Headline: Hendrickson leads U's third, fourth line effort
Publish Date: 11/10/1994
 
Matthew Cross
 
Staff Reporter
 
Sophomore wing Dan Hendrickson met with Gophers hockey coach Doug
Woog at 1:30 p.m. on Friday -- 5 1/2 hours before the opening drop of
the puck against St. Cloud State.
 
Hendrickson was still in his practice uniform when Woog told him he'd
be playing against the Huskies.
 
The Richfield native immediately ran to the locker room and took a
shower, got a haircut and ate a loaf of raisin bread for a pre-game
meal.
 
Hendrickson described the news as psychologically rejuvenating.
 
``Coach told me to play possessed,'' Hendrickson said.
 
And possessed he was.
 
Hendrickson scored the game-winner on Friday night and had a total of
four points on the weekend.
 
``He had more to give,'' Woog said. ``We saw last week what a factor
he can be.''
 
In 39 games last season, Hendrickson totaled five points, which
is part of the reason he hasn't played as much.
 
``You've got to manufacture an effort out there,'' Woog said. ``And
that gets contagious. You don't have to be the best player out there,
but you've got to get your nose dirty. Sometimes a player can be just
as helpful being an emotional lift.''
 
Hendrickson is one of a handful of players on the Gophers squad that
don't know whether they'll play until the last minute.
 
``When you're playing on the fourth line you're easily replaceable,''
Hendrickson said.
 
Woog said players who illustrate they can be a positive part of
the team win slots on the third and fourth lines.
 
Woog was impressed by Hendrickson's work ethic over the summer
and his effort thus far -- on the ice and in the classroom.
Hendrickson has a 3.5 grade-point average in addition to a
near-perfect training regimen.
 
But he has had to work on his consistency in order to play regularly,
and last weekend he was given a chance to prove himself.
 
Though Hendrickson had the best series of his college career and his
first game-winner as a Gopher, he insisted that it was a result of
his linemates' play. Dan Woog, Casey Hankinson and Joe Pankratz all
scored goals last weekend.
 
``It's easy to play well when your linemates are playing well,'' he
said. ``I happened to be in the right spot at the right time.''
 
``It's really not a big deal that I got the (game-winning) goal. The
thing that matters is the team got the goal and we won.''
 
For Hendrickson, playing is just a matter of doing what is expected
and maintaining his work ethic.
 
``I just want to do my job,'' Hendrickson said. ``I never get down if
I don't play because we've got Scott Bell, Brian Bonin and Justin
McHugh.''
 
``We need those guys out there, so if I'm not out there, I'm
confident because those guys are awesome.''
 
However, a big part of the Gophers' success thus far has been the
production from the fourth line.
 
Just last weekend against St. Cloud State, Dan Woog, Hendrickson,
Hankinson and Pankratz accounted for nine points.
 
Despite their production, the fourth line plays more of a supporting
role than contributing to the offense.
 
The fourth line has been more than a plus this season, but that does
not change their role -- the backbone of an undefeated team.
 
And they are playing possessed.
 
 
 
Pam Sweeney                             Go Gophers!!!
[log in to unmask]       1993 & 1994 WCHA Playoff Champions
                                   1994 NC$$ PHinal PHour
                                        Ski-U-Mah!!!