I’ve never gone to a Blue Line Club luncheon, but hope to make the one at 11:30 a.m. on Thursday at Jax Cafe in Nordeast, which is where I grew up. I’m interested in what kind of questions coach Don Lucia might get from fans.

But maybe they won’t have a Q and A session. Not sure.

I saw and talked to Lucia and several of his players after Saturday’s game and again on Wednesday before practice. Here are a few tidbits from those interviews:

* Lucia on Michigan Tech, the Gophers’ next opponent on Saturday and Sunday: “Michigan Tech has played us very good in the past few years.” He expects a low-scoring game.

“They are a completely different style team than New Hampshire. They are a grind-it-out, defensive team.”

* On the Gophers’ schedule: “We’re halfway through our schedule before Christmas. We have finished eight games [going 5-0-3] and have eight games to go. The next eight will be more difficult.”

He is right. After Michigan Tech at home, the Gophers play at Denver on Nov. 21-22, return to play Michigan and Michigan State on Nov. 28 and 29, and, still at home, play Colorado College on Dec. 13-14. The CC games are Minnesota’s only games in December.

* On recruiting: “We have 18 scholarships and very few players get full scholarships.”

One reporter kept asking Lucia for specifics on who the walk-ons are on this team, who has full scholarships, etc. Lucia would not comment, calling that information a private matter.

He did complain a little about football and basketball getting full scholarships for all their players. “We have 18 scholarships and 20 players play,” Lucia said. “Basketball has 13 scholarships and seven or eight play.” He said he does not understand the rationale behind that logic.

* On the Gophers’ four goals in the third period last Saturday against N.H.: “We have had good strong third periods all year long. We had some problems getting that separation in goals a year. This year we have been able to get it so far. Guys seem to know their roles.”

* On the power play and penalty kill units: “Our specialties are getting better. And if you win the special games, more often than not, you win the game.”

ONE-LINERS 

* New Hampshire coach Dick Umile after his Wildcats lost 6-2 last Saturday: “Great atmosphere.” Those were his last words to the media and he was not being sarcastic; he was impressed with Mariucci and the home crowd.

* Sophomore wing Mike Hoeffel of the Gophers on their fast start, especially compared to last season: “It’s a lot more fun. We are a really deep team and everyone is contributing.”

* Junior captain Ryan Stoa, who had a short-handed goal on Saturday, said the Gophers found a weakness in N.H. goalie Brian Foster’s game: “We watched him all game. And we were beating him high on the glove side. I just tried to snap one up there. Luckily I beat him high.”

– Defenseman Cade Fairchild’s goal at 5:44 of the first period on a power play was a wrister into the upper right corner.

– Hoeffel’s goal at 14:51 of the first period, on another pp, was upper right corner, too.

– Stoa’s goal at 4:42 of the third period was short-handed and into the same area of the net.

* Junior assistant captain Ryan Flynn on his two goals Saturday: “I credit Mike Carman with that pass on the one-timer. And then Dave Fischer [found me] on the back door. They were easy goals. It was nice to get a couple.”

* Stoa again  on the team’s success the past three Saturdays — three wins — after tying the past three Fridays: “We came in in crazy shape. We worked hard this summer. And we have a lot of guys working hard in practice and competing for spots. Maybe that helps out a lot.”

This entry was posted on Wednesday, November 12th, 2008 at 11:48 pm and is filed under Gophers men's hockey. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.