This is the Minnesota Daily article on the Tech series (10/16/95).  It also
includes a scoring summary.
 
=46or some reason the text didn't come up right in my browser, so it came as
one big paragraph.  I chopped it up a little for ease of reading, but I got
lazy and left it a little ragged.
 
Gophers split with Michigan Tech Jeff Sherry - Staff Reporter
 
HOUGHTON, Mich. -- When the Gophers hockey team left the Twin Cities for its
series at Michigan Tech on Thursday afternoon, all began well. Its small
chartered airplane had a smooth take-off, and the team was enjoying the
flight.
 
Then things got a bit rocky. As the plane approached its landing, it began
strongly swaying back and forth. The team landed safely, and no one was ever
in real danger, but the experience left some of those on board a bit shaken.
 
And once the Gophers actually began playing hockey, MacInnes Student Ice
Arena may not have felt much different from their airplane. Minnesota
started well, winning its season opener, 4-2, on Friday night, but struggled
Saturday and dropped the second game, 5-2. The series split earned the
Gophers two points on the road, but like their trip on that wobbling
charter, their rough finish didn't leave anyone with a good feeling in the
stomach. "We didn't deserve any more than we got," said Gophers coach Doug
Woog. "We've got to work harder than we did this weekend."
 
The Gophers' two-game series can be broken down into three segments.
The first two periods of Friday's game saw Minnesota outskate Michigan
Tech and convert its opportunities into a 4-0 lead. For the majority of
=46riday's
third period and the first two periods of Saturday's game, the Huskies appli=
ed
most of the pressure. Michigan Tech scored two goals in the final period of
=46riday's game and carried its momentum over to Saturday, when it outshot
Minnesota,
41-34, and took a 2-1 lead.
 
Michigan Tech coach Bob Mancini said his team's ability to build confidence
late Friday was a key to its success. "That was we knew they were a very
good team. They're ranked high and they're talented. If we don't have that b=
it
of confidence building on Friday, maybe we don't come out as strong as we di=
d
tonight."
 
Minnesota came out flying in
the third period but couldn't make up the difference. A slap shot from Pat
Mikesch gave the Huskies a 3-1 lead three minutes, 36 seconds into the
period. The teams traded goals, and the Huskies clinched the game on an
empty-net goal by Jeff Mikesch at 16:58. Minnesota had a two-man advantage
when Jeff Mikesch scored the empty-netter. The Gophers' inability to turn
their chances into goals hurt them throughout Saturday's game. Minnesota had
17 shots on goal to Michigan Tech's nine in the third period but could
muster only a deflected goal off of Brian Bonin. In fact, the Gophers had
more quality scoring opportunities throughout Saturday's game but had
problems putting the puck in the net. "Every time we had a chance to make
something happen, we never really capitalized," Woog said Saturday. "I
thought we moved the puck much better tonight than we did last night, we
just didn't finish anything."
 
As expected, the Gophers alternated
goaltenders over the weekend, starting senior Jeff Moen on Friday and
sophomore Steve DeBus on Saturday. Moen saved 24 shots in the win. DeBus
made 26 saves but lost in his first collegiate start. DeBus, who spent the
past two years practicing with the Gophers as a Proposition 48 and redshirt
athlete, gave up four goals on Saturday. One of those goals came off a
deflected, broken-stick shot and another came through a screen. DeBus said
he didn't feel the effects of his two-season layoff. "I was ready to go,"
DeBus said. "It didn't even feel like I've taken two years off playing. It
felt normal. I didn't feel out of place on the ice or scared or anything
like that. I'm just looking forward to my next start and trying to improve
on this weekend. I'll do better next week."
 
Gophers sophomore Jason Godbout
returned to game action Friday for the first time since suffering a minor
stroke in March and made his impact felt immediately. Godbout, who has moved
from defenseman to forward this year, scored in the second period. Senior
forward Dave Larson led the Gophers with two goals, both coming on rebounds.
 
=46RIDAY'S SUMMARY Gophers 1 3 0 -- 4 Michigan Tech 0 0 2 -- 2
=46irst Period --Min, Dave Larson 1 (Dan Trebil, Mike Crowley), PPG, 3:39.
Second Period --Min, Jason Godbout 1 (Dan Woog, Trebil), 5:21. Min, Larson
2 (Jesse
Bertogliat), 11:45. Min, Casey Hankinson 1 (Brian Bonin, Reggie Berg),
12:57.
Third Period -- MT, Bret Meyers 2 (Dave Dupont, Pat Mikesch), PPG,
0:29. MT, Jason Prokopetz 1 (Mike Figliomeni, Tommi Hyyrynen), 4:51.
 
SATURDAY'S SUMMARY Gophers 1 0 1 -- 2 Michigan Tech 2 0 3 -- 5
=46irst Period-- Min, Berg 1 (Hankinson, Andy Brink), 11:35. MT,
Andre Savage 1 (Jarkko Ruutu, Kyle Peterson), 13:15. MT, Jason Wright 1
(Jimmy Roy, Andre Savage),PPG 18:28.
Second Period -- No Scoring.
Third Period -- MT, Pat Mikesch 2
(Jeff Mikesch, Andy Lewis), 3:36. Min, Bonin 1 (Trebil, Crowley), PPG, 8:38.
MT, Peterson 1 (unassisted), 14:00. MT, Jeff Mikesch 1 (unassisted),
SHG/ENG, 16:58.
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
=A9The Minnesota Daily
 
Pam Sweeney
Go Gophers!
Nastier, Bigger, Faster in '95-'96!
 
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