Bulldogs Get Late Goal to Advance to Regional Final
by Anthony Travalgia/CHN Reporter (@atravalgia)
(photo: Rich Gagnon)
ALBANY, N.Y. Minnesota Duluth and Penn State traded scoring chances all night long, however, both goalies were up for the task.
Ultimately UMD’s Adam Gajan was one save better than Penn State’s Joshua Fleming.
From Gavin McKenna and Charlie Cerrato to Max and Zam Plante, it was a game that did not lack star power. Even with Penn State’s fourth-ranked scoring offense and UMD’s second-ranked power play, offense was hard to come by, it was the goalies that stole the show.
“You never know what to expect right in these games, and lot of them end up turning out that way,” UMD coach Scott Sandelin said. “Just glad it turned out in our favor, but our guy was good, their guy was good, and that’s what you need to win games this time of year. You need really good goaltending.”
Fleming made 36 saves, Gajan made 29. But it was UMD that advanced with a 3-1 win, thanks to just one Penn State turnover. The Bulldogs will face Michigan in Sunday’s Albany Regional Final.
“It makes [my job] a ton easier just knowing that he’s gonna save the ones he’s supposed to stop and if we just do our job and keep it to the outside and don’t really allow any grade-A’s in the middle of the slot — he’s been great for us all year,” UMD defenseman Ty Hanson said of Gajan.
“He’s kind of been our backbone, especially through a lot of these games recently where we could we go down a couple goals and he makes one big save, and it just keeps us right back into the game. I thought he was unbelievable tonight.”
A lot of the focus was on McKenna coming in, but UMD limited him to just two shots on goal and he wound up minus-3 on the night. Penn State tested Gajan early, throwing 17 shots on goal in the first period, Gajan turned away all but one.
As good as he was, Gajan was beating himself up over the one he did allow.
“I thought the goal [Penn State] scored was probably one of the worst I gave up all season long. Don’t be looking for excuses, but I mean, I pushed out of the net,” Gajan said. “I was probably there a lot slower than I would normally be, and I was on a bad angle, short side goal.”
Sure, Penn State rang iron several times throughout the night, but an inch the other way and it’s just another shot attempt that misses the target. Penn State had 13 combined shots in the second and third periods, several of those coming from high-danger areas.
“They had some good chances. Now everyone is like tapping your shoulder and [saying] ‘great game’ and stuff like that. I really feel thankful because they hit a couple of posts that could’ve went in,” Gajan said.
A sprawling save on Reese Laubach and a post-to-post save on Matt DiMarsico highlighted Gajan’s third period. More importantly, it kept the game 1-1, which allowed Hunter Anderson to break the tie.
“I feel thankful after those kind of games when things go your way,” Gajan said. “I mean, huge goal, five minutes to go, right? Great team effort.”
Duluth is one of the better teams at shot suppression, allowing 25.3 per game, seventh-fewest in college hockey. It’s the fourth-most saves Gajan has made this season, also making 29 in UMD’s loss to Denver in the NCHC Championship.
That night however, he allowed four goals.
“I thought we played very well defensively, it was probably a little different than playing NCHC teams. Just so much offensive power, really talented guys,” Gajan said.
“I felt great. I think I was never more calm in my life, in any game I ever played — playoffs or regular season, like, I just didn’t care. I was just chilling there and doing my job.”
Gajan did his job on Friday and did it well.