The showdown between the North Dakota Fighting Sioux and the Minnesota Golden Gophers are always epic showdowns. There is always plenty of facewashing after whistles, lots of colorful language and vicious body checks aplenty in every series the two clubs have had with one another. This game is for regional bragging rights and involve two of the most successful college programs. Both schools have produced numerous players that have gone on to play in the National Hockey League. For North Dakota there is Jonathan Toews, Travis Zajac, Dave Christian, and of course the Wild's Zach Parise just to name a few. Minnesota certainly is no stranger in producing NHL talent either with Neal Broten, Phil Kessel, Blake Wheeler, Paul Martin, Jordan Leopold and Kyle Okposo just to name a few. Since 1951, these storied programs have called themselves conference opponents but that will come to an end tonight. This is the last regular season match up these two clubs will have as both teams will be going to new conferences next season with the Gophers to the Big 10 and North Dakota to the NCHC. The two clubs won't face each other in the regular season for another 3 years, can you believe it? It just seems so wrong to me.
After the Gophers crushed North Dakota last night 5-1 in front of a boisterous crowd at Mariucci Arena you can count on a real spirited re-match this late afternoon. There were lots of ugly scrums towards the end of the game and you can expect to see more of that in this one. Will Minnesota end this huge series with a sweep in order to stay atop of the national rankings let alone the WCHA?
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1st Period Thoughts: Minnesota had good pressure early as Nate Condon tried to sweep a shot on goal that was stopped by Thief River Falls' Zane Gothberg. North Dakota would try to go on the attack but Minnesota's defense did a fine job of getting sticks onto shots and nothing was getting near Adam Wilcox. Both teams seemed to be hesitant to really open things up and it was a defensive battle of dumping the puck deep and hoping to establish a forecheck. The crowd let their ire be known when Kyle Rau was sort of tied up by North Dakota's defenseman Andrew MacWilliam to no call as he would've had an edge for a foot race to a loose biscuit. A few minutes later the home crowd would relish a big open ice hit by Tom Serratore to ND's Michael Parks. Minnesota had a fantastic chance as Travis Boyd missed on a check and Justin Holl picked up the puck and he passed it over to Serratore all alone in the slot but Gothberg came up with a huge save. North Dakota's top line would go to work deep in Minnesota's zone and it was a point shot by Jordan Schmaltz that Wilcox bobbled a bit before it was tapped in by Danny Kristo, 1-0 Fighting Sioux. Minnesota would answer right back as the 4th line chipped in a goal as Mark Alt fired a shot from the point that was kicked out by Gothberg right to the stick of Jake Paranteau who backhanded a shot in to make it 1-1. Minnesota continued to pour it on as about a minute later they'd have another great chance as Nate Schmidt just kept a puck onsides before blistering a heavy slap shot that was just fought off by Gothberg. The game would slow down a bit but Minnesota was starting to tilt the action in North Dakota's end. The fiestiness would start to show itself a little more as MacWilliam and Rau would get sent to the penalty box as both exchanged words and a few shoves in the closing seconds of the period. Its a rivalry, hardly a surprise. But both players getting double-minors was a surprise and was not well recieved by the fans or either bench. Nate Schmidt would hammer another blast from the point that Gothberg knocked away and the game would remain knotted at one goal apiece. A great start to another intense game between the two clubs.
