Minnesota released its 2011-2012 men's hockey schedule on Friday as the Gophers look to rebound from a 16-14-6 season and make their first NCAA tournament appearance since 2008. A few things stand out in the schedule:
- Four games against North Dakota, including the first home series since January 2010.
- An early series with defending Frozen Four champion Minnesota-Duluth up in Duluth, Oct. 14-15.
- The return of the traditional home-and-home series against St. Cloud State after that not being in place last season.
- A Jan. 7 game against Notre Dame at a venue to be determined and the first Hall of Fame Game for the Gophers since 2006 against Maine. The Fighting Irish have been rumored to be a possible outdoor opponent, so it is interesting to see if a game at TCF Bank Stadium comes out in the following weeks.
- Despite the College Hockey Showcase ending last season, Minnesota will still play a Thanksgiving weekend series against fellow Big Ten team Michigan State in East Lansing.
- Niagara, Northeastern and Princeton coming into town for the annual Mariucci Classic.
The full hockey schedule after the jump.
2011-2012 Gophers Hockey Schedule
Oct 2 vs. British Columbia (Exhibition)
Oct 7-8 vs. Sacred Heart
Oct 14-15 @ Minnesota-Duluth
Oct 21-22 or 23* vs. Vermont
Oct 28-29 @ Alaska-Anchorage
Nov 4-5 vs. North Dakota
Nov 11-12 @ Wisconsin
Nov 18 @ St. Cloud State
Nov 19 vs. St. Cloud State
Nov 25-26 @ Michigan State
Dec 2-3 vs. Minnesota State
Dec 9-10 vs. Michigan Tech
Mariucci Classic
Dec 30-31 (Minnesota, Niagara, Northeastern, Princeton)
Hall of Fame Game
Jan 7 vs. Notre Dame (venue TBD)
Jan 13-14 @ North Dakota
Jan 20-21 vs. Colorado College
Jan 27 vs. St. Cloud State
Jan 28 @ St. Cloud State
Feb 10-11 @ Denver
Feb 17-18 vs. Bemidji State
Feb 24-25 @ Nebraska-Omaha
Mar 2-3 vs. Wisconsin
*The date of the second game will be announced later