University of Minnesota Athletics
Challenging Start Awaits Gopher Hockey in 2009-10
6/18/2009 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
There’s little time for the Minnesota men’s hockey team to get into mid-season form as the Gophers open the 2009-10 season with two of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association’s top teams and play eight straight league games to open the season.
Minnesota opens the 2009-10 campaign at North Dakota on Oct. 16-17 and then returns home the following weekend to host Denver at Mariucci Arena. The first four games are part of an eight-game season-opening stretch that continues with home games against Alaska Anchorage and a series at Wisconsin.
Highlighting the non-conference slate are a home series with 2009 NCAA Frozen Four participant Bemidji State on Nov. 14-15 and the Gophers’ first matchup with Harvard since 1999 when the Crimson visit for a two-game series Jan. 8-9. Minnesota will also take part in the College Hockey Showcase for the 17th consecutive year with games at Michigan on Nov. 27 and at Michigan State on Nov. 28.
For the first time since 2000, the Gophers will play at the Target Center in Minneapolis when they host Wisconsin on March 5. The game was moved due to a scheduling conflict at Mariucci Arena where the teams will conclude the regular season on March 7 with a Sunday afternoon contest at 1 p.m.
The Dodge Holiday Classic will be contested for the 19th straight year and will take place in January for the second straight season on Sat.-Sun., Jan. 2-3. All three participants have previously appeared in the tournament as Minnesota’s first round opponent, Bowling Green, makes its fourth appearance in the tournament and first since 2002. Northern Michigan is in the field for the third time and Clarkson visits Mariucci Arena for the second time, having played in the 1996 event.
Recently selected the state’s best rivalry at any level in any sport by The Sporting News, Minnesota and Minnesota Duluth will play each other four times during the upcoming season. The Gophers and Bulldogs, who met in last year’s WCHA Final Five, renew their rivalry at Mariucci Arena on Nov. 20-21 and in Duluth on Feb. 26-27.
Overall, Minnesota will play 13 games against teams that participated in the 2009 NCAA tournament. Michigan Tech is the only WCHA opponent that does not play at Mariucci Arena and the Gophers play at every conference opponent except Colorado College. Minnesota faces St. Cloud State and Minnesota State once each at home and on the road.
