Now that I'm back to working only one job, I can file my reports on a regular
basis. Thanks to Pam and Erik who have filled in the gaps for me when I had no
time (unfortunately) to do it.
 
The planets must have conjured up some special forces that affected the Gophers
 and the Huskies this weekend. The two games played were complete opposites!
 
Friday night's contest, which I watched on TV, was exciting, fast and very
entertaining. Three freshmen got their first goals (two Gophers, one Husky).
Jesse Bertogliat's goal was of highlight film quality. A breakaway, he took a
shot, Sjerven saved it, the rebound went right back out to Bertogliat and he
scored on his own rebound. Great goal.
 
John Brill was the Gopher player of the game for his long pass that hit the
tape on Craig Johnson's stick (blueline-to-blueline pass!) and Johnson went
right in on Sjerven and scored through the five-hole. Excellent teamwork.
 
Saturday night's contest in Mariucci was uglier than the mangiest, nasty look-
ing mutt you could find (according to our colorful announcer/TV broadcaster
Doug McLeod). There were 51 penalties called, which included two majors with
game disqualifications, for 146 minutes in penalties. Whew!
 
The almost-sellout crowd of 7,519 watched uncomfortably as the two teams
battled it out on the ice. There were some good plays, but the game ran long
due to all the stops for the penalties. Tempers were high and Husky coach Craig
 Dahl lost control of his team after the first period.
 
At 3:26 of the first period, Husky Tony Gruba was ejected for spearing Steve
Magnusson, the Gophers Jeff Nielsen scored on the 5-minute power play. This
ejection was tough for the Huskies as Gruba was hot and had been scoring very
well lately. It was a very early shower for him.
 
In the second period, Magnusson scored his first of the year and celebrated by
skating to the opposite end of the rink with his stick high in the air! His
line-mates chased him down there and piled on top of him. ;-) The crowd was
amused much by this show of originality!!
 
The Huskies only managed to get FOUR shots on goal the entire first period, and
 added to their frustration no doubt. They did score on their first shot on
goal however.  The Huskies picked up the pace in the second and got 11 shots
on goal, but were bottled up in the third and only got six more shots.
 
The referees were inconsistent, which is inexcuseable. The game became more
brutal as the clock ticked on... Four players (two for each team) were given
penalties and 10-minute misconducts about halfway through the third period.
St Cloud's other big gun Fred Knipscheer was one of them. The Gophers kept the
pressure on till the end of the game and were rewarded with their second sweep
of the season. When Scott Bell scored at 17:24 of the third period, he and
Magnusson who got the lone assist, rode their sticks like hobby-horses down to
the other end of the rink. This only made the Huskies madder.
 
The best hit of the game was when Jesse Bertogliat (5'8"-185,in the program),
checked Husky Dan Reimann (6'3"-205). Reimann went flying!!! The worst though
was when Holum of the Huskies went after goalie Tom Newman and then went after
a Gopher defenseman. Holum got a double minor for roughing, a major for rough-
ing with intent to injure and a game disqualification. Nasty.
 
John Gilbert, who wrote the game up in yesterday's Star Tribune, summed it up
best:
 
"The crowd was just ... there. They had a wait-and-see attitude." said coach
Doug Woog.
 
Maybe the were confused, wondering whether it was hockey or all-star wrestling
In one five minute stretch of the third period, there were 72 minutes worth of
penalties called. And 14 more minutes of minors were called in the final 1:18.
 
After the game the Huskies stayed behind closed doors without comment.
 
The only goal of the third period came when Bell rebounded Magnusson's wrap-
around attempt with 2:36 left. Bell then raced down the rink trying to outdo
Magnusson's celebration and dropped onto his stick, riding it like a hobby
horse. The crowd laughed, but Bell later apologized. "It was stupid and I
didn't mean to disgrace their team or anything," Bell said. "It was supposed
to be fun, but it became something else. I'm sorry I did it."
 
That was the only apology of the night, although more, on both sides, might
have been appropriate. (end quotes)
 
The rematch in early March should be interesting.
 
-Carol