The 2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season was the 82nd season of play for the program and 44th in the WCHA. The Golden Gophers represented the University of Minnesota, played their home games at the Mariucci Arena and were coached by Don Lucia, in his 4th season.
| 2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season | |
|---|---|
.svg){kind=logo} | |
| NCAA Division I National Champion Dodge Holiday Classic, Champion WCHA Tournament, Champion NCAA Tournament, Champion | |
| Conference | T-2nd WCHA |
| Home ice | Mariucci Arena |
| Rankings | |
| USA Today/AHCA | 2 |
| USCHO.com | 2 |
| Record | |
| Overall | 28–8–9[1] |
| Conference | 15–6–7 |
| Home | 14–4–6 |
| Road | 9–4–3 |
| Neutral | 5–0–0 |
| Coaches and captains | |
| Head coach | Don Lucia |
| Assistant coaches | Mike Guentzel Bob Motzko Robb Stauber |
| Captain(s) | Grant Potulny |
| Alternate captain(s) | Paul Martin Nick Anthony |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey seasons « 2001–02 2003–04 » | |
Season
editFresh off of the program's fourth national title, the first in 23 years, Minnesota entered the season with high hopes. Though the team lost several key players to graduation, including Hobey Baker Award-winner Jordan Leopold, they brought in an impressive collection of young talent. Perhaps the brightest young star that had ever donned the maroon and gold to that point, Thomas Vanek debuted for the team and Gophers would need the highly-regarded Austrian to make up for the lost offensive production of the departed John Pohl and Jeff Taffe.
Though the Gophers were ranked #1 entering the year, that was due mostly to their being the defending champions. The Gophers suffered a setback when Team captain Grant Potulny was injured in the first game against Ohio State. What was initially thought to just be a fractured fibula that would keep him out for 4–6 weeks turned out to include ligament damage that would sideline Potulny for up to 4 months.[2] Without him, the team looked a little out of sorts as the roster sought to soldier on. While Minnesota never looked bad, they weren't able to consistently put together a good stretch of games in the first two months of the season. Part of the problem was that Don Lucia was still trying to find out which one of his two goaltenders deserved to be the starter. Both Travis Weber and Justin Johnson got playing time but neither was able to seize control of the Minnesota cage by mid-November. The goalie rotation continued until Johnson had a rather a poor outing against Colorado College which was followed up by a solid performance by Weber.[3] Afterwards, Weber remained in the cage and strung several good outings together, including a road sweep of long time rival Wisconsin.
While Weber established himself in the cage, the offense too had steadily come along. The Gophers had shown from the start that the team could score but they had trouble with their consistency. With Vanek at the lead, the Gophers steadily improved throughout the fall and turned themselves into one of the best offenses in the country come winter time. While the team sorted through its early-season jitters, their ranking declined. When December rolled around the team had dropped to #10, however, because the NCAA tournament had expanded to 16 teams for that season, they were still in a solid position to earn a berth. The Gophers took no chances, however, and reeled off a series of impressive wins to jump up to 4th by the time January rolled around.
The team was stymied when they began the second half of the season and went winless in three games. They arrested their fall with a win over top-ranked North Dakota and then mostly held serve over the following month and a half. Entering the final few weeks of the season, Minnesota sat 7th in the polls but had a tremendous opportunity to move up with four games against ranked teams. Minnesota went 2–0–2 in those games, which, though they did not see their ranking improve, they were able to finish in a tie for second in the WCHA standings.
Conference tournament
editBecause they held the tie-breaker, the Gophers received the second seed for the WCHA tournament and got to take on a bad but improving Michigan Tech squad. The Gophers won the first game fairly easily and appeared to be heading to a sweep in the second when Weber suffered an injury to his finger. Johnson was installed for the remainder of the contest and though the Gophers marched on to the semifinals, doing so without their starting goalie was not ideal.[4] Though he was initially expected to be ready for the next game, Weber was unable to play against Minnesota State–Mankato. Seeing their backup needed a hand, Minnesota's offense shelled the Maverick cage, firing 49 shots to MSU's 17. Due to a masterful performance from opposing netminder Jon Volp, however, the two still needed overtime to settle the score. Just less than 4 minutes into the extra session, Vanek scored his 26th goal of the season and sent the Gophers to the championship match.
