Gophers head hockey coach Don Lucia, who has not participated in an on-ice hockey practice the past two weeks, will take part in Monday’s 2 p.m. workout at Mariucci Arena.

Don is here today and he will be at practice, assistant coach John Hill said, and he will be here all week.

Lucia met with his two injured players, Ryan Stoa and David Fischer, before practice on Monday.

Stoa, who sprained one of his ankles in the Gophers’ 6-3 loss to North Dakota on Friday, was scheduled to see a doctor at 2:30 p.m. Monday.

Hill said it might be wise to rest Stoa this coming  weekend in a home and home series against St. Cloud State because the Gophers are idle the following weekend.

Fischer will definitely not play against the Huskies. Hill said he is out for at least three weeks. Fischer got cut on the back of his thigh by a skate Friday in the first period, came back but then struggled off the ice in the second. Hill said he suspects Fischer may have a torn tendon.

Lucia, who had another medical test, is awaiting a call from his doctor’s office with results from it. The call had not come by noon Monday and might not ’til Tuesday.

He has been bothered by bad headaches. He also has tired easily. Watching his Gophers play North Dakota on TV this weekend — he didn’t make the the trip to Grand Forks — could not have made him feel much better.

The Sioux stomped the U 6-3 and 6-1.

Here’s a rather remarkable stat: The Gophers, who were the nation’s No. 1 team for two weeks this season, have swept the same opponent only once this season. That opponent was St. Cloud State in the first series of the season. So maybe the Huskies will bring out the best in the U again this weekend.

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