St. Cloud State vs. Minnesota State: Final Thoughts

While Saturday's game ended with the same 5-1 score as Friday night, there seemed to be some distinct differences in the two games. On Friday, St. Cloud jumped out to a 3-0 lead 15 minutes into the game, and cruised to an easy win. On Saturday, it was a very tight hockey for the first two periods before St. Cloud was able to score two early goals in the third period, and Minnesota State kind of unraveled.

For Minnesota State, the biggest problem so far this year has been finding a way to play good, consistent hockey for an entire 60-minute game. They were able to mask and overcome that problem a bit against less talented non-conference opposition, but that just isn't going to work against WCHA competition. Perhaps this weekend will serve as a bit of a wake-up call, after they escaped with a win and a tie in each of their previous two series against non-conference opponents.

Meanwhile, St. Cloud State looked like a team capable of competing with the upper echelon of the WCHA this year, even without the services of their best player, Ben Hanowski, tonight. One of the big keys for St. Cloud this year will be how goalie Ryan Faragher can take them. He was excellent tonight when he needed to be, especially during a stretch in the second half of the second period when he made three or four key stops to keep Minnesota State off the scoreboard and maintain a lead for his team.

I'll have a more in-depth article coming later this week, but Nic Dowd was just dominant. He had a goal and an assist show up on the score sheet, but where he really made the difference in this game was winning nearly every battle along the boards. He was also really good in the face-circle. Last year, he looked like a player with a lot of promise, and tonight he looked like a player that had taken that next step. We might be talking about him as one of the best in the WCHA if he continues to perform like this.

Finnish freshman Kalle Kossila looks like the real deal as well. European players coming to North America for the first time are always wildcards, but Kossila seems to have had no problem adjusting. He's got some really slick hands that should allow him to put up a lot of points this year.

St. Cloud/Minnesota State Third Period Notes

Scoring

0:27- Nic Dowd from Cory Thorson and Nick Jensen (power play)) 2-0 SCSU

St. Cloud got an early power play. Dowd skated in from the left wing and poked home a rebound on a goalmouth scramble.

1:05- Drew LeBlanc from Kalle Kossila 3-0 SCSU

A quick turnover in the neutral zone allowed LeBlanc to come streaking down the left wing with a clear shot at the net. He waited for Williams to over-commit and beat him through a gaping fivehole.

14:24- Cory Thorson from Nick Dowd and Nick Jensen (power play) 4-0 SCSU

St. Cloud controlled the puck in the offensive zone. A pass from down low by Dowd found its way to Thorson in the high slot, and he beat Williams again with a nice wrist shot.

18:20- Kalle Kossila from Jimmy Murray and Taylor Johnson (power play) 5-0 SCSU

Kossila walked down the slot with the puck and deked around Williams for the goal.

19:08- Tony Mosey from Eriah Hayes and Johnny McInnis (shorthanded) 5-1 SCSU

Mosey scores off a scramble in front late in the game to ruin the shutout.

Notes

For a team looking for a third period comeback, the first minute was about as bad as you could script it for Minnesota State. Chase Grant took a cross-checking penalty, that easily could have been a five-minute major for hitting from behind, and St. Cloud capitalized with a power play goal. Immediately after the goal, a bad defensive breakdown led to a wide open shot for Drew LeBlanc, and he buried his opportunity to put Minnesota State into an almost immediate three-goal hole.

Once they picked up the 3-0 lead, St. Cloud played played pretty conservatively, leading to a lot of Minnesota State shots, but not many quality scoring chances.

Minnesota State/St. Cloud State 2nd Period Notes

Scoring

2:44- Cory Thorson from Jarrod Rabey and Ethan Prow 1-0 St. Cloud

Thorson carried the puck into the zone and fired a wrist shot from just above the top of the circles in the center of the ice that beat Stephon Williams high to the blocker side.

Shots on goal(total): St. Cloud 8(17) Minnesota State 11(17)

Notes

Another pretty even period. I'd give the edge in run of play to St. Cloud, although Minnesota State controlled the last few minutes. Minnesota State had the better quality of scoring chances, but it was St. Cloud that tallied the only goal. Both goalies have played pretty well, however.

Ryan Faragher made a couple brilliant saves in the second period, including one sliding across his crease to stop a Chase Grant one-timed redirect. He also had a nice save on a goalmouth scramble that looked like a sure goal, and a highlight reel glove save off a Minnesota State rush. The best may have came with 1:50 left in the period when he robbed JP Burkemper on a semi-breakaway backhander with his glove. He's been the difference in the game so far. Williams has been very good on the other end, as well, but he'd probably like another crack on the shot that scored St. Cloud's only goal.

St. Cloud/Minnesota State First Period Notes

Scoring

No scoring in the period.

Shots: St. Cloud State 9 Minnesota State 6

Notes

Jarrod Rabey was a late addition to the lineup, replacing David Morley at forward after warm-ups. There was no reason given for why Morley was scratched.

There was a scrum in front of the Minnesota State net 38 seconds in that led to some heavy pushing and shoving, followed by two quick penalties as the refs tried to take control of the game, leading to 12 minutes of penalties being assessed in first 2:03 of the period.

St. Cloud controlled the early moments of the first period, and generated a couple nice chances that Williams had to be sharp to stop. Minnesota State answered back with a few quality chances of their own, including a semi-breakaway by Bryce Gervais, but could not score. Overall, it was a pretty even period, with neither team really dominating for more than a few minutes over any given stretch.

St. Cloud/Minnesota State Line Charts

Line charts for tonight's St. Cloud/Minnesota State game.