By Rachel Blount
 
Gophers 3, Maine 2
 
Gophers captain Ryan Kraft warned his team mates that if they didn't sharpen
up considerably after Friday's 6-1 DRUBBING BY MAINE, they could expect
another sound defeat in Saturday's rematch at Mariucci Arena. Kraft's powers
of persuasion proved very effective, as the Gopher's used a superb effort to
beat the Black Bears 3-2.
 
After showing little spark in the first period of Friday's loss, the Gophers
(1-1)
played an outstanding period Saturday and took a 2-0 lead off goals by Bill
Kohn at 5:39 and Dave Spehar at 7:08. They out shot the Black Bears 27-15 in
the first two periods and did not give up a goal until Steve Kariya scored on
a break away at 7:49 of the second.
 
Rico Pagel made it 3-1 on a power play goal at 2:12 of the third period, but
the Black Bears (1-1) again cut the lead when Kariya scored on a power play
at 4:07.Gophers goaltender Steve DeBus stopped 20 of the 22 shots, and Black
Bears goalie Alfie Michaud stopped 28 of 31.
 
The Gophers felt both HUMBLED AND HUMILIATED after Friday's loss, largely
because they were ASHAMED of their SUB-PAR EFFORT. They responded Saturday
with a polar-opposite performance, completely reversing the situation of the
night before. They began the game with much more spirit, roaring into the
Black Bears' zone right from the first drop of the puck.
 
On Friday, the Gophers were OUTMUSCLED, OUTHUSTLED and OUTSHOT 16-9 in the
first period. Saturday,they outshot the Black Bears 17-8 in the opening
period and saw many more good scoring chances slip just wide of the net. Kohn
gave them a 1-0 lead shortly after a faceoff when he got the puck in the left
circle, skated toward the net and beat Michaud from the bottom of the circle
at 5:39. Seconds later, DeBus preserved the lead when he stopped Kariya on a
breakaway.
 
Spehar pushed the Gophers' lead to 2-0 on a nicley executed play. Ryan Kraft
carrried the puck to the top of the right circle and as Spehar crossed in
front of the net, Kraft passed to him. Spehar darted to the left side ane slip
ped the puck past Michaud at 7:08.
 
The Gophers continued to pepper Michuad through the rest of the period. The
goalie scrambled to stop the puck when a shot by Kohn hit Casey Hankinson and
fell behind Michaud. Hankinson and Mike Anderson misfired from point-blank
range,and Anderson just missed on a shorthanded two-on-one.
 
The Black Bears cut the lead to 2-1 at 7:49 of the second when Kariya got
loose in the neutral zone and leapt out on a breakaway, finishing it off by
tucking the puck between DeBus's pads. Kariya's team-mates got a bit testier
as the period wore on, taking three penalties-including one in the final
minute when Jason Vitorino cross-checked DeBus into the goal post. But the
Gophers were not intimidated and their energy and enthusiasm did not sag.
 
The Gophers, who failed to score on four power play chances in the first two
periods, finally connected on their fifth when Pagel beat Michaud from the
center point at 2:12 of the third period. Less than a minute later, Brett
Abrahamson was called for hooking, giving the Black Bears a power play
period. Kariya beat DeBus from the bottom of the left circle to cut the
Gopher's lead to 3-2.
 
 
Vicki Price