Although third place wasn’t a preseason goal, Minnesota’s men’s hockey team would have loved this opportunity two months ago.

Sitting next-to-last in the WCHA standings, the Gophers were defeated and tied against Wisconsin on Nov. 14-15.

This weekend, the two teams square off again with the Gophers having a chance to jump into third place in the WCHA.

A sweep would tie Minnesota with Wisconsin and St. Cloud State at 23 points. The tie-breaker in head-to-head records would put the Gophers over the Badgers. St. Cloud State – who comes to Minneapolis March 5-6 – does not play this weekend.

“We have an opportunity to really help ourselves this weekend,” coach Don Lucia said. “We have to make the most of it.”

Minnesota lost and tied in its Nov. 14-15 series at Wisconsin, despite out-shooting the Badgers 77-49 for the weekend. Goaltender Bernd Bruckler was brilliant for the Badgers and sent the Gophers home with their worst 10-game start since the 1971-72 season.

Although the results did not match the effort, it was the beginning of a turn-around for the team.

“We thought we played pretty well, but you have to give them credit, they won and tied,” Lucia said. “Although it was disappointing, I really felt as we left there that we were coming out of it – that we were playing much better.”

Now that Minnesota has a chance to avenge its Madison series, it does so with an improved defense. Defenseman Keith Ballard sat out the November series, and Chris Harrington was just back from a knee injury. Also, goaltender Kellen Briggs was still finding his stride in the net.

But the Gophers will have to face the Badgers without their captain – Grant Potulny.

Potulny will be out for the next five weeks with a shoulder injury, and Lucia said that he will try different combinations to replace him on the ice.

Forwards Jerrid Reinholz and Brett MacKinnon should see ice time this weekend, Lucia said, but the coach has also been experimenting by using defenseman Joey Martin in his lines, and Martin might see ice time there as well.

Earlier this week, Barry Tallackson practiced in Potulny’s line alongside Gino Guyer and Tyler Hirsch, and Reinholz and MacKinnon took turns in Tallackson’s old spot with Garrett Smaagaard and Jon Waibel.

On the power play, freshman Danny Irmen will see more time in place of the injured Potulny.

“I think everyone realizes that (replacing Potulny) is going to have to come from all over the place,” Guyer said. “It’s an opportunity for different guys to assume different roles, so hopefully we can do well with it.”

But just as important to the Gophers success is that certain players increase their leadership roles in Potulny’s absence.

Lucia will look to assistant captains Troy Riddle and Keith Ballard as well as senior Matt Koalska for the locker room boost.

“Grant has the kind of effect where just walking into a room gets our attention,” Ballard said. “With his work ethic and the way he led, Troy, Matt and myself will really have to step up.”

Because Potulny’s injury is to his upper body, being able to rehab and get right back in the lineup will be easier than last season when he missed 22 games with a broken ankle.

“When he’s ready to play, he’ll be able to get right back in,” Lucia said. “He should be in good shape when he returns.”