Too bad for Nick Bjugstad that the Gophers were playing an exhibition game on Friday.

If it were an actual game, the 6-4 freshman forward would have doubled his regular-season points total.

Bjugstad, one day after returning from the World Junior Championships, had a short-handed goal and three assists as the U routed the under-18 U.S. national team 9-0 at Mariucci Arena before an announced crowd of 8,424.

"It was a little weird seeing the [U.S.] jerseys; I have been wearing them the past couple of weeks," Bjugstad said.

Wearing his jersey well, too. Bjugstad's OT goal beat Finland, and teammate Erik Haula, in the U.S. team's first game of the World Juniors in Buffalo, N.Y. He also scored the winning goal as the U.S. beat Sweden for the bronze medal on Wednesday.

U coach Don Lucia gave Bjugstad the option to rest Friday. He chose not to. "I have been playing wing and [Lucia] wanted to see me play center with [Mike] Hoeffel and [Nick] Larson," Bjugstad said. "So I wanted to get the experience before we play North Dakota" next weekend.

Bjugstad began this season as the Gophers' second-line center, but after five games came down with mononucleosis, missed five games, then was moved to right wing.

He had two goals and two assists in 13 games for the Gophers, statistics he matched in only six games at the World Juniors. The U.S. junior coaches played him at center, his natural position. "I played [center] my whole life," Bjugstad said. "It is good to get back there. It is different on this big rink here. That is another reason I wanted to go out and play tonight."

"He looked good," Lucia said. "Much more confident player than he was six weeks ago. I was glad he played center at World Juniors against that type of competition. We will keep him there now."

Hoeffel was the other Gopher with three points Friday. He had two goals and an assist. Jacob Cepis had two goals, too.

"Their goalies had an off night," Lucia said. "That's fair to say. But as the game went on, we did a lot of good things. We spread the rink. Some guys scored who hadn't scored, which is good."

The Gophers' two goalies also were sharp, which becomes more significant given senior Alex Kangas' uncertain status. He has tried to practice only once -- and could not get through it -- since suffering an undisclosed injury on Dec. 11. Lucia said Kangas, who began the season as the team's clear No. 1 goalie, will try to practice again next week. If he is still hurting, Kangas might need surgery, Lucia said.

Kent Patterson made 15 saves for the U in the first 32 minutes of the game. Jake Kremer, the team's practice goalie for three seasons, finished, making four stops.