How about some momentum? Sure the Gophers are 2-0-2 the past two weekends against Wisconsin and Alaska-Anchorage, but there is no tying when the playoffs start. Somebody has to win. And not by shootout. Teams play until they drop.

And Minnesota has been a very mediocre 0-3-9 in overtime games. So let’s get used to winning. Minnesota Duluth coming in this week appears to be the right team to play. The Bulldogs have had more trouble scoring than the Gophers. Can you believe that?

Minnesota leads the all-time series, which dates back to 1952, by a 124-66-12 count. The Gophers are 5-0-1 against UMD in their last three games. In mid-January, the teams tied 1-1 in overtime and the U won the second game 2-1.

The Bulldogs are making their first trip to Mariucci Arena in two years. The Gophers beat UMD on their last visit 7-0 and 2-0 on March 3 and 4, 2006.

UMD has scored one goal total in losing its last four games, two to Colorado College and two to North Dakota last weekend by scores of 2-0 and 2-1 in overtime.

The Bulldogs are 14th in scoring defense among the nation’s 59 Division I teams, giving up only 2.44 goals per games. But they are a woeful 53rd in scoring offense, averaging just 2.09 goals per game.

Their power play is 56th nationally, stumbling along at 10.8 percent. In contrast their penalty kill is third best, successful 89.4 percent of the time.

Sophomore Alex Stalock, via South St. Paul High School, has played all but eight minutes in goal for UMD this season. What a slacker. He has a 2.26 goals-against average and a .918 save percentage. The Gophers Alex, Alex Kangas, better be sharp this weekend.

The Gophers with a sweep of UMD  — or at least a win and a tie — could still get home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs.. If they don’t play at home, it will break a seven-year stretch of home ice for the first round. The last time they played away was in 1999-2000 at Colorado College.

Minnesota is tied for 12th in the PairWise ratings, largely because their strength of schedule. If they don’t slip, they have a good chance of making the 16-team field for the NCAA tournament which includes six conference playoff champions and 10 at-large teams.

THE DQ CUP

The DQ Cup is presented to the state Division I team with the highest winning percentage in games against the other three state teams. This year it will go to either the Gophers or UMD. Minnesota needs one victory to secure it. Not as good as the MacNaughton Cup, but something.

UMD needs a win and a tie. St. Cloud State won the DQ Cup last year, Minnesota won it in 2006, the first year it was presented.

ON OVERTIMES, TIES

The Gophers have played a tie game in each of their last seven weekend series. So there is a lot of tieing material to digest. To wit:

* The nine ties ties a school record set in 1998-99 and tied in 2002-03

* The nine ties are one tie short of the NCAA single-season record for ties, set by Minnesota State Mankato. The Mavericks were 20-11-10 in 2002-03.

* The Gophers have played eight overtimes in their last 13 games.

* Minnesota’s nine ties and 12 overtime games are the most of any team in college hockey this season.

SENIOR LEGACY

The six seniors on the Gophers have been part of teams that have compiled a 100-48-18 record, won two MacNaughton Cups for being regular-season WCHA champions, won one Broadmoor Trophy for being the WCHA playoffs champion and appeared in three NCAA tournaments, including a trip to the Frozen Four as freshmen in 2004-05.

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