University of Minnesota Athletics
Gophers Off to North Dakota For Playoff Opener
3/10/2010 12:00:00 AM | Men's Hockey
WCHA First Round Playoffs (best-of-three)
Minnesota (17-17-2) at North Dakota (20-11-5)
Date: Friday-Sunday, March 12-14
Time: 7:30 p.m. (Fri.) / 7 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.)
Location: Engelstad Arena (11,406)
Series History: Minnesota leads 138-125-14
Radio: KNOF 95.3 FM (Fri.-Sun.) / WCCO 830 AM (Sat.) - Wally Shaver and Glen Sonmor
Television: Fox Sports North - Frank Mazzocco and Doug Woog
For the first time since 1987, Minnesota will play a WCHA postseason series at North Dakota as the teams meet in a best-of-three series in the first round of the league playoffs. The winner will earn a berth to next weekend's WCHA Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It marks the sixth straight weekend the Gophers have faced an opponent ranked in the top 10.
Last Time Out
Minnesota scored five power play goals in posting a 6-1 win over Wisconsin on Sunday to split a weekend series with the Badgers. The Gophers lost the opening game 3-2 on Friday at Target Center before bouncing back in the regular season finale. Seniors Mike Carman and Tony Lucia each had two goals in Sunday's win with Carman adding a pair of assists for his first career four-point game.
Series History
The teams split their meetings this year with each squad winning and tying on their home ice. North Dakota beat the Gophers 4-0 and the teams tied 3-3 in a season-opening series on Oct. 16-17. They tied 3-3 and Minnesota had a 5-1 win at Mariucci Arena on Jan. 15-16. Minnesota leads the all-time series 138-125-13.The rivals have played 24 times in the postseason with each team winning 12 times. They last met in the first round of the WCHA playoffs in 2002 at Mariucci Arena with Minnesota posting a sweep. The Gophers played WCHA playoff series in North Dakota in 1987 and 1984 and single-game WCHA playoffs in Grand Forks in 1967 and 1966, going 0-6 in those games.
About the Sioux
North Dakota owns the longest current winning streak in the country at seven games and has outscored its opponents 32-11 over the streak, holding all seven opponents to two goals or fewer. North Dakota had been 1-5-1 in its previous seven games before the current streak, which includes sweeps of Minnesota Duluth, Colorado College and Michigan Tech. The Sioux rank third nationally in scoring defense at 2.14 goals allowed per game and their penalty kill is seventh nationally at 87.0 percent. Sophomore goaltender Brad Eidsness ranks 11th in the country with a 2.16 goals against average and also has a .911 save percentage. Senior Chris VandeVelde is the team's leading scorer with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points. Sophomore Jason Gregoire has 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points, while Danny Kristo ranks eighth nationally among freshmen in scoring with 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points.
Dakota Bound
The Gophers played at North Dakota in the WCHA playoff finals in 1987 and in a second round series in 1984. They also lost a one-game playoff in Grand Forks in 1967 and 1966. Minnesota is 0-6 against North Dakota in Grand Forks in the WCHA playoffs. They are 0-9 overall in the postseason in Grand Forks with three NCAA tournament defeats, losing to Holy Cross in the 2006 first round and to Harvard and Providence in the 1983 Frozen Four.
Frequent Visitors
The only time since 1999 that Minnesota and North Dakota both didn't reach the WCHA Final Five was when they played each other in 2002. Minnesota has made 11 straight trips to the event and North Dakota has participated seven straight years and 12 of the last 13 years. The only time North Dakota didn't reach the event was when it lost to Minnesota in the first round in 2002. The Gophers have played in the WCHA Final Five or Playoff Championship in 22 of the 23 years under the current format.
First Round Fortunes
Minnesota owns a 65-10-1 record in the first round of the WCHA playoffs since 1974 and the Gophers have failed to advance out of the first round only once in the past 36 years, coming in 1998 in a game three overtime loss at Minnesota Duluth. The Gophers' last three first-round losses have all been in overtime.
On the Road
The Gophers are opening the WCHA playoffs on the road for just the third time in 11 years. They have won their last two road series with wins in three games at Minnesota State in 2008 and a sweep at Colorado College in 2000. At least one road team has won a first round WCHA playoff series five of the past six years.
