Gophers Start Hot, Cool Down

The Golden Gophers Men's hockey team has all the momentum they could ask for going into this series at Mariucci after sweeping the Mavericks last weekend. Although the Gophers started out hot they realized winning one game isn't enough to grant them the series. The Gophers beat on the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves on Friday night at Mariucci getting three goals and Shuting out the Seawolves in a 60 minute battle. The Gophers came into the weekend ranked number 12 in the Nation after sweeping the MSU Mavericks last weekend in a home and home series. Although Friday night was the first full 60 minutes the Gophers have played in a long time that would soon change just 24 hours later when the Gophers took on the Seawolves again on saturday night. Now maybe it's just me but i think the Gophers got cocky. They won a game shutting them out but if we learned ANYTHING from last years play-offs it had to be that the Seawolves would come out flying and a lose wasn't acceptable. Obviously the Gophers still haven't learned that they need to play both games in the series in order to sweep. Not one, not one and a half but two full 60 minutes, three period, game of hockey. With all the condiments of being physical, playing hard, crashing the net, oh and most importantly GETTING OPEN NET GOALS! Open Net goals are the easiest goals in the game of hockey. In fact there is one quote that says "Open net goals are for pussies." The Gophers didn't respect Alaska on Saturday night they didn't take it to them at all. Losing 4-2 in your own building against the worst team in the WCHA is unacceptable and quite honestly im disappointed. One good note is that David Fischer scored his first goal in a Gopher Uniform and oh was it about time. I was extremely happy for him. He has gotten so much better just from the first game of this season. He will definitly be someone the Gophers are going to count on to keep getting better. The Gophers take on the defending National Champions the Michigan State Spartans and the Michigan Wolverines in Michigan this Holiday weekend. Look for two great games and hopefully a better turnout. Until next weekend Happy Thanksgiving and Go Gophers!

Friday Night VS UAA *3-0* Gophers
First Period Scoring
David Fischer Blake Wheeler/Ben Gordon

First Period Penalties
UAA Craig Parkinson Cross-Checking
Shane Lovdahl Holding
MINN Jay Barriball Interference

Second Period Scoring
NONE

Second Period Penalties
UAA Peter Cartwright Holding
Paul Crowder Interference
MINN Blake Wheeler Hooking
Kevin Wehrs Holding
Stu Bickel Slashing

Third Period Scoring
MINN Kyle Okposo Jay Barriball/Mike Hoeffel
Blake Wheeler Ben Gordon/Patrick White

Third Period Penalties
MINN Cade Fairchild Roughing

Saves
Jeff Frazee 24 saves
Jon Olthuis 34 saves

Three Stars
1. Jeff Frazee
2. David Fischer
3. Blake Wheeler

Funny Quote from David Fischer's post-game interview:
"Gordon, he's a beast. To Wheeler. To the Monster. Took about 5 seconds to get there.................. Top Titty!"

Saturday VS UAA *4-2* UAA
First Period Scoring
MINN Jay Barriball Mike Hoeffel/Cade Fairchild
Kane Lafranchise Peter CArtwright

First Period Penalties
UAA Chris Tarkis Holding the Stick
Blair Tassone Interference
Josh Lunden Slashing
MINN Stu Bickel Holding

Second Period Scoring
MINN Kyle Okposo Cade Farichild/David Fischer

Second Period Penalties
UAA Luke Beaverson Holding
Luke Vidmar Checking from Behing
Luke Vidmar Game Misconduct
Kevin Clark Tripping

Third Period Scoring
UAA Peter Cartwright Chris Tarkir/Blair Tassone
Kevin Clark Josh Lunden
Brad McCabe Kane Lafranchise/Winston DayChief

Thir Period Penalties:
MINN Cade Fairchild High Sticking
Saves
Jon Olthuis 30 Saves
Jeff Frazee 21 Saves

