The Gophers are playing Minnesota Duluth for a second time this season. So once again I badgered and cajoled Kevin Pates, who covers UMD for the Duluth News Tribune, to pick WCHA games with me this week:

MINNESOTA at MINNESOTA DULUTH

Kevin: I hear the Gopher players are excited about coming to the new Amsoil Arena. They should be, it's a beauty. No pink visiting locker room, great ice, delicious concession stand food. What's not to like. A sold out crowd will have Minnesota Duluth sky high in a quest to stay in the MacNaughton Cup race and the Bulldogs are still mad about a long, snow-covered weekend loss-and-tie at Mariucci in December. Remember the DECC, love the Amsoil. This could be more fun than Mike Sertich sliding into a net. I see a ... UMD SWEEP

Roman: The Bulldogs are only 1-2 in their new pad. Still getting used to the place. And U goalie Kent Patterson prefers to stay busy -- the 'Dogs will accomodate him. Big question is the Gophers' power play and penalty kill. Can one score goals and the other stop them? Who knows. Will UMD use the UAA model and spring a neutral zone trap, or 1-4, or whatever the Seawolves did to shut out the Gophers 1-0 Saturday. Seven of last nine meetings have been decided by one goal, an eighth was a tie. Expect two more nail-biters and a ... SPLIT

MICHIGAN TECH at ALASKA ANCHORAGE

Kevin: The burning question in Anchorage: Has freshman goalie Chris Kamal earned the starting job? He had 30 saves in a 1-0 win Saturday at Miinnesota, with his dad, Dan, the Atlanta Thrashers radio play-by-play voice in the stands. It was Anchorage's first WCHA road shutout since December of 2005, back when Dave Shyiak was a WCHA rookie. It seems almost that long since Michigan Tech won a game, but after 0-20-2, the Huskies will end their long national nightmare. The last three games between the teams at Sullivan Arena have been ties, but I see a ... Michigan Tech SWEEP

Roman: Are you serious Kevin, picking MTech to sweep when they are woking on a 22-game winless streak and UAA is coming off a great victory over the Gophers? UAA has earned points in eight of 10 WCHA series. Wisconsin's power play was 0-for-8 vs. Michigan Tech last weekend. But Huskies are only 15-10-6 in 49th state. So this should be an ... Alaska Anchorage SWEEP

BEMIDJI STATE at MINNESOTA STATE

Kevin: Bob Peters told Tom Serratore there would be seasons like this, especially in the WCHA. Bemidji State is 2-11-1 against the established WCHA, yet 3-0-1 against fellow newcomer Nebraska-Omaha. The Beavers have been pesky, but a Frozen Four isn't likely in their future. After going seven WCHA games without a win, Mankato smacked St. Cloud State 6-2 last Saturday, so the Purple Mavs have to be feeling pretty darn good about their most goals since Nov. 26. Bemidji State was off last week, well rested, so I see a ... SPLIT

Roman: BSU is 1-7-1 on Fridays in WCHA games. Oh my. The Beavers last played two weekends ago when St. Cloud State came into their den and beat BSU 2-1, 5-1. Last weekend SCSU took on visiting Minnesota State and tied the purple Mavericks 3-3 and lost to them 6-2. So using the Huskies as a measuring stick, MSU is the better team and Mavs have beaten BSU their last six games. Mike Dorr of the Mavs is on fire with 12 points (six goals, six assists) in last 12 games. So logically this should be a ... Mavs SWEEP

ST. CLOUD STATE at NEBRASKA OMAHA

Kevin: How many times have you heard the annoying radio replay of Holy Cross beating Minnesota in overtime in the 2006 NCAAs? About a bazillion if you listen to KFAN. My guess is the Alabama-Huntsville radio folks used the same restraint in last Saturday's overtime win in Omaha. The Red Mavs might still be reeling from that punch in the gut and being 2-5-1 the last eight. Hermantown's Drew LeBlanc has the Huskies percolating in the second half, 6-1-1 the last eight. Motzko versus Blais looks like ... SPLITSVILLE

Roman: The Huskies had a seven game unbeaten string (6-0-1) snapped by a 6-2 loss to Minnesota State last Saturday. Forward Dave Eddy (3-4-7) has points in last six games. UNO split with lowly Alabama-Huntsville, winning 4-0, then losing 2-1 in OT last weekend despite 59 shots. That's Gophers-like. Six of UNO's 10 freshmen have at least 10 points and coach Dean Blais (296-141-41) is closing in on 300 wins. UNO beat SCSU 3-0 and tied the Huskies 4-4 in mid-November. ... UNO SWEEP

DENVER vs. COLORADO COLLEGE

Kevin: Oh, baby, the Gold Pan is at stake. Can you feel the excitement on the Front Range? Friday at the Springs, Saturday in Denver. The teams split in November. The defending WCHA champion Pios have been pretty much unbeatable, losing once since Nov. 12 -- yes, Bulldog fans, that came at the DECC 2-1. CC won three of four to finish January and could have injured Joe Howe back in goal. If Denver coach George Gwozdecky isn't too preoccupied in choosing Michigan State or Penn State as his next job, his club should [win two] ... Denver SWEEP

Roman: There might be more coaching openings for GG to ponder after the season. But to the point. CC is 9-4-6 against Denver since 2005-06. Tigers' big scorer -- at least until injured freshman Jaden Schwartz returns -- is Tyler Johnson (16-14-30) who has 11 power play goals. DU has a super frosh in Jason Zucker, the Wild draftee, who leads the WCHA with 17 goals in conference play. DU is 5-0-3 in last eight games. So digesting all that these teams will ... SPLIT

PAST RESULTS

How Roman, aka eyeonupuk, has fared against competitors in recent weeks:

Jan. 28-29 Eye, 6-3-1 Dan Myers, Colege Hockey News, 7-2-1

Jan. 21-22 Eye, 11-1 -------

Jan. 14-15 Eye, 5-4-3 Chris Miller, Strib team leader, 7-2-3

Jan. 7-8 Eye, 9-1 --------

Dec. 31-Jan. 1 Eye, 1-1* --------

Dec. 10, 12 Eye, 8-2-2 Kevin Pates, Duluth News Tribune, 6-4-2

* Only picked first two games of Mariucci Classic, was slacker

Roman's record past six weeks is 40-12-6, a winning percentage of .781.

The three most recent foes are a combined 20-8-6, or .742.