University of Minnesota Athletics
Weekend Preview: Bemidji State
3/1/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
Erik Haula gave Minnesota a 1-0 lead on Saturday with a power-play goal just 1:49 into the game. The teams entered the second period tied at 1-1 after Milos Gordic scored his second goal of the weekend for the Huskies at the 11:37 mark of the second period. The Gophers then took control after Mark Alt, Jacob Cepis and Jake Hansen tallied second-period goals. The teams swapped third-period power-play goals and Patterson made 24 saves to improve to 13-7-5 on the season.
Minnesota vs. Bemidji State: Despite being separated by only a few hours, the Gophers and Beavers have played each other only eight times. Minnesota owns a 7-1-0 all-time record against Bemidji State, but the teams split a weekend series last year. Minnesota won 4-1 on Nov. 14, but the Beavers defeated the Gophers for the first time in school history by a 6-2 score on Nov. 15. The two teams played six times from 2000-04 with Minnesota winning all six meetings. The Gophers have outscored the Beavers 41-16 in their eight games.
About The Beavers: Bemidji State, in its first season in the WCHA, enters this weekend's series in a tie for tenth place in the conference with Minnesota State. The Beavers were swept in their last road series of the regular season at No. 1 North Dakota last weekend, but were 3-0-2 in their five games prior to heading to Grand Forks. BSU hasn't played Minnesota this season, but the team did travel to Minneapolis to claim the Mariucci Classic New Year's tournament with wins over Ferris State and Union. The tournament had a predetermined schedule to ensure that the Beavers and Gophers would not meet. BSU has gone to overtime nine times this season, the WCHA's second-highest total behind Minnesota-Duluth's 13, posting a 2-3-4 record in games that require an extra session. Bemidji State is led offensively by its top line of Jordan George (15g-17a), Matt Read (17g-13a), and Ian Lowe (11g-13a). The BSU trio has combined point 43 goals, 59.7 percent of the team's overall output, and 86 points, which is 44.8 percent of the team's overall scoring total. Read is tied for second in the nation with three shorthanded goals. Defensively, the Beavers are anchored by junior Brad Hunt (1g-17a) and freshman Sam Rendle (3g-8a). Hunt and senior Ryan Adams (0g-2a) are the only two defensemen on the team who have appeared in all 32 of the team's games. Junior Dan Bakala has been Bemidji State's main option in goal, going 11-11-3 on the year with a 2.40 goals against average, .918 save percentage. Bakala is tied for sixth in the country with three shutouts in 2010-11.
Home Ice?: This weekend is the final weekend of the WCHA regular season and four teams are still in play to finish fifth and sixth (and to host consequently WCHA first-round playoffs games) in the league standings. Minnesota is currently in fifth place with 28 points. Colorado College is in sixth (26 points), while Wisconsin is in seventh (25 points) and St. Cloud State is in eighth (24 points). Minnesota needs one point this weekend at Bemidji State to clinch home ice, or for St. Cloud State to lose a point at Denver this weekend. Colorado College, who plays at Wisconsin, needs two points to clinch home ice. Wisconsin needs four points to clinch home ice. (UW would clinch with three points if St. Cloud State does not sweep at Denver). St. Cloud State gets home ice if: they sweep Denver and UW gets exactly three points, or they sweep Denver, UW gets 0, 1, or 4 points, Minnesota gets 0 points, and St. Cloud State's final goal differential in league play (goals for minus goals against) is greater than Minnesota's. If St. Cloud State does not sweep Denver, then the final two home ice playoff slots will go to Minnesota and the winner of the CC-UW series (or CC if the series splits).
Bjugstad Honored: Freshman center Nick Bjugstad was named the WCHA Rookie of the Week for March 1. Bjugstad was +3, scored two shorthanded goals and had one assist last Friday as Minnesota defeated Michigan Tech 5-2. He has 15 points (5g-10a) this season, all of which have come in 21 WCHA games. His two shorthanded goals tie him for second in the WCHA and tie him for 11th nationally. Bjugstad is the seventh different Gopher to be honored by the WCHA this year with a player of the week recognition. He joins Jacob Cepis, Kent Patterson, Mike Hoeffel, Taylor Matson, Nate Condon and Jay Barriball.
