Headline: U's Larson turns mistake into critical Gophers goal
Publish Date: 03/28/1995
 
Matthew Cross
 
<W0I>Staff Reporter
 
Minnesota winger Dave Larson was called for roughing when he
retaliated against Colorado College's Dave Paxton for tripping him
with 2:18 left in the second period of their NCAA West Regional game.
 
Given Larson's past record for taking ill-advised penalties, Gophers
coach Doug Woog was irate.
 
Larson sat in the penalty box with a million thoughts racing through
his head as his team held a 3-2 lead, but the most acute feeling
Larson had was a fear of Woog.
 
``I was in the box and I was thinking, `What is he going to say when
I get to the bench?''' Larson said after the game. ``So I just stayed
out there (when I got out of the box).''
 
Larson's decision to avoid Woog turned out to be a blessing in
disguise.
 
He was released with 18 seconds left, and with one tick left on the
clock, Larson scored.
 
His goal was an insurance measure that not only put the Gophers up by
two going into the third period, but it sunk Colorado College's
battleship.
 
``We worked pretty hard to get back in the game,'' Tigers center R.J.
Enga said. ``So (that goal) was pretty demoralizing.''
 
Paxton said the Larson goal was the point when the Tigers realized
the consequences of losing the game.
 
``If you don't win, you go home,'' Paxton said. ``I don't think that
really sunk in until then.''
 
Gophers have confidence
 
Tenth-ranked Minnesota will face No. 3 Boston University in the
semifinals of the NCAA tournament at 7:30 Thursday in Providence,
R.I. Though they will be the underdogs, the Gophers don't fear their
opponent.
 
They are 7-1 in their last eight games, which is their best streak
since they went 6-0 to start the season.
 
Woog has discussed the team's positive attitude, but said they've
still got plenty ahead of them.
 
``You can feel good,'' Woog said. ``But you've got to do something.''
 
Woog, who's not known as a big motivational speaker, has taken on the
unfamiliar role in the playoffs.
 
During a team walk at the NCAA West Regionals, Woog said to the team,
``If you don't want to win this whole thing, then don't come back
next year.''
 
The players have used Woog and their co-captains Scott Bell and
Justin McHugh as inspirational leaders, and that appears to be the
driving force behind the team's run to the final four.
 
With that emotion, the Gophers feel they have a legitimate shot at
the championship.
 
``We've got a chance to win the national title and we're going to go
after it with everything we've got,'' Woog said.
 
Revenge again
 
With emotions riding high, the Gophers hardly need incentive to play
tough against Boston University at the NCAA final four. But they've
got it.
 
The Terriers are responsible for ending the Gophers' season last year
in the NCAA semifinal game by beating them 4-1. The Gophers also lost
to BU this season in a 4-3 overtime thriller at the Mariucci Classic
on New Year's Eve.
 
In fact, Minnesota has not beaten BU since a non-conference battle on
Jan. 3, 1988.
 
But the Gophers will have the New Year's Eve loss in the back of
their minds on Thursday night.
 
Minnesota was without McHugh (knee injury), and defensemen Mike
Crowley and Brian LaFleur were at the U.S. Junior Nationals.
 
But the Terriers were without Hobey Baker finalist Michael Grier,
center Shawn Bates and defenseman Chris Kelleher.
 
Honors
 
Minnesota's junior center Brian Bonin collected WCHA Player of the
Year honors and was also named to the All-WCHA first team.
 
First-year defenseman Mike Crowley was awarded the WCHA Rookie of the
Year honor and, along with teammate Ryan Kraft, named to the WCHA
all-rookie team.
 
Surprisingly, Gophers Dan Trebil and Jeff Callinan were denied
All-WCHA honors.
 
Trebil finished the season as the highest-scoring defenseman in the
league and played an integral role on the best defensive team in the
WCHA.
 
Callinan was the league's top-rated goaltender for most of the season
in both league games and overall games. He finished the regular
season with the best goals against average (2.77) and the most
shutout periods with 46.
 
Minnesota players Bonin, Andy Brink, Callinan, Dan Hendrickson,
LaFleur, McHugh, Trebil and Greg Zwakman made the WCHA all-academic
team.