Status quo on U lines

Gophers' lines for Michigan Tech ... one change from last Saturday

1st/ Mike Hoeffel-Nick Bjugstad-Nick Larson ... Hoff had four goals and one assist when U swept Huskies in Houghton last Nov. Look for the big guy to score a few goals this weekend

2nd/ Jacob Cepis-Erik Haula-Jake Hansen ... Cepis has a goal in his last three games. Gophers hope he can continue that streak

3rd/ Nate Condon-Pat White-Taylor Matson ... This line has been playing well lately, too, giving U three lines to watch

4th/ Max Gardiner-Nico Sacchetti-Joe Miller ... Max is in for Tom Serrator

D-pairs:

1st/ Cade Fairchild-Seth Helgeson ... Fairchild has played his best hockey this season of late

3rd. Kevin Wehr-Justin Holl ... Holl in for Nate Schmidt

Goalie: Kent Patterson

Michigan Tech has three Minnesotans in its lineup: Ryan Furne of Oakdale is left wing on top line, Rick Doriott of Blaine is left wing on fourth line. On defense, Dan Sova of Cottage Grove is on the third pair.

Doriott and Sova are hard to miss on the ice. Doriott is 6-5, 225, Sova 6-4, 230.

DREAM SCENARIO

So tonight, the maroon and gold want this to happen:

Four teams above them in PairWise to lose: No. 14 Wisconsin (at St. Cloud State), No. 15 Western Michigan, No. 16 (tie) Boston University and Darmouth

Also it would be nice -- for U backers -- if UMD won at CC. The Tigers are on the Gophers' heels in the WCHA race.

Here is how the middle of the WCHA standings look now:

5. Wisconsin 25

7, Colorado College 23

If Gophers win and other two lose, this is how the standings would look:

5. Gophers 26

6. Wisconsin 25

7. Colorado College 23

Those who scoff at wins over Michigan Tech should know this. A team's RPI, or ratings percentage index, is the most importatant of the four comparison used in the PairWise rankings. Why? It breaks ties.

And a team's RPI is based on three things:

* a team's winning percentage ... the Gophers have highest RPI of any 13-win team ... this is worth 25 percent

* a team's opponents' winning percetage ... Gophers won't be helped much here by beating lowly Tech ... this is worth 21 percent

* a team's opponents' opponents winning percentage ... wins over Tech mean a lot here because the Huskies have played the fifth toughest schedule of any team ... and this is a whopping 54 percent of RPI