U not ranked in latest USA Today poll

Somebody is still voting for the Gophers in the USA Today/USA Magazine poll. They received 26 votes, which puts them at No. 18, but this poll only ranks the top 15. So the U is in the list of other receiving votes.

First, for the fourth week in a row, is Miami (Ohio). The RedHawks have 22 of the 34 first-place votes.

Next is North Dakota (4-1-1) at No. 2 and Denver (4-2-0) at No. 3. Those happen to be the Gophers' first two opponents. DU received 11 first-place votes. Some people must have been impressed with the Pioneers' 3-0, 3-0 victories over the Gophers at Mariucci.

DU moved up two spots, the Gophers meantime tumbled from No. 11 to out.

Other teams of notes in the USA Today poll are No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha (3-0-1), No. 14 Colorado College (4-1-1) and No. 15 Bemidji State (3-0-1).

Last weekend's WCHA results

Friday, October 23
North Dakota 5 at Alaska Anchorage 0
Denver 3 at Minnesota 0
Minnesota Duluth 3 at St. Cloud State 3 ot
Michigan Tech 1 at Colorado College 4
Wisconsin 6 at Minnesota State 0
Saturday, October 24
North Dakota 1 at Alaska Anchorage 2
Michigan Tech 5 at Colorado College 8
Denver 3 at Minnesota 0
Wisconsin 2 at Minnesota State 3
Minnesota Duluth 2 at St. Cloud State 4

GAWKER VIEWER

There was nothing good on, and these taped shows eliminate a lot of commercials, most of the intermission banter and even the dullest part of the game. The whole game was over in 1-1/2 hours.

So I watched. I was like a gawker viewing an accident. The Gophers still lost 3-0. Early in the second period, curiously, FSN asked when the last time the Gophers suffered back to back shutout losses. It was if they knew something.

The answer took a lot of research for someone. You had to go back to January of 1930. Before the WCHA, before indoor hockey. That year, the Gophers tied the Tulsa Athletic Club 0-0 and were shut out by Wisconsin.

That was in a totally different era of college hockey.

When was the last time the Gophers had three goals in their first four games? It's never happened. Previous low was four.