UMD's Matt Haas leaped to spike away a hurried pass by Augustana's Josh Hanson.

By John Gilbert

The two teams put on an unprecedented doubleheader that will rank with Duluth’s greatest sports attractions to engrave Saturday, December 4, 2010, into history. Ranked No. 1 in the nation as the only undefeated team (13-0) in Division II football, UMD beat Augustana 24-13, as 3,083 hardy souls braved the freezing temperature and chilly wind for a justifiable reward at Malosky Stadium. Five hours later, 5,409 overfilled the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center where UMD, ranked unanimously No. 1 in the nation in Division I hockey, beat Denver in a 2-1 nail-biter to officially end the Bulldogs 45-year residence in the DECC.

Both teams race on, with the football Bulldogs earning national Division II semifinals against Central Missouri State in a game that, for the sake of national television, will start at 5 p.m. at Malosky Stadium. The visitors can be warned that it might be nice that day, but at that hour, with darkness falling, they might want to think of it as the “Down-jacket, Fleece-lined, Snowmobile-booted Hypothermia Bowl. The hockey Bulldogs, at 12-2-1, and 9-2-1 atop the WCHA, head down I-35 to face their favorite foe — the Minnesota Golden Gophers, at Mariucci Arena Friday and Saturday nights.

FIRST, FOOTBALL…

UMD’s offense has been so good this season it has obscured some of the brilliance of its defense. With sophomore Chase Vogler at quarterback, UMD overcame the loss of All-America running back Isaac Odim to knee surgery at midseason, and it found ways to overcome a few turnovers in recent games to keep winning. On Saturday it had more adversity, because just before the kickoff it was announced that junior wide receiver D.J. Winfield and senior tight end Ryan Hayes had been suspended by coach Bob Nielson for undisclosed violations of team rules. Winfield, Vogler’s favorite pass receiver and the top kick returner, also has become more prominent since Odim went out with his use on flanker reverses and occasional backfield duty. Hayes used his 6-foot-4, 255-pound frame for clutch short-yardage passes, and caught two touchdown passes in the victory over Mary, for example. When Brad Foss, the primary running back after Odim’s departure, seemed to be stopped by St. Cloud State the week before Augustana came to town, Vogler took over the running attack himself, and gained 109 yards.

All of that demanded focus, but all that time the defense was the solid, consistent, unwavering bunch that took its pride from simply stopping opponents. Last Saturday was their day to step into the sun, although they had to share the warmth with Brian Hanson, a senior running back. Hanson has been a patient and solid player who gave UMD the rare luxury of three senior running backs. Unfortunately, only one could play at a time, and that was clearly Odim, and then Foss, and then Hanson. But with Odim gone, Foss again was pretty well contained by Augustana’s defense, and Vogler spent most of last week missing practice to fully recover from being banged up with his running emphasis against St. Cloud.

So the ball went to Hanson. Over and over again. I asked him if it felt like he carried the ball more than ever, and he said: “Yeah, it feels like it was the most carries. It was a lot of fun. But all my success was because of the big boys up front…they made it easy.”

Hanson, for the record, carried 25 times and gained 124 yards. He had never before been called on for more than 14 carries, and that in mop-up dutdy against Minnesota State-Mankato and Crookston. Those 25 carries also were the most of any UMD running back all season — Odim and Foss had earlier carried 23 times each. Hanson crashed in from the 4 for UMD’s first touchdown, which was pivotal, because Augustana had converted an interception on the second play of the game into an opening touchdown and a 6-0 lead when Josh Hanson threw a perfect 34-yard pass to Tyler Schulte. UMD’s response was that maybe passing into the wind wasn’t such a good idea, so the Bulldogs took the ensuing kickoff and drove 62 yards in 10 running plays for the tying touchdown. Hanson carried on five of the runs, Foss four and Vogler one. David Nadeau’s placekick made it 7-6, and after a punt exchange, the ‘Dawgs marched 65 yards in 10 plays, with Hanson carrying twice and catching a 19-yard pass for the only pass of the drive. Foss carried five straight times, from the 10, the 3, and twice from the 1 before scoring the touchdown for a 14-6 lead.

