For the second season in a row, the lords of hockey did not smile upon Doug Woog's team. At about this time a year ago, the consensus opinion was that the Gophers' first bad season in memory was a fluke....

The Gophers men's hockey team was feeling confident heading into the WCHA Final Five at Target Center. Minnesota had the home ice advantage, was fresh off two commanding shutouts of upstart Alaska-Anchorage...

Minnesota men's hockey coach Doug Woog was a little wary of having to play St. Cloud State in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. But the Gophers dodged that bullet by drawing Alaska-Anchorage, which...

It's one of the immutable laws of playoff hockey: If the goalie is hot, the team has a good chance of going deep into the playoffs. If that time-tested rule holds true, watch out for Minnesota. Freshman...

The Gophers men's hockey team is suddenly very, very dangerous. Minnesota won its first round WCHA playoff series against Alaska-Anchorage with a pair of commanding shutout victories, 4-0 and 1-0. The...

The Gophers men's hockey team will face a series of extremes in the first round of the WCHA playoffs this weekend against Alaska-Anchorage. The Gophers' (12-17-9 overall, 10-12-6 in the WCHA) newfound...

With the first round of the WCHA playoffs a mere one day away, league coaches were in a very aggressive mood during the WCHA teleconference on Tuesday. Each coach is still trying to develop the perfect...

The Gophers men's hockey team has been fighting the biggest, meanest opponent of all -- themselves -- throughout the season, with only limited success. Minnesota's physical and mental breakdowns have haunted...

In its last six games, the Gophers men's hockey team has scored more goals and brought the puck into the offensive zone with more efficiency than in any other stretch of the season. A major reason for...

The bad news for the Gophers men's hockey team this weekend was that it could not beat Wisconsin at home for the first time since 1993. The good news is that the games really didn't mean anything anyway. Minnesota...

The numbers don't lie in this series. The Gophers men's hockey team has owned Wisconsin at home. The Badgers have not defeated the Gophers in Minnesota since 1992-1993 season, and have never won in the...

With the top five home-ice positions for the first round of the WCHA playoffs solidified, all the remaining four teams can do is look back in regret. The teams' fate was set when Colorado College pulled...

In an announcement that should come as a shock to no one, Gophers senior Reggie Berg was named WCHA Offensive Player of the Week. Berg's output throughout the season could be best described as enigmatic....

DULUTH, MINN. -- Of the 14 goals scored this weekend by the Gophers men's hockey team, 11 were netted by seniors. Not bad for a crew that's struggled for most of the season. "I think (the seniors are peaking),"...

DULUTH, Minn. -- Something that looked like a distant, unattainable goal just a few weeks ago came to fruition Saturday night -- the Gophers men's hockey team will host a series in the first round of the...

When Minnesota's men's hockey team takes on Minnesota-Duluth this weekend in the final homestand of the year for the Bulldogs, it will be the first homecoming for freshman Nick Angell. It will also be...

Well, it happened again. For the eighth time this year, Minnesota's men's hockey team has made a player of the week out of a member of the opposing team. This week's winner: St. Cloud State goaltender...

The Gophers men's hockey team might want to hire a witch doctor to exorcise the evil spirits lurking in the locker room, because there might very well be some voodoo messing with Minnesota. It started...

This weekend's series with St. Cloud State was indicative of the Gophers men's hockey team's problems all season. Good effort, no offense. Minnesota outshot the Huskies 87-to-52 and had five more power...

Fans of high-scoring hockey need not attend. One of the more defensive women's hockey teams in the country came in for a weekend series at Mariucci Arena, as No. 2 Gophers (25-2-2) hosted No. 6 Providence...

The Gophers men's hockey team should have known it was going to be a frustrating weekend when the misfortune started before the puck even dropped. During player introductions in a darkened National Hockey...

The recruiting practices of Gophers coach Doug Woog have been questioned ever since he took the helm of the men's hockey program during the 1985-86 season. Following legendary coach John Mariucci's lead,...

As the Gophers men's hockey team prepares to take on St. Cloud State in a home-and-home series, with the first game in St. Cloud tonight, it seems as if the Gophers have been fighting two opponents: the...

The Gophers men's hockey team has had excessive troubles on the blue line. The deterioration of senior Bill Kohn's play has been a primary factor. Kohn currently leads the team with 25 penalties and is...

The Gophers men's hockey team might have made a serious statement heading into the final leg of the play-off drive by beating Alaska-Anchorage on Sunday, after beating the Seawolves 5-1 on Saturday. But...

