Lucia: Slow start led to Saturday's loss

"We didn't come out the way we needed to come out and that set the tempo," Gophers coach Don Lucia said after his team's 4-3 loss to Notre Dame on Saturday. "We didn't have any pace to our game. We talked about coming out and having a good first 10 minutes.

"[The Irish] are a good defensive team, This is only the fifth time they have given up more than 30 shots." The Gophers had 34 shots on goal, the Irish 30.

"We couldn't get sustained pressure," Lucia said. "We had a few guys that struggled a little bit [Saturday]. They were the better team. They were a Frozen Four team a year ago. They have five D, nine forwards and a couple goalies back who played in that environment and I thought it showed the way they played tonight."

"You got through [slumps]," Lucia said. "They went through a stretch where they lost four in a row. And now they are playing better right now."

The Irish (13-6-3) lost four consecutive games from Nov. 26 to Dec. 9 before beating the Gophers for their third win tin a row.

TWO WJC PLAYERS TO REST

"We need to give Bjugey and Rau a couple days off here," Lucia said, "and then find out which seven D and which 13 forwards will get on the bus to Grand Forks."

"They were tired [against Notre Dame]." Lucia said. "They gave it what they had. But you go through that tournament and it is not easy when you come back from that. ... They were both excited. They were wanting to play."

Bjugsatd had a late power-play goal in the third period -- it was his 17th goal of the season -- and a game-high seven shots on goal. Rau had one shot on goal.

"We had a rough time out in Edmonton, but it is nice to be back with this team," said Bjugstad, referring to the U.S. team's seven-place finish. "We are going to bounce back.

"I was excited to play [Saturday]. It is fun to play Notre Dame. I never played them before. That is what I've come to college for, to play hockey. [Coach Lucia] has given Kyle and me [Sunday] and Monday off. So that is nice."

Lucia had some harsh words for his players after the game, Bjugstad said, but he said the criticism was well-deserved.

Until the last three minutes. The Gophers, namely Bjugstad and Zach Budish, scored twice within 31 seconds.

"We had a little energy there, which is a little late in the game," Bjugstad said. "We'd like to come in the first period and do that. We saw that we can come back."

WCHA GRIND RE-STARTS

For the rest of the regular season, the Gophers play only WCHA teams. Seven in all over eight weeks.

"We are back in league play now," Lucia said, referring to the Gophers' series at North Dakota next weekend. "We had a good first half. We know the games get difficult the second half of the season. The last couple of games, we played two good teams and we are going to play another good team this weekend."