Gophers' good side shows up in rout of North Dakota

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Those other Gophers -- the ones that capitalize on rebounds, utilize their speed and score in transition -- showed up Saturday for the second game of the North Dakota series.

It was a boffo display. Nick Bjugstad scored the game's first two goals and Nate Condon the last two as the Gophers overpowered North Dakota 6-2 for a split of their final WCHA regular-season series at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

After losing to North Dakota 2-1 the first night, the Gophers dominated the rematch before an announced crowd of 11,964. And thanks to Nebraska-Omaha's 3-1 victory over No. 1 Minnesota Duluth -- which had a 17-game unbeaten streak -- the Gophers moved back into a tie with the Bulldogs for first place in the conference.

The No. 5 Gophers (16-8-1, 12-4 WCHA) had lost three games in a row, all by one goal.

Bjugstad's 18th and 19th goals of the season gave the Gophers a 2-0 lead after one period. "The big thing in this stadium, you have to get the crowd out of it," he said. "[If] they are into it, they are really loud."

At times Saturday, the Ralph turned as quiet as a library.

Bjugstad's first goal came on a rush with Kyle Rau in the third minute, his second on a rebound after Rau's shot with 20 seconds left.

Five goals were scored in a wide-open middle period. Only three minutes in, the Gophers took a 4-0 lead on goals by freshman Seth Ambroz (on another rebound) and defenseman Nate Schmidt.

After that, it was eerily silent until two UND goals in the middle of the period. Michael Parks deflected a shot past Gophers goalie Kent Patterson, prompting a couple of fans to throw two dead gophers on the ice. Sniper Danny Kristo turned the noisemeter up a few more decibels four minutes later with another goal and UND trailed 4-2.

That made Condon's goal for the Gophers, with 39 seconds in the second period, pretty significant. His shot went off goalie Aaron Dell's right shoulder. Condon scored his second goal shorthanded early in the third period.

"We really played fast tempo and more physical," Condon said.

Said Gophers coach Don Lucia: "The guys were all dialed in, and we had great second efforts, made good decisions and were better along the walls. And some pucks went in."

Next season, UND and the Gophers play only one series, at Mariucci Arena. And in 2013-14, the two longtime rivals join different conferences.

North Dakota coach Dave Hakstol said recently he wants to keep playing the Gophers yearly in a home-and-home series spread over three days.

"We will continue to play," Lucia said. "We don't have anything scheduled. Is it going to be every year? No. We can't play everybody.

"When the new leagues form, I don't know if we will have room on our schedule [for UND] the first year or two."

But that's a long time away. So is a possible outdoor game next season with Wisconsin at Soldier Field in Chicago; the Badgers recently asked if the Gophers have an interest, Lucia said. He does.