June 1985
ù Doug Woog, a former Gophers All-American, is hired as men’s hockey coach after serving as an assistant coach on the 1984 U.S. Olympic Team.
October 18, 1985
ù Woog wins his first game as Gophers coach, a 3-0 win over Michigan Tech in the season opener.
1985-1986 season
ù Gophers win team-record 35 games and advance to NCAA tournament in Woog’s first season, beating Denver in the third-place game in Final Four.
February 20, 1988
ù Minnesota completes a sweep at Michigan Tech to wrap up the WCHA regular season title, Woog’s first as Gophers coach.
March 30, 1988
ù Sophomore Robb Stauber wins the Hobey Baker Award as the nation’s best player, the first goaltender ever to do so.
April 1, 1989
ù Gophers lose to Harvard in overtime of the NCAA championship game, when Randy Skarda’s potential game-winner bounces off the post. The Crimson score two minutes later for a 4-3 win.
October 23, 1993
ù Gophers play first game in the new Mariucci Arena, losing 8-4 to North Dakota.
Spring 1994
ù Woog gives former player Chris McAlpine $500 in cash for tuition, a violation of NCAA rules. Woog hides the money under a hat in his office and tells McAlpine where it can be found.
November 21, 1995-
February 2, 1996
ù Team posts a record 19-game unbeaten streak.
March 29, 1996
ù Senior forward Brian Bonin wins the Hobey Baker Award.
October 21, 1996
ù Woog begins one-week suspension for the McAlpine incident. Woog says he gave the money to McAlpine, who’s eligibility had run out, so that he could finish his classes. Team loses one scholarship.
March 15, 1998
ù The Gophers lose 5-4 to Minnesota-Duluth in overtime of the deciding game of a first-round WCHA playoff series. Minnesota ends the season 17-22, the first time in Woog’s tenure that the team finishes below the .500 mark. The Gophers also fail to reach the NCAA tournament for the first time in 13 seasons.
March 19-20, 1999
ù Minnesota loses 6-2 to North Dakota in the semifinals of the WCHA Final Five. The Gophers finish the season 14-19-9, giving Minnesota a second consecutive losing season for the first time since 1972-73.
April 6, 1999
ù Woog steps down as coach to take an assistant athletic director position. Woog leaves as the all-time winningest hockey coach at Minnesota (389-187-40).
