KNOF, known as Praise FM will be carrying Gophers hockey games the rest of the season when 'CCO can't.

That's a big improvement on KYCR, which will also continue to carry the same games. But KYCR is a 230-watt station at night. It's tower is in Golden Valley and the signal is hard to get in many parts of the metro area.

Praise FM is a 6,000-watt station owned by the Selby Gospel Broadcasting Corp. It will carry a minimum of seven Gophers games in 2010.

The first game on KNOF will be the second game of the Dodge Holiday Classic on Saturday. The Gophers play Bowling Green at 7 p.m. (same time as the Wild game).

"95.3 Praise FM is new to the Twin Cities," said David McIver, KNOF's executive director, "and while our focus is on spiritual values and foundations, we also love to partner with Learfield Sports in broadcasting Golden Gophers sports in the metro area."

Praise FM has a 249-foot tower in western St. Paul and a studio in Minneapolis.