The leaders on a hockey team -- or any team for that matter -- are usually the players who have been around the longest. In the case of the Gophers men's hockey team, seniors Wyatt Smith, Reggie Berg,...

The Gophers men's hockey team is beginning to feel the heat of the playoff push. The team had an impromptu hour-and-a-half players-only meeting before practice on Thursday. When asked about what topics...

When the Gophers men's hockey team faces Alaska-Anchorage Saturday and Sunday at Mariucci Arena, they will also take on someone who is widely considered one of the toughest and hottest goaltenders in the...

It's been an issue that has dogged junior Dave Spehar since he decided to join the Gophers men's hockey team -- Why not Minnesota-Duluth? There has also been some controversy between the Duluth, Minn.,...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- The Gophers men's hockey team suffered one of its toughest setbacks of the year in a 3-1 loss to No. 5 Colorado College on Saturday. It wasn't that the Gophers were particularly...

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. -- Following the Gophers men's hockey team's ugly 5-1 loss to No. 5 Colorado College on Friday, coach Doug Woog said he was confident that his team would turn it around and win...

With the Minnesota men's hockey team seemingly on an upswing, looking back on previous losses could have a negative impact. So the Gophers are trying at all costs to avoid talking about the humiliating...

It's been an interesting ride for both Minnesota-Duluth and Alaska-Anchorage as they head into this weekend's series at Anchorage. The Bulldogs have been a disappointment for most of the season. But if...

Seldom-used fourth-liner Matt Leimbek was honored Monday by the WCHA as its offensive player of the week. The freshman from Rochester, Minn., has not been a regular staple in the Gophers lineup, but will...

Minnesota's Matt Leimbek has been wallowing in the muck of the practice squad for the majority of the year. After this weekend, expect to see him in the lineup every weekend. Leimbek was instrumental in...

If the Gophers men's hockey team looked a little uncomfortable doing the stick salute at center ice after their sweep of Michigan Tech, forgive them. It's been awhile. Minnesota (9-13-6, 7-8-3 WCHA) celebrated...

Although the Gophers men's hockey team won't admit it, it must be nice to finally face a team that isn't in the top 10 in the country. But that doesn't mean this upcoming series against Michigan Tech will...

The underlying theme of this year's race for a WCHA home playoff series is parity. Only 16 points separate the second- and ninth-place teams in the conference, and 11 points is the difference between third...

Following No. 1 North Dakota's Saturday 6-5 victory over Minnesota, senior captain Wyatt Smith was found sitting on a bench in the hallway outside of the Gophers' locker room. But instead of sulking or...

GRAND FORKS, N.D. -- In hockey, the home ice advantage is something a team can rely on and feed off of during a close-knit contest. And this energy doesn't come from the familiarity of the ice surface...

The Gophers men's hockey team's winless streak has reached an all-time high -- or is that low? -- of 10 games, after No. 1 North Dakota's sweep of Minnesota, 5-4 and 6-5. But, surprisingly, the Gophers...

Just when you thought things couldn't get any worse for the Gophers men's hockey team, it gets to travel to Grand Forks, N.D., to take on the No. 1 team in the country, fresh off a dominating sweep of...

It isn't exactly two major powerhouses going at it, but the emotion will be there. St. Cloud State (10-11-1, 6-10-0 WCHA) will travel to Duluth to take on last place Minnesota-Duluth (6-12-2, 3-11-2 WCHA)...

Throughout his one and a half years with the Gophers men's hockey team, Stuart Senden has been one of its most consistent performers. And for a Minnesota team that has wallowed in inconsistent efforts...

The Gophers men's hockey team came into its weekend series against Minnesota State believing a sweep could get the squad back in a winning frame of mind. After this series, Minnesota might be tired of...

Success on the power play has been streaky at best for the Gophers men's hockey team this season. That trend continued in the Gophers' pair of ties against Minnesota State. On Friday night, the man-advantage...

The Gophers men's hockey team's (7-11-4 overall, 5-6-3 in the WCHA) upcoming series with Minnesota State (9-9-2) won't count toward any particular standings or ratings. But for the emotional state of the...

The main event of the WCHA season will take place in the Colorado Springs World Arena when No. 1 North Dakota takes on No. 7 Colorado College. The rosters for this game read like a college hockey all-star...

COLORADO SPRINGS -- For most of the season, sophomore winger Stuart Senden wallows in obscurity. He's just another third- or fourth-liner, doing his best to give quality minutes to the team. But something...

