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The Minnesota Golden Gophers are one of the most successful programs in’s in NCAA Hockey history. But the Gophers won’t be bringing home any hardware this season after a heartbreaking 5-4 overtime loss to UMass in the opening round round the NCAA Tournament. They will, however, be leaving Fargo with one heck of a grievance with the referees.
Second-seeded Minnesota held a 3-1 lead over the third-seeded Minutemen entering the third period. Early in the third period, UMass got one back on a goal by Aydar Suniev. However, the goal came as a result of what looked like an obvious tripping penalty on the Minutemen that should have sent the Gophers to the power play.
Aydar Suniev with a goal-scorer’s goal and UMass is within one of Minnesota in the third. pic.twitter.com/WczPM5uYpU
— Mike Gould (@miketgould) March 28, 2025
That led to a three-goal onslaught that gave UMass a 4-3 lead in the third period. Minnesota steadied the ship a bit thanks to a late goal by St. Louis Blues prospect Jimmy Snuggerud to tie the game at 4-4 and eventually send it to overtime. In overtime, however, the Golden Gophers once again found themselves on the wrong end of a swallowed whistle.
I get not wanting to call a penalty in overtime to affect the outcome, but when a guys stick smacks the guy who is skating with the puck and makes him fall over…. isn’t that a penalty? pic.twitter.com/TSE7BWwJCK
— Dylan Loucks (@DylanLoucks4) March 28, 2025
Less than five minutes into the overtime period, Minnesota defenseman Ryan Chesley attempted to carry the puck through the neutral zone. He appeared to be tripped up by UMass forward Dans Locmellis. But the referees yet again let the play go. Instead of a power play, UMass took the puck the other way on an odd-man rush and Suniev scored yet again, sending UMass on to the quarterfinals and sending the Gophers home.
Needless to say, the college hockey world was not happy.
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) March 28, 2025
“Here is the other side of the argument. When people yell at refs for making calls that decide games. The no call on something is sometimes just as impactful,” one fan wrote.
“You can’t just change the rules because it’s in the third period or OT. Gives the sport a bad look,” said another.
Either way, what’s done is done. And that includes Minnesota’s season, which ends in highly controversial fashion.