No-call clears way for UMass' winning OT goal against Gophers in NCAA regional
The University of Minnesota men's hockey team was knocked out of the NCAA Tournament by Massachusetts Thursday night when the Minutemen scored the game-winning goal after a controversial no-call.
The Gophers, the No. 2 seed in the Fargo regional, were leading 3-1 heading into the third period, No. 3 but Massachusetts tied it with about 11 minutes left. Massachusetts scored the go-ahead goal with under 5 minutes left, but Gophers star Jimmy Snuggerud evened things about a minute later, and the 4-4 score held until overtime.
About 5 minutes into the extra period, the Gophers' Ryan Chesley took the puck to center ice, where he appeared to be tripped — the commentators said as much on the broadcast — by Massachusetts' Dans Locmelis. The refs disagreed, holding their whistles and letting the skaters play on.
Locmelis then took the puck the other way, delivering a backhanded assist on the game-winner by Aydar Suniev.
Social media was alight after the game with Gophers fans aghast at the ending, while some Minutemen supporters insisted Chesley flopped and deserved no whistle.
The 5-4 loss marked the end of the Gophers' season. UMass will play Western Michigan for a shot at the Frozen Four.
Snuggerud, a candidate for the Hobey Baker Award that honors college hockey's top player and first-team All-Big Ten player, was drafted by the St. Louis Blues in 2022 and could head to the NHL now that the Gophers are done for the season. He has not publicly announced his intentions.
