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St. Cloud State University
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SCSU skates to series tie
By Bobby Hart
Published:
Tuesday, January 28, 2003
Media Credit: Blair Schlichte
SCSU defenseman T.J. McElroy takes a shot in the first period of Friday night�s game against the University of Minnesota-Duluth. St. Cloud went on to win Friday�s game 3-2 and then lost Saturday, 3-1.
Going into a home-and-home series against the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, the SCSU men's hockey team and their WCHA foes probably felt that home ice wasn't all it's cracked up to be.
Prior to the weekend, the Bulldogs had taken four out of the last five games they played at the National Hockey Center, where Friday night's game took place. Meanwhile, the Huskies had a six-game winning streak at the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center, where the rematch was held Saturday.
Each team would end up marking their territory in their respected doghouses. SCSU would take the first game 3-2, courtesy of two goals from freshman Joe Jensen. However, UMD would battle back Saturday breaking the Huskies seven-game unbeaten streak by skating around a defensively-flat SCSU team.
Friday marked the 40th consecutive regular season sellout at the NHC with an attendance of 6,342, all of whom received another standout performance from Jensen. The freshman netted his sixth and seventh goals in seven games, including the game-winner at 16:09. Despite the absence of senior Ryan Malone and a wall, also known as UMD freshman goalie Isaac Reichmuth in the Bulldogs crease, SCSU racked up three goals in the third period to put away the Bulldogs.
The first goal for St. Cloud came 1:31 into the period on a four-on-four. Derek Eastman started the rush and dished it to a streaking Peter Szabo. Szabo dropped the puck off to Jensen at the right circle and then backhanded it off the crossbar past Reichmuth.
The Bulldogs would answer back almost two minutes later when Evan Schwabe found a gift lying at the goal line. Husky goalie Jake Moreland made a rare mistake by not covering the puck that he lost sight of.
SCSU answered when Eastman poked home a goal on his 23rd birthday. The goal marked Eastman's ninth point in seven games since he returned to the lineup.
A little over one minute later, Bulldog freshman Tim Stapleton took advantage of a Husky turnover, which tied the game at 2-2.
SCSU's top line then answered with a pretty give-and-go where Motzko found Jensen, who snuck a bullet between Reichmuth's pads, for the game-winner.
While Jensen has complimented the first line with his offensive barrage, he has also taken a lot out of playing side-by-side with seniors Jon Cullen and Motzko.
"Those two might be the best players in the country, and the talent they bring is unbelievable. You can't help but get better by playing with them," Jensen said. "Myself, Cullen and Motzko worked great down low tonight. We put pressure on their defense and made them turn it over. We were clicking really well like we have been the last couple weekends."
Both goaltenders put on a show as Moreland finished with 27 saves and Reichmuth 28. Midway through the second period, Bulldog Marco Peluso had a full speed collision with Moreland, knocking the net off and sending the senior crouching to the ice for a matter of minutes. Eastman dove on Peluso as a result of the play and both received two-minute penalties.
"I didn't even see the guy coming. I just felt the crossbar across my back and no wind in my lungs," Moreland said.
Just moments later, Junior Lessard ran into Moreland, and head coach Craig Dahl had had enough. "I'm tired of having people run into our goalies. I've seen enough," Dahl said. Dahl received his first bench penalty as Husky head coach after shouting at the referees.
Although Dahl wasn't pleased with the battering of his senior goaltender, who had already dislocated his knee earlier in the season against UND, he was very pleased with the even play between all four of his forward lines.
"For the past four games now we've had good, sustained play through three periods from all four lines," Dahl said. "Our defensive play was pretty good, but when it wasn't we had a little trouble. But I think we'll learn from that."
The educational overnight crash course in defense didn't come in time for the rematch in Duluth. The Huskies six-game winning streak in Duluth was broken as the Bulldogs took advantage of plenty of odd man rushes that led to a 3-1 victory over SCSU.
The Bulldogs outshot SCSU 19-9 in the first period and took a 1-0 lead from a goal by Schwabe (from the Bulldogs fourth line).
It was almost the same story as the night before for the Huskies as they had two scoreless periods. SCSU received some greatly needed help from the fourth line of David Iannazzo, Billy Hengen and Garrett Larson. Larson chipped in his first goal of the season (second career) past Reichmuth, assisted by Colin Peters.
The Husky defense then collapsed with three-and-a-half minutes remaining. UMD's Luke Stauffacher snuck one past Moreland to put UMD up 2-1.
Moreland, who tied a career-best with 41 saves, was pulled with 1:19 remaining. SCSU couldn't capitalize with the extra man, although Hendricks had a great opportunity left of the crease. However, the puck jumped over his stick.
Duluth's Nick Anderson added an empty net goal to clinch the 3-1 victory for the Bulldogs. The Huskies ended up just where they started the weekend in the WCHA standings, tied with Minnesota for fourth.
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