Gophers' tentative 2011-12 schedule shaping up

Sometimes it pays to know people. Someone with strong WCHA connections sent me a composite WCHA schedule. It's obviously tentative because the WCHA has not released anything yet.

And from it, here's a tentative Gophers hockey schedule for 2011-12 with nonconference games filled in as much as possible:

Oct. 14-15: at UMD ... the defending NCAA champions, but Bulldogs won't look the same

Oct. 21-22: Sacred Heart or Vermont????

Oct. 28-29: at Alaska-Anchorage ... the Seawolves beat Gophers in first round of WCHA playoffs, revenge time

Nov. 4-5: North Dakota ... Sioux didn't come to Mariucci this past season

Nov. 11-12: at Wisconsin ... three of first four WCHA series on road

Nov. 25-26: at Michigan State ... nonconference series

Dec. 2-3: Minnesota State Mankato ... Gophers lost two one-goal at Mankato last season

Dec. 9-10: Michigan Tech ... Huskies will have new coach, top scorers this past season were freshmen

late Dec./early Jan.: Mariucci Classic: Niagara, Northeastern, Princeton ... three eastern teams who finished in middle of pack in their conferences last season (Niagara was fourth in Atlantic Hockey, 18-13-4 overall; Northeastern was sixth in Hockey East, 14-16-8, and Princeton was fifth in ECAC, 17-13-2)

Jan. 6 or 7: Notre Dame ... U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame game, this is the game which may be played outdoors at TCF Bank Stadium. No decision has been made on it yet, but Gophers A.D. Joel Maturi said there is still time.

Jan. 20-21: Colorado College ... hope Jaden Schwartz is still on team, he had a great freshmen year shortened by a broken ankle

Jan. 27-28: St. Cloud State ... if first series was home and home, this will be too

Feb. 3-4: Sacred Heart or Vermont???

Feb. 10-11: at Denver ... Jason Zucker, Wild draft pick, was one of top offensive threats as freshman this past season

Feb. 17-18: Bemidji State ... Gophers played two close games at Bemidji to end regular season this past season -- one game ended in a tie, the Gophers won the other game in overtime

March 2-3: Wisconsin ... wonder what this series will mean?

Gophers also have non-conference series with Sacred Heart (11th in Atlantic Hockey, 6-25-6) and Vermont (seventh in Hockey East, 8-20-8)

One will probably be Oct. 21-22, the other Feb. 3-4.

Because the Gophers play at Alaska-Anchorage this season, they can schedule two extra games. But this season, they will probably play just one extra game, versus Notre Dame, one of the teams in the Frozen Four.

So the Gophers will play 28 WCHA games as usual, and nine nonconference games, or 37 total.

FOOTBALL FACTOR

One reason the Gophers hockey team plays a lot of away game early in the season is to avoid conflicts with the Gophers football team.

Both teams can not play home games on Saturday because of the traffic and parking problems that would cause.

So here is how the football and hockey schedules match up (teams in all caps are playing at TCF Bank Stadium):

Football sked Where hockey team is

Oct. 22 -- NEBRASKA .......... Gophers hockey team is either off or plays nonconference opponent

Oct. 29 -- IOWA ...................... Gophers at Alaska Anchorage

Nov. 5 -- at Michigan St. ........ North Dakota visits

Nov. 12 -- WISCONSIN ......... Gophers at Wisconsin

Nov. 19 -- at Northwestern ... Gophers play St. Cloud State, probably in a home and home series