Colorado College was all that stood between Minnesota and a conference title. The top-seeded Tigers were the favorites to win but it was the Gophers who got off to a blazing start. Potulny had a hand in all three of Minnesota's goals in the first period to build a huge lead. The Tigers fought back with two power play goals in the second half of the game along with 38 shots but Johnson held the fort and enabled the Gophers to skate away with a 4–2 win.[5]
NCAA tournament
editBecause they were hosting one of the four regionals, Minnesota was going to be placed in the West bracket. The WCHA championship helped Minnesota earn one of the #1 seeds and an advantageous match for the first round. Additionally, because two of the teams seeded 4th were also members of the WCHA, Minnesota was assigned to play Mercyhurst. While the Lakers won their conference tournament, they weren't considered much of a threat to the Gophers. With the return of Weber between the pipes and Potulny netting a hat-trick, Minnesota proved those sentiments correct with a resounding 9–2 victory.
Minnesota's second game was expected to be a much closer affair as they were taking on #6 Ferris State. The Bulldogs were led by Hobey Baker finalist Chris Kunitz and gave the Gophers a demonstration of his abilities when he scored twice in the first period. Fortunately for Minnesota, they scored five times in the opening frame and cruised to a 7–4 victory.
The national semifinal saw Minnesota fight and law back from the brink of disaster. Facing off against #4 Michigan, the Gophers were badly outplayed in the first period and found themselves down by a goal. A Jed Ortmeyer score after the mid-way point of the game put the Wolverines up by two and had Minnesota staring into the void. Troy Riddle cut the lead in half on a rebound from Vanek before the end of the second while a marker less than two minutes into the third from Gino Guyer tied the score. Chris Harrington took two separate minor penalties afterwards but the Minnesota penalty kill held and kept the game knotted at 2-all. Overtime was required and both teams found it difficult to get the puck on the goal. In almost 9 minutes only 5 shots were recorded but it was the last one from Vanek that counted and sent Minnesota to the championship game.
The final game of the year came against New Hampshire in a rematch from earlier in the season. Minnesota carried the balance of play but Mike Ayers put up a strong performance in goal for the Wildcats and kept his team in the game. After two periods, Minnesota was leading on the shot clock 30–16 but the teams remained tied with one goal apiece. As time went on, it was just one mistake that separated Minnesota from disaster but, as he had most of the season, Thomas Vanek stepped in as the hero. Just past the 8-minute mark, Vanek broke the tie and then assisted on a second goal just 3 minutes later. After a power play goal from Barry Tallackson, Minnesota suddenly had a commanding 3-goal lead. New Hampshire desperately tried to tie the game but they had been outmatched on the ice all night. Pulling their goalie only allowed the Gophers to score a 5th goal and ensure the team a national championship.[6] Minnesota was the first team in over 30 years to defend their national title.
Departures
edit| Player | Position | Nationality | Cause |
|---|---|---|---|
| Nick Angell | Defenseman |  United States |
Graduation (signed with Milwaukee Admirals) |
| Adam Hauser | Goaltender | United States |
Graduation (signed with Providence Bruins) |
| Jordan Leopold | Defenseman | United States |
Graduation (signed with Calgary Flames) |
| Mark Nenovich | Defenseman | United States |
Graduation (retired) |
| Pat O'Leary | Forward | United States |
Graduation (signed with Quad City Mallards) |
| John Pohl | Forward | United States |
Graduation (signed with St. Louis Blues) |
| Jeff Taffe | Forward | United States |
