Erik Haula, the Gophers' second line center, has to be a little frustrated right now. He had a game-high eight shots on net on Sunday in the Gophers' 1-0 victory over Canisius and couldn't score.
Haula has three goals this season on a team-leading 23 shots in five games. (That's not counting his six shots, no goals in an exhibition tie on Friday). That's a .130 scoring percentage. He is scoring on one of eight shots approximately. He scored one goal each night when the Gophers swept Michigan State on the opening weekend of the season and has one goal in the past three games.
Actually, that scoring percentage is almost identical to last season's. As a sophomore he had 20 goals -- second on the team to Nick Bjugstad's 25 -- and scored at a .132 clip, which was the fourth best on the team
His hot scoring start and finish last season were big reasons the Gophers won the MacNaughton Cup and reached the Frozen Four.
Second on the team in shots against the Golden Griffins was Kyle Rau, with seven and the game's only goal. Bjugstad, who centers the first line, had five shots on goal and was the Gophers' best face-off man, winning 14 of 22 draws.
Bjugstad has three goals on 15 shots (.200), Rau two on 18 (.111).
Haula and Travis Boyd, the third-line center, were so-so on draws: Haula was 7-7, Boyd 9-8. As a team, the Gophers won 37 face-offs, lost 32.
ETC.
