Hockey | 10/27/2024 5:18:00 PM
Minneapolis, Minn. - The Golden Eagles and Golden Gophers were set for their final meeting of the regular season. In net for the University of Minnesota was, once again, Zach Walker. He now has a 5-1-1 record with a 2.09 goals against average and a .937 save percentage. For the University of Minnesota Crookston it was Adam Goody (So., G, Airdrie, Alberta) who came in yesterday and finished out the second period and played the full third period. He enters today's matchup with a 2-0-0 record, a 1.70 goals against average and a .937 save percentage.
Just 32 seconds into the game, Jackson Fuller (Sr., F, Bloomington, Minn.) would collect the loose puck in front of Zach Walker and give the Golden Eagles the 1-0 lead. The Golden Eagle would control the game early, limiting the chances for their opponent. It wasn't until 13:43 left in the first period that the Golden Gophers had a scoring chance. With 4:25 left in the first period, Dylan Wedward would tie the game at one. The Golden Gophers would head to the powerplay 20 seconds later. With a few key saves from Adam Goody, and a shorthanded scoring opportunity, the Golden Eagles were able to kill the penalty. The first period would come to an end, with the two teams even at one.
With the second period underway, the two teams would go back and forth with shots and a few big hits, but nothing to show for it. The Golden Eagles would head to the powerplay with 5:59 remaining in the second period. The Golden Eagles would get a key scoring chance right after the powerplay came to an end, but the game was kept under control by the two netminders. The Golden Gophers would head to the powerplay with 3:14 left. The Golden Eagles had a shorthanded breakaway attempt from Anthony Foster (So., F, Warroad, Minn.) but Walker would come out on top of this one on one. The Golden Eagles would kill off the penalty and Adam Goody would shut down some follow up chances in the final minute of the middle frame. Meyer Kreutzmann would get the Golden Gophers their first lead of the game with a well aimed shot from just inside the blue line and the Golden Eagles would trail heading into the final 20 minutes.
The first five minutes of the third was more of the same story from the last five periods. Plenty of hits, prime scoring opportunities, and two teams that clearly did not like each other. The Golden Gophers would get a man advantage with just over 13 minutes remaining. The Golden Eagles would kill the penalty, and would have more scoring chances on the Golden Gophers man advantage. The Golden Eagles were losing time with an attempt to even this game up, and would pull Goody with 58 seconds left to go to 6-on-5 hockey. Despite a few scoring chances, Walker did not let up and the Golden Eagles would fall to 4-2-0 after a 2-1 loss.
The Golden Eagles head to St. Paul, Minn. next week for a matchup with Bethel.
