Dissecting Game 2: From Barriball Masterpiece to Horror Show

Gophers coaches break down video from the team's games and show them at practice. At least that's my understanding. Never seen a clip yet. But they show the good and the bad. Coaches figures players can learn better by watching themselves.

Probably a lot of truth in that.

Here, we have to settle for going through second game in our mind and notes and quotes afterward,

Game 2: Gophers win 5-3 over UMass ... Barriball gets hat trick in first period. Minutemen appear on verge of collapse. Doesn't happen.

Key plays

First period

* Barriball scores second goal in as many games at 3:58. Senior captain goes over to glass, jumps in air and bounces off glance. Noticed this at least once. Not sure if he did it after every goal. Not sure it this was after first goal. But he did it.

Haula gets easy first assist again on Barriball's second goal. Junior defenseman Aaron Ness makes this play work. Ness, between top of circles, tries to pass to Barriball, alone near left post. Ness' first pass is blocked, he jabs at puck again with one hand and this time ti gets to Barriball. He one-times shot. Goal comes at 14:11 on power play, 1:23 into it.

Barriball gets third goal on slick pass from Jacob Cepis on power play at 19:09. No hats come out onto ice. No stoppage to remove anything. Cepis, on right side of net, slides pass across top of crease to Barriball. He had lots of room to finish.

"I have felt comfortable [on the ice] for a while," Barriball said. "It was just a matter of getting some game time in. And getting out there in a full-pace game. Even though you try in practice to simulate game speed as much as possible, a game is always a little different. I felt real comfortable out there this weekend, just looking forward to next weekend."

What teammates are learning quickly is, their assists total will grow if they get the puck to Barriball around net. Three goals, all around net.

"If you are working hard, that is what happen," Barriball said. "You've just got to get to the net. Be around the net. And if you around the net, you are going to get those kind of goals.

Worth noting: Cepis draws second penalty this season, at least, when he is tripped at 5:24. Gets up slow but is OK. ... Shots 10-2 as UMass starts on pp at 8:20 ... First penalty killers for Gophers are forwards Nick Larson and Taylor Matson and top D-pair, Aaron Ness and Seth Helgeson.

Senior goalie Paul Dainton of UMass is replaced midway through period when he skates off ice. Apparently has leg injury. ... Gophers foward Nico Sacchetti loses puck in own end, UMass almost scores. ... UMass player levels Patrick White with elbow to head at 18 minutes, gets 5-min. major penalty for contact and game misconduct. ... Barriball's third goal comes 51 seconds later on pp. ... Shots 17-7 for U.

Second period

* UMass regroups and rallies, outscoring U 3-1 this period.

Redshirt fr. D Anthony Raiola, of Minnetonka H.S. and Victoria, MN., starts UMass comeback with shot from left point. One section of Mariucci cheers. A woman screams. Must be his mom.

UMass gets two more goals, one unassisted, to close within 4-3. Five roughing penalties called. Twice a player from each side goes into the box at same time for that infraction. .. UMass, team on ropes into period, outshoots Gophers 12-6.

Third period

* Gophers start period shakey. Sr. D Cade Fairchild gets penalty for tripping at 1:08, so UMass has 4x3 advantage for 26 seconds, then 5x4 for 1:34. Puck is in U end all the time. Kent Patterson dives for puck one time, misses it, and is really vulnerable in that position.

Why did UMass have so much success at times bottling U in its defensive zone? "It's a combination of things," Barriball said. "Our forwards were not supporting the puck good enough. And sometimes we were losing battles. It is a big deal, but if we are keeping them to the perimeter and keeping them passing on the perimeter, we are playing good D. But we do need to tighten some things up and that's what we will be working on in practice [this] week."

But Nico Sacchetti, a jr. F for Gophers, gets game-winner at 3:41 with shot off Teglia's glove. Makes score 5-3.

Worth nothing: Patterson, playing in his first game, had trouble covering the puck several times. Didn't give up a goal in any of those situations, but it's only a matter of time he will. ... Jr. D Aaron Ness had trouble handling puck several times in game. Might be pressing a bit. It's his junior year, says he has to be a team leader and score more.

Gophers have taken 16 penalties, eight in each game, including a major and game misconduct by fr. C Nick Bjugstad. He is team leader with three penalties for 19 minutes. Ness, Haula and Kevin Wehrs all have two penalties.

Said Barriball: "The games we do take a lot of penalties, we've got to learn to kill penalties and stick with it. And that's what we did [Sat.]."

THE DON SAYS

Lucia on 5-4 win: "The good thing for us is, we came out and played a strong first period. We were able to play with the lead. Maybe if the score was tied, we would have played differently the last two periods. We did enough to get the win [Saturday]."

On Jay Barriball's strong start: "He has to feel awfully good about himself. He is a pure goal-scorer and we missed him. Hopefully, he can have a great senior year for us."