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2010 Gopher Alumni Game
Of all the heated rivalries in hockey, just about every one of them surpasses that of the Maroon & Gold game when it comes to animosity. Beyond the sibling rivalry of dueling number fives, the annual GWH Alumni Game is one where a skater is as apt to be knocked over by a teammate as an opponent. The thin benches in the 4-on-4 contest make fatigue the most dangerous obstacle to overcome.
But once the puck dropped, it didn’t take long for the competitive juices to get flowing. Betsy Kukowski got her Maroon team on the scoreboard first, and if it wasn’t the biggest point of her hockey career, that was only because she assisted on the gamewinner in the 2000 national championship game.
Gold answered quickly, as Becky Wacker was awarded a penalty shot and went top shelf to convert. Her former linemate Andrea Nichols also beat Maroon goalie Sarah Harms-Master upstairs, and Maroon led 2-1. Unfortunately for Gold, it would prove to be their only lead of the contest.
Laura Slominski drew Maroon even when she tapped in a goal-mouth feed from coaching associate Kelsey Bills-Nowak, and they forged back into the lead when Winny Brodt-Brown backhanded home the rebound of her own shot. Tracy Donaghue-Deforest stretched Maroon’s lead to 4-2 when she broke away and scored low. When Bills-Nowak scored on a tap-in of her own, courtesy of a setup by Sarma Pone-Ozmen, the Maroon lead became three and a blowout seemed imminent.
Gold served notice that they wouldn’t go quietly, as Megan Milbert-Trapicchio cashed in a breakaway, and Nichols tipped in a pass from Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal. When Allie Sanchez found the back of the net with a wrist shot, the game was squared at 5-5.
Just before intermission, Kris Scholz got lost behind the Gold defense and gave Maroon a 6-5 lead; then the teams gratefully grabbed a few minutes rest on their benches.
The goaltenders settled in during the second period. Maroon, having seven skaters at their disposal compared to only six for Gold, displayed superior legs and often swarmed the Gold net. But Megan Van Buesekom stood tall, denying most of the attempts. Finally Slominski got several whacks at the puck in close and got one past her to put Maroon up 7-5.
Again Gold fought back. Wacker knocked in a rebound reminiscent of her goal in the national semifinal against UNH. Brodt-Rosenthal got a snap shot to go.
With the score knotted at 7-7, a tie seemed likely as the minutes ticked away. Brodt-Brown broke in alone in the final half-minute and scored the gamewinner.
At that point, Brad Frost skated off the bench with directions for both the timekeeper and referee, exerting influence over game officials by a coach seldom seen outside of Duluth. But Harms-Master denied Julie Otto-Greely on one last penalty shot bid, and Maroon had an 8-7 victory.
A few things have changed over the years. Lack of recent time on skates and long shifts on Saturday had some playing defense in a manner suggesting they had attended Dartmouth instead of Minnesota. Many a last name is different or a hyphen has been added. But it’s always great to see them skating once more, wearing maroon and gold on an ice surface featuring the “M”.
Rosters
Maroon Team
5 Winny Brodt-Brown
7 Sarma Pone-Ozmen
10 Kris Scholz
15 Kelsey Bills-Nowak
16 Betsy Kukowski
21 Laura Slominski
23 Tracy Donaghue-Deforest
G Sarah Harms-Master
Gold Team
4 Andrea Nichols
5 Chelsey Brodt-Rosenthal
9 Megan Milbert-Trapicchio
17 Becky Wacker
21 Allie Sanchez
24 Julie Otto-Greely
G Megan Van Beusekom |
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