Each weekend leaves several lessons to take away, but if there's one to sit and chew upon, it's the above sentence. Sweeps are not a gimme.
Minnesota went nearly the entire season in 2018-19 without sweeping a team at home. The Gophers needed exactly two games in 2019-20 to match the total after a 3-2 overtime win on Friday and 4-2 victory Saturday.
On paper, it's easy to write, "It was just Niagara. Of course, the Gophers should win. Why didn't they win by more?" That would be further from the truth for Minnesota.
No matter what from a name perspective, Niagara was set up to be a tricky team for the Gophers. In a way, the Purple Eagles are at the point Minnesota would like to be.
A season ago, NU added 11 freshmen and one transfer to a team that was in need of a makeover. The Purple Eagles come into the season with the top sophomore class from a scoring perspective and one who played its best hockey towards the end of the season. Niagara came within an overtime goal of making the NCAA Tournament.
Niagara also plays a very constricting defense, which makes it difficult for a team finding its chemistry in October to find success. It's a good lesson for Minnesota, with its 11 freshmen and one transfer, given the team faces the two-time defending champions next weekend in Minnesota Duluth, who do not give many opportunities.
All of these things are those which challenge Minnesota. By sweeping, the Gophers passed its next test. Enjoy the Battle Hymn that comes with a home sweep on Saturday night.
Truth is, it's not easy to sweep any team.
Five Quick Thoughts:
1. It wasn't the prettiest pair of wins, but the pair of wins didn't need to be pretty. There was a difference between coming through Friday after turnovers and a mishmash of failed plays with Saturday's much cleaner win.
However, in both games, it was nice to see a trailing Minnesota keep their foot on the pedal after scoring. The Gophers scored back-to-back goals in under 75 seconds in both games, turning a 1-0 deficit into a 2-1 game. Add in a pair of goals in back-to-back shifts in the win against Colorado College and that makes three in a row.
2. It's early in the season. Sometimes that means time to get used to new players and new numbers. In this case, I'm getting used to
Brannon McManus being the upperclassman on a line with freshmen Jonny Sorenson and Ben Meyers. In a very college hockey way, it's less about age and more about experience. McManus is younger than Meyers and two months older than Sorenson.
3. Once again both goaltenders played this weekend with veteran Jack LaFontaine starting Friday and rookie Jared Moe getting the nod Saturday. Both kept Minnesota in the game when needed. It'll be interesting whether the rotation continues. Friday's game is in Minneapolis while Duluth hosts Saturday.
4. Tyler Nanne left Saturday's game following being checked into the boards and did not return.
5. Friday marked Charlie Beattie's debut as the Gopher hockey play-by-play announcer on Fox Sports North. Based on my timeline, it seemed like he got positive reviews. I really enjoyed his call of Sammy Walker's OT game-winner. Beattie had a perfect combination of making Walker's winner seem like a big deal mixed with letting it breathe and allowing the crowd and band noise at Mariucci to take over. There was nearly 20 seconds between the winning call and when Ben Clymer next spoke.
O CAPTAIN, MY CAPTAIN! Sammy gets his second of the year at the perfect time and wins this one for the #Gophers in OT. pic.twitter.com/FdwJnrzUop— Minnesota Men’s Hockey (@GopherHockey) October 19, 2019
Gopher Women Sweep St. Cloud State to move to 8-0-0
Minnesota ends its opening month with a perfect record after sweeping St. Cloud State at home. Sydney Scobee finished with a 21 save shutout on Saturday before the Gophers won 4-2 on Sunday. (The game was further apart than the score indicated. Minnesota outshot SCSU 40-15 and the second goal came with 10 seconds left.)
This was a weekend where the Alex Woken-Taylor Heise-Grace Zumwinkle line shined, led by Woken scoring on Saturday's first shift. After the Potomaks and Wente line made the most of the trip to Pittsburgh, the group was only on the ice for a single goal, scored by defender Emily Brown. Alex Gulstene remained out, as Scobee started both games.
On paper, the next month gets difficult for No. 2 Minnesota, who received two of 15 first-place votes in the USCHO poll. The Gophers face Ohio State and Wisconsin in the next two weeks. Still, as much as the opening month was supposed to build to this stretch, here's something to keep an eye on: Minnesota's opponents are playing well. Colgate has not lost since facing the Gophers, Minnesota State just tied the Buckeyes twice, and Robert Morris, who gave Minnesota its biggest scare, tied and lost by a goal to another perennial winner in Clarkson.
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