University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Top Huskies 4-2 in Postseason Opener
3/14/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Minnesota continued its season dominance of St. Cloud State with its fifth win over the Huskies this season as the Gophers posted a 4-2 victory in their postseason opener on Friday at Mariucci Arena.
The Gophers, whose only two sweeps this season came against St. Cloud State, improved to 16-12-7 overall and moved to within one victory of advancing to next weekend’s Western Collegiate Hockey Association Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul for the 11th straight year. St. Cloud State fell to 18-16-3 with the loss. The teams play again Saturday at 7 p.m. and would meet again on Sunday at 7 p.m. if St. Cloud State wins on Saturday.
The conference’s two leading scorers again were involved on three of the team’s goals as Ryan Stoa had a goal and an assist and Jordan Schroeder had two assists. The pair teamed up for an empty net goal with seven seconds left to seal the victory. Garrett Roe scored both of the Huskies’ goals. Minnesota played without junior Tony Lucia, who was ill, but hopes to return to the lineup on Saturday.
Minnesota dominated the early going with several quality chances and 12 of the game’s first 13 shots, but nothing to show for it until its first power play. Nico Sacchetti started the Gophers’ scoring at 12:24 of the first period, scoring on a rebound from a sharp angle after a drive by Patrick White. White’s shot from the faceoff dot was saved and bounced free along the goal line where Sacchetti cleaned up for the goal. Aaron Ness also picked up an assist on the play and the lead stood through the end of the first period as Minnesota led 1-0 at intermission with a 14-5 advantage in shots.
St. Cloud had the best of the chances in the early going of the second period with eight of the first 11 shots, but it was Minnesota that finally scored the first goal. Another power play set up the Gophers’ second goal as Mike Hoeffel tipped Stoa’s shot in front of the goal at the 14:57 mark. Cade Fairchild also had an assist on Minnesota’s goal that was the only scoring of the second period. The Gophers outshot the Huskies 16-12 in the period.
The Huskies got on the board at the 10:03 mark of the final period following a turnover by the Gophers in their own zone. The pass up ice went directly to Ryan Lasch, who passed to Roe for a one-timer just inside the post to cut the lead to 2-1. The goal snapped Alex Kangas’ shutout streak at 110 minutes, three seconds, dating to his shutout last weekend at Michigan Tech.
The Gophers answered with a goal from Jay Barriball at 13:41 of the third period to regain their two-goal lead. Jordan Schroeder carried the puck into the zone and dished to Barriball for the one-timer.
St. Cloud State had a shot ring off the post on its next shift and Roe followed with a power play goal at 15:20 when he banged in a rebound of a shot by Drew LeBlanc. Garrett Raboin also had an assist on the play for the Huskies.
The Huskies pulled goaltender Jase Weslosky for an extra attacker with 53 seconds left, but Minnesota contained them and finally broke away, getting an outlet pass from Schroeder and a goal from Stoa from the Huskies’ blue line.
St. Cloud State owned a 14-7 advantage in shots in the third period, but the Gophers finished with a 37-31 edge for the game. Kangas made 29 saves and Weslosky stopped 33 shots.
