Gophers coach Don Lucia was quoted as saying he was pleased with a 3-3 tie with Michigan State on Friday in East Lansing, Mich., under the circumstances.

(I was not there, but I listened to part of the game and checked several Internet sources for postgame reaction.)

Justin Bostrom, a winger, missed the game and will miss a half-dozen more after hand surgery on Tuesday. That has been reported.

Also out was center Blake Wheeler, the team’s leading scorer. An educated guess is he was ill because Lucia said histeam washampered by injuries (Bostrom) and illness (???).

Michigan State (8-3-1) is the defending NCAA champion and rated No. 6 this week. And MSU was playing in its rink. So a tie is not so bad.

But the No. 15 Gophers (7-5-1) led the Spartans, 1-0, 2-1 and 3-2. The first two goals came from defensemen, freshmen Stu Bickel (his first) and junior R.J. Anderson (his second of his career, both this season). That’s a good sign because Lucia has been lamenting the lack of offensive defensemen.

Freshman wing Mike Hoeffel also scored his first career goal for Minnesota’s third goal. It also wasthe Gophers’ firstshort-handed this season.

Goalie Alex Kangas, another freshman, was solid, too. He made 27 saves and was named the No. 1 star in the game.

Michigan State’s tying goal came at 12:41 of the third period — about 30 seconds after Hoeffel’s goal. It was the Spartans first SH goal of the season.

The Gophers came into this game, part of the College Hockey Showcase, with a 13-game undefeated streak against nonconference teams and extended it.

On the second day of the CHS, the Gophers will play at No. 2 Michigan (12-1) on Saturday. Michigan beat Wisconsin 3-2 on Friday in the other CHS game. The Badgers were down 3-0 until scoring twice 17 seconds apart late in the third period.

The Wolverines’ lone loss was 4-3 to the Gophers in the second game of the season. So the maize and blue should be fired up.

Hopefully the U does not lose any more players. It was nice to seeat least three freshmen — Bickel, Hoeffel and Kangas — step up on Friday. Despite being outshot, the Gophers could have beaten MSU; they hit several posts.

And, if they ever can get their power play going, they might get on a roll. A big if. Friday, the Gophers were 0-for-5 on power plays, got only five shots and gave up the typing goal.

Wheeler being out obviously hurt on the PP. Maybe he will be back for Michigan tonight. Wonder who will start in goal? Lucia has to be tempted to give Kangasback-to-back starts for the first time.He would be my choice, just to see if he really can get into a zone. Who would you play in the nets?

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