Just A Nick: Since returning from leading the United States to a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship, freshman center Nick Bjugstad has 11 points (3g-8a) in 12 games. Bjugstad had four points (2g-2a) in his 13 games before heading to the World Junior Championship.
Man Down: Nick Bjugstad scored two shorthanded goals last Friday against Michigan Tech. His first goal was a breakaway four-on-five tally, while his second goal was a four-on-six empty-net tally with one second left in the game. It was the second time this season that Bjugstad scored an empty-net goal against Michigan Tech with one second remaining in the game (first collegiate goal was a five-on-six goal on Nov. 20). The last Gopher to score two shorthanded goals in a game was Tony Lucia, who accomplished the feat in a 5-1 home win against Alaska Anchorage on Oct. 30, 2009.
Family Affair: This weekend's series at Bemidji State will mark the first time Minnesota freshman Tom Serratore will play against the team coached by his uncle, also named Tom Serratore. Both coach Tom Serratore and Frank Serratore (the Gopher rookie's father, the head coach at Air Force) played college hockey at BSU. Minnesota's Serratore has appeared in 24 games, including at least one game in every weekend series, recording four points (2g-2a) and a +4 rating. Heading into Friday night, Serratore, the Beavers' coach, has a 175-144-37 record in 10 years at Bemidji State, the same place he began his college head coaching career.
Swept Away: Minnesota swept Michigan Tech last weekend for its first home WCHA sweep of the season. The Gophers swept Colorado College (Oct. 29-30) and Michigan Tech (Nov. 19-20) on the road earlier this season and opened the season with a home sweep against Massachusetts (Oct. 8-9). Minnesota's last home WCHA sweep was Feb. 19-20 against Colorado College (3-0 and 7-4 wins).
Home Cooking: Minnesota has scored 60 goals at home this year and allowed 57. Through Minnesota's first nine home games this season the Gophers were outscored 36-25 at Mariucci Arena (season low -11 goal differential at home). Since then (11 games) Minnesota has outscored opponents 35-21 (+14 goal differential) at Mariucci Arena.
Count To 10: Five Gophers have scored 10 or more goals this year. Jay Barriball, Mike Hoeffel and Jacob Cepis have all scored 12 goals this year, while Taylor Matson and Jake Hansen have each scored 10 goals. Nebraska-Omaha leads the league with six skaters who have scored 10 or more goals this season. Minnesota is tied for second with North Dakota and Minnesota-Duluth with five players who have scored 10 or more goals.
Streaking: The Gophers are 4-0-1 in their last five games, which is the team's longest unbeaten streak of the season. Previously, Minnesota had twice gone three consecutive games without a loss this season. The Gophers were 3-0-0 from Oct. 24-30 and 2-0-1 from Nov. 6-20.
More Streaking: Jacob Cepis is on a six-game point streak (5g-4a) and a five-game goal streak (5g). He is +5 in his last six games. The last Gopher to score a goal in five straight games was Ryan Stoa. Stoa had seven goals and two assists in five games from Feb. 28-March 14, 2009.
A Good Month: Minnesota scored 32 goals in eight February games (4.00 goals per game) for its second-most productive offensive month of the season. The Gophers scored 33 goals in eight October games for a 4.125 goals per game average. Minnesota averaged 3.00 goals per game in November (18 goals/6 games), 2.2 goals per game in January (11 goals/5 games) and 2.00 goals per game in December (10 goals/5 games). For the year, Minnesota averages 3.25 goals per game (104 goals/32 games).
Fair Point: Cade Fairchild led all NCAA defensemen with 12 points (3g-9a) and a 1.50 points-per-game average in February. Only six skaters (all forwards) had more than 12 points in the month. Fairchild has 23 points on the season, which means he registered 52.1 percent of his season points in February. Fairchild had a point in seven of eight games and took only one minor penalty during the month. Minnesota scored 32 goals in February and with his 12 points Fairchild was directly involved in 37.5 percent of them. Fairchild was on the ice for 17 (53.1 percent) of Minnesota's 32 goals. Fairchild is also on a five-game point streak (1g-9a).
