University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Defeat U.S. Under-18 Team in Exhibition
1/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
The University of Minnesota men's hockey team scored two shorthanded goals and had seven different players score on Friday night en route to a 9-0 exhibition win against the U.S. National Under-18 Team at Mariucci Arena. The game was the second and final exhibition of the year for Minnesota, who also beat British Columbia 6-0 on Oct. 3 before the start of the regular season.
Mike Hoeffel started the scoring for the Gophers just 1:26 into the game. Hoeffel, who was standing right outside the crease, redirected a Cade Fairchild pass into the net past goalie John Gibson. Freshman Nick Bjugstad, who returned to Minneapolis on Thursday after helping the United States win a bronze medal at the IIHF World Junior Championship, also assisted on the goal.
Tom Serratore made it 2-0 Minnesota when he scored an unassisted backhand goal beating Gibson five-hole at the 6:00 mark. The Gophers took a 3-0 lead at the end of the first period after Joe Miller slammed home a rebound off a Kevin Wehrs point shot.
Jay Barriball scored the Gophers' first shorthanded goal of the game less than five minutes into the second period to make it 4-0 zero. Mark Alt intercepted a Team USA pass near center ice and after he entered the offensive zone he dropped the puck back to Barriball who beat Gibson high with a wrist shot. Max Gardiner chased Gibson from the game when he made it 5-0 after redirecting a Justin Holl shot from the blueline.
Matt McNeely replaced Gibson in net for Team USA at the 27:57 mark and yielded a shorthanded goal to Bjugstad. The play materialized after Aaron Ness intercepted a pass near his own blue line and then fed the puck to Hoeffel who took off on a two-on-one with Bjugstad. Hoeffel carried the puck into the zone before passing to Bjugstad, who finished the nice sequence with authority. Bjugstad had one goal and three assists on the night.
Jacob Cepis ended the second period by putting in a Jake Parenteau rebound and began the third period with a five-hole goal of his own to make in 8-0 Minnesota. Hoeffel, who scored the first goal of the night for the Gophers, closed the scoring with a dazzling move in front of McNeely before beating the netminder down low.
The Gophers return to WCHA competition next weekend when they travel to face No. 2 North Dakota.
