Barriball, Carman back on ice

Two top forwards are coming off knee injuries as the Gophers open play in the Dodge Classic.

By ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ, Star Tribune

Last update: January 1, 2009 - 11:03 PM

The two wounded right knees on the Gophers men's hockey team have healed.

Junior forwards Jay Barriball and Mike Carman, both injured in a 6-3 loss to Michigan on Nov. 28, are expected to play when the Gophers meet Brown tonight at Mariucci Arena in the second game of the Dodge Holiday Classic.

In the opener, Northeastern faces Western Michigan.

If the Gophers beat Brown, they will play the first-game winner Saturday night for the championship. If they lose, they will play tonight's first-game loser for third place in the Saturday night game.

"The knee feels great," said Barriball, who has five goals and 13 points in 13 games. "I stayed in pretty good shape over the break."

Barriball and Carman both have missed the past three games, but the timing of their injuries was fortunate. The Gophers have not played since Dec. 14, when they lost to Colorado College 1-0.

Barriball was hurt twice against Michigan. He banged knees with a Wolverines player in the opening period, then returned in the second period.

"At the end of the second, I fell on [my right knee] funny and I felt it tear a little bit," Barriball said.

Barriball led the Gophers with 20 goals during his freshman season but had only six last season.

"I have been used to getting points my entire life," Barriball said, "so last year was kind of an odd year for me. This year, I am kind of back to my old self, just working hard and doing the little things and getting into scoring areas. It's worked out for me so far.

"And it helps playing with [Nos.] 29 and 19."

That would be linemates Ryan Stoa and Jordan Schroeder, two of the WCHA's top scorers, Stoa with 22 points and Schroeder with 21.

Carman's knee is sound, too. "It hasn't hurt in a while. I have been fine skating on it," said Carman, who centers the Gophers' second line and has four goals and six assists in 13 games.

He got hurt on a check. "I just caught my edge in the ice kind of funny and twisted my knee on the way down," he said.

His injury -- and Barriball's -- involved the lateral collateral ligament which connects the thigh bone to the fibula and stabilizes the outer side of the knee.

That's an uncommon ligament to hurt. Usually hockey players suffer anterior or medial collateral ligament injuries.

Carman had a hard time sitting out. "It's not much fun," he said. "I sat out enough last year the first half [he was academically ineligible]. The last thing I want to do is miss more games."

Assistant coach Mike Hastings said having Barriball and Carman back is a big plus for the Gophers.

Both are good guys in the locker room, Hastings said. Barriball is always smiling. Carman shows his varied emotions more but, on the ice, he is a warrior.

"[Their return] gives us a completely different look," Hastings said.

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