Duluth drops CC in Game 1 of WCHA playoff series

Colorado College felt pretty confident after a solid five-week run. The Tigers' first-round playoff opponent, Minnesota-Duluth, was headed in the other direction, having gone winless in five straight games.

One major penalty and an ensuing power-play goal changed the outlook for both teams Friday.

Duluth scored first - after a 5-minute major penalty by CC senior forward Cody Lampl - and the Bulldogs won 4-1 at World Arena. The Tigers need to win two straight in the best-of-three Western Collegiate Hockey Association series to keep their season alive and advance to next week's WCHA Final Five.

CC started the game well, but then came Lampl's penalty and the subsequent goal by Duluth's Josh Meyers midway through the first period.

"The things we couldn't have happen happened," coach Scott Owens said. "That was, they got a ton of momentum and confidence. A team that's been struggling with confidence got a ton of confidence off their 5-minute power play and subsequent power-play effort."

Lampl's penalty, which came with a game misconduct and ejection, was for checking from behind. Early last month, the league sent a memo to teams stressing that officials would be cracking down on checking-from-behind penalties.

The Duluth player seemed to be turning as Lampl - the left wing on the Tigers' top line - came to hit him. The referees and linesmen huddled for a while to discuss whether Lampl deserved a major penalty before making the call.

"There was obviously some question in their minds," Owens said.

Duluth continued to play well, scoring a second power-play goal late in the first period.

The Bulldogs built a 3-0 lead in the second period before CC's Eric Walsky scored on a breakaway near the end of a five-on-three power play.

Early in the third period, Justin Fontaine put the game away with Duluth's fourth goal.

Although Lampl's penalty was a blow to the Tigers, it wasn't the lone reason CC lost.

"If you're going to win a playoff game against a good team, more guys have to show up and play," Owens said. "There just weren't enough."

"In the playoffs, you win championships because your top guys are producing and carrying the team," senior wing Scott McCulloch said. "I think that's what we need tomorrow night."

The Tigers will be in survival mode starting tonight. With a victory, CC would force a decisive Game 3 on Sunday at World Arenal.

"I think we're as confident as we can be," Walsky said.
"I think we've been playing fairly good hockey recently and I think we'll be able to put it together for a few games."