The Gophers women's hockey team will raise the 2013 NCAA champonship banner at Ridder Arena at 5:45 p.m. Friday and then play Wisconsin (2-0), ranked No. 4 or 5 in the two national polls.
No. 1 Minnesota, also 2-0, has won six consecutive games against the Badgers and has a 51-game winning streak.
Both teams had a WCHA player of the week the first weekend of the season. Rachael Bona of the Gophers won the award on offense for her four goals and three assists in a road sweep of Colgate. Badgers goalie Alex Rigsby was the player of the week on defense after stopping 53 of 54 shots in a home sweep of Minnesota State Mankato.
The Gophers are 35-26-8 in the all-time series against Wisconsin, beating the Badgers 2-0 and 5-1 the last time they played on Jan. 25 and 27 this year in Madison, Wis.
Either Minnesota, the two-time defending champion, or Wisconsin has won the NCAA title eight of the past 10 seasons.
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