SERIES PREVIEW: GOPHERS VS. COLORADO COLLEGE

When/where: 8:30 p.m. Friday and 8 p.m. Saturday in Colorado Springs.

TV/radio: FSN Plus Fri., FSN Sat.; 1500-AM both nights.

Records: Gophers 10-3-2, 5-3-2; Tigers 8-7-1, 5-3-0.

Gophers at a glance: Coming off a split with Nebraska Omaha, the fifth-ranked Gophers are tied for second in the WCHA -- three points behind Denver. Don Lucia coached Colorado College for six seasons, winning 166 games. C Erik Haula leads the Gophers and is tied for second in the WCHA with 19 points. C Nick Bjugstad leads with eight goals, which is tied for third in the WCHA. G Adam Wilcox (9-2-2), the HCA Division I Rookie of the Month, is fifth in the nation with a 1.61 goals-against average. The Gophers are second in the WCHA with a .222 power-play percentage and first on the penalty kill (.898). D Mark Alt (flu) is available.

Tigers at a glance: No. 19 Colorado College, 1-4-1 in its past six, has scored the most goals (59) and given up the most (55) in the WCHA. Three of its past four games have required overtime. RW William Rapuzzi is on a career-best seven-game point streak. He is tied with C Rylan Schwartz for the team lead with 19 points. F Scott Winkler leads with 10 goals (14 points in November). Gs Josh Thorimbert and Plymouth's Joe Howe have split most weekends. The Tigers have the WCHA's third-best power play (.216) but second-worst penalty kill (.750).

MICHAEL RUSSO