University of Minnesota Athletics
Playoff Preview: Alaska Anchorage
3/8/2011 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
One With Experience: Jay Barriball is the only current Gopher who played for Minnesota during the 2007 WCHA first-round meeting with Alaska Anchorage. Barriball scored twice, including the game-winner, in Minnesota's 6-2 Game 1 win on March 9, 2007. In Game 3, with Minnesota trailing 1-0, Barriball assisted on Ben Gordon's game-tying goal in the second period and helped propel the Gophers to a 3-1 win.
Unbeaten Streak: The Gophers are 5-0-2 in their last seven 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. The seven-game streak also ties Maine for the fifth-longest current unbeaten streak in the country. (Union and Holy Cross are unbeaten in their last 11 games, while North Dakota and Miami have not lost in their last nine games). The seven-game streak is Minnesota's longest unbeaten streak since it opened the 2008-09 season with an 8-0-4 record.
Streak Stars: Cade Fairchild leads the Gophers in points (11) and assists (10) during the team's seven-game unbeaten streak. Nick Bjugstad leads the team in goals (6), while Fairchild, Patrick White, Mark Alt and Nate Condon are tied for the team lead with a +5 rating. Kent Patterson has allowed 17 goals (10 at even strength) and has a .926 save percentage and a 2.37 goals-against average during the team's unbeaten streak.
Streak Scoring: The Gophers have scored 31 goals during their current seven-game unbeaten streak for an average of 4.41 goals per game. In contrast, they have allowed 17 goals for an average of 2.42 goals per game.
Spreading It Out: Minnesota has spread out the scoring during its current seven-game unbeaten streak. The Gophers have scored at least once during 19 of their last 21 periods. The only periods they did not score in were the first period against Michigan Tech on Feb. 25 and the first period against Bemidji State on March 5. The Gophers have scored seven first-period goals, 15 second-period goals and eight third-period goals in the last seven games (Minnesota also scored one overtime goal). Eleven different players have goals and 15 different players have an assist during the unbeaten streak.
Power Surge: Minnesota's power play has been clicking as of late. In the last seven games (Minnesota 5-0-2 during that span) the Gophers have scored 11 power-play goals in 34 opportunities (32.3 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 32-150 (21.3 percent) on the power play.
Above Average: The Gophers are averaging 3.24 goals per game this year. However, 74 of their 110 goals (67.2%) have come in their 16 wins this season. That means Minnesota is averaging 4.62 goals per win this year. Minnesota has scored four or more goals in 13 games this season and is 11-2-0 in those games. They have scored three or more goals in 20 games this year and are 15-2-3 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.
Good Numbers: Minnesota racked up 91 goals in WCHA play this season, its most since 2006-07 when it also tallied 91. That year, the Gophers won the MacNaughton Cup and had the same first-round playoff opponent as they do this season: Alaska Anchorage. This season, UAA put up 62 in-conference goals, identical to their 2006-07 WCHA regular season total.
Bjugstad Honored: Freshman center Nick Bjugstad was named the WCHA Co-Rookie of the Week for March 8. Bjugstad, who won the award last week, shares the honor this week with Alaska Anchorage goaltender Chris Kamal. Bjugstad had three goals (including the overtime winner on Saturday) and one assist as Minnesota earned three of four points at Bemidji State last weekend. Bjugstad is the eighth Gopher to be recognized by the WCHA this year, but is the first multiple-award winner. He joins Jacob Cepis, Kent Patterson, Mike Hoeffel, Taylor Matson, Nate Condon and Jay Barriball as being honored by the WCHA this year.
Just A Nick: Since returning from leading the United States to a bronze medal at the World Junior Championship, freshman center Nick Bjugstad has 15 points (6g-9a) in 14 games. Bjugstad had four points (2g-2a) in his 13 games before heading to the World Junior Championship.
Back With A Bang: Senior Jay Barriball, who returned to action last week after missing six games with a lower-body injury, assisted on four of Minnesota's six goals at Bemidji State. He had one assist on Friday and then assisted on all three goals on Saturday to tie his career high with three assists in one game (he had three assists on Nov. 19 in a 6-4 win at Michigan Tech).
Among The Best: Barriball's assist last Friday at Bemidji State was the 75th of his career. He now has 51 career goals and 78 career assists, which puts him in elite company. Since 1950, he is only the 33rd Gopher to reach 50 career goals and 75 career assists in his career. He is the first Minnesota player to accomplish the feat since Troy Riddle (2000-04) ended his career with 82 goals and 96 assists.
Not A Lot: Minnesota finished the regular season with only four road losses, which is the fewest amount of road defeats for the Gophers since the 2006-07 season when they lost only twice away from home (2-1 at Wisconsin on Jan. 12 and 5-1 at St. Cloud State on Feb. 23) during the regular season.
Winning: The Gophers beat Bemidji State 3-2 in overtime last Saturday. It was Minnesota's first overtime win in 13 games and first since they defeated Northeastern 3-2 on Jan. 3, 2009.
More Winning: Last Saturday also marked the first time this season that Minnesota won a game trailing after two periods. The Gophers were down 2-1 with 20 minutes left to play, but rallied for the 3-2 overtime win. It was their first win while trailing after two periods since they came back to beat Bowling Green 3-1 on Jan. 2, 2010.
Point Taken: The Gophers tied Bemidji State 3-3 last Friday, but it was the first time all season that Minnesota earned a point when trailing after the first period (BSU led 2-1 after the first period). Last Saturday, was the first time Minnesota won this year when trailing after the first period. The Gophers were 0-8-0 on the season when trailing after the first period before last weekend, but are now 1-8-1.
Multiple Goals: The Gophers have six players on their roster - Jay Barriball (51), Mike Hoeffel (47), Patrick White (27), Cade Fairchild (21), Jacob Cepis (20) and Jake Hansen (19) - who have scored 15 or more career goals. Until last weekend only Barriball, Hoeffel and Hansen had recorded multiple-goal games. White joined the club last Friday when he scored twice for his first multiple-goal game of his career.
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.
From Alaska, With Love: Minnesota assistant coach John Hill was born in Virginia but did a lot of growing up in Alaska. He went to high school in Alaska and graduated from Alaska Anchorage in 1988. Hill is a former captain and assistant coach of the Seawolves and was the head coach of his alma mater from 2001-05. Gopher head coach Don Lucia also spent some time on the Alaska Anchorage staff, serving as an assistant coach of the Seawolves from 1985-87.
30 Something: Kent Patterson is at his best when he sees a lot of shots. Patterson has stopped 30 or more shots in 12 games this year and the Gophers are 6-2-4 in those games (3-0-1 at home and 3-2-3 on the road). In those 12 games, Patterson has a .930 save percentage and a 2.52 goals-against average.
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. Last Saturday's 3-2 overtime win at Bemidji State was the first game that Minnesota won all year when neither Cepis nor Haula registered a point.
Say What?: Minnesota is 9-3-1 when it takes more penalties than its opponent and is 4-1-0 when taking 10 or more penalties.
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) in February. Fairchild has 24 points this season, which means he registered 50.0 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, meaning 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.
