University of Minnesota Athletics
Missed Chances Cost Gophers in 3-2 Setback
2/7/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Minnesota could not convert on numerous outstanding scoring chances as Wisconsin goaltender Shane Connelly made 43 saves in a 3-2 win over the Gophers on Friday at Mariucci Arena.
It was the Gophers’ third straight defeat as they fell to 12-8-5 overall and 9-7-3 in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. The Gophers had their second-highest shot total of the season by outshooting the Badgers 45-23. Wisconsin won for just the third time in its last 17 visits to Mariucci Arena and is now 15-11-3 overall and 12-7-2 in the league.
Minnesota’s missed chances started already in the opening two minutes when Mike Carman had a breakaway and fired a shot off the crossbar. In fact, Minnesota dominated the first period with a season-high 19 shots, but Wisconsin scored the only goal on one of its six shots when the nation’s highest scoring defenseman, Jamie McBain, wristed in a shot from the top of the faceoff circle for a shorthanded goal at the 18:48 mark.
McBain’s goal came less than two minutes after Wisconsin’s John Mitchell was called for a five-minute major and game misconduct for checking Cade Fairchild from behind. The Badgers had a faceoff in the Gophers’ zone and Blake Geoffrion won the draw back to McBain, whose shot deflected off the arm of Minnesota’s Ryan Stoa and over the right shoulder of goaltender Alex Kangas.
After a Minnesota penalty late in the first period put the teams at four-on-four, the Badgers struck again just 45 seconds into the second period. Derek Stepan buried a rebound after Kangas made a pad save against Ryan McDonagh.
Another of the Gophers’ best chances came midway through the second period when Jay Barriball took a perfect feed from Jordan Schroeder on a two-on-one breakout in the second period and was robbed by Badgers’ goaltender Shane Connelly on an outstanding glove save.
Wisconsin made it 3-0 with a goal at 18:39 of the second period when Andy Bombach poked in a loose puck in front of the net. Michael Davies had the original shot for the Badgers when he took a pass from Goloubef and had a wide-open breakaway. Kangas stopped the shot, but Bombach poked it out from under his pads and into the goal.
Minnesota finally converted a pair of chances in the third period, getting a goal from Mike Hoeffel at the 3:57 mark when he tipped in a shot from R.J. Anderson at the point. Mike Carman also assisted the goal.
Shortly after the Gophers’ goal, Jake Hansen ripped a shot that bounced off the crossbar and the Gophers had several other chances that forced Wisconsin to call timeout with 4:07 remaining. Minnesota made things interesting when Carman scored a goal with 3:35 left in the game. Aaron Ness took a shot from the point that was deflected by Hoeffel and saved by Connelly, but bounced free directly to Carman.
Minnesota held a 14-4 advantage in shots in the third period and was unable to get the equalizer, despite pulling Kangas for the final 1:08. Just as Kangas left the ice, Wisconsin gained control of the puck and Patrick Johnson fired a shot from behind center ice that hit off the side of the net for icing. The Gophers managed one shot with the goaltender pulled.
Kangas finished with 20 saves for the Gophers, who were unable to score on three power play chances. Wisconsin had two power play opportunities. The teams play again on Saturday at 7 p.m. at Mariucci Arena.
