Tonight #2 Minnesota seemed to just have a little bit more from the start in this one, and with nine minutes remaining in the first, they scored to take a 1-0 lead over #8 St. Cloud State, and that’s how the first period ended — no, not exactly — the first also ended with Minnesota out-shooting St. Cloud 9-4, in a near replay of St. Cloud’s start against Notre Dame last night.

In the second, St. Cloud came out with more drive, and managed to rally its offense several times, but was not penetrating to the net as they needed to, unlike Minnesota.  And only four minutes into the second, Minnesota scored to take a 2-0 lead.  And six minutes later, at the midpoint of the second, Minnesota scored again to make it 3-0.  Given St. Cloud’s lack of offensive traction in the game, there was something about this third goal that did not seem too good for St. Cloud.  With five minutes remaining in the period, St. Cloud goalie Ryan Farragher, who had played the night before with the flu, left the game and was replaced by backup Charlie Lindgren.  The two teams played out the remainder of the second holding each other off, and it ended 3-0, Minnesota; In the second, St. Cloud out-shot Minnesota 11-10.

In the third, Minnesota goalie Wilcox withstood some good, concentrated charges by St. Cloud to keep the three goal margin intact for the Golden Gophers.  After one of these charges, a slashing call on St. Cloud led to a Minnesota power play, and they instantly capitalized on it when Minnesota’s Kyle Rau knocked one in to make it 4-0.  Things really were not going in St. Cloud’s direction at this point.    The two teams battled it out to the end, and Minnesota took the 4-0 victory, advancing to the Frozen Four in Philadephia, where they will play #13 North Dakota on Thursday, April 10th.

Not only was Minnesota picked in the first round by 39 of 40 entries in our pool, but thirty-three of these thirty nine picked them to make it to the Frozen Four.

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

— Tom