Gophers Top Old Rival, Beat Michigan Tech 3-1
Saturday, December 1, 2007
Senior center Mark Howe scored Minnesota’s first two goals, allowing the Gophers to overcome Michigan Tech and go on to a 3-1 victory at Maricucci Arena in Minneapolis.
Howe (no relation to Gordie) scored at the 2:03 mark in the first period, assisted by Kyle Okposo and Kevin Wehrs to give the Gophers a 1-0 lead. After Michigan Tech scored on a goal by Peter Rouleau, the period ended in a 1-all deadlock. In the middle of the second period, Howe scored on a rebound shot to give Minnesota the lead for good.
The University of Minnesota hockey team has been facing off on the ice with Michigan Tech University since 1922, representing the oldest rivalry between current Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) members. In the series, Minnesota holds a won-loss advantage over the Huskies of 163 to 75 with 14 matches ending in ties. Minnesota domination was not always the case, however.
Located next to nowhere on Upper Michigan’s scenic Keweenaw Peninsula, MTU chose early on to make its mark in the world of intercollegiate hockey. This was accomplished in no small measure to the influx of Canadian imports.
Michigan Tech’s trophy case houses national championship trophies for the years 1962, 1965, and 1975. MTU has won the MacNaughton Cup, symbol of the championship of the WCHA, seven times. The names of Michigan Tech hockey legends Tony Esposito, Lou Angotti, and Steve Jensen are prominently featured in the school’s media materials. John MacInnes became one of college hockey’s greatest coaches and was instrumental in shaping the Huskies into a national power. The hockey arena at MTU is named for MacInnes, who died in 1983, after which the wind left the sails of the Michigan Tech hockey program. Losing seasons were interrupted by a 20-20-1 mark in 1988, a 17-15-5 record in 1993, and a 18-18-6 mark in 1996. The Huskies’ hockey program hit rock bottom with a 4-34 season in 2000.
The road back was strewn with inconsistency, but head coach Jamie Russell is in the midst of engineering one of the college hockey world’s greatest revivals. Last season, Russell led the Huskies to a 18-17-5 record and its first appearance in the WCHA Final Five since 1996.
Michigan Tech won the previous evening’s game 3-2 in overtime and had won four of its past five games at Mariucci Arena.
Howe, playing on the Gophers’ fourth line, entered the game with one goal all season and scored his first goal after Minnesota received an early break just 1:23 into the game. Michigan Tech had an apparent goal disallowed after officials ruled that one of the Huskies forwards was in the crease.
Rouleau’s goal was scored after Gophers’ goaltender Jeff Frazee made an dazzling save on the Huskies’ Tyler Shelast. However, Frazee lost track of the rebound and, before Minnesota could clear the puck, Rouleau knocked it into the net.
The Gophers then scored on a similar play at 8:57 of the second period. Stu Bickel shot from the blue line into the chest of Huskies’ goaltender Michael-Lee Teslak. He appeared to have the puck controlled. However, it bounced free under his legs and Howe was there to shoot in the rebound. Ben Gordon, who had passed to Bickel, also picked up an assist.
The Gophers went ahead 3-1 on a rebound goal by Okposo as Ryan Flynn took a shot that was saved by Teslak and bounced off his pads to Okposo, who then scored his sixth goal of the season. On the play, Cade Fairchild picked up an assist for the fourth time in five games.
Minnesota held a 37-19 advantage in shots for the game, including a 13-2 edge in the third period. Frazee had 18 saves for the Gophers and Teslak stopped 34 shots for Michigan Tech.