Men's hockey Pre-Game report: Gophers vs. (5) North Dakota

After its most embarrasing loss of the Don Lucia era, the Minnesota men's hockey team will look to bounceback and avoid elimination in tonight's game against the Sioux.

Last night's effort by the Gophers from the first drop of the puck can only be described as embarrasing. While this years team has shown bounceback ability after tough losses earlier in the season, the way they lost last night, showing absolutely no effort or "want to win", is much more troubling for those optimists looking for a rebound performance tonight.

Don Lucia has only made one move in the lineup tonight, inserting freshman Seth Helgeson on third defensive line, replacing senior Brian Schack. Alex Kangas remains in net.

Minnesota was outclassed in all areas last night, getting outplayed in the individual battles, committing turnovers in its own zone and not showing any semblance of a defensive effort. On powerplay, the Gophers were atrocious. Not only did they muster hardly any chances, but it was the Sioux that capitalized, notching a short handed among its many goals last night. If Minnesota is to make tonight's game competitive, they have to improve in all facets. Trying to predict how this Gophers team will perform on a nightly basis is about as exact a science as predicting Brett Favre's future, so we will just have to stay tuned...

Minnesota Offensive First Line:

Left Wing-Jacob Cepis

Center-Jordan Schroeder

Right Wing-Zach Budish

Minnesota Defensive First Line:

Left-Nick Leddy

Right-David Fischer

Goalie-Alex Kangas

North Dakota Offensive First Line:

Left Wing-Jason Gregoire

Center-Chris VandeVelde

Right Wing-Brett Hextall

North Dakota Defensive First Line:

Left-Andrew MacWilliam

Right-Ben Blood

Goalie-Brad Eidsness