The Gophers celebrate after capturing the MacNaughton Cup on its home ice.
The #5 ranked Minnesota Gopher hockey team used solid goaltending, good special teams, and timely scoring to upend Wisconsin by a final score of 2-1 at Mariucci Arena tonight, claiming the MacNaughton Cup as WCHA Champions in front of 10,421 appreciative fans.
The Gophers came flying out of the gates from the drop of the puck, knowing what was at stake, and that gave you the feeling they were gonna get it done on Senior night with the title hanging in the balance. But as in last nights game, Minnesota was continually frustrated by a tight checking Wisconsin team and their goalkeeper Joel Rumpel. The Gophers had the Badgers scrambling a majority of the first period, but had nothing to show for it. After overcoming their frustrations, and a stingy Wisconsin defense, Minnesota got the job done in dramatic fashion, scoring two third period goals after falling behind 1-0.
Wisconsin opened the scoring at 10:26 of the second period on a power play goal by Tyler Barnes, his second goal in as many games. The Gophers power play had been looking good, but they were not able to clear the puck out of their own zone, and started scrambling when they tired. The Badgers capitalized, and Barnes put a shot past Gopher goaltender Kent Patterson from near the left side of the net.
The Gophers finally exacted their revenge on the Badgers in the third period, as Erik Haula ignited the crowd by scoring a shorthanded goal to tie the game at 4:47 of the final frame. Jake Hansen got the assist on the play after breaking up a play at center ice, sending Haula away with the puck, and then drawing the defenseman to him as Haula glided in and backhanded the puck past Rumpel for the 1-1 tie. Three minutes later, it was Minnesota on the power play after Kyle Rau drew an interference penalty on Wisconsin’s John Ramage in front of the Badger goal. After working the puck around, Sophomore Nate Schmidt gathered the puck at the point, and after getting the Badger player to bite on the fake, skated around the prone defender before letting rip with a slapshot over the glove hand of Rumpel for the game winner.
To no one’s surprise, Patterson was back between the pipes for the Gophers Saturday after being pulled in the third period of last night’s game, and needed only twelve saves to notch the win, his twenty fourth of the season.
The WCHA Champion Gophers (24-12-1, 20-8-0 WCHA) will host Alaska-Ankorage (9-22-2, 5-21-1 WCHA) in the first round of the WCHA playoffs next weekend at Mariucci. Game time Friday and Saturday (and Sunday if necessary) will be 7:07 PM (Central). The games broadcasting schedule has yet to be determined.