DENVER -- The Gophers men's hockey team has been very vocal about raising the level of their game, and more specifically, their intensity and goal-scoring. Minnesota fans better hope there's a plan B. The...

While it's not the Minnesota-Denver match-up sports fans are waiting to see, there's still a lot riding on this weekend's Gophers-Pioneers men's hockey series. This intriguing match-up features two teams...

Regardless of what Gophers fans might think, one of the more important series in the WCHA this weekend will not be played in Denver. Up the road from Minneapolis at the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud,...

The departure of junior goaltender Willy Marvin has squashed all talk of a goaltending controversy for Minnesota's men's hockey team. With unproven freshmen Ryan Westrum and Rob LaRue behind him, Adam...

Minnesota's guard Kevin Clark entered a mystical place in the second half of the Gophers' 72-61 victory over Oregon, one that many have talked about but only few can explain. Clark entered the zone. "One...

The Gophers men's hockey team opened the College Hockey Showcase on Friday looking more like the squad responsible for six losses than the one that racked up six wins. Minnesota failed to capitalize on...

The Gophers men's hockey team hasn't had a goal-scoring defenseman since Mike Crowley roamed the blue line from 1994 to 1997. In fact, the lack of offensive defensemen has become a glaring deficiency for...

Although they are not WCHA opponents, this weekend's Gophers men's hockey games won't be any less important. Michigan and Michigan State will be in town for the College Hockey Showcase. The Gophers face...

In the battle for the point guard position, transfers Mitch Ohnstad and Terrence Simmons have garnered most of the publicity. But after tonight, people might start pointing the spotlight in Kevin Nathaniel's...

Minnesota's women's hockey team was served another cupcake on Friday, and they gobbled it up. Minnesota State fell prey to a swarming Gophers offense and stringent defense in the 8-1 decision. Minnesota...

The Gophers men's hockey team spent most of the week talking about how it needed four points at Alaska-Anchorage in order to hang with the rest of the pack in the WCHA. But with a weekend split the Gophers...

The Gophers men's hockey team will be in a situation this weekend that it hasn't experienced for awhile. They'll be the favorite. After playing well against No. 1 North Dakota before succumbing to superior...

In a series that is worthy of a Michael Buffer introduction, No. 3 Colorado College travels to Grand Forks to take on current No. 1 North Dakota for first place in the conference, and probably first place...

The sign outside of Williams Arena that previews coming attractions in Minnesota athletics should have shown a disclaimer before announcing the Gophers and North Dakota series. Beware of flying pigs and...

Two things became evident during Minnesota's weekend showing against No. 1 North Dakota, in which the Gophers lost Saturday 5-3 and tied Friday 4-4. They know what it's going to take to play with the best...

Minnesota's men's hockey team will do something Saturday night it has never done before in its 77-year history. The Gophers will retire the number of one of their own. Former Gopher and Olympic champion...

If one WCHA series this weekend had to be labeled the "games of the week," Colorado College-Denver would definitely be near the top of the list. The undefeated Tigers are red hot after dismantling a previously...

After two lopsided games this weekend, the overall sentiment in both men's hockey locker rooms didn't seem to be disappointment, disgust or elation, but confusion. How could one team look that good, and...

Perhaps Minnesota's men's hockey team should have changed its name for the weekend from the Gophers to the G-phers, because there was no "o" to be found this weekend against Colorado College. And if there...

Minnesota's women's hockey team kicked off the home portion of its home schedule Thursday against No. 5 Harvard. The matchup was expected to provide a glimpse into the Gophers' chances this season. But...

The Gophers men's hockey program is accustomed to sitting in first place. But after last season, in which Minnesota stumbled early and often, sitting atop the WCHA must feel like new. Only Gophers coach...

Old-time hockey came to Grand Forks, N.D., last Saturday, when Minnesota-Duluth and North Dakota got together for their series finale. The game ended with 64 total penalties, adding up to 257 minutes of...

After freshman John Pohl put back a rebound shot to score his first career goal for the Gophers men's hockey team, Pohl proceeded to party like a madman. It started with a jump, then a little turn, then...

Dave Spehar and John Pohl might have the perfect pedigrees to be scoring machines for the Gophers men's hockey team. Pohl broke Spehar's all-time high school scoring mark. But until this weekend, you haven't...

With the big two of the WCHA coming up -- Colorado College and North Dakota -- a good showing in Wisconsin was critical for the Gophers men's hockey team. Mission accomplished. Minnesota (5-2-1 overall,...

