As a Gopher fan it was tough to swallow last night's
5-4 OT  loss to the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs but the game
was a good example of why I believe college hockey is
the greatest game on earth. The Gophers controlled play in
the first two periods and lead 3-0 headed to the third. When Dave
Spehar scored for the Gophers about three minutes into the
third it looked like a lock that they were headed for Milwaukee
for the WCHA Final Five. But the Dogs would not roll over and
die and they began to peck away at the lead. With eight minutes
left the Gophers still had a 4-1 lead but they were on the ropes.
Duluth scored three times in the next five minutes to tie the game
at 4-4. The Gophers hung on until the end of regulation and the
game went  into overtime. The intermission break seemed to help
the Gophers who played much better in the overtime then they
had in the third period. Both teams had good scoring chances and
the action was often one end to another. Mike Peluso batted a puck
past De Bus at the 10:49 mark and the Dogs had a well earned victory
and  a trip to Milwaukee. I was disappointed by the Gophers loss but
realized afterwards that this game was what college hockey is all about:
One game to determine who advances. The emotional comeback displayed
by UMD when they could have easily packed it in once they fell behind 4-0.
And finally the evenly fought overtime when it all came down to one goal to
either go to Milwaukee or stay home.
 
The result wasn't what I had wished for but the game itself did not disapoint.
 
Kudos to the Bulldogs and their fans and good luck on Thursday.
 
Chad Doughty
"Waiting For Next Year"
 
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