The Golden Gophers received an old fashioned butt kicking from DU last
night. Defensive break downs cost the Gophers 2 goals. Minnesota had
obvious trouble playing with a team as physical as Denver. DU dominated
play along the boards and forechecked the Gophers into resorting to dump
and run at times.
 
Although the score was 4-3, the game was never that close. When Minnesota
scored at 6:00 in the 3rd to bring the game within 1 goal, the crowd was
going wild. A long time out quieted the crowd and the red-clad Pioneers
tightened their defense down a couple of notches. Minnesota had a couple
more scoring chances, but failed to capitalize. With a little over a
minute left Gopher goalie Jeff Callinan skated off the ice. With the man
advantage, the Gophers could't enter Denver's zone.
 
The one excuse I can come up with for the Gophers is that they were
coming off a 2 week break. The long break definately had a bad effect on
the team.
(subconsious message: thank you Northern and North Dakota)
Nick Checco was hurt again, this time going out with a deep thigh bruise.
It was really ugly -- a DU player checked him hard into the Minn. penalty
box just as the door was opening. OW!
 
Previous comments posted about the Gophers being afraid to hit are
absolutly true! We don't have an enforcer. The Goph's game is to get by
on speed and passing -- no hitting, or as about as much hitting as an
actual gopher can do.
 
Gophers look for redemption tonight