The 11-4-1 University of Minnesota hockey team returns to WCHA play this weekend against the 3-10-1 Minnesota State University Mavericks in a two game series this weekend at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis. Despite the proximity of Mankato to Minneapolis, the two teams don't share the same rivalry that Minnesota has with other WCHA teams; however the Mavericks have won five of the last eight games in the series.
Both teams are looking to turn things around after disappointing Thanksgiving weekends in which they lost Friday night and tied Saturday. In the Mavericks' case, they were playing Alaska-Anchorage at home while the Gophers were in East Lansing playing the Michigan State Spartans in a non-conference series.
Minnesota enters the weekend ranked fifth in the country in the USCHO.com poll and is fourth in the USA Today poll. Minnesota State is unranked in either poll and sits in the basement of the WCHA with a 2-7-1 conference record while the Gophers remain in first with an 8-2-0 conference record.
Details for this weekend's series are below. Remember that tonight's game is not on the regular Fox Sports North TV station because of the Minnesota Wild playing New Jersey. It is instead on an alternate Fox Sports Northchannel.
Location For Both Games: Mariucci Arena, Minneapolis MN
Game #1 Date/Time: Friday December 2, 7:00 p.m. CST
TV Schedule: Fox Sports North Alternate Channel (Listings For Alternate Channel Here)
Announcers: Anthony LaPanta and Kevin Gorg
Radio: ESPN 1500
Game #2 Date/Time: Saturday December 3, 7:00 p.m. CST
TV Schedule: Fox Sports North (Channel Listings Here)
Announcers: Anthony LaPanta and Kevin Gorg
Radio: ESPN 1500
For more Gophers coverage, be sure to check out The Daily Gopher.