For the Minnesota Gophers, this was the hockey equivalent of a Thanksgiving dinner where the turkey is undercooked, the dinner rolls are burned and the table talk is dominated by an unfriendly political debate.
Facing historical rival North Dakota on a holiday evening, the Gophers fell behind early and could do little to keep pace with the red-hot Fighting Hawks, who cruised to a 9-3 win on Thursday.
The Gophers (5-7-3) got goals from Ben Meyers, Jack Perbix and Sampo Ranta but could not mount the defensive stand necessary to contain North Dakota’s relentless offense. The Hawks (11-1-2) got a pair of goals from Jordan Kawaguchi along with 18 saves from goalie Adam Scheel to extend their unbeaten streak to 10 games. Hawks forward Grant Mismash, a junior from Edina, clearly enjoyed being home for the holiday with a goal and three assists.
“We had a handful of guys that just had really bad nights of hockey, and we couldn’t overcome that. There’s no chance to overcome that,” Gophers coach Bob Motzko said. “We need to get something from this. We’ve got to respond (Friday) night and be ready to play.”
Jack LaFontaine made his third consecutive start for Minnesota and had 11 saves in 24 minutes of work, but was pulled in favor of Jared Moe after North Dakota’s fifth goal. Moe had 13 saves in relief.
The Hawks struck quickly, taking a lead with barely two minutes elapsed in the game. Gophers defenseman Jackson LaCombe turned over the puck at the blue line, and North Dakota capitalized on the 2-on-1 break when Kawaguchi snapped a wrist shot past LaFontaine on the far side.
North Dakota led 2-0 before the Gophers had an answer, when Meyers capped off a rush to the net by stuffing a low puck under Scheel. It was the second career goal for Meyers, who was the top scorer for the Fargo Force of the USHL last season, and he scored while being tripped on the play, but the Gophers failed to capitalize on the ensuing power play.
Instead it was the Hawks re-establishing a two-goal lead in the final minute of the first on a power play, when Colton Poolman’s long-range shot found an uncovered corner of the net.
“In the first period we hung in there and started to get some momentum late in the period, but as it appeared in the second and third we got out-worked, we got out-competed, took some selfish penalties and it wasn’t a good showing,” said defenseman Tyler Nanne, the Gophers’ co-captain.
The teams traded goals early in the second with Perbix scoring to make it a 4-2 game. He was playing after leaving the Gophers’ previous game early because of injury. Then the Hawks broke things open via a goal from Mismash that chased LaFontaine from the net, followed by a Shane Pinto goal on Moe to make it 6-2, to the delight of the notable contingent of green-clad fans who made their way to Minneapolis on the holiday evening.
“When we were tired and needed to advance pucks we did it and when we had energy and had an opportunity to handle the puck we did make some plays,” said Hawks coach Brad Berry, who sow no distractions from the Thanksgiving holiday among his players. “It’s one game here. Our guys did a good job of focusing, but it’s one of those things where you need to enjoy it but turn the page and get ready for tomorrow.”
North Dakota added two more in the third period, which ended the evening for Moe as well. Third-string goalie Justen Close played the final six minutes for the Gophers, who have now gone 1-4-2 in their last seven home games. It had been more than two decades since the Gophers had surrendered nine goals in a game. They lost 9-6 at Colorado College on Feb. 28, 1998.