The WCHA first-round playoff pairings are set. All six best-of-three series start on Friday. The matchups:
Games Friday
Alaska Anchorage (12th seed) at Gophers (1), 7:07 pm .... Rematch of first-round series last year when Gophers were fifth seed and Seawolves eight. UAA swept Gophers at Mariucci
Minnesota State, Mankato (11) at Minnesota Duluth (2), 7:07 pm ... UMD is defending NCAA champion, but limpied into playoffs with one-point series at St. Cloud State
Wisconsin (10) at Denver (3), 8:37 pm ... These teams split at the Kohl Center in Madison, Wis., two weekends ago.
Bemidji St. (9) at North Dakota (4), 7:37 pm ... Short trip for fans of Beavers
Michigan Tech (8) at Colorado College (5), 8:37 pm .... These teams played this weekend; CC won 5-2 and 2-0
Nebraska Omaha (7) at St. Cloud State (6), 7:37 pm ... UNO is glad it is anybody besides Bemidji St.