1,000 Saves: Kent Patterson recorded his 1,000th career save last Saturday when he stopped a first-period shot from Michigan Tech's Dennis Rix.
30 Something: Kent Patterson stopped 36 shots last Friday in a win at Wisconsin and 32 shots in a tie. Patterson has stopped 30 or more shots in 11 games this year and the Gophers are 6-2-3 in those games.
Power Surge: Minnesota's power play has been clicking as of late. In the last five games the Gophers have scored nine power-play goals in 28 opportunities (32.1 percent). From Jan. 15-Feb. 11 (six previous games), Minnesota was 2-31 (6.4 percent) with a man advantage. For the year, the Gophers are 30-144 (20.8 percent) on the power play.
Above Average: The Gophers are averaging 3.25 goals per game this year. However, 71 of their 104 goals (68.2%) have come in their 15 wins this season. That means Minnesota is averaging 4.73 goals per win this year. Minnesota has scored four or more goals in 12 games this season and is 11-2-0 in those games. They have scored three or more goals in 17 games this year and are 14-2-1 in those games. Minnesota has won only one game this season (2-1 home win against St. Cloud State on Oct. 24) in which they scored less than three goals. Conversely, Minnesota averages 1.94 goals per game in a loss or tie.
Five Spot: Minnesota has scored 25 combined goals in its last five games, all without Jay Barriball (lower-body injury), who is tied for the team lead in goals with Mike Hoeffel and Jacob Cepis with 12. The Gophers scored a combined 25 goals in their previous 11 games (Dec. 10-Feb. 11) prior to their recent five-game outburst.
Second Period Goals: Minnesota has scored 41 of its 104 goals (39.4%) in the second period this season. They have scored 35 in the first period and 28 in the third period. However, 16 of the 41 (39.0 percent) second-period goals have been scored in the last seven games and the Gophers have outscored their opponents 16-6 in the second period in those games.
Cepis, Haula Score: When Jacob Cepis and Erik Haula score the result is usually a positive one for the Gophers. Minnesota is 8-1-3 when Cepis scores a goal and 14-3-3 when he records a point. The Gophers are 11-1-2 when Haula has at least one assist and are 12-3-1 when he has a point. Cepis leads the team with 29 points and Haula leads the team in assists with 18.
Say What?: Minnesota racked up 51 penalty minutes from 16 penalties last Saturday but still beat Michigan Tech 5-2. Minnesota is 9-3-1 when it takes more penalties than its opponent and is 4-1-0 when taking 10 or more penalties.
Rough Stuff: Minnesota and Denver combined for 101 penalty minutes last Saturday. Minnesota had 51 penalty minutes, while Michigan Tech had 50. Seth Helgeson had 14 penalty minutes, while Mark Alt had 12 for the Gophers in Minnesota's 5-2 win. The last time the Gophers had 51 or more penalty minutes was on Feb. 2, 2008, when they recorded 69 penalty minutes in a 1-1 home tie against North Dakota (UND had 91 penalty minutes).
Fresh Idea: Four freshman were responsible for eight (4g-4a) of Minnesota's 23 points last weekend against Michigan Tech. Nick Bjugstad (2g-1a) and Erik Haula (1g-2a) each had three points, while Mark Alt (1g) and Justin Holl (1a) also were on the scoresheet. The 10 freshmen on Minnesota's roster have combined for 79 points (25g-54a) this year. Haula leads the way with 24 points (6g-18a) and is followed by Nate Condon (8g-8a), Bjugstad (5g-10a), Alt (2g-7a), Justin Holl (1g-6a), Tom Serratore (2g-2a), Max Gardiner (1g-2a) and Nate Schmidt (1a). Jared Larson and Jake Parenteau have not scored this year.
125 in 150: Jay Barriball, the Gophers' leading scorer who has missed the last four games with a lower-body injury, has played in 150 career games for Minnesota. He earned his 125th career point on Feb. 4 at Minnesota-Duluth when he scored his 51st career goal. Barriball is the 53rd Gopher to score 51 career goals since 1950. His next assist will be the 75th of his career, which would make him the 50th player to dish out 75 career assists since 1950.
