CC hockey: Tigers' power play simply punchless

MINNEAPOLIS • Don't bother doing the math. Like Colorado College on the power play, the numbers make you cringe.

Personnel changes proved meaningless Saturday for CC, which converted none of its five power-play opportunities in a 4-1 loss to Minnesota at Mariucci Arena.

The Tigers have gone 5 for 51 with the man advantage the past seven games. They're averaging 14.5 percent, ninth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association.

"I think there's enough there," coach Scott Owens said. "There are a couple problems - not getting loose pucks, not getting pucks through from the point, not capitalizing on the chances we get."

Owens moved Chad Rau to the point of a first power-play unit that included Gabe Guentzel, Stephen Schultz, Bill Sweatt and Eric Walsky. Ryan Lowery quarterbacked the second unit.

Minnesota followed the lead of Air Force and Minnesota-Duluth by stacking the blue line. And the Golden Gophers built a wall around goaltender Alex Kangas in killing CC's third-period 5-on-3 advantage.

Rau said the key is "to retrieve the loose pucks. Those are pucks we've got to be able to get. ... I don't think we're creating enough."

Added Guentzel: "If we can win the battles in the corners, that will help. We need to get more quality chances. We've been trying to prepare and prepare, and we haven't gotten set up a whole lot."

Injury update
Arthur Bidwill (mononucleosis), Jake Gannon (fractured finger) and Scott McCulloch (sprained left knee) didn't play. Gannon and McCulloch won't return until Jan. 9-10 against Minnesota State-Mankato.