ST. PAUL, Minn. — After losing 5-3 to Michigan in the Big Ten championship game, Minnesota captain Justin Kloos sat in front of the microphone still in his golden Gophers jersey. Flanked by coach Don Lucia and alternate captain Jake Bischoff, Kloos’ knew Minnesota’s season wasn’t good enough.
“We came into the season with the same expectations as every season: Hang a couple of banners and play in the NCAAs and give ourselves and shot,” Kloos said. “And we came up short.”
The junior struggled to speak as he sat at the podium, trying to explain why the Gophers' season ended as it did, even though all year their coach warned that this was a young team, learning on the fly.