University of Minnesota Athletics
White's Last-Minute Goal Caps Gophers Comeback
12/12/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Patrick White batted a puck out of mid-air for the game-winning goal with 26 seconds left as Minnesota rallied from a two-goal deficit to beat Michigan Tech 3-2 on Friday in Houghton, Mich.
Tony Lucia and Jordan Schroeder each had shots on the play for the Gophers, but the second save bounced into the air and White slapped at it with his backhand to finish Minnesota's comeback win. It was the Gophers' second straight victory as they improved to 7-9-1 overall and 5-7-1 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Michigan Tech dropped its sixth straight and fell to 3-12 overall and 2-11 in league play. Minnesota also exorcised its Friday demons, winning for the second time in eight Friday night games.
Mike Hoeffel scored Minnesota's first two goals after Michigan Tech had taken a 2-0 lead by scoring on its only two power play chances of the game. Alex Kangas made 23 saves to earn the win as the Gophers held a 40-25 advantage in shots for the game and gave up very few quality scoring chances in even-strength situations.
The Huskies netted the only goal of the opening period when Brett Olson took a shot from the left point that deflected in off the stick of a Minnesota player. The goal came at the 7:25 mark of a first period that saw the Gophers outshoot the Huskies 17-14.
Jordan Baker put Michigan Tech ahead 2-0 at 3:51 of the second period off a pair of crisp passes. John Kivisto and Drew Dobson passed tape-to-tape to Baker, who ripped a shot from the right faceoff circle through the legs of Kangas.
Minnesota used some solid passing of its own to get on the board at the 9:12 mark of the second period. Hoeffel finished the play with the first of his two goals, burying a rebound chance off a shot by Nico Sacchetti from the slot was stopped by Huskies' goaltender Kevin Genoe. Aaron Ness started the play with a cross-ice pass to Patrick White, who sent a perfect feed into Sacchetti for the initial shot. The goal came on Minnesota's fourth and final power play chance of the game.
Hoeffel scored his second goal unassisted off a Michigan Tech turnover. Hoeffel picked the puck off a Huskies' stick and circled in front of the net before unleashing a wrister into the upper corner. It came with just 1:45 left in the second period and evened the game through two periods. Minnesota held a 14-5 advantage in shots during the second period.
The third period featured very few chances until Minnesota's flurry in the final minute. In fact, the Gophers finished with just a 9-6 edge for the period as neither team mounted any quality scoring opportunities. There were also no penalties called in the final period.
White's goal was the second big goal of his career along with an overtime goal last year in a 3-2 win over Northeastern in the Dodge Holiday Classic. It was his fifth goal this season.
The two teams meet again on Saturday in Minnesota's final game of the season's first half. The game starts at 6 p.m. (Central time).
