The season ended for Minnesota’s men’s hockey team late Thursday on an overtime goal by UMass forward Aydar Suniev, a tough pill to swallow for the Gophers considering they were up 3-1 midway through the third period of the first-round NCAA tournament game.

Worse, the goal came seconds after Minutemen center Dans Locmelis clipped Minnesota’s Ryan Chesley in the neutral zone with a textbook trip, corralled the puck and set up Suniev’s game-winner in Fargo.

Gophers coach Bob Motzko was composed but clearly beside himself during his postgame interview. Asked by a reporter if he felt it was a trip, Motzko said, “How do you feel?”

But that no-call wasn’t the only issue Motzko had with on-ice officials. He was upset by what he considered a no-call on a cross-check to the face of forward John Mittelstadt just before Suniev scored to make it 3-2, the first of three third-period goals that ultimately sent the game to overtime.

“UMass had a hard push in the third period, but that got ’em started, that first one,” Motzko told reporters at Scheels Arena. “It was the first goal they scored (in the comeback).”

He was equally battled by officials’ decision to make goaltender Liam Souliere leave the game because of a broken skate lace. He was replaced by Nathan Airey, and the Minutemen knotted the game 3-3 with a tip off the ensuing faceoff.

Asked for his feelings on the officiating, Motzko told reporters, “I shouldn’t be the one up here.”

The decision to make Souliere leave the game had Motzko scratching his head. Asked what the officials’ explanation was, the coach said “We didn’t get one, but he said we had to change goalies — and we said we didn’t.

“(Was it) because he came to the bench? What if he had stayed on the ice and we would have went out?” Motzko added. “We couldn’t use our timeout because it took a lot longer than a minute to fix what happened. But he said we had to switch goalies. I don’t know, is that true? It’s the first time I’ve ever had that.”

NCAA ice hockey rules are just vague enough to make any officials’ decision controversial.

According to the official 2024-25 rules book, “Unnecessary delay shall not be permitted for the repair or adjustment of a goalkeeper’s equipment. If major adjustments are required, the goalkeeper shall retire from the ice and be replaced by the substitute goalkeeper immediately.”

But, the rule further states, “A referee may allow for minor delays.”

Airey was given no time to warm up. After the goal, Souliere returned to finish the game.

The Minutemen scored three unanswered goals to take a regulation lead before Jimmy Snuggerud scored to send the game into overtime tied 4-4. It was a brief reprieve. Suniev scored a little less than 5 minutes into OT.

“Two goals tonight. We all get the mandate from the NCAA on sportsmanship, and I’ve got to be up here,” Motzko said. “I shouldn’t be the one sitting here right now.”

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