Here's the season wrap up from the Daily. The Gopher hockey awards banquet is
on Sunday, following the Shrine All-Star game. As usual, I will be at the
banquet and will give a full report including the awards. My Providence report
will be posted later today. Have a great weekend all!!
 
Headline: U puck hopes to go farther next season
Publish Date: 04/07/1995
Matthew Cross
Staff Reporter
 
The Gophers hockey team got a lot of mileage out of what seemed
to be a half-tank of gas this season, and coach Doug Woog foresees
another long trip for Minnesota hockey next season.
 
After losing defenseman Chris McAlpine and forward Jeff Nielsen, the
Gophers regrouped and made it to the semifinals of the NCAA
tournament this year.
 
Woog said he has few regrets, though he has some disappointments.
``I would like to have won the WCHA playoffs, we didn't deserve
to win the league championship, and I was disappointed in the final
four because I thought we had a chance to beat (Boston University),''
Woog said.
 
``But I thought the way the kids played and the growth of the young
people was good. You had to look hard to find a player that didn't
play to their standards.''
 
And with only four seniors leaving (co-captains Justin McHugh and
Scott Bell, Jeff Callinan and Jed Fiebelkorn), Woog isn't worried
about depth next season.
 
He said that his biggest concerns are the team's goaltending
situation and making up for Bell's feisty character, but he expects
those areas to be resolved by fall.
 
``I've never been here yet where somebody didn't rise up to the
occasion,'' Woog said. ``I think Jeffy Moen is such a competitor that
if he gets his confidence back he'll be real good in goal.
 
``(Goaltender Steve) DeBus could have played this year and been real
good too. He's probably played more games than Moen or Callinan in
the juniors, (so) I think he'll be fine.''
 
For the most part, Callinan and Brian Bonin rose to a higher level
this season for the Gophers.
 
But Woog said the team struggled when star players like Bonin,
McHugh and Callinan did not have good nights. This was the case
during the NCAAs.
 
``When they weren't at their best, we had a hard time beating the
best,'' Woog said.
 
He noted that McHugh did not have a point in the final three games
and Bonin only had one, which was a major factor in the 7-3 loss to
BU.
 
Despite a disappointing ending, Woog expects Minnesota's
trademark defense to be strong again next season.
 
The entire Gophers defense will return next fall. That group was the
best in the league, giving up an average of less than three goals per
game.
 
Defensive specialist Billy Kohn, who was named to the United States
Hockey League All-Star team, is also expected to add more punch to
the power play with his hard slap shot.
 
Incoming forwards Wyatt Smith, Mike Anderson and Eric Rasmussen,
who are all from Minnesota, are expected to produce big numbers next
season and clock some time on special teams as well.
 
Woog said a realistic scoring estimation from the rookies would be 10
goals apiece, with the possible exception of Kohn.
 
Also, Woog said he plans to sign Reggie Berg next week. Berg is
a forward from Anoka, Minn., who finished third in the state in
scoring as a high school sophomore. Berg spent the last two season
playing junior hockey in Des Moines, Iowa, and he is among the top
scorers in the USHL.
 
If the Gophers get more offensive production from Nick Checco, Ryan
Kraft and Dave Larson, Minnesota looks like a tough team next season.
 
And with another carload of outstanding rookies and returnees,
Woog hopes that a full tank of gas is enough to take him to
Cincinnati, Ohio, for next season's NCAA tournament finals.  "I think
if the 1995-96 team plays to their level, they should be a stronger
team than this year," Woog said.
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
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(612) 625-8517                                    GO Gophers!!!