Before the half ended, UMD came up with the play of the game as the defense took over. With a minute to go in the second quarter, Josh Hanson twice threw incomplete while trying to escape the rush. The third time, he didn’t escape. Jim Kunz, the giant senior noseguard who could audition for the part of Paul Bunyan, nailed Hanson, jarring the ball loose. Inside linebacker Robbie Aurich made it look like senior day all over again by scooping up the loose ball and charging 23 yards for a touchdown. Aurich didn’t know Kunz had forced the fumble. Neither did Kunz. “I don’t know who got it loose,” said Kunz. “I had my hand on his ankle.” Aurich said: “All I saw was the ball at his feet and the end zone.”

That made it 21-6, and Nadeau’s 42-yard field goal made it 24-6. Augustana’s only response was a later touchdown, on a 14-play. 61-yard drive that happened only because of two huge breaks — a well-executed fake punt on fourth and 11 from their own 38, and when, after a missed 47-yard field goal, UMD was called for roughing the kicker granting first and goal at the UMD 10. Otherwise, the UMD defense was unyielding. “They stuffed up the run so well and brought a lot of pressure rushing the passer, so we had to move the pocket a little,” said Augustana coach Mike Aldridge.

UMD outrushed Augustana 247-50, meaning Vogler only had to throw nine times all day. The key was UMD possession, doubling the Vikings 39:16 to 20:44. That includes a 12-3 edge in the first quarter ,minutes, and 10:11 to 4:49 in the fourth quarter, when Augustana gained considerably from wind-aided punt exchanges, only to be stifled by that UMD defense. “They were definitely the most physical team we’ve played,” said Josh Hanson, the quarterback. “They were bringing a lot of guys, and got after me so much that it threw off the timing of our offense, and we had to go away from our game plan.”

Now, it’s Central Missouri State. UMD had to beat them two years ago, to win the NCAA Division II championship. A victory Saturday, and the Bulldogs will be 14-0, retain their No. 1 ranking, and be headed to the national championship game again.

…AND AT THE DECC

UMD goalie Kenny Reiter stopped Denver freshman Jason Zucker.

When UMD’s men closed their 45-year hockey history at the DECC last weekend, it was perfectly done. Former trainer Rick Menz, who now works at Stewart’s Sporting Goods, and offers pro-quality skate sharpening out next to Heritage Center, did a lot of the organizing, aided by assistant coach Brett Larson, and they conducted a vote among all the hockey alumni who played for UMD at the DECC in all those years, to come up with an all-time team. It’s a potent aggregation, with goaltenders Chico Resch (1968-71), Bob Mason (81-83), and Alex Stalock (2006-09); defensemen Curt Giles (75-70), Tom Kurvers (80-84), Jim Johnson (81-85), Norm Maciver (82-86), Guy Gosselin (82-87), and Brett Hauer (89-93); and forwards Keith (Huffer) Christiansen (1963-67), Walt Ledingham (69-72), John Harrington (75-79), Mark Pavelich (76-79),m Dan Lempe (76-80), Bill Watson (82-85), Matt Christensen (82-86), Brett Hull (84-86), Shjon Podein (87-90), Derek Plante (89-93), Chris Marinucci (90-94), and Junior Lessard (2000-04).

