College Hockey Update:

MANKATO STATE COMES FROM BEHIND TO BEAT QUINNIPIAC

Mankato State dug its way out of a two goal deficit yesterday in opening round action of the NCAA Tournament in Loveland, CO.  Quinnipiac dominated the first, scoring three minutes in, and then with four minutes left in the frame, to take the 2-0 lead into the break.  The Bobcats outshot the Mavericks in the period.  In the second, Mankato had the momentum, outshooting Quinnipiac 14-5, but did not get on the board until Jake Jaremko netted on with two minutes left in the period, to make the score 2-1, Quinnipiac, at the second break.  Things looked grim when Quinnipiac scored  again nine minutes into the third, taking a 3-1 lead.  But Nathan Smith scored at the fifteen minute point to cut the margin to 3-2, and with only a minute left, Cade Borchardt scored to tie it at three apiece, and to force overtime.  Mankato achieved a narrow 11-10 shots advantage in the third, but in OT they stepped on the gas, outshooting Quinnipiac 7-2, and it was the seventh shot by Ryan Sandelin that went in and gave the Mavericks the game, 7-2.  Mankato is playing Minnesota right now on ESPN2 with a Frozen Four berth on the line; mid-third, Mankato leads it 2-0.

The result of this game was not an upset in our pool as 40 participants picked Mankato State to win, and only twelve picked Quinnipiac.

MINNESOTA BOMBS NEBRASKA-OMAHA OUT OF TOURNAMENT

A good number of the games in the tournament were won by large margins and this one was the largest.   Mason Nevers scored six minutes into the first, then Jack Perbix ten minutes later (assist by Ryan Johnson), and then Scott Reedy two minutes later, to give Minnesota the 3-0 lead.  Taylor Ward put Nebraska-Omaha on the board with two minutes left, to make it 3-1, Minnesota, at the first break.  Ryan Johnson scored at the one minute point of the first, then Ben Meyers six minutes later, and then Mason Nevers nine minutes later, to extend the lead to 6-1, as it stood going into the second break.  Taylor Ward scored for UNO three minutes into the third to cut the lead to 6-2, but Sampo Ranta scored one minute later to make it 7-2, Minnesota, the final score.  Minnesota is playing Mankato State right now on ESPN2, with a Frozen Four berth at stake; mid-third, it’s 2-0, Mankato State.

The result of this game is not an upset in our pool, as 47 of 52 participants picked Minnesota to win, and only five of 52 picked Omaha to win.

That’s all for now.  Stay tuned, and go Terriers!

— Tom