Come Monday, Gophers could be nation's No. 1 team in hockey

The door is open.

The four teams above the Gophers in the uscho.com and USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine national polls last week all lost once or tied twice this past weekend. So the maroon and gold should climb in the polls, maybe all the way to No. 1.

Here is a look-see:

1. Boston College 30 first-place votes, 8-2-0 507 pts. last week's rating: No. 1

Comment: BC won 5-1 over Maine. lost 4-2 to UMass

2. Colorado College 3 5-1-0 464 No. 3

Comments: CC split with Nebraska Omaha, losing 7-5, winning 5-2

Comments: Split with Western Michigan, losing 3-2, winning 5-2

USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine's 4. Notre Dame 5-2-2 366 No. 5 ... (Irish were No. 6 in uscho.com poll)

Comments: Tied Northern Michigan 2-2 and and 1-1 and lost shootouts both nights

uscho.com's 4. Western Michigan 6-1-3 311 No. 10 ... (Broncos were No. 6 in USA Today/USA Hockey Mag poll)

Comments: Split with Michigan (see above)

Comments: Swept North Dakota 2-0, 3-2

Realistically, Gophers should move up at least two spots, climbing over No. 4 Notre Dame/Western Michigan -- depending on which poll you are looking at -- and No. 3 Michigan, when the two major polls come out on Monday. Maybe higher.

THRILLING WIN

Pity anyone who left the North Dakota-Gophers game early on Saturday. That was one swell finish for the home team. The Gophers have not had a 20-goal scorer for two seasons. Now they could have two or three.

Kyle Rau and Nick Bjugstad both have eight goals in 10 games. That's a pretty good pace. And just behind them is Erik Haula with seven.

* Named the three stars of Saturday's game were Nick Bjugstad, Nick Larson and Kyle Rau ... Larson and Erik Haula led the Gophers in shots on net with five apiece.

* Saturday's attendance of 10,234 was the 10th largest for a Gophers game at Mariucci Arena