University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers and Mavericks Play to Another Overtime Tie
11/1/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Perhaps fittingly, Minnesota and Minnesota State played to yet another overtime battle in a game that ended in a 3-3 draw on Friday at Mariucci Arena. It was just one more tight matchup between the two in-state rivals that have now played nine games decided by one goal or less in their last 11 meetings.
Friday’s game was the schools’ first meeting since their epic Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoff series from last year that featured three overtime games, including two double overtime clashes. Minnesota held the lead three different times in Friday’s game, but Minnesota State rallied to tie the game each time.
Minnesota dominated the game statistically, outshooting the Mavericks 50-29 and winning 47 of the game’s 68 faceoffs. The Gophers also held Minnesota State scoreless on eight power plays, but were just one-for-11 on the man-advantage themselves, including a failed power play chance for the first two minutes of overtime.
Freshman Jordan Schroeder assisted all three of the Gophers’ goals and won an astounding 24 of his 29 faceoffs. Mavericks’ goaltender Mike Zacharias, who was one of the heroes of last year’s playoff series, turned in another strong performance with 47 saves. Zacharias even battled through a bloody gash on his forehead suffered in overtime that required post-game stitches.
Jay Barriball gave the Gophers the lead at 4:54 of the second period with his third goal of the year. Ryan Stoa fought the puck out of the corner to Schroeder, who whistled a puck across the crease to a wide-open Barriball on the far side. Zacharias was sprawled out on the play, giving Barriball a clear net to shoot.
Minnesota State tied the game at the 9:13 mark when Kurt Davis skated into the zone and floated the puck through two defensemen and over the glove of Gophers’ netminder Alex Kangas. Blake Friesen and Zacharias assisted the goal. The goal came just four seconds after the Mavericks failed to score on their sixth power play chance of the night.
Cade Fairchild put Minnesota back ahead when he launched a shot from the point into the back of the net for a power play goal. Schroeder and Barriball assisted the goal at 13:55 of the second period. It was Fairchild’s first goal since Minnesota State’s last visit to Mariucci Arena on Nov. 10 of last season.
Minnesota State opened the third period shorthanded, but scored shortly after the penalty expired, getting a goal from Jason Wiley at the 1:53 mark to even the game at 2-2. Nick Canzanello and Kael Mouillierat assisted the score.
The Gophers regained the lead as Stoa continued his hot start to the season with a goal at 8:58 of the third period. The Mavericks turned the puck over their own zone to Schroeder, who fed a perfect pass to Stoa for his fifth goal of the year.
The Mavericks again answered to tie the game with an unassisted goal from Cameron Cooper just 1:29 later. Cooper launched a shot from between the circles past Kangas to make it 3-3.
Minnesota had its 10th power play of the game with 4:15 remaining and then had an 11th chance for the first two minutes of overtime. The Gophers put 18 shots on goal during their power plays, but managed just the one goal on Zacharias, whose helmet came off twice after hard shots to the mask. The second one in overtime was followed by a slash to the forehead from one of his own defensemen with 3:29 left. By the time the blood was cleaned off the ice, he was able to get bandaged and return to the game.
Kangas finished with 26 saves for Minnesota, which is now 3-0-2 both overall and in the WCHA. Minnesota State is 3-1-1 overall and 1-1-1 in the league. The teams play again Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. Tickets will be available at the gate.
