The Gophers will try to bounce back after losing 4-3 to the Huskies on Friday at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud State. Minnesota had a huge 43-18 shot advantage but trailed 4-1 until the last five minutes.
So how can the Gophers gets a split. Three keys:
1. Pass less, shoot more on odd-man rushes. Gophers needed to score more one goal through two periods. They had plenty of chances but once, on a three-on-one, didn't even get a shot. Several times they had two-on-ones and missed the net.
2. Stop the Huskies' top line. St. Cloud State has only one really dangerous line. The Gophers need to do a better job of shadowing those players. Ben Hanowski had one goal and two assists and David Eddy, the other wing on the first line, had three assists. And Nic Dowd, their center, had a goal, too.
3. Help Patterson more. Kent Patterson was put in a tough spot on several of the Huskies' four goals. The first one came off a turnover near the Gophers end. Hanowski was alone in front of the net when he got the puck. The second game when Cam Reid was alone on the backdoor. The third was a rebound when the scorer had nobody on him. The fourth came on a pass to a player in the deep slot.
LINE CHANGES
For the first time this season, coach Don Lucia has changed around his lines to start a game. The new lines:
First line/ Kyle Rau-Nick Bjugstad-Zach Budish. This one he didn't touch. Both Rau and Bjugstad had goals on Friday. Rau scored his ninth goal, Bjugstad his 10th.
