Haula, Barriball working well together

Last Sunday Gophers coach Don Lucia mixed all his lines and defensive pairs up and started backup goalie Kent Patterson. It worked. The U beat St. Cloud State 2-1 to break a three-game slide.

"I thought all the lines played well and contributed and that's what we have to have," Lucia said.

The Gophers played better on defense, but scored only two goals. So Wednesday, Lucia kept tinkering with his lines.

The top line, for instance, was reunited. Mike Hoeffel was at left wing, Erik Haula at center and Jay Barriball at right wing. On Sunday, Lucia had senior Patrick White at left wing. So maybe that experiment is over.

Hoeffel and Barriball are both seniors and team leaders. Hoeffel is an assistant captain, Barriball the captain. But Haula, a freshman, has fit in well with them.

"When we recruited Erik we thought he could be a top two line player immediately just from his experience at Shattuck-[St. Mary's two years ago], and playing in that role with Omaha [of the USHL last year.

"He showed he is a playmaker, a natural center where he is going to look to distribute, look to give. He has got a good shot. Sometimes you would like him to be a little bit more selfish and look for his shot a little bit more. But that was the idea -- OK here is a playmaking left-handed center and Jay could be the goal-scoring right winger and so far that is the way it has worked out."

Hoeffel, who has two power-play goals, leads the team with a plus-6 ranking, Haula is next with a plus-4.

Lucia, of course, could put Hoeffel on another line again, but usually Wednesday's lines are a strong indication of Friday's lineup.

On the second line midweek were Jacob Cepis, Nate Condon and Zach Budish. Cepis was on the third line Sunday.

Taylor Matson, who Lucia has praised for his recent efforts, was centering the third line. His wings were Jared Larson and Jake Hansen.

The fourth line has made up of Max Gardiner, Nico Sacchetti and Patrick White.

The two Nicks will be in the lineup when they get healthy, Lucia said, so two forward spots are temporarily open now.

"Other guys are going to get a little bit of an opportunity right now to showcase what they can do and find a role," Lucia said. "Show me you have to stay in the lineup because you can kill penalties, show me that you will play physical, show me you can score.

"You have to win a key faceoff. You have to be able to bring an element to our team that is going to fill a role."

Otherwise, Lucia said, a player won't be one of the 12 forwards.

"You search for [chemistry]," Lucia said. "I am not one who thinks you have to have the same three guys play together all year long. If you talk to some guys, there are certain guys they like to play with. That's understable but that can also change night to night or week to week."

Lucia said both his top two goalies, Alex Kangas and backup Kent Patterson, will probably play against Colorado College.

"We have talked to all our players about earning the right to play," Lucia said, so it is only fair Patterson plays after he and the Gophers beat St. Cloud State 2-1 on Sunday. "Certainly, Alex understands that, our team understands that. It shouldn't be any different at that position [than] it is for a defenseman.

"Like Jake Parenteau coming in on Sunday and playing as well as he did. He deserves the right to play again."

Parenteau, a freshman defenseman, played in his first college game on Sunday and looked like he belonged. He had a shot on net, two blocks and at least one big hit.

"You are trying to get guys to play at their peak," Lucia said. "You want internal competition at every position within your team. The more we can compete with each other, the more hopefully we can compete on Friday and Saturday nights."

Lucia said he had a little chat with Kangas after pulling him last Friday with St. Cloud State leading 5-0 in the second period.

"Certainly that wasn't all his fault," Lucia said. "Most of the goals were -- some were back door. Alex needs to do a better job on his rebound control. That's one thing that has gotten him in a little bit of trouble. But you certainly can't fault him probably for four of the five goals that they did score on him Friday night.