>Midweek Update and Weekend Preview

>The Minnesota v. Alaska-Anchorage game was not complete at the time of the last update. Alaska-Anchorage deafeted Minnesota 3-2 at the Nye Frontier Classic in Anchorage, Alaska.

There are four WCHA games on the slate for this weekend. The marquee matchup has to be Minnesota (3-1-0) travelling to North Dakota (3-0-1) to take on the unbeaten Sioux. Minnesota is coming off an embarrassing loss to UAA, and a weekend in which they managed only 3 goals in two games, two of which were on the power play. North Dakota also suffered a tie (most UND fans consider that as good as a loss) to Minnesota State Firday night and a close 2-1 win Saturday. One of the biggest rivalries in college hockey won’t dissapoint fans at REA this weekend.

Another important tilt features the defending National Champion Denver Pioneers (1-2-0) facing off against Saint Cloud State (Jan Brady State) (2-1-1). The Pioneers have lost to Minnesota and Boston College in this young season, but if you have to have a 2 in the loss column after playing only three games, those are the teams you can afford to lose to, as far as PWR are concerned. The Huskies beat Ohio State, and split with Northern Michigan last weekend at the National Hockey Center.

The Wisconsin Badgers (2-0-0) play host to Michigan Tech (0-2-0). The Badgers swept Atlantic Hockey “powerhouse” Mercyhurst, suffering only a mild scare on Friday night as they trailed 2-0 after one and 2-1 after two periods. Wisconsin clobbered them Saturday 8-0. Tech was swept by our Bulldogs, but had leads in both games, and appears to be a very opportunistic team that could surprise some opponents expecting the “same old doormat” Huskies.

The UMD Bulldogs (3-0-1) take on Minnesota State (0-1-1) at the DECC, and if last weekend is any indication, this is going to be a tough series for the ‘Dogs. The Maverics play well defensively (much improved from last year), well enough to steal a point from UND at Ralph Englestad Arena Friday, and take a 1-0 lead early in the third Saturday, before the Sioux came back to win 2-1.

Other action sees unbeaten Alaska-Anchorage (1-0-1) fighting the “Battle of Alaska” against rival Alaska-Fairbanks (1-1-0), and undefeated Colorado College (2-0-0) facing intrastate foe Air Force (1-0-1) who is also unbeaten (there will be fewer unbeatens after this week).