Hallelujah! The *real* Gophers are back!! It was a Bonin-fide effort that gave
the Gophers who are now sharing third-place in the WCHA with Michigan Tech, a
real lift.
 
In front of two sell-out crowds the UMD Bulldogs put on quite a show with
their Hobey Baker hopeful Derek Plante. He is truly amazing! As of Friday
night he had scored at least one goal in the last 17 games. That streak ended
Saturday night when Plante was held, not only scoreless but pointless!! The
other streak that the Gophers ended was Duluth's six-game winning streak.
 
The numerous penalties that had plagued the Gophers in their last few games
were absent, as were a couple of players who had been regulars. Steve
Magnusson has been booted off the top four lines and coach Woog refused to
comment. "Maggie" (IMHO) needs to have his attitude corrected and work as a
TEAM player. Maybe the fact that we did just fine without him and the fact
that the team is really deep with forwards will give him the wake-up call he
needs. Scott Bell played on Friday, but was injured near the end of the game
and did not play on Saturday. I hope that he will be back soon. I don't have
any details on the injury.
 
Freshman sensation Brian Bonin scored two goals on Saturday, the second being
the game winner in OT!!! It was a really pretty goal. He took a shot from the
edge of the right circle and was skating in really fast. He used a UMD
defenseman as a screen, but somehow UMD goalie Taras Lendzyk blocked the shot.
The rebound went right back out and on the tape of Bonin's stick! He shot
again and as he rounded the net he saw that it went in! Needless to say that
there was a huge celebration and pile-up on the ice (practically the whole
team!!). It was fun to see, and Bonin was quoted on the news as saying that he
almost couldn't breathe, but that he was too happy to worry about it! ;-) It
gave the crowd a real lift, who had groaned at the onset of yet ANOTHER
overtime game!!! At least this overtime gave us a WIN.
 
Craig Johnson was assigned to shadow Derek Plante and he was very effective.
That whole line of Plante, Chris Marinucci, and Rusty Fitzgerald is awesome. I
would love to see Duluth play Maine, perhaps that will happen in Milwaukee.
(Yes folks, the 'Dogs are THAT good.)
 
Referees Greg Shepherd and Don Adam did a good job with the game. Both teams
had received a warning from WCHA Commissioner Otto Breitenbach that no
chippiness would be tolerated. Then the referees were reassigned so that
Shepherd and Adam worked the Minn-UMD game. There were a few complaints by the
crowd at the end of the second game and tripping wasn't in the rulebook but
all in all it was a good job.
 
The Gophers will meet the Bulldogs in Duluth in two weeks and that will be
another fine series I'm sure. Perhaps the Gophers can end the home winning
streak that Duluth has going this season. That would be perfect.
 
-Carol