Gophers getting healthy for trip to Michigan Tech

Gophers coach Don Lucia said he recently told Jeff Winslow, the team's athletic trainer, he is the most disliked on the staff right now. "He is the Grim Reaper," Lucia said. "Every time he comes in, it is more bad news"

Lucia said the week before the Wisconsin series just kept worst. Junior winger Zach Budish was involved in a moped accident on Monday. He is out for the season; Budish will have knee surgery next week.

Then on Wednesday, freshman defenseman Jake Parenteau was diagnosed with mononucleosis and by Friday senior forward Patrick White was too sick to play. He had the flu. Already out were freshman forward Nick Bjugstad (mono) and sophomore forward Nick Larson (foot).

"It's much better [now]," Lucia said, referring to the medical condition of the team. "None of those guys would have been in a position to play a week ago. All of them are in a position to possibly play this weekend up at Michigan Tech.

[Except Budish, of course.]

Lucia said Bjugstad, Larson and White all skated on Monday. He said they looked a bit rusty and were winded quickly.

There was also good news on Parenteau. "He either had mono before or he was at the tail end of it," Lucia said, "because when they did a blood test last week, he actually came through and he was O.K. He was cleared to practice at the end of last week."

Bjugstad, Lucia said, will play for sure but his time and Parenteau's if he plays, may be limited.

"What it will allow us to do is have a deeper group up front than what we are able to have [against Wisconsin}," Lucia said, "with more experience and certainly more speed and skill than we had last [series].

"That is the positive. I don't think we will blow up the lines too much. Insert a guy here and there."

Lucia said his staff will decide on Wednesday who will make the 6-hour bus trip to Houghton.

GOALIE LOWDOWN

"Kent has played very well so far this year and certainly is deserving of continuing to play," Lucia said. "I know it has been hard on Alex. We know he is a good goaltender. He has not gotten off to the start we know he would have liked to have.

"There has been some things he has had to deal with. As a matter of fact, his grandpa just passed away this past weekend. He was dealing with that. And he has a funeral to attend this week. Our thoughts our with Alex, his dad and his family. These are the kind of things that weigh on your mind as a kid that a lot of people don't know.

"He was real close to his grandpa and it has affected him. I was glad he was able to get away this weekend and visit with him before he passed on. Alex is a trooper. When it is all said and done he is going to be playing the type of hockey we expect him to play this year.

"Until that time we feel very comfortable playing Kent and playing him often."

Lucia said the Gophers have played better in front of Patterson in the games he has started, not as well in Kangas' starts.

"Like a lot of goaltenders or any player, you can go through a bit of a slump. And when you are [a goalie], it shows up more than in any other position."

LUCIA: MICHIGAN TECH BETTER

Gophers said Michigan Tech has improved a lot on specialty teams. "They didn't give much up five-on-five [last season]," Lucia said, "but, for whatever reason, they really struggled on their penalty kill and they gave up almost two goals a game.

"One of the things that really helped them -- in August, they went on a trip to Europe. So they took their team, they took their incoming freshmen, which allowed them to practice. So they had an opportunity to look at their guys, evaluate and get their team together.

"That trip went very well for them. That really helped get their team solidified. It may also have given them a jump start to the season when it began.

The Huskies are 0-4-0 in their last four games, two at Wisconsin, two at UMD.

"They haven't lost at home," Lucia said, "they just haven't played at home recently."

LAST GAME SOLID

Lucia said he was happy with the way the Gophers played in the second game of the Wisconsin series two weekends ago -- Minnesota was idle last weekend. The Badgers beat the Gophers 6-0 in the first game of the series at Mariucci Arena, but Minnesota had leads of 2-0 and 3-2 in the second game which ended up a 3-3 tie.

"We played a very good game on Saturday, a very tight game defensively," Lucia said. "We were more physical. We took care of the puck. And that is the way this team has to play. We are not going to blow people away because we are going to go out and we have lights out more talent than teams we are playing. That is not the case.

Lucia said he is disappointed the Gophers, who are in sixth in the WCHA, don't have a few more points. He said the Gophers had a chance for a point against Nebraska-Omaha when they rallied from a 4-0 deficit to tie the score, but gave up a late goal.

"Same thing against Wisconsin," he said. "We played a great game. And right [at the end] we gave up a goal to give up another point. If we were sitting 4-3-1 in the league, instead of 3-4-1 like we are now we would probably be in decent shape as we head into Michigan Tech this weekend.

"So we've got to continue to make up some ground. We have to continue to find a way to get wins. Michigan Tech is a much improved team, based on what they have done and what I have seen when I watched them play."

COACHES, NHL GMs MEET

Lucia and a handful of other college coaches were in Toronto last Tuesday, meeting with four NHL general managers about a way to stem the tide of early departures of college players to the pros. At least, that was the coaches' agenda.

Although nothing was resolved, Lucia called the meeting a good first step.

TIDBITS

* The Gophers practiced at Ridder Arena last week and have remained there this week. They are trying to get used to a smaller ice sheet like the one in Houghton, Mich.