Three Stars
1. Peter Cartwright
2. Kane Lafranchise
3. Cade Fairchild

Gophers Get Going, Sweep Mavricks

What a great effort both nights be the Gophers this weekend. It was fantastic to see the team effort there and not just the individual effort. It was also great to see Kyle Okposo score not once but twice. The Gophers just went up from there. So many players had two points a night, Blake Wheeler, Tony Lucia, Cade Fairchild had three points saturday night. For a freshman, actully for anyone, to get three points in a night is fantastic. I think the Gophers definitly have hit their stride or at least turned it around. Good timing with North Dakota splitting with Wisconsin. And before we play both of those teams. Although the Gophers are still ranked No. 14 i still think we will have a great finish this year. A National Championship would be stretching it but i defenitly think we can do great in the play-offs this year. Mike Howe is reportedly okay after suffering what seemed to be a head injury on saturday night. I guess his head hit the boards and then the ice and was carried off the ice on a stretcher, but not before giving the applauding crowd a thumbs up. The Gophers take on Alaska-Anchorage this weekend. The Gophers should at least get a couple points out of the weekend. Although we should the gophers need to come out just like they did this weekend, Hard, Physical, and ready to get the job done.

Friday Night @ Mankato *4-3* Gophers

First Period Scoring
MINN Ben Gordon Blake Wheeler/Jay Barriball

First Period Penalties
MSU R.J. Linder Roughing

Second Period Scoring
MINN Tony Lucia Blake Wheeler/Stu Bickle
Patrick White David Fischer/Tom Pohl
Evan Kaufmann Tony Lucia/David Fischer
MSU Jon Kalinski Trevor Bruess/ Mick Berge

Second Period Penalties
MINN Stu Bickle Tripping
MSU Nick Canzanello Roughing

Third Period Scoring
MSU Mick Berge Kael Mouillierat/Kurt Davis
Andrew Sackrison Zach Harrison/Nick Canzanello

Third Period Penalties
MINN Tom Pohl Hooking
Blake Wheeler Roughing
Stu Bickle Roughing
Blake Wheeler Checking (for behind i'm assuming)
MSU Geoff Irwin Roughing
Kael Mouillierat Roughing
Jon Kalinski Elbowing

SAVES
Jeff Frazee 19 Saves
Mike Zacharias 20 Saves

Three Stars
1. Bkae Wheeler
2. Mike Berge
3. Jon Kalinski

Saturday Night @ Mariucci *5-3* Gophers

First Period Scoring
MINN Ben Gordon Jay Barriball/Cade Fairchild
MSU Jon Kalinski -
Mick Berge Kael Mouillierat

First Period Penalties
MINN Justin Bostrom Checking From Behind (Game Misconduct)
R.J. Anderson Hooking
MSU Jerad Stewart Kneeing (Game Miscounduct)
Kurt Davis Hooking

Second Period Scoring
MINN Kyle Okposo Cade Fairchild
Kyle Okposo Jay Barriball/Tom Pohl
Tony Lucia Evan Kaufmann/Ryan Flynn
Cade Fairchild Ben Gordon/Patrick White

Second Period Penalties
MINN Derek Peltier Bording
MSU R.J. Linder Hooking
Kael Mouillierat Slashing

