GAME PREVIEW

NO. 1 GOPHERS (5-0-1) at NO. 4 NOTRE DAME (6-2)

7:05 p.m. Friday, 6:05 p.m. Saturday at Compton Family Ice Arena

TV/radio/live stream: NBC Sports Network on Friday, but no TV broadcast Saturday; 107.1-FM Friday and 1500-AM Saturday; NBCSports.com both games

Gophers at a glance: A bye week came at the right time for the Gophers. Several were banged up after the Boston College series and needed the extra week to recover. The bigger Irish, on their regular-size ice sheet, could pose matchup problems for the Gophers. The last time these teams met they were ranked Nos. 1 and 2 last January. The host Gophers won 4-1.

Fighting Irish at a glance: Notre Dame coach Jeff Jackson won't attempt to slow the tempo this weekend. He wants his team to keep pace with the fast-moving Gophers. "[This series] will be about puck possession and transition," he said. Freshman forward Vince Hinostroza was named the Hockey Commissioners Association's national Rookie of the Month for October when he had three goals and five assists.

JASON GONZALEZ