Minnesota Men's Hockey Announces 2008-09 Schedule
The Golden Gophers Host Defending Regular Season Champs from Three Different Conferences Early in 2008-09 |
||||||
 |
June 10, 2008
Complete Release in PDF Format 
MINNEAPOLIS, Minn. - Early-season home games against the defending regular season champions from three different conferences highlight the 2008-09 University of Minnesota men's hockey schedule.
The Golden Gophers will host defending Hockey East champion New Hampshire Nov. 7-8 and then face defending Central Collegiate Hockey Association champion Michigan on Nov. 28 before taking on Western Collegiate Hockey Association titlist Colorado College on Dec. 13-14. Overall, the Gophers will play 20 of their 34 games at Mariucci Arena, including all six of their non-conference games.
Minnesota will play 20 games against 2007-08 NCAA tournament participants, including 12 of its 16 games before the holiday break. North Dakota and Denver are the two WCHA opponents which do not play at Mariucci Arena, while Minnesota does not travel to Alaska Anchorage or Minnesota Duluth as part of the league's rotating schedule. It marks the first time since 1990-91 that the Gophers will not make a trip to Alaska.
Minnesota jumps right into its WCHA schedule with six conference games to open the season, beginning with a home-and-home series against St. Cloud State. The teams play in St. Cloud on Fri., Oct. 17 prior to the Gophers' home opener the following night.
Minnesota follows with a two-game series at Wisconsin on Oct. 24-25 before hosting Minnesota State on Fri., Oct. 31. The Gophers and Mavericks will meet the following night at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul as part of the inaugural State of Minnesota Hockey Showcase. Minnesota and Minnesota State will play at 7:37 p.m. following Minnesota Duluth playing St. Cloud State at 4:07 p.m.
New Hampshire's visit will mark the Wildcats' first two-game series at Mariucci Arena since 1985 and their first meetings with the Gophers since the 2003 Dodge Holiday Classic title game.
The Gophers will take part in the College Hockey Showcase for the 15th straight year with home games against Michigan on Nov. 28 and Michigan State on Nov. 29. Minnesota swept its CCHA and Big Ten rivals at home in both 2006 and 2004.
The Dodge Holiday Classic returns to Mariucci Arena for the 17th consecutive year and will be played in January for the first time since 1993. Minnesota's first-round opponent, Brown, makes its second appearance in the tournament after also participating in 1997. Northeastern is also back for the first time since 1997 and plays Western Michigan in the other matchup. The Broncos played in the 1994 and 2001 tournaments.
Highlighting the second half of the season are games at North Dakota on Jan. 9-10 and a home series with Wisconsin on Feb. 6-7. The WCHA playoffs begin on March 13-15.
The Gophers will host an NCAA Regional tournament for the fourth time since the NCAA began using pre-determined sites in 1992. The four-team event will be held March 27-28 with the winner advancing to the NCAA Frozen Four in Washington, D.C. on April 9 and 11. If Minnesota qualifies for the NCAA tournament, it will be guaranteed of playing on its home ice in the opening two rounds.
Minnesota will play two home series on Saturday and Sunday. The Gophers will host Michigan Tech on Nov. 15-16 in a rare afternoon series with two 1:07 p.m. games to avoid conflicts with a basketball tournament in Williams Arena. They will also take on Colorado College on Dec. 13-14 in a pair of 7:07 p.m. games due to the final exams schedule.
|
|
 |
