GRAND FORKS, N.D. - North Dakota's playoff towels were a no-show for Friday's game at Ralph Engelstad Arena. Weather delayed their arrival from Nebraska for a day, disappointing an announced sellout crowd of 11,677 fans a wee bit.

The Gophers had no such excuses for not showing up for the first period. No. 5-ranked North Dakota scored early, late and short-handed in the first 20 minutes. By hockey's rules, the two teams had to return for two more periods, and the Sioux rolled to a 6-0 rout in the opener of this best-of-three, first-round WCHA playoff series.

It was the worst postseason loss for the Gophers since Wisconsin beat them 7-1 in the 1990 WCHA title game.

Sioux goalie Brad Eidsness made 27 saves, 14 in the third period, as the Gophers were shut out for the sixth time this season.

The loss put the Gophers (17-18-2) in a desperate spot. Now they have to win Saturday night to force a third game, and then win again Sunday or else their season is over.

This is not unfamiliar territory for the seniors and juniors. Two years ago, the Gophers, seeded seventh as they are this year, lost the first game of a road series in overtime at Minnesota State Mankato, then won the next two games in overtime. There's one big difference. The series in Mankato was competitive.

The Sioux (21-11-5) had more jump from the start in winning their eighth consecutive game. They took a 1-0 lead on Danny Kristo's goal at 1:39 of the opening period. He stole the puck in the slot from Nick Larson and beat Kangas through the 5-hole on the game's first shot.

"When you turn one over a minute and a half in -- the game was basically lost in the first period," Gophers coach Don Lucia said. "[It's] disappointing how we played tonight.

"But whether you win by one or lose by one or like we did tonight [by six], it really doesn't matter. You just got to come back and try to win tomorrow."

The rest of the opening period kept going downhill. North Dakota outhustled the Gophers and won the one-on-one battles.

Even when Minnesota had a late power play, it turned sour. Mike Carman's shot from the right point was blocked and the puck bounced to mid-ice. All of a sudden VandeVelde and Jason Gregoire had a 2-on-1 the other way. The puck went from VandeVelde to Gregoire, then back to VandeVelde who had an open left side. Easy goal for him, his 14th, for a 2-0 lead at 16:07.

Brad Malone made it 3-0 Sioux with a breakaway goal at 19:05. Brett Hextall, as he was falling in neutral ice, passed the puck ahead to Malone. He got a well-deserved assist.

"We took [the ice] first period with no energy," senior co-captain Ryan Flynn said. "We've got to compete way harder than that."

Sioux coach Dave Hakstol also was talking about energy after the game. "The building had a lot of energy to start with and [Kristo's goal] ignited it even more," he said.

The WCHA's top five seeds have home ice in the playoffs this first round.

"It was a good, quick play by Danny [Kristo]," Hakstol said. "He worked hard to get there and was lucky enough to create a turnover and get the loose puck."

The Gophers changed goalies for the third, pulling Kangas for backup Kent Patterson who last played Feb. 13.

The Gophers are down one game in this road series, putting a 12th consecutive trip to the Final Five next week at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul in serious doubt.