This week is all about Gophers at North Dakota hockey. Both games are sellouts at the Ralph and "whiteouts" are planned both nights. That means everybody wears white. And Sioux fans are very good about complying.
So here is an early series forecast -- will provide a more in-depth look at the series later.
Gophers at North Dakota
The No. 2-rated Sioux are on an nine-game unbeaten streak (8-0-1) and twice last season completely manhandled the Gophers in the first game of a series in Grand Forks. But this is a desperate U of M team, one that was up and down the first half of the season. One with only one proven college goalie that's healthy.
After 4-0 and 6-0 drubbings last season, the Gophers tied and won the next game. So give the opener to the Sioux, and the maroon and gold win on Saturday. That would make for a happy bus ride home. Gophers coach Don Lucia said his team needs points from the trip to Grand Forks. So to sum up, at the Ralph these teams will ... Split
RATINGS TALK
Yale remains the No. 1 team in both major polls this week. The Elis are 14-1-0.
But six WCHA teams also make the uscho.poll: No. 2 North Dakota, 16-5-2, No. 5. UMD, No. 6 Denver, No. 9 Wisconsin, No. 11 Nebraska Omaha, No. 17 Colorado College.