MINNEAPOLIS — No one is attempting to disrespect any of the teams UMD has played so far. Bemidji State played St. Cloud State close twice and bludgeoned Alaska-Anchorage twice. Augustana swept Arizona State last weekend in Sioux Falls, rallying from an early 2-0 deficit in the Friday game and not trailing again the rest of the weekend. Alaska bounced back from its loss to UMD by upsetting Quinnipiac in the Ice Breaker tourney down in Arizona, then beat Michigan Tech last weekend up in Fairbanks.
But as Scott Sandelin said earlier this week, the team UMD faces this weekend — Minnesota — is “a different animal.”
Yeah, the Gophers are younger this year. Seven of last year’s top ten scorers are gone, as is the primary starting goalie.
But don’t mistake this. Bob Motzko still has a very talented team, and it’s hard to argue they didn’t grow up a ton last weekend in Grand Forks. Outshot 11-2 and outscored 3-0 in the decisive third period of a UND 5-2 win on Friday, Minnesota turned things around emphatically one night later. The Gophers outshot the Hawks 13-7 and put up four goals to break a 1-1 tie and win going away, 5-1.
It’s on the back of that huge win that UMD hooks Minnesota for two games here this weekend, the Bulldogs’ first two-game series ever at 3M Arena at Mariucci*.
(* – EDITOR’S NOTE: Bruce, this is a technicality. UMD hasn’t played a two-game series since Mariucci Arena’s naming rights were sold because they needed the money. UMD’s last trip here for a two-game series was Nov. 22 and 24, 2013, a Friday/Sunday series because of football. It was a series that ended in a split, Minnesota won 6-1 on Friday, then UMD 6-2 on Sunday in a game that probably wasn’t that close.)
For UMD, sophomore Harper Bentz remains out with an injury suffered Oct. 4 in Fairbanks. Everyone else is available. Blake Bechen draws back in for Braden Fischer on the fourth line, with Brady Cleveland back in the lineup on defense. Pairings are shuffled a bit outside of the top two.
Adam Gajan vs Luca Di Pasquo.
Lines?
Lines.
UMD forwards
Plante (Max) – Plante (Zam) – Shaugabay
Truman – Gaffney – Arnott
Zaremba – Shlaine – Anderson
Bibby – Kovich – Bechen
UMD defense
Hanson – Kleber
Pionk – Pierce
Cleveland – Siepmann
Bodnarchuk
UMD goalies
Gajan – Dahlmeir – Sheffield
Minnesota forwards
Hendrickson – Clark – Ziemer
Mooney – Ludtke – Lamb
Moore – Pahlsson – Pritchard
Falloon – Mittelstadt (John) – Moe
Minnesota defense
Mittelstadt (Luke) – Gruba
Rombach – Thomas
Whipple – McLaughlin
Rud
Minnesota goalies
Di Pasquo – Airey – Wiese
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