Pairings For WCHA First Round Set

Men's first round opens next Friday.

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March 7, 2004

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MADISON, Wisc. � The pairings for the first round of the 2003-04 Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs are now set. The five best-of-three series will be contested next Friday, March 12th, Saturday, March 13th and Sunday, March 14th (if necessary).

WCHA regular season and MacNaughton Cup champion and No. 1-seed North Dakota (26-6-3) will host No. 10-seed Michigan Tech (8-23-5) at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Regular season runner-up and No. 2-seed Minnesota-Duluth (23-10-4) will host No. 9-seed Minnesota State (9-22-5) at the Duluth Entertainment & Convention Center. Third place WCHA finisher and No. 3-seed Wisconsin (20-10-8) will host No. 8-seed Alaska Anchorage (11-20-3) at the Kohl Center. No. 4-seed Denver (23-10-5) will host No. 7-seed Colorado College (18-15-3) at Magness Arena. And No. 5-seed Minnesota (22-13-3) will host No. 6-seed St. Cloud State (18-14-4) at Mariucci Arena. Although tied for fourth place in the final regular season standings, Denver earned the higher seed over Minnesota by virtue of a 3-1 advantage in their head-to-head series this season.

WCHA First-Round Playoff Pairings Best-of-Three

Friday, March 12: #10 Michigan Tech @ #1 North Dakota, 7:35 pm CT; #9 Minnesota State @ #2 Minnesota-Duluth, 7:05 pm CT; #8 Alaska Anchorage @ #3 Wisconsin, 7:05 pm CT; #7 Colorado College @ No. 4 Denver, 7:35 pm MT; #6 St. Cloud State @ #5 Minnesota, 7:05 pm CT.

Saturday, March 13: #10 Michigan Tech @ #1 North Dakota, 7:05 pm CT; #9 Minnesota State @ #2 Minnesota-Duluth, 7:05 pm CT; #8 Alaska Anchorage @ #3 Wisconsin, 7:05 pm CT; #7 Colorado College @ No. 4 Denver, 7:05 pm MT; #6 St. Cloud State @ #5 Minnesota, 7:05 pm CT.

Sunday, March 14 (if necessary): #10 Michigan Tech @ #1 North Dakota, 6:05 pm CT; #9 Minnesota State @ #2 Minnesota-Duluth, 7:05 pm CT; #8 Alaska Anchorage @ #3 Wisconsin, 7:05 pm CT; #7 Colorado College @ No. 4 Denver, 7:05 pm MT; #6 St. Cloud State @ #5 Minnesota, 7:05 pm CT.

This Week in the WCHA

Results from Tuesday, March 2: Minnesota State 5 @ Nebraska-Omaha 3 (nc).

Results from Thursday, March 4: Denver 3 @ Colorado College 1.

Results from Friday, March 5: Minnesota-Duluth 2 @ Wisconsin 2 ot; St. Cloud State 4 @ Minnesota 7; Michigan Tech 1 @ North Dakota 5; Colorado College 2 @ Denver 3; Alaska Fairbanks 4 @ Alaska Anchorage 5 (nc).

Results from Saturday, March 6: St. Cloud State 2 @ Minnesota 4; Minnesota-Duluth 4 @ Wisconsin 1; Michigan Tech 1 @ North Dakota 5; Nebraska-Omaha 1 @ Minnesota State 9 (nc); Alaska Fairbanks 6 @ Alaska Anchorage 4 (nc). END OF REGULAR SEASON.