Minnesota State has done its part in trying to stay near the “Big Three” in the WCHA. This is the team’s first weekend of action since splitting with fellow in-state rival St. Cloud State last month. The Gophers are third in the WCHA, seven points back of first-place Wisconsin. The Mavericks sit fifth, 13 points behind Minnesota.

The Mavericks swept the Gophers at Ridder Arena Nov. 21-22. It appears that Minnesota is keen to flip the script this time around as the visiting Gophers scored nine goals in the first two periods before calling off the dogs in an 11-3 victory in Mankato Friday night.

After being named earlier in the day to Olympic team rosters for next month’s Winter Games, Abbey Murphy and Nelli Laitinen sparked the Gophers women’s hockey team to a 4-0 victory over Sacred Heart on Friday in Fairfield,

The Gophers travel to Fairfield, Conn., for the matchup with the Pioneers, marking Minnesota's final non-conference games of the regular season.

The Gophers became more powerful as the game went on, scoring twice in the opening period and five more in the middle frame before scorching the net for seven goals in the final stanza of the