The Gophers men's hockey team has been here before -- injured and embarrassed, coming off a series in which they played below expectations. Last season, Michigan Tech swept Minnesota on the road. Last...

Gophers coach Doug Woog said after the Minnesota-Duluth series he felt lucky to not have anyone hurt yet. Perhaps he should have knocked on a nearby hockey stick. Minnesota center Rico Pagel will miss...

The issue of instant replay is one of those hot-button topics that seems to keep coming back like a fungus. And in the last two Gophers series, it has again reared its hideous head. The first case came...

In a mere 30 seconds on Saturday, the Gophers men's hockey team went from elation to devastation. A spirited third-period comeback appeared to give Minnesota a much-needed shot of momentum and a shot at...

There were no black cats crossing the path of the puck, and the moon wasn't full. But still the men's hockey team's weekend series with St. Cloud State couldn't have been any more strange. Minnesota opened...

With a firing line of Wisconsin and Colorado College coming up for Minnesota in the next few weekends, it might be difficult for the Gophers not to look past St. Cloud State. But coach Doug Woog thinks...

The Gophers women's hockey team will have a new player on their team this year who should be familiar to Minnesota sports fans, even though she hasn't played hockey competitively in over four years. Call...

Aaron Miskovich broke out Saturday night against Minnesota-Duluth and showed why he should be considered a scoring threat, scoring two goals in a 3-1 Gophers hockey win. The WCHA recognized Miskovich's...

It's a cliche that might be overused but is still appropriate for describing the banner crop of freshman defensemen on the Gophers men's hockey team: bigger, stronger, faster. Three Gophers are living...

It may not have looked it on the Mariucci Arena ice, but there was a party going on -- and Aaron Miskovich was the guest of honor. The sophomore forward and 1997 Mr. Hockey scored two goals, one shorthanded,...

In 1995, Colorado College set the WCHA mark for greatness when they won their third consecutive regular-season title. Expect that record to be tied this year. North Dakota is without a doubt the class...

It must be that time of the year. When Gophers defenseman Nick Angell threw a nasty check on teammate Erik Wendell in practice Thursday, smearing him against the boards like a bug on a windshield, it didn't...

Due to deaths and injuries, efforts have been made at several college campuses across America to curb freshman hazing. Unfortunately, these efforts have not yet reached college hockey. Freshman Adam Hauser,...

All of a sudden, after three years spent on the lonely side of the bench, Gophers goaltender Willy Marvin has become a very valuable commodity. Marvin made the first start of his career on Saturday, and...

Put the little plastic goals back on the street. The cars have passed by, the offseason is over. Game on. The 1998-99 Minnesota men's hockey team opens the season in the 2nd annual Team Cheerios Icebreaker...

Anyone who's ever had a bad day can relate. When the end mercifully comes, you flop down on the bed, grab your favorite stuffed animal and nod off for a few hours. When you wake up, you feel refreshed...

It's called the next level. It's a fictional place that teams are always trying to find. Players want to take their ability to this place, fans want to see their teams go there, coaches take heat for not...

The two strawberry blond people sat down in their respective chairs and smiled politely. The man and woman talked and laughed when asked about their respective lives and games. Both had a coolness, almost...

Remember when you were 8 years old and you were forced to eat your brussels sprouts? It's likely your parents' justification was, "Because they're good for you." That is what the Gophers women's hockey...

The giant pool party called the NCAA women's swimming and diving national championships was the final send-off for three of Minnesota's top swimmers -- Olga Splichalova, Kim Wilson, and Gretchen Hegener. Combined,...

At about this time last year, the University of Minnesota was infected with March Madness because of the men's basketball team's success. Although the men's hoops team did not make the NCAA field this...

Mariucci Arena is now closed for Minnesota's women's hockey team. The sticks are put away and the uniforms are hung up for the time being, following the Gophers 10-2 rout of Augsburg in their final home...

The disparity in the quality of opponents the Gophers women's hockey team faced this weekend compared to the three feeble teams Minnesota pounded in previous weeks was evident. There was also a major...

Those who thought the Gophers women's hockey team would be a bit rusty Sunday against Gustavus Adolphus after a 14-day layoff would have been correct for the first half of the first period. After that,...

OTTAWA (AP) -- Opening a historic, high-risk court case, the federal government argued Monday before the Supreme Court that neither Canadian nor international law gives Quebec the right to secede unilaterally. Quebec's...

When a superior team plays a squad of an obviously lower caliber, that inferior team is referred to as a "creampuff" or some other dainty pastry. Sometimes, when playing a creampuff, a team enters a place...