2nd Period Thoughts: The Gophers go charging into the North Dakota end and start swarming near Zane Gothberg. The hard work of the modified 1st line of Erik Haula, Nick Bjugstad and Seth Ambroz and their hard work would draw a North Dakota penalty. On the man advantage the Gophers were no able to create much apart from a few shots from long range that were easily sent away by Gothberg. After this both clubs would be a parade to the penalty box with a series of lazy plays. Neither club was able to get much of anything going. All Minnesota was able to generate was a few shooting opportunities for Seth Helgeson. Not the guy you really want to set up, unless you're North Dakota. The Fighting Sioux were content to keep things clogged up through the middle of the ice and they were looking to counter punch. Their patience would pay off as Corban Knight took advantage of the Gophers' defense pinching and he'd pick up a loose puck in the neutral zone and race in for a break away where he was able to get a little shot through underneath the arm of Wilcox to make it 2-1 North Dakota. Minnesota tried to answer back as Zach Budish made a nice strong play along the boards and he'd free the puck for himself before gathering it up and firing a wrist shot that Gothberg held onto. A few minutes later, the Fighting Sioux would strike again as Rocco Grimaldi took off along the wing as Mike Reilly was caught pinching and Grimaldi ripped a shot short side to make it 3-1 North Dakota. In a strange move, North Dakota bench boss Dave Hakstol took a timeout to talk things over with his team, but it was a strange time to do so as his team had all the momentum in the game. Minnesota would go back to work as the 2nd line would light the lamp after some good work on the boards by Budish, where he moved it up to Nate Condon who dished it back to Sam Warning in the slot and he got off a quick shot that Gothberg got a piece of but not enough to keep it out as it was now a 3-2 North Dakota lead. A few minutes later Warning would give Gopher fans another reason to cheer when he rocked Mitch McMillan with a big hit and then Minnesota continued the sequence with Schmidt carrying the puck into the North Dakota zone where he was hauled down drawing a penalty in the process. Minnesota was looking hungry on the man advantage as they set up Bjugstad on a back door pass but Gothberg came up with the leg pad save. Moments after that Bjugstad just failed to connect on a great pass to Budish who was wide open. Budish would have anothe chance from in close but the blade of his stick sheered off as he pulled the trigger. Minnesota would skate into the 2nd intermission trailing by one, but still very much in the game. Mike Reilly has some good skills but he needs to be a little more measured in his decision making as he gets caught quite a bit.
3rd Period Thoughts: The 3rd period started with North Dakota playing to defend its lead but also circling the wagons to take on an aggressive Gopher attack. The Fighting Sioux were looking to also bide their time and counter attack when the opportunity presented itself. North Dakota would pounce on that opportunity as a dump in went deep and the carom was misread by Wilcox and freshman Drake Caggiula slid a puck underneath the Gophers goalie for an apparent goal. It would be reviewed and ruled good giving North Dakota a 4-2 lead. Down by two the Gophers were desperate and they begin to activate their defense more which is what the Fighting Sioux had burned Minnesota a few times in this game already. Minnesota began to attack North Dakota in waves and their persistance would pay off. Erik Haula would work the puck in close and Zane Gothberg couldn't control the rebound and Bjugstad would tap home the loose biscuit to cut the lead to one, 4-3. With the Mariucci crowd roaring again the Gophers continued to attack, and with each shot the crowd would gasp. It was only a matter of time, and Minnesota would light the lamp again as Nate Condon found a little space and pulled the trigger and it snuck through Gothberg and in to tie the game 4-4. With the crowd literally going crazy in the aisles, Minnesota tried one last push for the go-ahead goal and it was Condon with another great late chance but Gothberg would fight it off and the game would go to overtime.
Overtime Thoughts: North Dakota had the first real quality chance in overtime as Grimaldi rang a shot off the right post on a wicked wrister. Minnesota would race back to the North Dakota end and it was Kyle Rau firing a shot that hit Gothberg and popped up into the air before it was knocked down by the glove of Danny Kristo. North Dakota would counter attack with some great pressure as Kristo tried to get Wilcox to drop and he did but he kept moving for a good shooting angle but it never appeared as Gophers were dropping all over denying Kristo from having an open look. With his team a little gassed and disorganized, Gophers head coach Don Lucia called a timeout to talk things over with his club. Minnesota would win the draw off the timeout, but Schmidt's shot didn't reach Gothberg, but North Dakota had another super close one as Kristo rang an shot off the right post on a sharp angle shot that fooled Wilcox but that's how it would end with both teams tied up at 4 goals apiece. The Gophers probably should feel fortunate to get a tie in this one, but the fact they were able to rally back is a testament to their depth and resilience. Zane Gothberg deserves an honorary star for playing so well in a pressure-packed building. He should be a rock between the pipes for the Fighting Sioux for years to come.
My 3 Stars:
1st Star: (Minnesota) Nate Condon – The Colorado Avalanche prospect seemed to make good things happen whenever he had the puck and his strong play was key in Minnesota's comeback. He had a goal and an assist.
2nd Star: (North Dakota) Rocco Grimaldi – The diminutive forward really demonstrated his tremendous speed as well as is fantanstic release. His goal really was a big momentum boost for North Dakota. Easily one of the most dangerous players on the ice he could've had a few goals if it hadn't been for some friendly metal saves.
3rd Star: (North Dakota) Danny Kristo – The Eden Prairie-native was a leader in every sense of the word for North Dakota, getting his team going with the first goal of the game and like Grimaldi being dangerous nearly on every shift.
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