The Puck Stops Here
Fisher Admits Thinking About Shutout
From: Rocky Mountian Newsby Jess Meyers
MINNEAPOLIS - Some goaltenders claim to never think about getting a shutout when a game is in progress.
But University of Denver goalie Glenn Fisher admits blanking the opponent weighed heavily on his mind, even in the frantic final seconds of his team's 1-0 upset of top-ranked Minnesota on Friday.
While Golden Gophers forward Blake Wheeler was preparing a last-second shot that Fisher eventually deflected over the net, preserving the win, the goalie was taking an unpleasant trip down memory lane.
"There was a game we played a few weeks ago where they scored with 4.3 (seconds) left to ruin a shutout for me, so that's all that was going through my head," Fisher said, recalling the Pioneers' 2-1 win against Massachusetts-Lowell on Dec. 30.
Fisher stopped Wheeler's shot, and 30 more, for his third shutout of the season and the fourth of his career, as the Pioneers boldly inserted themselves back into the race for the WCHA title.
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The Pioneers entered the contest having held opponents to two goals or fewer in each of their past eight wins. They proved early in Friday's game that defense would hold the key again, keeping Minnesota off the scoreboard in a frantic first period.
The Gophers' best early chance to get the sellout crowd involved came less than five minutes into the game when Ben Gordon caught a long lead pass, split the Denver defense and came in alone on Fisher. Gordon's move had the goaltender fooled, but after the Minnesota winger's shot slid under Fisher's left leg pad, the puck hit the goal post and slid harmlessly away.
"He faked to his backhand and shot as I was coming across," Fisher said. "It went off my knee and I thought I had it underneath me. I crept back and still thought I had it and then I heard everyone go nuts. I turned around and it wasn't in, so I got lucky."
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Minnesota's Jim O'Brien was whistled for goaltender interference after skating through the Denver crease and causing Fisher to fall. On the ensuing power play Geoff Paukovich tipped a shot by Keith Seabrook, directing the puck low and past Minnesota goalie Kellen Briggs. It was Paukovich's fourth goal of the season and his third game-winner.
The play was controversial in that Minnesota fans thought Fisher might have embellished his fall.
"They could've called a dive too, but it is what it is," Gopher coach Don Lucia said. The goalie claimed his tumble was caused when the contact with O'Brien caught him unprepared.
The Pioneers became the first visitors to win at Mariucci Arena in more than a year, snapping a school-record streak in which Minnesota had gone 19-0-2 at home. The Pioneers' troubles at Minnesota went back further, having last won a game here Nov. 1, 2003.
4 comments:
From what I can tell from the DU/UM game records in this week's DU game notes this was DU's first ever shutout of the Gophers in Minneapolis.
There seems to be very little emphasis on the fact the game was decided on a power play that should never have bee.
You state that it was a questionable call. I was at the game in the perfect position to see the play and watched it later on tv. Mr. Fisher clearly does not uphold good sportsmanship or honesty that we should expect from a college athelte! On the play there was little or no contact, and yet he flopped like someone just landed a right hook. Then skated around looking like he needed to "shake it off".
I was furious that a college athelte would stoop to this level. I would hope that someone....anyone would call him out on this one.
It is sad the game hinged and was decided on this one goal. Thank goodness in the grand scheme of things this game will probably not impact the gophers season.
Yes, I am a Gopher fan, but I am a college sports fan first. I would not have minded seeing Denver win if they did so fairly.
Bruce
Bruce M:
Just a couple of points here from a fellow Gopher fan --
1. You are looking for affirmation from DU fans -- not likely to happen. Go to GPL for a hug and some general like-minded agreement. (Note to dggoddard: not deliberately trying to reduce your traffic)
2. This just in ... Diving is an part of hockey and it happens at all levels. Fisher is a Senior and he took an "experienced" gamble that could've resulted in a diving call if the referee put himself in a better position to view the events (in this case he did not). If you want to get on Fisher's case, then call him out for the classless act of talking trash to Wheeler after DU had won the game or for lying about the nature of the contact with O'Brien in the post-game press interviews. Moreover, if you truly want to take the high road on good sportsmanship and honesty, complain just as much about Briggs' antics over the past few years. All teams have their actors and if the Gophs would've cashed in some of their better chances (i.e. Gordon hitting the post with Fisher beat and Wheeler failing to bury the game-deciding opportunity) they would've overcome the bad call.
Final Question: Am I correct that you complained to no end about Kessel cupping his ear in Madison, or Irmen popping his jersey at the Ralph, or were those permissible exceptions to "good sportsmanship"? The next time the Gophers score a goal and someone was offsides or in the crease and they fail to voluntarily turn themself in, cancel your season tickets -- I know several people who would buy them up to watch all of the "cheaters."
"Hello Pot. This is the Kettle -- You're Black."
- Whiskey
Bruce,
Thanks for reading the blog.
Flopping happens in college hockey, college basketball, college soccer, college football & any other contact sport. Its part of the game.
Refs make mistakes as Whiskey points out.
What about collegiate long distance runners who act tired to get an opponent to break for the finish line early?
Fisher played the best game of his Denver career on Friday night, with 10,000 fans booing him and the students cursing at him.
Sportmanship includes losing with grace and congratulating the other team even when you should have won.
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