Headline: Bonin earns 50th point, WCHA honor
Publish Date: 02/28/1995
Matthew Cross
Staff Reporter
 
With two Sioux defenders on his back, Gophers hockey co-captain Scott
Bell carried the puck with one arm from deep in Minnesota's offensive
zone in the third period on Saturday night.
 
To Bell's left, Brian Bonin camped out about 15 feet in front of
the net, keeping another defender occupied.
 
As Bell worked his way toward the front of the net, Bonin's defender
closed in on Bell and left Bonin wide open.
 
It took about two seconds for Bell to see Bonin, slide the puck
his way and watch Bonin one-time the puck past Sioux goaltender Toby
Kvalevog for the Gophers' fifth goal of the game.
 
That goal was also Bonin's 50th point of the season, which put him
atop the WCHA in scoring.
 
Bonin, who has a legitimate shot at being named the WCHA Player of
the Year, is the Gophers hottest scorer. He has points in 10 of the
last 11 games and is the first Gophers player to score 50 points in a
season since Larry Olimb scored 80 in 1992.
 
Bonin was also named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week for the second
time in the past five weeks. Bonin had five points over the weekend.
 
The goal was a momentous one for Bonin, and it was then that the
Gophers seemed to have total control of the game; they opened a
two-goal lead and had the 9,444 fans screaming.
 
But Gophers rookie defenseman Mike Crowley said that's exactly
where Minnesota lost the momentum.
 
``We're up by two midway through the third period, and I think that's
where our problems started,'' Crowley said. ``We started thinking the
game was over, and in this league you can't do that.
 
``It just goes to show that anyone can win at any time and the game
isn't over until the horn blows.''
 
As a result, the Gophers gave up two late third-period goals and
settled for a tie. But Gophers coach Doug Woog said his team's
downfall came in the second period when Minnesota didn't get one shot
from in front of the net.
 
The sight of that unfamiliar occurrence sends shivers down
Woog's spine, and he said that he felt like the Gophers blew the
entire period.
 
``I don't ever recall being on a team, or with a team, where they
didn't get a shot between the dots (in the middle of the offensive
circles),'' Woog said. ``You can't take 20 minutes off in your own
building.''
 
Around the WCHA
 
With a pair of 4-3 wins this weekend against Michigan Tech,
Colorado College finally clinched the 1995 WCHA regular season
championship.
 
Meanwhile, the Gophers, Denver and Wisconsin all clinched home
ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs, which will start on
March 9.
 
However, there is still one spot open for home ice in the playoffs,
and that distinction will be hotly contested this weekend.
 
St. Cloud State, North Dakota, Michigan Tech and Minnesota-Duluth all
have shots, but it appears that SCSU has the best chance.
 
The Huskies are the hottest team in the WCHA, with a 6-0-1
record in their last seven games and a two-point advantage.
 
But St. Cloud State must beat Minnesota, which needs a pair of wins
to assure itself of second place.
 
In his nine seasons as Gophers head coach, Woog has never finished
lower than second.
 
Minnesota is currently tied for second with Denver, and the Pioneers
have the tie-breaker in their favor after winning three of the four
regular season games this season.
 
But Denver must take a game from Colorado College this weekend
since it is a good bet that the Gophers are not going to get swept by
St. Cloud State.
 
Gophers and the Bulldogs?
 
If the season ended today, the Gophers would take on
Minnesota-Duluth at Mariucci Arena in the first round of the WCHA
playoffs. The teams would play a best-of-three series that would
start on Friday, March 10.
 
The WCHA Final Five will be held March 16-18 at the St. Paul
Civic Center.
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
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