MTU defeated a very good U of Minnesota team this afternoon
by hard hitting, skating the angles and keeping Minnesota
from getting breakaways. What is more amazing, they were
able to do this without clutching and grabbing. Both teams
took 8 penalties each under the careful eyes of Bob ("Brutal")
Ames and Buzzy Christiansen.
 
MTU 1 1 0 1 - 3
MIN 1 0 1 0 - 2
 
Saves:
 
MTU Caravaggio  9 12  8 2 - 31
MIN Callinan   10  4  7 0 - 23
MIN Moen        x  x  x 2 -  2
 
1st Period:
 
scoring:
 
MTU Savage (Prokopetz) 1:29
MIN Bonin (Kraft, Brink) ppg 8:29
 
Penalties:
 
   MTU Dupont tripping 6:46
   MIN Swachmann (sp?) holding 9:04
   MTU Jensen interference 13:33
 
2nd Period:
 
scoring:
 
MTU Hanchuk (K. Peterson) about 12:00
 
Penalties:
 
   MTU Wright holding 00:03
   MIN Checco tripping 3:10
   MTU Prokopetz interference 8:27
   MIN Bell high stick 10:14
   MTU Kryser high stick 10:14
   MTU P. Mikesch holding 14:18
 
3rd Period:
 
scoring:
 
MIN Bonin (McHugh, Crowley) 6:30
 
penalties:
 
   MIN McHugh interference 2:21
   MTU K. Peterson high stick 4:18
   MIN Checco cross check 7:08
   MIN Henderson interference 9:59
   MIN Kraft slashing 9:59
   MTU Roy roughing 9:59
   MIN Godbout holding 15:15
 
Over Time:
 
scoring:
 
MTU K. Peterson (Savage) 4:28
 
 
Commentary:
 
I watched the game on MWSC. Neither Frank Mazzocco nor
Tom Reid are very good about giving the time of various
incidents such as scores or penalties. MWSC also does
not maintain a continuous game clock on the television
screen. Therefore, some of the times above may not be
totally accurate.
 
MTU jumped off to an early lead as Prokopetz fed Savage
from the back of the net on Callinan's left. The first
shot was successfully blocked by Callinan but Savage
picked up the puck about two feet to Callinan's right front
and squirted the puck into the net at 1:29. MTU was
never behind in scoring the rest of the game. Bonin got
a powerplay goal on Caravaggio's left on a rebound after
Kraft's shot from about fifteen feet to the right.
 
In the second, Hanchuk, at the left board got the puck
from Kyle Peterson's work on a faceoff at the dot. Hanchuk
took aim and slapped a hard one to the lower right corner
of the net past Callinan. Bell and Kryser, both former
high schoolers from the Twin Cities, learned of each other's
existance on opposite teams as they took co-incidental high
sticking penalties in the second.
 
Minnesota tied the game in the third when a penalty to
Kyle Peterson finished but because the puck was in MTU's
zone, MTU was unable to clear the ice. A very tired
penalty killing team was unable to stop a shot on net
by Crowley from high center ice that Caravvagio stopped
but gave up a short rebound to the left which Bonin
returned through Caravaggio's legs.
 
In OT, both teams played a great game. At 4:04, Pat
Mikesch drove a short shot from Callinan's left on
a breakaway play. Minnesota's McHugh cross checked
Mikesch into Callinan knocking off Callinan's helmet
and Callinan fell backwards into the net an onto the
ice. Callinan was clearly hurt. As a result Jeff Moen
was called in to replace him without a warmup. At 4:28,
Savage tried a wrap around which Moen stymied but he
could do nothing about K. Peterson's rebound shot through
Prokopetz's legs.
 
MTU won a hard fought game. Minnesota is quick and talented.
MTU, not without talent, was able to occasionally surprise
Minnesota and capitalize on Minnesota's mistakes. Both teams
showed very aggressive play and the ability to back each
other into defensive confusion. All in all, this was a very close
game that either team could have won at any time had the
play gone differently.
 
Walt Olson
MTU