Gophers' home sked for 2012-13 filled with attractive teams

The Gophers' hockey schedule for the 2012-13 season -- their last in the WCHA -- has been released.

They will play 36 games, 20 at home. Among the teams coming to Mariucci Arena are nonconference glamor teams like Boston College, the NCAA champion, for the Mariucci Classic, and Notre Dame for one game on Jan. 5.

Among WCHA teams coming to Mariucci are two of the Gophers' biggest rivals, North Dakota on Jan. 18-19 and Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 22-23.

In the four-team conference pod the Gophers are in this season are Wisconsin, as always, and Minnesota State and Alaska Anchorage. That means the 'U' will play those three teams four times apiece, in two games at home and two away. The two series with the Mavericks will both be home and home the same weekend.

The Gophers will open the season with an exhibition game against Lethbridge and will play another exhibition against the U.S. under-18 team on Oct. 26. Michigan State will be the first NCAA opponent, in a nonconference series in mid-October.

Gophers' 2012-13 hockey schedule

10/06: vs. Lethbridge (exhibition)

10/19-20: at Michigan Tech

10/26: vs. U.S. under-18 team (exhibition)

10/28: vs. Canisius

11/2: vs. Minnesota State

11/3: at Minnesota State

11/16-17: vs. Wisconsin

11/23-24: at Vermont

11/30 and 12/1: vs. Nebraska-Omaha

12/7-8: at Colorado College

12/28: Mariucci Classic vs. either Alabama Huntsville or Air Force or Boston College

01/5: vs. Notre Dame

01/11-12: vs. Alaska-Anchorage

01/18-19: vs. North Dakota

01/25: vs. Minnesota State

01/26: at Minnesota State

02/15-16: at Wisconsin

02/22-23: vs. Minnesota Duluth

03/1-2: vs. Denver