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Home | Sports

Nothing separates Mankato, Gophers

Bruce Bisping, Star Tribune

Gophers goalie Alex Kangas tripped up Minnesota State Mankato’s Rylan Galiardi as he crashed the net during the first period on Friday. Kangas had 26 saves for the Gophers in the 3-3 tie.

The teams played to a tie, another installment in a string of overtime games that has reached four.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: November 1, 2008 - 8:47 AM

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MSU MANKATO 3, GOPHERS 3, OT

Up next: Minnesota Hockey Showcase: Gophers vs. MSU Mankato • 7:37 p.m. today • Xcel Energy Center • TV: FSN (950-AM) • St. Cloud State vs. Minn. Duluth • 4:07 p.m. • Xcel

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Senior goalie Mike Zacharias of Minnesota State Mankato needed six stitches to close a cut on the top of his forehead after the Mavericks' 3-3 overtime tie Friday with the Gophers at Mariucci Arena.

"I got my costume now," said Zacharias, who tied a career high with 47 saves on Halloween night.

The cut came at a most inopportune time. One minute, 31 seconds into overtime, a shot by Gophers defenseman David Fischer knocked Zacharias' helmet off for the second time in this game.

A stick wielded by teammate Kurt Davis accidentally hit Zacharias and soon there was blood all around the crease.

The Mavericks' trainer bandaged him quickly: "He Ramboed me up so I could go out there.

"I think I had one shot after that. The guys took care of me. Now I have a little bit of a headache."

But Zacharias hopes to play again when the teams meet tonight in the second game of the inaugural Minnesota Hockey Showcase at the Xcel Energy Center. It also counts as a regular conference game.

Friday night the No. 5-rated Gophers (3-0-2 overall and conference) led by one goal three times but could not hold the lead.

Junior winger Ryan Stoa gave Minnesota a 3-2 lead at 8:58 of the third period, but 89 seconds later MSU defenseman Cameron Cooper tied the score.

So for the fourth consecutive game, these two teams went into overtime. The streak started with three games in Mankato last March in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. The Gophers won the third game 3-2 in two overtimes; the Mavericks' season ended with the loss.

"Surprise, surprise, overtime," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "We hit a few pipes, but it was a good entertaining game for fans.

"Zacharias was on top of his game. We had good movement on the power play and a lot of shots [18]."

But the Gophers scored only one goal -- by defenseman Cade Fairchild -- in 11 power plays. Gophers goalie Alex Kangas stopped 26 shots and shut out the Mavericks on eight power plays.

In their last 11 meetings, the Gophers hold a deceiving 8-1-2 advantage over the Mavericks. Six of those victories were by one goal.

Junior Jay Barriball gave the Gophers a 1-0 lead at 4:54 of the second period. Freshman center Jordan Schroeder, in the middle of the lower right circle, found Barriball alone at the far post. It was the first of Schroeder's three assists.

The No. 11 Mavericks (3-1-1, 1-1-1) tied the score 1-1 on defenseman Kurt Davis' 30-foot shot into the upper right corner.

Sophomore defensemen Cade Fairchild broke the tie at 13:55 on a power-play blast from the right point.

Both teams also hit posts in the second period, but the best wasted chance came with 44 seconds. Freshman Mike Dorr, playing in his first game, inexplicably banged the puck off the post on a wraparound.

"We got to finish them off," Lucia said. "And if you ask me about [tonight's] game, I think it will go right down to the wire."

Note

• Lucia suspended freshman forwards Nico Sacchetti and Jake Hansen for the game for violating unspecified team rules. They were replaced in the lineup by two other freshmen, wings Dorr and Joey Miller.

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