St. Cloud State (29-9-2) Friday night in semifinal play at the Dodge WCHA Final Five. The game was played before a Final Five-record 18,523 at the Xcel Energy Center.
The Gophers got out to a 1-0 lead just :55 into the contest as senior defenseman Jordan Leopold rifled one past St. Cloud State netminder Jake Moreland from the slot 15-feet out. It was 1-0 Minnesota after 20 minutes.
It wasn't until :17 remained in the second period that the next goal was scored and it was Gopher sophomore Troy Riddle that did the damage. After some solid pressure in the St. Cloud zone, Riddle put one in from out in front and to Moreland's right.
Gopher junior Jeff Taffe beat Moreland on the glove side just :35 into the third to make it 3-0 before sophomore Matt Koalska put home his ninth of the season at 7:03 to make it 4-0. St. Cloud State's Ryan Malone broke the shutout as he beat Adam Hauser from the the side of the goal on the power play at 11:32.
Hauser made 26 saves to pick up the win, while Moreland played the first 50:17 and had 22 saves. Dean Weasler finished the game for SCSU and did not allow a goal on seven Gopher shots.
Notes: Minnesota plays Denver in the Dodge WCHA Final Five Championship Game Saturday (March 16) at 7:08 p.m. (CST), while St. Cloud State will face Colorado College at 2:08 p.m. in the Final Five third-place game on Saturday . . . Former Hobey Baker winners Neal Broten, Tom Kurvers, Bill Watson, and Robb Stauber dropped pucks in a ceremonial faceoff prior to the game.
