FSN will carry 28 of the Gophers’ 36 hockey games this season, including the first 13.

The Big Ten Network, which hasn’t announced its hockey schedule, is expected to carry a few others, too. It did four games last season.

Here are the eight games not on FSN:

Nov. 28, at Michigan State

Dec. 11-12, at Michigan Tech

Jan. 15, North Dakota

Jan. 29-30, at Alaska Anchorage

Feb. 19, Colorado College

March 5, Wisconsin at Target Center

Got to think the Big Ten network will carry several of those Friday games at Mariucci not at FSN, like the North Dakota and Colorado College games and the Wisconsin game at Target Center.

Five of the FSN games will be on tape delay. Here is the schedule:

2009-10 Minnesota Gopher Hockey – FOX Sports North Schedule

Date  Day  Opponent   Time    

Oct.  16  Friday  at North Dakota   7:30 PM

Oct.  17  Saturday at North Dakota   7:00 PM 

Oct.  23  Friday  Denver    7:00 PM

Oct.  24  Saturday Denver    7:00 PM (tape delay, 3 p.m. Sunday)

Oct.  30  Friday  Alaska Anchorage    7:00 PM (tape delay, approx. 10 p.m.)

Nov. 1  Sunday  Alaska Anchorage  4:00 PM

Nov. 6  Friday  at Wisconsin   7:00 PM  

Nov. 7  Saturday at Wisconsin   7:00 PM

Nov. 14  Saturday Bemidji State   7:30 PM

Nov. 15  Sunday  Bemidji State   6:00 PM

Nov. 20  Friday  Minnesota Duluth  7:00 PM 

Nov. 21  Saturday Minnesota Duluth  7:00 PM  

Nov. 27  Friday  at Michigan   6:30 PM

Dec. 4  Friday  Minnesota State  7:00 PM (tape delay, approx. 10 p.m.)

Dec. 5  Saturday  at Minnesota State  7:00 PM (tape delay, approx. 10 p.m.)

Jan.  2  Saturday Bowling Green   7:00 PM

Jan.  3  Sunday  Northern Michigan/Clarkson 7:00 PM

Jan.  8  Friday  Harvard   7:00 PM

Jan.  9  Saturday Harvard   7:00 PM (tape delay, approx. 10 p.m.)

Jan.  16  Saturday North Dakota   7:00 PM

Jan.  22  Friday  at St. Cloud State  7:00 PM

Jan.  23  Saturday St. Cloud State   5:00 PM

Feb.  12  Friday  at Denver   8:30 PM

Feb.  13  Saturday at Denver   8:00 PM

Feb.  20  Saturday Colorado College  7:00 PM

Feb.  26  Friday  at Minnesota Duluth  7:00 PM

Feb.  27  Saturday at Minnesota Duluth  7:30 PM

Mar. 7  Sunday  Wisconsin   1:00 PM

TV VOICES

Play-by-play annoucer Frank Mazzocco and color analyst Doug Woog will be back doing the Gophers games for FSN. They have been a broadcast team since 2001-02 when Woog replaced Reed Larson.

Anthony LaPanta and Robby Incmikoski, who work on Twins pre- and post-game shows, will host Gophers Live before and after games.

Joining them will be Tom Chorske, an ex-Gophers and NHL star, to provide commentary. Darby Hendrickson, another former Gopher, also will be back for post-game hockey demonstrations and other duties.

Woog, who Don Lucia replaced as the Gophers coach in 1999-2000, expects this U team to be stronger than last season.

“The goaltending is not going to be any worse,” Woog said. ”The defense will be a little stronger and they’ve got some speed.

“And I see some players coming out of the shadows. The Gophers will be deeper.”

Woog said the Gophers need a strong shooter for the power play and a big year from defenseman Cade Fairchild.

“Cade is bigger and stronger,” Woog said. “He will be a key. [Sophomore forward] Nico Sacchetti is a big, powerful key. He could have 12 to 15 goals.

“There were some other guys kind of hidden on the team last season. They’re not as small anymore, they’re older. This is one of the older Minnesota teams in recent years.

“Cade is back for his third year, [defenseman Aaron] Ness for his second, [goalie Alex] Kangas for his third, [forward Jay] Barriball for his fourth.

“The seniors will get to play a lot and they should get a good chance, it’s a non-dissension issue.”

Senior defenseman David Fischer, Woog said, is another key veteran.

Practices start Oct. 3, the Gophers have an exhibition game the next day versus British Columbia.

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