CC bounced back and got the split they wanted in an incredibly tough building and pressure packed game. On balance, Minnesota had the better of most of tonight=92s action, especially in the last two periods when they outshot CC 26-3. The bulk of the third period was spent in CC=92s end as the Tigers circled their strong defensive wagons and held off numerous quality chances by the Gophers. At the center of the suffocating defense was goalie, Judd Lambert who stood tall in the goal even after being run hard by the Gopher=92s Abrahamson in the second period. He ended up stopping 34 of 35 shots for a .971 save percentage. Minnesota, on the other hand, mounted a high-powered attack that only lacked the finishing touch to tie the game. For CC fans, this is the type of game that will be replicated often as the offense grows more effective. Last year, the offense protected leads by offering the other team few offensive chances of their own. This year, especially early, that burden will fall on the defense. For Gopher fans, encouragement comes in the form of a young defense that has played better than expected. Fans of both teams likely believe that the Feb. 21-22 meeting of these teams has a good chance to decide the league title. Bravo to both sides. HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey; send information to [log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.