University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers and Wildcats Skate to 2-2 Tie
11/8/2008 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Two of the nation’s top-ranked men’s hockey teams put on an entertaining show at Mariucci Arena on Friday as Minnesota and New Hampshire played to a 2-2 tie.
It marked the third straight series opener that the fourth-ranked Gophers have played to a draw and their 15th overtime game in the last 29 games dating to last season. Minnesota also ran its season-opening unbeaten streak to seven games and is now 4-0-3 overall. Fifth-ranked New Hampshire, which lost to Minnesota 5-1 in the 2003 NCAA championship game, is now 4-1-3 overall.
The game featured 78 combined shots and, unlike the first six Gopher games of the season, was relatively penalty-free with plenty of end-to-end, five-on-five action. Both teams had numerous quality scoring chances, but were either unable to finish or stymied by solid goaltending from Minnesota’s Alex Kangas and New Hampshire’s Brian Foster.
New Hampshire scored the only goal of the first period shortly after a Minnesota power play expired. Wildcats’ forward James van Riemsdyk, who was the second overall pick in the 2007 NHL draft, picked the puck off a Gophers’ stick in the Minnesota zone. He crashed the net and the puck popped in the air where it was swatted in by Phil DeSimone at the 16:47 mark. The goal was confirmed after a short video review.
Minnesota had numerous great scoring chances in the first and second periods, but was unable to convert until getting a lucky bounce. Jordan Schroeder took an off-angle shot that bounced off a Wildcats’ defenseman and into the net at the 13:41 mark. Ryan Stoa and David Fischer each assisted the goal.
The lead lasted less than five minutes before New Hampshire went back ahead on a hard slap shot by Peter LeBlanc from just above the left faceoff dot at the 18:25 mark. LeBlanc took a pass from Jerry Pollastrone at center ice, made a spin move around a defender and got a clean look at the net for the goal.
The Gophers had consecutive power plays in the third period and converted on the second opportunity when Jay Barriball scored at the 8:01 mark to tie the game. Cade Fairchild passed to Stoa in front of the net and the junior captain dished to Barriball cutting down the slot. The shot trickled under the arm of Foster to give Barriball a point for the sixth straight game. Stoa has now scored in all seven of Minnesota’s games.
The game only had 10 penalties after Minnesota’s first six games saw an average of 22 penalties per game. The Gophers were one-for-four on the man-advantage, while New Hampshire didn’t score on either of its chances.
Kangas made 35 saves for Minnesota and failed to see his team win for already the 11th time in his short career when allowing two goals or less. Foster made 39 saves for the Wildcats.
The teams meet again on Saturday in a 6 p.m. start at Mariucci Arena.
