Evening from an empty Mariucci Arena, where the Gophers host Wisconsin in Round 2 of the "Border Battle" tonight at 8 p.m.
The game is on the Big Ten Network and 1500-AM.
Minnesota will make a couple lineup changes tonight.
Freshmen Ryan Reilly and A.J. Michaelson are scratched.
Tom Serratore moves from fourth-line left wing to center, and he'll be in the middle of two defensemen -- Jake Parenteau, who didn't play last night, and Justin Holl.
In addition, sophomore Jared Larson will make his season home debut as third-line left wing. Larson, who is from Apple Valley, played both games in Anchorage last weekend.
Adam Wilcox (5-1-2, 1.61 goals against average and .923 save percentage) will start his eighth consecutive game.
No changes for the Badgers, although I am not sure who starting in goal yet. Landon Peterson was dynamite last night with 41 saves. Joel Rumpel is 1-3-1 with a 2.37 goals against average and .919 save percentage.
Gophers lineup
FORWARDS
Kyle Rau-Nick Bjugstad-Christian Isackson
Nate Condon-Erik Haula-Zach Budish
Jared Larson-Travis Boyd-Seth Ambroz
Jake Parenteau-Tom Serratore-Justin Holl
DEFENSEMEN
Seth Helgeson-Ben Marshall
Brady Skjei-Nate Schmidt
Mike Reilly-Mark Alt
GOALIES
Adam Wilcox
Ryan Coyne
Badgers lineup
FORWARDS
Joseph LaBate-Jefferson Dahl-Tyler Barnes
Morgan Zulinick-Derek Lee-Michael Mersch
Ryan Little-Brendan Woods-Keegan Meuer
Brad Navin-Matt Paape-Sean Little
DEFENSEMEN
Kevin Schulze-John Ramage
Chase Drake-Joe Faust
Jake McCabe-Frankie Simonelli
GOALIES
Joel Rumpel
Landon Peterson
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I just got to Mariucci from Xcel Energy Center, where I watched the Aeros practice and yucked it up with the Wild brass and coaching staff. I'll be doing a story for Monday's paper on the Aeros, most likely Charlie Coyle. If he keeps up his play, he's got a great chance to make the Wild's opening night roster ... if the lockout one day ends.
Fun to be back there actually watching hockey. Coach Mike Yeo has been running around town keeping busy. He met last week with the ridiculously good University of Minnesota women's team and is scheduled to return for a chalk talk.
He is just trying to stay busy, and all the coaches are excited to watch the Aeros on Sunday (5 p.m.) and praying they'll get back to work soon. Hopefully that will be coming down the pike.
The good news is that two-week moratorium reported across the league earlier this week has ended about 11 days early.
The NHL and NHLPA are set to get back to the bargaining table Monday. Keep your fingers crossed.