Third Period Scoring
MSU Mick Berge -

Third Period Penalties
MSU Jon Kalinski Interference
TEAM Too Many Men

Saves
Alex Kangas 21 saves
Dan Tormey 28 saves

Three Stars
1. Kyle Okposo
2. Cade Fairchild
3. Ben Gordon

Gophers fall to Denver

Hmmm... I'm just trying to think of a good excuse of why the Gophers sucked this weekend. I could blame it on Don Lucia but that's not right he has nothing to do with what his kids do on the ice. Well he does but he can't make a good pass for them. He can show them but he can't physically do it for them. Maybe we need to find a way for him to do it because our passing is HORRIBLE! Denver hasn't swept us for what... 13 years. That's bad. Mike Carmen can you please get your grades up so you can come back!? Yeah right. But he's playing in Denver this weekend so let's see how that goes. Anyways I'm getting off topic. Alright I didn't have a chance to see any of the game on Friday but we lost 5-1 and that's all I need to know that something was off. From reading GPL, which I am addicted to, I hear Kyle Okposo isn't doing anything. Obviously Jeff Frazee is nothing but an object standing in the middle of the net. Actully I have no clue if that's true I'm just making asumptions. Well we are also off to our worst start in school history. Wow peaceful... I have so much faith in the Gophers now... I really shouldn't say that because eventully, yes I know it's hard to wait, we will hit our stride. Hopefully it comes before we face Wisconsin and North Dakota so we can beat them and shut those obnoxious fans up. Actully no the most obnoxious fans are St.Cloud fans. Don't believe me? Take for instance last season when the Gophers made their first trip up to St.Cloud... the fans threw batteries yes BATTERIES on the Ice at the Gophers. That's worse than the dead Gophers and such... That could actully hurt someone. Honestly no class at ALL! But hopefully the St.Cloud fans will shut up because they lost to UAA this weekend... man and they have lash... Darn... Anyways I saw the third period sunday and it was a train wreck. I couldn't watch it anymore. I mean for god sake we have no power play what so ever! Nothing NADA!!!!!! We give Denver the easiest goal to stop a short handed goal and you can't blame it on Kangas. The Gophers just don't play hockey in their own zone! Not only that but they can't play 60 minutes of hockey and it's disapointing. We play a home and home series with Mankato this weekend. Hopefully the Gophers can hit their stride now and actully score more than 1 goal a game. Until then... GO GOPHERS!!!

Friday Night VS Denver
First Period Scoring:
DU: Rhett Rakhshani Patrick Mullen/Jesse Martin

First Period Penalties
DU Matt Glasser umm not sure it says Fm...
Cody Brookwell Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Kyle Ostrow Hooking
MINN Ryan Flynn Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Stu Bickel Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Mike Hoeffel Hooking

Second Period Scoring
DU Tyler Ruegsegger Brock Trotter/Tyler Bozak
Tyler Ruegsegegger Anthony Maiani/ Rhett Rakhshani

Second Period Penalties
DU Chris Butler Interference
Patrick Mullen Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Matt Glasser Charging
MINN Cade Fairchild Tripping
Evan Kaufmann Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Tom Pohl Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Tony Lucia Hooking
Kyle Okposo Hooking
TEAM Too Many on Ice

Thir Period Scoring
DU Brock Trotter Rhett Rakhshani/Anthony Maiani
Tyler Bozack Brock Trotter/ Patrick Mullen
MINN Ryna Flynn Ben Gordon/ Derek Peltier

Third Period Penalties
DU J.P. Testwuide Slashing
J.P. Teshwuide Roughing
Jesse Martin Roughing
Jesse Martin Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Jesse Martin Game Misconduct
Brock Trotter Roughing
Tyler Bozak Roughing
MINN Mike Hoeffel Cross-Checking
Blake Wheeler Roughing
Stu Bickel Roughing
Stu Bickel Unsportsmanlike Conduct
Stu Bickel Game Misconduct
Kevin Wehrs Roughing
R.J. Anderson Roughing
Justin Bostrom Roughing

Saves
Jeff Frazee 23 Saves
Peter Mannino 36 saves

Three stars
1.Rhett Rakhshani
2.Tyler Bozak
3. Peter Mannino

Think maybe part of our problem was we were in the box the whole night!?

Sunday VS Denver
First Period Scoring
MINN Blake Wheeler Evan Kaufmann/Tony Lucia
DU Tyler Bozak Brock Trotter
Rhett Rakhshani Brock Trotter

First Period Penalties
DU J.P. Testwuide Hooking
Andrew Thomas Tripping
John Ryder Roughing
Rhett Rakhshani Hooking
MINN Evan Kaufmann Roughing
Tony Lucia Tripping
Ben Gordon Holding the stick... haha

Second Period Scoring
NONE

Second Period Penalties
DU Brock Trotter Roughing
Anthony Maiani Roughing
Dustin Jackson Roughing
Andrew Thomas Cross-Checking
MINN Stu Bickel Elbowing
R.J. Anderson Roughing
Derek Peltier Roughing
Blake Wheeler Hooking
Tony Lucia Ostruction... that's it... probley holding/hooking

Third Period Scoring
Tyler Bozak -
Tyler Bozak -

Thir Period Penalties
Tom May Checking from behind
Tom May Game Misconduct
Brian Gifford Hooking

Saves
Alex Kangas 19 saves
Peter Mannino 32 saves

Three stars
1. Tyker Bozak
2. Peter Mannino
3. Brock Trotter