It is nearly the same old story.
 
Once again, the opponent got on the board first, making it 8 of 9
games that the Gophers have had to come back in. But they did, and
at the end of the first period, things looked pretty even, 1-1.
 
Michigan Tech took the lead in the second, and it looked like
Minnesota had them right where they wanted them, down 2-1 after two.
 
Sure enough, Minnesota scored early in the third, and it looked like
the fire had ignited. Every maroon and gold was flying down the ice,
and Michigan Tech looked scared to death. All looked good for the home
town fans.
 
But then the ugliness started. The Gophers were on the short end of
a terrible refereed third period. There were at least four obvious
penalties made by the Michigan Tech squad that weren't called, and
a few undeserved calls made on the Gophers. Justin McHugh was hauled
down on the side while controlling the puck--no call.
 
It almost seemed that it didn't matter--the Gophers dominated the
third period, despite having to kill off several penalties (once again,
the Gophers were perfect for the day, which must raise them to about 95%
on the year). But many pipes and great saves by Caravaggio later, and we
were headed for overtime.
 
Four minutes later, I was steeling myself to accept a tie in a game we
should have won, and with roughly 30 seconds left in the game, Michigan
Tech won the game.
 
Comments:
 
Obviously, the Gophers still didn't learn their lesson. They played even
in the first, but there was no flying there; no hreat effort. The fourth
line looked very nice, and a couple of good shifts by them gave the team
some deperately needed energy. I was beginning to think, by the end of the
second, that Michigan Tech was just such a good team that Minnesota was
being contained, but the third period enlightened me. Once again, they
played with passion and zest, and looked nearly unstoppable.
 
By Michigan Tech, that is.
 
The refs were a different matter. I don't like to complain about the
referee-ing in a typical game, but the refs, led by Buzzy, gave the Gophers
the shaft in the third. All the momentum was taken away on bogus calls--
and it had the effect of scaring the Minnesota players. By the end of the
period, it looked like they were afraid to touch a Tech player, in case it
might be called. This definately afected the outcome of the game, and I
felt quite disgusted by the end. Time after time I saw dangerous things
happen to the Minnesota players, and nothing was called.
 
And poor Jeff Moen. His first start, last week against North Dakota, was a
disaster, as he let in four goals in two periods, and was yanked. Today,
Callinan was knocked against the pipes during the OT, and Woog, obviously
the cautious coach, decided to put in Moen. Roughly four minutes later, he
allows the game winning goal. This can't be good for his confidence.
 
But the regular game goaltending was marvelous on both sides. Caravaggio looked
like the best goalie I've seen so far this year--and it seems we are always
running into hot goalies. Give the man some credit--he made some great saves,
and has a real fast glove hand. Callinan also looked very good--I think the
brief rest he had last week did him some good. I hope he was not seriously
injured (he left the ice under his own power, so I doubt it).
 
Coach Woog did some shifting of the lines both before and during the game,
trying to find something that would click. Nothing seemed to help, except the
third period.
 
But the fourth line looked very good, and specialty teams performed well. The
power play was 1 for 5, I believe (although at least on looked HORRID!), and the
penalty killers were perfect, as I said. Not bad against the team second in both
those catagories.
 
But I think we are seeing a slump here. Minnesota had lots of confidence and
 talent
starting off the year, and I am afraid that is draining away (the confidence,
that is :-) as they have a little trouble. But we still have another game left
this weekend, and I am hoping for some revenge tomorrow!
 
                                        -Lee-nerd
                                        [log in to unmask]
 
"Violence is the last resort of the incompetent." -Isaac Asimov