The Gophers are riding a wave of success into the NCAA tournament they aren't used to. For the first time in eight years, the program enters the postseason coming off a victory .
They won their conference tournament for the first time since 2007 last weekend in Detroit, finishing the job with a 4-2 victory over Michigan. Their winning streak is four games entering Friday's Northeast Region first-round game against rival Minnesota Duluth.
The run of success secured the Big Ten regular-season and tournament championships.
"The big thing for us was winning the conference tournament," Gophers senior forward Travis Boyd said. "The last three years we've been the one-seed and lost every first game we played. So being able to get over that and for the first time ever [for the senior class] go into the NCAA tournament on a win. I think that will help us try and keep the momentum going and keep this hot streak going."
The Gophers will have to settle into an unfamiliar environment for the second straight weekend. Like last weekend's experience at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit, none of this year's team has played in New Hampshire.
However, they did play two games in Boston earlier this season. They beat Boston College and lost to Northeastern.
"I think proving yourself on the road or in a situation like last weekend helps going into the NCAA tournament because it's going to be the same thing [this week]," Boyd said. "We're going to be out of our element again out in New Hampshire just like we were last weekend. We just gotta make sure we come out and play like we did last weekend."
Though it's an unfamiliar city and venue for the Gophers, it's just the opposite for the matchup on the ice. The Gophers are very familiar with and comfortable playing against in-state rival Minnesota Duluth. Though they've lost three of the four non-conference meetings with the Bulldogs this season, they have an all-time 134-78-17 record against their neighbor to the north.