Perfectly appropriate was that the Denver series featured two great games, a split, and also the reminder that in hockey, it is always the game itself that is most important. UMD lost the first game, but only after a valiant fight. The Bulldogs played a near-flawless style, keeping the young and aggressive Pioneers away from the slot, forcing them to shoot from the periphery. Unfortunately for goalie Aaron Crandall, three of those shots from weird angles took weird bounces off skates and bodies and went in. Jason Zucker and Anthony Maiani got two for a 2-0 first-period lead, then Zucker got another for a 3-0 lead 1:25 into the second period, prompting Scott Sandelin to pull Crandall and insert Kenny Reiter in goal. Instantly, the Bulldogs responded — for goals by Jack Connolly seven seconds later, then by Wade Bergman and Mike Connolly, tying the game 3-3 before the second period ended. Kyle Schmidt, who only seems to score big goals, got one with 4:58 left in the third for a 4-3 UMD lead, but Zucker shored with a shot that glanced in off Travis Oleksuk with 1:22 left for a 4-4 tie. At3:02 of overtime, Drew Shore got free and snuck to the goal-mouth to one-time a pass from behind the net by Luke Salazar for a 5-4 Denver victory.

It was the first time UMD had lost in eight overtime games, after a remarkable 5-0-2 record in extra sessions this season. The Saturday rematch drew a standing-room 5,409 for the final game at the DECC, and it was a similar game. Justin Faulk staked UMD to a 1-0 first-period lead this time, and Mike Connolly scored one of the season’s greatest goals with 1:04 to go in the second for a 2-0 lead.

Connolly was killing a UMD penalty with Justin Fontaine when he swiped the puck and raced in on a breakaway. Freshman goalie Sam Brittain stopped him, and stopped a follow-up from the right side of the net before Connolly was knocked against the net, and prevented from chasing back up the ice, while the Pioneers made a power-play rush. When Connolly got free, you could almost feel his fire as he sped up to the neutral zone. Just then, Fontaine made a slick play to knock the puck free, right to Connolly, and the junior from Calgary — completely spent from his shift — whirled and took off again. Racing up the right side on sheer adrenaline, he knew he didn’t have enough gas left to beat the converging defenseman, so he cut loose. He may never shoot a puck harder, but when it mattered, he blew this shot right under the arm of Brittain from 30 feet and into the far side of the net for a dramatic shorthanded goal. “He made a good save on me, then I got knocked down,” said Connolly. “I knew I needed a line change, but that wasn’t the time for it, so I put my head down and backchecked as hard as I could. Their guy tried a toe drag, and Fonzie made a great play to knock the puck away.”

Denver coach George Gwozdecky was his usual articulate self afterward. “They got the early lead, but once the emotion dropped out of the game, we came back and played well,” he said . “I don’t thjink anyone anticipated the shortie.”

Denver got a power-play goal from Maiani midway through the third period, and suddenly it was a 2-1 game and the big crowd had to stay on edge to the finish, as Reiter held firm. Then the assembled members of the all-time UMD/DECC team, who had been introduced between periods, were asked to return to center ice and join the current Bulldogs, who were wearing retro uniforms just like the team word in 1966-67 when they moved from the Curling Club to the DECC. It was a neat and brief ceremony, with Huffer Christiansen addressing the fans for the alums — also appropriate, because he’s the guy who scored a team record six assists to lead UMD to an 8-1 romp over Minnesota back on November 19, 1966, in UMD’s first game at the DECC. I feel fortunate because I saw that first game, and I saw every one of those players and all 45 UMD teams play at the DECC.

Gwozdecky’s memory also goes back a ways at the DECC. “When I was 11 or 12, I came down from Thunder Bay to see a game when Denver came here to play UMD,” Gwozdecky recalled. “Denver had some Thunder Bay guys on the team then, and Murray Armstrong invited us into the dressing room. We were wide-eyed. Then when I played at Wisconsin, I scored my first collegiate goal right here at the DECC.”

So it also was fitting that Denver, now coached by Gwozdecky, was UMD’s final foe at the DECC. I mentioned to George that, if the teams were going to split in the series, it was best that UMD win the second game, for the sake of the ceremony and the post-game gathering. “Always happy to help out,” smiled Gwozdecky.

When the Bulldogs next play at home, it will be December 30 at the adjacent Amsoil Arena, in an exhibition game against North Dakota. Meanwhile, the split dropped UMD from No.1 to No. 2, so they need to refocus this weekend, which shouldn’t be difficult, against the Gophers.

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