Red-hot special teams carry U

Marlin Levison, Star Tribune

Gophers Jake Hansen slipped the second goal of the game past Colorado goalie Richard Bachman in first period action.

The Gophers ended a three-game winless streak by scoring on three of their four power plays and killing off five penalties.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: December 14, 2008 - 12:11 AM

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GOPHERS 4, COLORADO COLLEGE 1

Up next: 4 p.m. today vs. Colorado College • Mariucci Arena • TV: FSN (950-AM)

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Power plays, penalty kills. The Gophers excelled at both Saturday, and it was the difference.

Minnesota scored on three of four power plays and killed off five penalties in a 4-1 WCHA victory over Colorado College at Mariucci Arena before an announced crowd of 10,177.

Jake Hansen and Nico Sacchetti, two freshmen wingers, scored their first collegiate goals as the No. 2-ranked Gophers (8-2-5, 7-1-3) ended a three-game winless streak.

Hansen's goal, the team's only one at even-strength, was the game-winner. It gave Minnesota a 2-0 lead in the eighth minute. Patrick White, deep on the left side, set up Hansen.

"It's about time," said Hansen, a 31-goal scorer for Sioux Falls in the USHL last season. "That was a great pass by Whitey. At first, I didn't really know if I had it. I was just going to the net hard, and I made contact with the goalie, so I thought they might disallow it because I was in the crease at the end."

Officials ruled it was a goal after reviewing the play on the TV monitor in the penalty box.

"They took advantage of the power play tonight, that's how they make their living," Tigers coach Scott Owens said. "And it's true to form this year, at least tonight."

Mike Hoeffel, Cade Fairchild and Sacchetti had the Gophers' three power-play goals. Minnesota came into this series scoring on 21.2 percent of its power plays -- the fifth-best pace in the nation.

The Gophers have at least one power-play goal in 13 of 15 games.

"The power play did a nice job," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "The penalty killing was good. Our goalie [Alex Kangas] was good. And some guys stepped forward and scored their first goals as a Gopher, which we needed to have tonight."

Three of Minnesota's top forwards are out this weekend because of injuries.

"I was worried heading in with final exams -- [Friday] we had a 30-minute skate at 8:45 in the morning -- how we would respond," Lucia said. "But I thought we responded in a very positive manner."

For No. 10 Colorado College (9-6-4, 6-5-2), this was a typical series opener. The Tigers were 0-4-3 on Friday nights in their past seven series. Add another loss.

And their power play continues to be stagnant; CC has four goals in its past 80 power plays.

The Gophers took a 2-0 lead in the first period on goals 62 seconds apart by Hoeffel and Hansen. The Tigers answered on Bill Sweatt's goal at 13:59 from the slot. He redirected a long, off-speed shot by defenseman Gabe Guentzel. Kangas, who had 25 saves, could not stop the puck from banking in off the right post.

"It went off a guy's skate, but that's fine," Lucia said. "We will give up [only] one every night and see if we are OK with that."