As I entered Mariucci Arena on Saturday night to
watch the Gopher's and St. Cloud State battle for
first place in the WCHA I was handed a ballot by an
usher. After claiming my seat I examined the ballot
and found that in conjecture with the 75th anniversary
of hockey at Minnesota the fans were being asked to
select their favorite hockey moment in Gopher history.
On the back of the ballot their were 10 "events" to choose
from ranging from the 1940 AAU Championship to Brian
Bonin's 1996 Hobey Baker Award winning season. I was
shocked to discover that one of the choices was the 1989
National Championship game between the Gopher's and the
Harvard Crimson. The game was at the St. Paul Civic Center
which basically meant home ice for the Gopher's and they
had one of their most talented teams ever lead by Rob Stauber
in nets. The game ended tied 3-3 in regulation and in the OT
the Gopher's had several chances to score(including a shot
off a pipe) before Harvard eventually won and captured the
National Championship. For me the game was emotionally crushing
as this had appeared to be the first Gopher team that would finally win the
"Big One" since 1979. I find it interesting that this game is being put
up for consideration as the favorite hockey moment in Minnesota hockey
history when I regard it as one of my disappointing and bitter Gopher hockey
memories.
 
 
Chad Doughty
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.