Lucky Seven
Minnesota is seeded seventh for the WCHA playoffs and the seventh seed has advanced to the WCHA Final Five title game the past two seasons. Minnesota lost in the finals in 2008 and Minnesota Duluth won the title as the seventh seed last season. The seventh seed has beaten the fourth seed three straight years and four times in the last six years. The last time the fourth seed swept the seventh seed was 2002.
Tough Stretch
The Gophers concluded the regular season with eight straight games against top 10 opponents and will face another this weekend with their two games against fifth-ranked North Dakota. Minnesota is 7-10-2 against ranked teams for the season with wins over six different teams. The last time Minnesota played eight straight ranked foes in the regular season was Nov. 3-25, 2000.
Keeping It Clean
Minnesota entered last weekend leading the WCHA in fewest penalty minutes with 12.7 per game, but now ranks second at 13.5 per game after being whistled for a season-high 40 minutes on Sunday against Wisconsin. The Gophers had 24 penalties for 48 minutes in their series earlier this season at North Dakota. The Sioux is the nation's third-most penalized team at 19.3 minutes per game.
Power Surge
The Gophers were 5-for-8 on the power play against Wisconsin on Sunday, marking their most power play goals in a game since Dec. 1, 2006 when they were also 5-for-8 against Minnesota State. Minnesota had been 2-for-36 over its previous eight games before Sunday's outburst. Wisconsin did not commit a penalty in the first period on Sunday and then had seven penalties in the second period and six in the third.
Three's the Key
Scoring three goals has been significant in Minnesota's games this year as the Gophers are 16-2-2 when scoring three or more goals and 1-15-0 when scoring fewer than two goals. The numbers are identical for Minnesota's opponents this season.
Taking Shots
Minnesota has outshot its opponent or been even in shots in 17 of its last 21 games, including both games last weekend. WIsconsin entered the series averaging 38.2 shots per game and had 113 shots the previous weekend at Michigan Tech, but managed a total of just 50 shots in the two games against the Gophers. Minnesota has been outshot just 13 times in 36 games this year, though four of those games came against North Dakota.
Minnesota (17-17-2) at North Dakota (20-11-5)
Date: Friday-Sunday, March 12-14
Time: 7:30 p.m. (Fri.) / 7 p.m. (Sat.-Sun.)
Location: Engelstad Arena (11,406)
Series History: Minnesota leads 138-125-14
Radio: KNOF 95.3 FM (Fri.-Sun.) / WCCO 830 AM (Sat.) - Wally Shaver and Glen Sonmor
Television: Fox Sports North - Frank Mazzocco and Doug Woog
For the first time since 1987, Minnesota will play a WCHA postseason series at North Dakota as the teams meet in a best-of-three series in the first round of the league playoffs. The winner will earn a berth to next weekend's WCHA Final Five at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. It marks the sixth straight weekend the Gophers have faced an opponent ranked in the top 10.
Last Time Out
Minnesota scored five power play goals in posting a 6-1 win over Wisconsin on Sunday to split a weekend series with the Badgers. The Gophers lost the opening game 3-2 on Friday at Target Center before bouncing back in the regular season finale. Seniors Mike Carman and Tony Lucia each had two goals in Sunday's win with Carman adding a pair of assists for his first career four-point game.
Series History
The teams split their meetings this year with each squad winning and tying on their home ice. North Dakota beat the Gophers 4-0 and the teams tied 3-3 in a season-opening series on Oct. 16-17. They tied 3-3 and Minnesota had a 5-1 win at Mariucci Arena on Jan. 15-16. Minnesota leads the all-time series 138-125-13.The rivals have played 24 times in the postseason with each team winning 12 times. They last met in the first round of the WCHA playoffs in 2002 at Mariucci Arena with Minnesota posting a sweep. The Gophers played WCHA playoff series in North Dakota in 1987 and 1984 and single-game WCHA playoffs in Grand Forks in 1967 and 1966, going 0-6 in those games.
