Don Lucia will try to coach the Gophers to the NCAA hockey championship tomorrow night in Philadelphia against Union College. If Lucia is successful, he will receive a bonus of $75,000.00, according to his contract with the University of Minnesota that ends on April 30, 2017.
If the Gophers don’t defeat Union, Lucia is guaranteed a $50,000.00 bonus because his contract rewards him that amount for taking Minnesota to the Frozen Four. After the Frozen Four he will either receive a bonus of $75,000.00, or $50,000.00. Not both.
Lucia has already earned a $30,000.00 bonus for coaching his team to the regular season Big Ten championship. A schedule of contract incentives like those referenced is in addition to his $320,000.00 salary for the 2013-2014 season. Lucia also receives annual supplemental income that in 2012-2013 totaled $45,000.00.
Rewards for Lucia also include the satisfaction of taking the Gophers back to the Frozen Four for only the second time in the last nine years. He coached the Gophers to national championships in 2002 and 2003 but results since have been mixed including three consecutive seasons when Minnesota didn’t qualify for the NCAA Tournament.
The Gophers lost their opening game in the Frozen Four to Boston College two years ago but last night had a different and storybook outcome with Minnesota defeating North Dakota, 2-1. Defenseman Justin Holl, who hadn’t scored a goal since March of last year, came up with a short-handed goal with less than a second remaining to give the Gophers a stunning win.
“Amazing. I’ve never seen anything like this,” Gophers hockey play-by-play announcer Wally Shaver told listeners on 1500 ESPN.
Holl was interviewed about his miracle shot after the game on ESPN2. “I think the puck went off one of their players, (then) off my stick and I think I blacked out from there,” he said.
The winning goal was set up when Gopher forward Kyle Rau’s shot hit North Dakota defenseman Jordan Schmaltz. The puck was deflected into Holl’s skates and he kicked it to his stick for the game winning goal.
The Gophers have been ranked No. 1 in Division I men’s college hockey for most of 2013-2014. They have experienced the type of season the team’s most rabid followers expect. During the program’s storied history the Gophers have played in 21 Frozen Fours and won five national championships.
If the Gophers are to win another NCAA title, goalie Adam Wilcox and the team’s defense will play major roles. Wilcox, only a sophomore, was named Big Ten Player of the Year and Big Ten Goaltender of the Year. Minnesota’s defense has given up only 79 goals in 40 games.
Minnesota is 28-6-6 and has won three consecutive games. Tomorrow night’s championship game against Union College, 31-6-4, will be televised starting at 6:30 p.m. CDT on ESPN.