University of Minnesota Athletics
Minnesota and Wisconsin Renew Border Battle Series This Weekend
11/16/2006 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
The top-ranked University of Minnesota men’s hockey team (8-1-2, 4-0-2 WCHA) continues WCHA play this weekend with a two-game series against arch-rival Wisconsin (4-6-2, 3-4-1) on Saturday-Sunday, Nov. 18-19, at Mariucci Arena. Saturday's game faces off at 6:07 p.m., while Sunday's tilt begins at 5:07 p.m. Both contests will be televised on FSN North. Minnesota is ranked No. 1 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine poll and No. 2 in the USCHO.com/CSTV poll, while Wisconsin is No. 13 in the USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine polll and No. 14 in the USCHO.com/CSTV poll.
We’re Going Streaking
The Golden Gophers enter this weekend’s series on a handful of streaks. Minnesota is riding the nation’s longest unbeaten streak at 10 games (8-0-2, 4-0-2 WCHA), a 13-game home unbeaten streak (12-0-1, 9-0-1WCHA ) and a school-record 17-game road unbeaten streak (13-0-4, 10-0-3 WCHA). Minnesota is out-scoring its opponents 49-20 during its 10-game unbeaten streak, 64-21 during its 13-game home unbeaten streak and 70-43 during its 17-game road unbeaten streak. Minnesota’s 13-game home unbeaten streak ranks third all-time behind a 20-game streak from Jan. 24, 2004 to Jan. 8, 2005, and a 14-game streak from Oct. 21-Dec. 31, 1983. UM is also on an 18-game unbeaten streak in WCHA games (15-0-3).
Rivalry Month
In the next two weeks, the Golden Gophers will face three of their biggest rivals in the toughest part of their first-half schedule. This weekend, Minnesota takes on arch-rival Wisconsin at Mariucci Arena in a Borde Battle series. The following weekend UM hosts Big Ten foes Michigan and Michigan State, two of UM’s top non-conference rivals, in the College Hockey Showcase. Combined, Minnesota is 368-232-38 (.607) vs. the Badgers Wolverines and Spartans.
Border Battle Cup
This weekend’s series will mark the first men’s hockey series in the second annual TDS Border Battle Cup. Each participating sport accounts for 40 points in the cup race between Minnesota and Wisconsin. The Badgers currently hold a 175-25 point edge. Last season, the Golden Gophers won the competition 530-350. UW won the inaugural trophy by the score of 235-205.
Fast Start
The Golden Gophers have jumped out of the starting gates with an 8-1-2 overall record. That is Minnesota’s best start to a season through 11 games since the 2001-02 team went 10-0-1 to start the season. That season, the Maroon and Gold opened the season with a 13-game unbeaten streak (11-0-2). The 2006-07 Golden Gophers’ 4-0-2 start to the WCHA season is the best three-series beginning to a conference season since the 2001-02 team went 5-0-1.