About the Sioux
North Dakota owns the longest current winning streak in the country at seven games and has outscored its opponents 32-11 over the streak, holding all seven opponents to two goals or fewer. North Dakota had been 1-5-1 in its previous seven games before the current streak, which includes sweeps of Minnesota Duluth, Colorado College and Michigan Tech. The Sioux rank third nationally in scoring defense at 2.14 goals allowed per game and their penalty kill is seventh nationally at 87.0 percent. Sophomore goaltender Brad Eidsness ranks 11th in the country with a 2.16 goals against average and also has a .911 save percentage. Senior Chris VandeVelde is the team's leading scorer with 13 goals and 20 assists for 33 points. Sophomore Jason Gregoire has 18 goals and 13 assists for 31 points, while Danny Kristo ranks eighth nationally among freshmen in scoring with 13 goals and 17 assists for 30 points.
Dakota Bound
The Gophers played at North Dakota in the WCHA playoff finals in 1987 and in a second round series in 1984. They also lost a one-game playoff in Grand Forks in 1967 and 1966. Minnesota is 0-6 against North Dakota in Grand Forks in the WCHA playoffs. They are 0-9 overall in the postseason in Grand Forks with three NCAA tournament defeats, losing to Holy Cross in the 2006 first round and to Harvard and Providence in the 1983 Frozen Four.
Frequent Visitors
The only time since 1999 that Minnesota and North Dakota both didn't reach the WCHA Final Five was when they played each other in 2002. Minnesota has made 11 straight trips to the event and North Dakota has participated seven straight years and 12 of the last 13 years. The only time North Dakota didn't reach the event was when it lost to Minnesota in the first round in 2002. The Gophers have played in the WCHA Final Five or Playoff Championship in 22 of the 23 years under the current format.
First Round Fortunes
Minnesota owns a 65-10-1 record in the first round of the WCHA playoffs since 1974 and the Gophers have failed to advance out of the first round only once in the past 36 years, coming in 1998 in a game three overtime loss at Minnesota Duluth. The Gophers' last three first-round losses have all been in overtime.
On the Road
The Gophers are opening the WCHA playoffs on the road for just the third time in 11 years. They have won their last two road series with wins in three games at Minnesota State in 2008 and a sweep at Colorado College in 2000. At least one road team has won a first round WCHA playoff series five of the past six years.
Lucky Seven
Minnesota is seeded seventh for the WCHA playoffs and the seventh seed has advanced to the WCHA Final Five title game the past two seasons. Minnesota lost in the finals in 2008 and Minnesota Duluth won the title as the seventh seed last season. The seventh seed has beaten the fourth seed three straight years and four times in the last six years. The last time the fourth seed swept the seventh seed was 2002.
Tough Stretch
The Gophers concluded the regular season with eight straight games against top 10 opponents and will face another this weekend with their two games against fifth-ranked North Dakota. Minnesota is 7-10-2 against ranked teams for the season with wins over six different teams. The last time Minnesota played eight straight ranked foes in the regular season was Nov. 3-25, 2000.
Keeping It Clean
Minnesota entered last weekend leading the WCHA in fewest penalty minutes with 12.7 per game, but now ranks second at 13.5 per game after being whistled for a season-high 40 minutes on Sunday against Wisconsin. The Gophers had 24 penalties for 48 minutes in their series earlier this season at North Dakota. The Sioux is the nation's third-most penalized team at 19.3 minutes per game.
Power Surge
The Gophers were 5-for-8 on the power play against Wisconsin on Sunday, marking their most power play goals in a game since Dec. 1, 2006 when they were also 5-for-8 against Minnesota State. Minnesota had been 2-for-36 over its previous eight games before Sunday's outburst. Wisconsin did not commit a penalty in the first period on Sunday and then had seven penalties in the second period and six in the third.
Three's the Key
Scoring three goals has been significant in Minnesota's games this year as the Gophers are 16-2-2 when scoring three or more goals and 1-15-0 when scoring fewer than two goals. The numbers are identical for Minnesota's opponents this season.
Taking Shots
Minnesota has outshot its opponent or been even in shots in 17 of its last 21 games, including both games last weekend. WIsconsin entered the series averaging 38.2 shots per game and had 113 shots the previous weekend at Michigan Tech, but managed a total of just 50 shots in the two games against the Gophers. Minnesota has been outshot just 13 times in 36 games this year, though four of those games came against North Dakota.
Players Mentioned
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