Many like consistency in their daily routine. Knowing exactly what events will take place and when provides a kind of mental security blanket.

The Gophers menâÄôs hockey team wouldnâÄôt know what thatâÄôs like.

Coming off the holiday break, the Gophers played the Mariucci Classic without two freshmen who were at the World Junior Championships, forcing them to scramble their lines. They went winless as hosts, then routed the U.S. Under-18 team 9-0 a week later in an exhibition game.

The following weekend, back to a full roster and back to WCHA hockey, Minnesota came away from Grand Forks with a split against North Dakota, the No. 2 team in the nation.

Finally the Gophers arrived a week ago at their oddly timed final break of the season, leaving six straight weeks of conference hockey before the playoffs.

That translates to about a month and a half of off-and-on hockey for Minnesota.

Although it was two weeks ago âÄî seemingly an eternity in hockey âÄî the Gophers are hoping to capitalize on any momentum still left from their split with the Sioux when Alaska Anchorage (7-12-3, 6-10-2 WCHA) visits this weekend.

While head coach Don Lucia said he would have liked a break later in the season in order to get some rest going into the postseason, his players would rather forgo the off-week altogether.

âÄúI donâÄôt think the guys like the breaks,âÄù forward Jake Hansen said. âÄúItâÄôs something that takes momentum out of you.âÄù

The Seawolves have had an erratic schedule, too. After getting swept at No. 3 Denver last weekend, they traveled straight to Minneapolis instead of making the 2,300-mile trip back home and have been practicing and working out on the Minnesota campus since Sunday.

That sweep came after they swept nationally ranked Colorado College, an impressive feat for a team with two freshman goaltenders. Rob Gunderson has recorded a 2.58 goals-against average in 17 games this season.

The Seawolves have relied heavily on their underclassmen this season; two of their top three scorers are freshmen.

Now that the road ahead is a bit clearer for the Gophers, opportunities to move up the WCHA ladder are plentiful. Three of their next four opponents are currently ahead of the Gophers in the standings.

Currently, Minnesota sits in a tie for sixth place in the standings with Colorado College, but the Gophers are clamoring to reach the top.

âÄúThatâÄôs our goal,âÄù Aaron Ness said. âÄúFor us to move up weâÄôve got to compete with those teams.âÄù

True enough, but first, the Gophers need to fix an offense that has been almost as inconsistent as their recent schedule.

Minnesota hasnâÄôt scored more than three goals since its mid-November road series against conference punching bag Michigan Tech and has averaged just 2.1 goals per game in that 10-game span.

But donâÄôt expect any line changes in an attempt to spur some scoring from the Gophers. Instead, Lucia would like his team to refrain from making that extra, unnecessary pass even if he doesnâÄôt expect his team to stuff the stat sheet.

âÄúWe have to get to three [goals], as most teams do and try to win 3-2,âÄù Lucia said. âÄúThatâÄôs going to be more [the] style of our team. I donâÄôt think weâÄôre going to win many games 5-1.âÄù

Over-passing, along with a struggling penalty kill, has hampered MinnesotaâÄôs ability to put points on the board. The Gophers currently rank last in the conference in penalty-kill percentage, and half of the SiouxâÄôs goals two weeks ago came on the power play.

âÄúItâÄôs so hard to score five-on-five these days,âÄù Hansen said. âÄúFor forwards, itâÄôs hard to get into a rhythm when weâÄôre taking so many penalties.âÄù

Indeed, the Gophers may have found some rhythm with a win over the Sioux and are hoping that it hasnâÄôt dissipated with a week off.

âÄúTheyâÄôve practiced well âĦ but I think theyâÄôre anxious to getting back to playing some games,âÄù Lucia said.