University of Minnesota Athletics
White Scores Twice, Gophers Clinch Home Ice
3/5/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
The University of Minnesota men's hockey team skated to a 3-3 tie on the road against the Bemidji State Beavers on Friday night at the sold-out Sanford Center. The tie and subsequent one point in the standings guarantees Minnesota home ice for the first round of the WCHA Playoffs, which begin next weekend. Minnesota's first-round opponent is not yet known. Tickets for next weekend's best-of-three home series will go on sale to the public at noon on Monday. Fans are able to purchase tickets at www.mygophersports.com or over the phone by calling 612-624-8080.
Senior Pat White put the Gophers up 1-0 when he scored an unassisted goal just 1:34 into the game. White's centering pass to Nate Condon deflected of a Bemidji State's defensemen and into the net. White now has four goals and five assists in his last 11 games after recording one goal in his first 13 games this year.
However, the Beavers dictated the play for the rest of the first period and drew even at the 5:58 mark when Matt Read scored his 18th goal of the year. Read deflected in a point shot from Ryan Adams past Kent Patterson. Aaron McLeod put the Beavers up 2-1 less than seven minutes later when he tallied his fourth goal of the season off assists from Jake Areshenko and Emil Billberg.
Bemidji State took a 2-1 lead into the dressing room after 20 minutes of play. Prior to tonight the Gophers were 0-8-0 on the year when trailing after the first period.
Minnesota scored the lone goal of the second period with a two-man advantage. Nick Bjugstad took a pass from Jay Barriball and Kevin Wehrs and beat Beaver netminder Dan Bakala five-hole to tie the game 2-2. The assist was the 75th of Barriball's career. He now has 51 goals and 75 assists in 151 career games as a Gopher. Although Minnesota was outshot 16-10 in the second period the tide began to turn back in favor of the Gophers.
Minnesota launched 11 shots in the final 20 minutes to just six for the Beavers and took a 3-2 lead when White scored his second of the night. Condon hit a skating White in stride right at the top of the crease and the senior banged it home to give the Gophers a one-goal lead.
It appeared that Minnesota, who is now 7-1-1 all-time against Bemidji State, was going to hold on for the win, but Bjugstad was whistled for hooking with 40 seconds remaining in the game. Bemidji State pulled its Bakala for a six-on-four advantage and tied the game with 19 seconds remaining. Brad Hunt's second goal of the year beat a screened Patterson, who made 33 saves.
Both teams attempted one shot in the extra five-minute session. The Gophers are now 0-1-6 in overtime games this season.
With the tie the Gophers are now 4-0-2 in their last six games, which is the team's longest unbeaten streak of the season. Minnesota lost both forward Taylor Matson and defenseman Aaron Ness to injury during Friday's contest. The extent of their injuries or how much time they will miss is not yet known. The two teams meet again tomorrow at 7 p.m. to finish the regular season.
