University of Minnesota Athletics
Men's Hockey Overwhelms Calgary, 7-2, in Exhibition Opener
10/7/2004 12:00:00 AM | Athletics
After a scoreless first period that saw starting goaltender Kellen Briggs make eight saves, Barry Tallackson, wearing the captain's 'C' for tonight's game, put Minnesota on the board first with a power-play goal at 4:12 of the second period. Tallackson deflected Mike Vannelli's one-timer from the point to the top shelf past Calgary goaltender Scott Talbot. Gordon picked up the second assist on the play.
Less than three minutes later, UM took a 2-0 lead on Gino Guyer's goal. Guyer took feeds from Gordon and Chris Harrington and weaved through the Dino defense to beat Talbot five-hole. Calgary responded at 8:23 and 12:25 to knot the game at two heading into the third period. Minnesota out-shot UC, 12-8 in the first period and 13-11 in the second. Senior Justin Johnson served time in the net for UM in the second period, making nine saves.
The third period was all Minnesota as the Maroon and Gold scored five unanswered goals to run away with the win. Hirsch got the rally started at 5:05 on the power play, converting on a nice passing play by Ryan Potulny ay Danny Irmen to beat Talbot high to the glove side. Ten minutes later, Tallackson gained the puck off a face-off, stickhandled around the Dino defense and found Gordon in the slot for the goal.
Minnesota made it 5-2 at 12:04 with a breakaway goal by Hirsch. Harrington earned the first assist on the play, making a picture-perfect pass from the UM end to Hirsch on the far blueline. Freshman Brent Borgen notched the Golden Gophers' third power-play goal at 15:01, tucking the puck inside the post from the left side after assists from Mike Howe and Hirsch. The Maroon and Gold wrapped up the scoring at 18:31 when Potulny knocked in a loose puck on the left side of the net. Howe got the lone assist on the play.
For the game, Minnesota out-shot Calgary, 42-26. Freshman goaltender Brent Solei played the third period and picked up the win, stopping seven Dino shots. The Golden Gophers went 3-for-6 on the power play.
Minnesota opens the 2004-05 regular season Saturday, Oct. 9, with a non- conference game against defending NCAA Champion Denver in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame Game at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. The opening face-off is scheduled for 7:07 p.m.
