Wolverines, Watch Out!

The Gophers want another shot at you...


And next week they’ll get it. And this time, the Wolverines may be meeting up with the Gophers on Hastings Civic Arena ice one time too many for their liking.

The guys in gold are hitting on all cylinders as the season draws closer to tournament time. Passing is sharper than ever and their defense has just come off a game in which they stifled several of the conference’s scoring leaders, and one of the best teams in the league, and left no doubt of the victor.

In a scene as familiar to Gophers opponents as a Megan Parker prank on Drake and Josh, the Gophers once again scored first and early and applied intense defensive pressure for three full periods in their Sunday evening matchup against the high scoring Pioneers.

Brett scored from the left face-off circle with under 7 gone in the 1st period, and less than 6 minutes into the game, Kannon scored the eventual GWG.

But the keys to this game were defensive pressure and possession of the puck. Most of the contest was spent in the Pioneers’ defensive end of the ice, as the maroon and gold delivered timely, crisp passes and built upon the team defensive effort that has stifled more than one opponent this season. These efforts were apparent on paper through a 34-9 shots-on-goal advantage and team face-off winning percentage of nearly 60%.

Any first-time viewer of Blues Clues could compile those statistics and make an educated analysis of the likely outcome…

The Gophers’ Gold Line brought the heat Sunday, putting 25 of the team’s 34 shots on the Pioneers’ net minder who remarkably allowed only 3 goals while being peppered by 33 Gopher shots for a .909 save percentage on the game. The Gold line finished with a +2 rating, and the Maroon with a +1, as each shift on the ice was marked with a distinct sense of urgency.

The first period ended with the Gophers having more goals scored than the Pioneers had shots-on-goal and found them up 2-0 on a formidable foe with several dangerous offensive weapons. Those dangerous offensive weapons of the Pioneers did put a puck in the net on 7 shots in the 2nd period, but their scoring chances on the game were limited to single digits, as their only goal came off an alert rebound stuff by their #5, Nick who criss-crossed behind #10 Dylan on the way to the net, and was right where he needed to be when the save left a bouncing puck dancing in front of him on the ice 2 feet from the goal line.

Joe earned two penalties in a 7 minute time span during Sunday’s game, but those PIM were masterfully killed off by a determined Gophers PK unit. To their credit, even skating 4 on 5, they didn’t even look outnumbered!

And really, for how much hustle and team play the Gophers were exhibiting, and with how much pressure they were applying on defense, the Pioneers may just as well have put every skater on their roster out on the ice.

Every Gopher player showed superior effort and concentration and should take great pride from this game!!

Brett would score again shortly after the 3rd period began, to boost the lead to 3-1, and Garrett put back the rebound off Joe’s 2nd shot of the period into the back of an unguarded net with under 20 seconds to go, to seal the victory at 4-1 and set up a final chance at redemption for the Gophers as they prepare to meet the Wolverines again for the last time in regular season play.

From spending time around these Gophers players this weekend, I can tell you there’s no other team they’d rather face next Saturday than the team in blue and gold.

One can’t help but notice that the Wolverines are standing between the Gophers and sole possession of 1st place. And the Maroon & Gold locomotive has no plans on stopping, and I thought I saw a Gopher player smiling devilishly at the helm of the mighty Gopher Express with the rest of the Gophers shoveling coal as fast as their little clawed paws can shovel, and that doesn’t bode well for the small animals standing in harm’s way…

Look out, Wolverines…

The Gopher train is coming full speed.

Go Gophers!