Gophers fall 6-1 to Maine
1st opening loss in 5 years
 
Sport's Section
 
Gophers get blasted by Maine in opener
Black Bears take advantage of many Minnesota mistakes
 
By Rachel Blount
Star Tribune Staff Writer
 
MAINE 6
GOPHERS 1
 
Gophers coach Doug Woog didn't say much to his players after Maine whipped
them 6-1 Friday at Mariucci arena. According to team captain Ryan Kraft, the
Gophers felt so embarrassed at their season- opening loss that no speechs
were necessary.
Kraft, however, couldn't stay silent.
The senior forward sid he could not remember the Gophers playing a worse game
in his years with the team, and he was at a loss to explain why it happened.
The Gophers (0-1) were outskated, outshot and outworked through most of the
game as the Black Bears (1-0) broke a 1-1 first period tie with five
consecutive goals.
 
 
Next page heading:
Maine strikes for two goals each period for a blowout win......
 
After being outshot 16-8 in the first period--and 5-0 in the game's first six
minutes-- the Gopher's offense roused itself and played a much sharper second
period. But their shots missed the mark or were stopped by Black Bear
goaltender Alfie Michaud, while the Black Bears took advantage of the
Gopher's defensive mistakes and battered goalie Steve DeBus. DeBus
surrendered six goals on 32 shots, and Kraft wasn't about to make excuses.
 
"All I can say is that it was ugly," said Kraft, who set up Bill Kohn's goal
at 17:32 of the first period. "We didn't even work hard as a team. We didn't
forecheck well. We made dumb decisions all over the ice.
 
"I don't know what happened. I think it's a mental thing; we have to be more
focused when we come to the rink. They say this is supposed to be fun, but
it's not really fun; it's work, too. And when you don't work hard, that's
what happens."
 
The Gophers began the game as if they had had too many brats and chips at the
pregame tailgater on the Mariucci lawn. They appeared sluggish and weak on
both
offense and defense, as they repeatedly relinquished the puck and allowed
their opponents to race past them and harass DeBus.
 
In the game's first four minutes,the Black Bears got five shots and took a
1-0
lead when Ben Guite beat DeBus from the left circle at 2:24. The Gophers did
not get a shot and had trouble simply keeping possession of the puck. They
whiffed on the passes and shots.They were barricaded at the offensive blue
line. They often were a step behind the Black Bears, who were able to set up
plays and get open shots.
 
The Gophers finally began to perk up near the end of the period aned scored
at 17:32 when Kohn, at the left point, whacked Kraft's pass into the top of
the net. But, the Gophers had barely finished celebrating when Dan Kerluke
backhanded
a shot through DeBus' pads to put the Black Bears ahead 2-1 with 57 seconds
remaining in the period. The Gophers outshot the Black Bears 16-9 in the
second period, but they failed to score and gave up goals to Tuomo
Jaaskelainen and Matthais Trattnig to fall behind 4-1.
 
"I saw one good chance [the Gophers] had when a guy ripped it and his stick
broke,"Black Bears caoch Shawn Walsh said. "When that happened I said,
'Things are really going our way.' We played intelligently, our defense
played very well, and we have a talented goalie. But I think we got the
breaks and they didn't."
 
 Kraft wasn't buying that argument, and neither was Woog. Though the coach
was not as displeased as his captain, he saw plenty of problems. Woog said
the defense and the forechecking were only intermittently effective, and when
the Gophers' top scorers were shut down, no other players filled the void. He
also shared Kraft's feelings on the team's effort.
 
"Mrs. Guentzel [ wife of the Gopher's associate head coach] walked to the
concession stand twice,and she got more tired than some of our guys," Woog
said. "The mindset of certain guys has to change. Some guys aren't doing the
little things, and until they do, we're not going to get better."
 
Notes:
Gopher defenseman Ben Clyner left the game in the third period because of a
bruised left shoulder. He is listed as day-to -day but will be held out of
tonight's game.
 
Maine's center Shawn Wansborough injured a knee in the first period when he
was hit by Knohn and did not return to the game.
 
 
 
Vicki Price