Headline: Road sweep vaults U into tie for 1st Place
Publish Date: 02/28/1994
David Jackson
<W0I>Staff Reporter
 
Madison, Wis. -- After the final buzzer sounded Saturday night at the
Dane County Coliseum, Gopher coach Doug Woog was so excited that he
hurdled the side boards to run and congratulate his team.
 
They had just pulled off one of the most memorable wins of the
season, rallying from a two-goal deficit in the third period to stun
Wisconsin 3-2 and complete a weekend sweep.
 
``Did we play that third period or what?'' Woog said, bounding out of
the locker room to greet the media. ``We were really moving that puck
around. We sure moved our feet.''
 
You could hardly blame Woog for his excitement. After a 3-2 win
Friday, the Gophers completed the season sweep of Wisconsin on
Saturday, and they did it in dramatic fashion on the road. Minnesota
also clinched home-ice advantage in the first round of the WCHA
playoffs and moved into a tie for first place in the league.
 
Goalie Jeff Moen, who made 29 saves in a brilliant performance
Saturday, put the importance of the win in perspective.
 
``This was probably our biggest win of the year,'' he said.
``But at this point all the games are important. Any game this team
wins the rest of the season is the biggest win of our year.''
 
After two periods Saturday, it didn't look like there would be
anything to celebrate. Wisconsin got a goal from Jamie Spencer in the
first period and one from Andrew Shier in the second, and Badger
goalie Jim Carey stopped all 18 shots he faced in the first 40
minutes.
 
But the Gophers came out with a flurry in the third period, and at
the 4:25 mark they broke through. Defenseman Dan Trebil blew by the
Badger defense and dropped a pass to Justin McHugh. McHugh buried it
in the upper left corner of the net to pull Minnesota within one.
 
Then, just 15 seconds later, McHugh scored again, pouncing on a
rebound of Jeff Nielsen's shot and putting it in the upper right
corner. The game was suddenly tied.
 
``We said after the second period that championship teams have to
step it up if they want to win,'' McHugh said. ``Everyone knew that
if we came out hard in the third, things could go our way.''
 
Eric Means completed the comeback at the 8:47 mark. After a
scramble in the corner, Means picked up a loose puck at the left
point. Using the Badgers' Rob Granato as a screen, he fired a
slapshot that glanced off Carey's right skate and up into the
net.
 
Moen turned away all nine Badger shots in the third period, making a
remarkable save when he gloved a shot by Mickey Elick that had
already skidded past his left leg and nearly crossed the goal line.
 
Friday night belonged to junior goalie Jeff Callinan, who made
33 saves. He stopped 18 shots in the third period, when the Badgers
came to life after two periods of uninspired play.
 
``The frustrating thing is that we're a better hockey team
five-on-five,'' Badger coach Jeff Sauer said. ``But when we came out
we looked scared. We have eight seniors and we were playing scared.''
 
Callinan permitted only two goals, both by junior forward Kelly
Fairchild and neither one particularly impressive. Fairchild appeared
to knock the first one in with his glove, and, on the second,
Callinan was checked out of the play, giving Fairchild an open net.
 
``It wasn't a deal when I was getting one, two, three in a row,''
Callinan said. ``It was one save and then the defense cleared it out.
Those are the kind of saves that you make when it's going well.''
 
It was encouraging for Minnesota to win with defense and
goaltending, the two elements that led them to a nine-game winning
streak that preceded the recent tailspin. And while the Gophers
celebrated, Sauer could not believe his team's misfortune. Four times
this year, they had lost to Minnesota, the last three times by one
goal.
 
``The last three (Minnesota-Wisconsin games) the puck has
bounced the right way for them,'' Sauer said. ``You can't stay lucky
for that long. I'm not saying its all luck, but we just didn't get
the bounces this weekend.''
(end article)
 
Next, the Gophers take on St Cloud, at Mariucci on Friday night, and in
St Cloud on Saturday night. Can't wait!!  ;-)
 
-Carol
 
Carol S. White                            BITNET: c-whit@uminn1
University of Minnesota        internet:[log in to unmask]
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(612) 625-8517                                    GO Gophers!!!