Graduation (signed with Phoenix Coyotes) |
| Erik Wendell | Forward | United States |
Graduation (signed with Rockford IceHogs) |
Recruiting
edit| Player | Position | Nationality | Age | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| P. J. Atherton | Defenseman | United States |
20 | Edina, MN; selected 170th overall in 2002 |
| Gino Guyer | Forward | United States |
18 | Coleraine, MN |
| Chris Harrington | Forward | United States |
20 | St. Cloud, MN |
| Tyler Hirsch | Forward | United States |
18 | Bloomington, MN |
| Peter Kennedy | Defenseman |  Canada |
18 | Brookfield, NS |
| Andy Sertich | Defenseman | United States |
19 | Coleraine, MN; selected 136th overall in 2002 |
| Dustin Smieja | Goaltender | United States |
18 | Saint Paul, MN |
| Thomas Vanek | Forward |  Austria |
18 | Baden bei Wien, AUT |
Roster
editApril 15, 2003.[7]
| No. | S/P/C | Player | Class | Pos | Height | Weight | DoB | Hometown | Previous team | NHL rights |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 | 
|
Peter Kennedy | Freshman | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 194 lb (88 kg) | 1984-05-24 | Brookfield, Nova Scotia | Ottawa Jr. Senators (CJHL) | — |
| 3 | 
|
Chris Harrington | Freshman | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 1982-05-07 | St. Cloud, Minnesota | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | — |
| 4 |
|
P. J. Atherton | Freshman | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1982-08-16 | Edina, Minnesota | Cedar Rapids Roughriders (USHL) | TBL, 170th overall 2002 |
| 5 |
|
Jon Waibel | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1982-05-19 | Baudette, Minnesota | USNTDP (USHL) | ANA, 153rd overall 2000 |
| 6 |
|
Judd Stevens | Sophomore | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 1983-04-09 | Wayzata, Minnesota | Green Bay Gamblers (USHL) | — |
| 7 |
|
Gino Guyer | Freshman | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 192 lb (87 kg) | 1983-10-14 | Coleraine, Minnesota | Lincoln Stars (USHL) | — |
| 9 |
|
Andy Sertich | Freshman | D | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 1983-05-06 | Coleraine, Minnesota | Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) | PIT, 136th overall 2002 |
| 10 |
|
Paul Martin (A) | Junior | D | 6' 1" (1.85 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1981-06-20 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Elk River High School (MN-HS) | NJD, 62nd overall 2000 |
| 11 |
|
Dan Welch | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 1981-02-23 | Hastings, Minnesota | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | LAK, 193rd overall 2000 |
| 13 |
|
Keith Ballard | Sophomore | D | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 199 lb (90 kg) | 1982-11-26 | Baudette, Minnesota | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | BUF, 11th overall 2002 |
| 14 |
|
Chad Roberg | Junior | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 1980-10-25 | Duluth, Minnesota | East High School (MN-HS) | — |
| 15 |
|
Mike Erickson | Sophomore | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 200 lb (91 kg) | 1983-04-12 | Elk River, Minnesota | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | — |
| 16 |
|
Nick Anthony (A) | Senior | F | 5' 0" (1.52 m) | 181 lb (82 kg) | 1979-01-30 | Faribault, Minnesota | Twin City Vulcans (USHL) | — |
| 17 |
|
Garrett Smaagaard | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 188 lb (85 kg) | 1982-08-13 | Eden Prairie, Minnesota | Eden Prairie High School (MN-HS) | — |
| 18 | 
|
Grant Potulny (C) | Junior | F | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 204 lb (93 kg) | 1980-03-04 | Grand Forks, North Dakota | Lincoln Stars (USHL) | OTT, 157th overall 2000 |
| 19 |
|
Matt DeMarchi | Senior | D | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1981-05-04 | Bemidji, Minnesota | North Iowa Huskies (USHL) | NJD, 57th overall 2000 |
