Gophers coach frustrated over losing two winnable games

Gophers coach Don Lucia said it was a frustrating weekend in Mankato for his team. The Mavericks swept the Gophers 3-2, 2-1.

"They both were winnable games," he said Monday on his weekly radio show on WCCO. "We left some plays on the table. Even Friday night two minutes in, Jake Hansen was in all alone. And Jay [Barriball] was in all alone. We had opportunities to score that first goal.

"Interesting stat, when we score first, we are undefeated this year."

The Mavericks scored one power play goal each night, the Gophers power play was 0-for-11 in the two games.

Lucia said the story of the weekend was how well Phil Cook played each night in goal for MSU Mankato. "He was without question the best player in the series," Lucia said. "And that's the right guy to play well.

"From a defensive standpoint we didn't give up much all weekend long. Our goaltending was pretty good. There was probably only one goal out of the five that you would say we'd like to have that one back. But we gave up three and two on the road, that should be -- you give youself a chance to certainly get points. I am really disappointed we left those points on the table and quite honestly those are the ones that come and bite you on the butt at the end of the year."

DOG GONE TOUGH

"[The Bulldogs] have a really good team. They had some guys who had an opportunity to turn pro," Lucia said. "About three or four guys elected to come back. A lot of it had to do with they knew they would have a good team and a new arena opening up up there after Christmastime.

"A veteran D-corps. [Plus] a good one in [Justin] Faulk who came in and really helps their power play because he can really shoot it. And it seems like Connelly and Connelly and Fontaine have been running that power play forever. It is Year Three together. And they are very good at it. It is a great top line."

Faulk, a freshmen defensemen, has five goals and seven assists for 12 points. Junior Jack Connolly is the center of the Dogs' top line and he is fourth among WCHA players in scoring (6-17-23). Mike Connolly, no relation, is also a junior and is tied for fifth in scoring (11-11-22). The other wing is senior Jusitn Fontaine (9-12-21).

"And [the Bulldogs] are getting great second line scoring, too," Lucia said. "They are getting it done, that's the best compliment I can give them. They have won five overtime games this year. That is incredible to win that many overtime games so far. And they are a confident group. They have only lost two games all season long."

But Lucia said he looks at the UMD series at Mariucci Arena this weekend as an opportunity. "It is an opportunity to strength our schedule and get some good wins," Lucia said. "All of our games [last season] were close with UMD and we had two heart-breaking loses. One in overtime and one off our skate with a minute and a half to go.

"All the games were tight and we'll have a great crowd. We will have to play with great energy. And we have to be very disciplined because we don't want to give their power play very many chances. And then we have to play fast, we have to play smart. Like I told our guys, 'We can be a good team. Our goaltending has to be solid every night and then we have to play smart with the puck and have that physical presence.'

"And we had a much better physical presence in our game on Saturday. It is just getting our guys day in and day out to do that. It is something I guarantee we worked on [Monday] in practice."

THE DON SAYS

* On Nick Bjugstad: "Bjugstad is really improving now. We have to rely on a lot of young kids in critical situations."

* Key to rest of season: "For us to make a step this year, we have to get improved play from our specialty teams. We need that timely power play goal, which didn't happen this weekend. And we need a big kill in a critical moment of the game. We just have to keep growing in those areas."

TIDBITS

* Senior captain Jay Barriball leads the Gophers in scoring with 18 points, which ties him for 11th among WCHA players. He has nine goals and nine assists.

* Yale is No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Magazine national hockey poll this week, suppplanting UMD. Yale is 10-1-0, the Bulldogs are 12-2-2. Other rated WCHA teams are No. 5 North Dakota, No. 9 Nebraska Omaha and No. 10 Denver.