Gophers still atop WCHA, but close to being NCAA bubble team

The Gophers have a fight on their hands.

They need some wins in a row. This win one, lose one rut they are in will land them where they have been the past three years: Watching four other teams playing in the West Regional in their backyard, the Xcel Energy Center.

Denver players said they approached this series with the Gophers as if it were the playoffs. The Gophers approached Friday like most any other weekend, they started slow and were almost run out of the Magness Arena in the first period.

The Pioneers had 19 shots in the first period and a 3-1 lead. Game pretty much over.

But the Gophers always win on Saturdays in the WCHA, a split would be fine. Keep DU off their backs. Except the Pioneers, down 2-0 and 3-2 rallied to win 4-3 in overtime. Seventeen seconds into OT. Seen this quick strike before vs. Michigan Tech.

Nick Shore got the tying goal for DU with 1:26 to play on a power play and the game-winner.

He called the two goals the biggest of his college career.

Question for Gophers is if they can pick up the pieces. They still are in first place by one measley point, but they are 10-10-1 in their last 21 games. A 9-1 start, 6-0 in the WCHA with sweeps over UMD, Alaska Anchorage and North Dakota put them in great shape but they have come back to the pack.

DU is 10-2 against the Gophers in their last 10 meetings. The Pioneers outshot the Gophers 41-36.

PAIRWISE LOOK

With the loss Saturday, the Gophers fell from No. 7 to No. 13 in the PairWise ratings. Only the top 14 or 15 teams in those ratings receive at-large bids -- if they don't win a postseason tournament, which means an automatic spot. So the Gophers are definitely too close to the bubble for comfort.

As for DU, the Pioneers shot up in the PairWise rankings with their sweep. They are now tied for No. 7. UMD is No. 3 -- both safely in if the NCAA tournament was starting today -- while the WCHA leader is hanging on. A strange situation. That 4-4-1 nonconference record is coming back to haunt the Gophers.