| 20 |
|
Joey Martin | Junior | D | 6' 3" (1.91 m) | 203 lb (92 kg) | 1981-07-17 | Buffalo, Minnesota | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | CHI, 193rd overall 2000 |
| 21 |
|
Troy Riddle | Junior | F | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 175 lb (79 kg) | 1981-08-24 | Minneapolis, Minnesota | Des Moines Buccaneers (USHL) | STL, 129th overall 2000 |
| 23 |
|
Tyler Hirsch | Freshman | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 174 lb (79 kg) | 1984-01-04 | Bloomington, Minnesota | Shattuck-Saint Mary's (MSHSL) | — |
| 24 |
|
Matt Koalska | Sophomore | F | 6' 0" (1.83 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1980-05-16 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | Twin City Vulcans (USHL) | NSH, 154th overall 2000 |
| 25 |
|
Jerrid Reinholz | Sophomore (RS) | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 189 lb (86 kg) | 1979-07-15 | Ramsey, Minnesota | Minnesota–Duluth (WCHA) | — |
| 26 |
|
Thomas Vanek | Freshman | F | 6' 2" (1.88 m) | 214 lb (97 kg) | 1984-01-19 | Baden bei Wien, Austria | Sioux Falls Stampede (USHL) | — |
| 27 |
|
Barry Tallackson | Sophomore | F | 6' 5" (1.96 m) | 210 lb (95 kg) | 1983-04-14 | Grafton, North Dakota | USNTDP (USHL) | NJD, 53rd overall 2002 |
| 28 |
|
Brett MacKinnon | Sophomore | F | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 190 lb (86 kg) | 1981-01-02 | Wayzata, Minnesota | Cedar Rapids RoughRiders (USHL) | — |
| 29 |
|
Jake Fleming | Sophomore | F | 5' 9" (1.75 m) | 166 lb (75 kg) | 1982-08-28 | Osseo, Minnesota | Omaha Lancers (USHL) | — |
| 31 |
|
Travis Weber | Sophomore | G | 5' 11" (1.8 m) | 205 lb (93 kg) | 1983-05-26 | Hibbing, Minnesota | USNTDP (USHL) | — |
| 32 |
|
Dustin Smieja | Freshman | G | 6' 4" (1.93 m) | 192 lb (87 kg) | 1984-07-14 | Saint Paul, Minnesota | — | |
| 33 |
|
Justin Johnson | Sophomore | G | 5' 10" (1.78 m) | 183 lb (83 kg) | 1980-09-22 | Ham Lake, Minnesota | Lincoln Stars (USHL) | — |
Season standings
editNote: PTS = Points; GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; T = Ties; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against
| Conference | Overall | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| GP | W | L | T | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA | ||
| #5 Colorado College† | 28 | 19 | 4 | 5 | 43 | 125 | 70 | 42 | 30 | 7 | 5 | 190 | 103 | |
| #2 Minnesota* | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 37 | 106 | 81 | 45 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 189 | 122 | |
| #11 Minnesota State-Mankato | 28 | 15 | 6 | 7 | 37 | 116 | 104 | 41 | 20 | 11 | 10 | 155 | 144 | |
| #13 North Dakota | 28 | 14 | 9 | 5 | 33 | 103 | 82 | 43 | 26 | 12 | 5 | 172 | 120 | |
| #14 Minnesota-Duluth | 28 | 14 | 10 | 4 | 32 | 95 | 80 | 42 | 22 | 15 | 5 | 153 | 119 | |
| St. Cloud State | 28 | 12 | 11 | 5 | 29 | 96 | 85 | 38 | 17 | 16 | 5 | 124 | 118 | |
| Denver | 28 | 11 | 11 | 6 | 28 | 95 | 85 | 41 | 21 | 14 | 6 | 152 | 102 | |
| Wisconsin | 28 | 7 | 14 | 4 | 18 | 61 | 101 | 40 | 13 | 23 | 4 | 93 | 134 | |
| Michigan Tech | 28 | 7 | 18 | 3 | 17 | 77 | 116 | 38 | 10 | 24 | 4 | 109 | 154 | |
| Alaska-Anchorage | 28 | 0 | 22 | 6 | 6 | 41 | 111 | 36 | 1 | 28 | 7 | 57 | 143 | |
| Championship: Minnesota † indicates conference regular season champion * indicates conference tournament champion Final rankings: USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll Top 15 Poll | ||||||||||||||
Schedule and results
edit| Date | Time | Opponent# | Rank# | Site | TV | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Regular season | |||||||||||
| October 12 | 7:05 PM | vs. #15 Ohio State* | #1 | Xcel Energy Center • Saint Paul, Minnesota (US Hockey Hall of Fame game) | Weber | W 7–2 | 15,204 | 1–0–0 | |||
| October 18 | 6:10 PM | at #3 New Hampshire* | #1 | Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire | Johnson | T 5–5 OT | 6,501 | 1–0–1 | |||
