Gophers

Wild draftee steals show at Mariucci

Denver's Jason Zucker scored the winner and had an assist, and Wild GM Fletcher was there to see it all.

By Roman Augustoviz

February 12, 2011 at 7:43AM

The Pioneers' Jason Zucker was congratulated by teammates Drew Shore, left, and Luke Salazar as David Makowski skated up to join them after Zucker scored the game winner in the third period Friday night against the Gophers. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)

Minnesota Wild fans cheering for the Gophers on Friday night left Mariucci Arena with mixed emotions.

Denver beat the Gophers 2-1, but the difference-maker was a Pioneers freshman left winger whose draft rights belong to the Wild.

Jason Zucker, the Wild's second-round pick in 2010, broke a 1-1 tie with a goal four minutes into the third period. He also had an assist on the Pioneers' first goal, a game-high seven shots on goal and four blocked shots.

Zucker now has 18 goals, all in WCHA games, more than any player in conference play.

"He has had a tremendous start to his college career," DU coach George Gwozdecky said. "When he gets the puck, he just starts to accelerate and it's tough to slow him down.

"He will go to the net. He's got a very quick stick. He can really shoot the puck. And obviously [he] made a big play on something [that] coming up the ice didn't look very dangerous."

But it was.

The 5-11, 180-pound Zucker sped behind the defense, got to the Gophers' net and slid the puck through Kent Patterson's legs on a short backhander.

The victory -- Denver's sixth in a row over the Gophers going back two seasons -- enabled the No. 4 Pioneers (18-6-5, 14-4-3) to take sole possession of first place in the WCHA.

Among the announced crowd of 9,711 at Mariucci was Wild General Manager Chuck Fletcher.

"I had been told he would be coming to one of the games," Zucker said. "I didn't know which one."

Zucker put on a show as did the two opposing goalies, including Patterson stopping four breakaways.

"[Patterson] played great all night," Zucker said. "I was really surprised that went in."

Zucker said he worked hard with a trainer last summer in Las Vegas, his hometown, but still never expected this much success. "If I told you I knew I would have 18 goals right now, I would be lying to you."

The Gophers (11-12-4, 8-10-3) dropped below .500 overall and is now winless (0-3-1) in their past four games.

Denver freshman goalie Sam Brittain stopped 36 shots, including all nine he faced on the Gophers' six power plays.

Freshman Erik Haula, a 2009 seventh-round Wild draft pick, gave the Gophers a 1-0 lead on a tip midway through the second period. Less than three minutes later, Drew Shore's tip on a Denver power play tied the score.

"It's the same story for us," said coach Don Lucia, whose Gophers outshot Denver 37-30. "It's hard for us to finish on our chances."

Two Gophers forwards missed Friday's game. Senior captain Jay Barriball has a lower-body injury, Nico Sacchetti has the flu.

Denver also played without its captain, Kyle Ostrow, who had vascular surgery Friday on his lower abdominal area and is expected to be out three to four weeks.

The Gophers' Jacob Cepis tried to get a second period shot off after he grabbed a rebound off Denver goaltender Sam Brittain Friday night. (Dml - Star Tribune/The Minnesota Star Tribune)