| October 19 | 6:10 PM | at #3 New Hampshire* | #1 | Whittemore Center • Durham, New Hampshire | Weber | L 1–3 | 6,501 | 1–1–1 | |||
| October 25 | 6:05 PM | at Michigan Tech | #2 | MacInnes Student Ice Arena • Houghton, Michigan | Johnson | W 5–4 | 2,344 | 2–1–1 (1–0–0) | |||
| October 26 | 6:35 PM | at Michigan Tech | #2 | MacInnes Student Ice Arena • Houghton, Michigan | Johnson | T 3–3 OT | 2,701 | 2–1–2 (1–0–1) | |||
| November 1 | 7:05 PM | vs. Alabama–Huntsville* | #4 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | W 12–1 | 10,058 | 3–1–2 | |||
| November 2 | 7:05 PM | vs. Alabama–Huntsville* | #4 | 3M Arena at Mariucci • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Johnson | W 4–2 | 10,031 | 4–1–2 | |||
| November 8 | 7:35 PM | at Minnesota State–Mankato | #3 | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, Minnesota | Weber | L 2–3 | 4,683 | 4–2–2 (1–1–1) | |||
| November 9 | 7:05 PM | at Minnesota State–Mankato | #3 | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, Minnesota | Johnson | W 7–4 | 5,084 | 5–2–2 (2–1–1) | |||
| November 16 | 7:05 PM | vs. #7 Colorado College | #8 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Johnson | L 3–7 | 10,119 | 5–3–2 (2–2–1) | |||
| November 17 | 7:05 PM | vs. #7 Colorado College | #8 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | T 2–2 OT | 10,129 | 5–3–3 (2–2–2) | |||
| November 22 | 7:05 PM | vs. Michigan Tech | #9 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | W 4–2 | 10,031 | 6–3–3 (3–2–2) | |||
| November 23 | 7:05 PM | vs. Michigan Tech | #9 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | W 2–1 | 10,089 | 7–3–3 (4–2–2) | |||
| College Hockey Showcase | |||||||||||
| November 29 | 7:05 PM | vs. Michigan State* | #9 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (College Hockey Showcase game 1) | Weber | T 5–5 OT | 10,153 | 7–3–4 | |||
| December 1 | 2:05 PM | vs. #8 Michigan* | #9 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (College Hockey Showcase game 2) | Weber | L 1–3 | 10,036 | 7–4–4 | |||
| December 6 | 7:05 PM | at Wisconsin | #10 | Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin (Rivalry) | Weber | W 3–0 | 11,845 | 8–4–4 (5–2–2) | |||
| December 7 | 7:06 PM | at Wisconsin | #10 | Kohl Center • Madison, Wisconsin (Rivalry) | Weber | W 3–2 | 13,715 | 9–4–4 (6–2–2) | |||
| December 9 | 7:05 PM | vs. Team Italy* | #10 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Exhibition) | Johnson | W 4–2 | 9,455 | ||||
| Dodge Holiday Classic | |||||||||||
| December 27 | 7:05 PM | vs. Yale* | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Dodge Holiday Classic semifinal) | Weber | W 7–3 | 10,058 | 10–4–4 | |||
| December 28 | 7:05 PM | vs. #6 Boston College* | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Dodge Holiday Classic championship) | Weber | W 2–1 OT | 10,058 | 11–4–4 | |||
| January 3 | 7:05 PM | vs. St. Cloud State | #4 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | L 3–4 | 10,117 | 11–5–4 (6–3–2) | |||
| January 4 | 7:05 PM | at St. Cloud State | #4 | National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | T 3–3 OT | 6,685 | 11–5–5 (6–3–3) | |||
| January 10 | 7:05 PM | vs. #1 North Dakota | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | L 2–4 | 10,095 | 11–6–5 (6–4–3) | |||
| January 11 | 7:05 PM | vs. #1 North Dakota | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | W 6–3 | 10,160 | 12–6–5 (7–4–3) | |||
| January 17 | 7:05 PM | at USNTDP | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Exhibition) | Johnson | W 6–0 | 9,588 | ||||
| January 24 | 7:05 PM | vs. Minnesota State–Mankato | #8 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | T 2–2 OT | 10,060 | 12–6–6 (7–4–4) | |||
| January 25 | 7:05 PM | vs. Minnesota State–Mankato | #8 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | T 4–4 OT | 10,037 | 12–6–7 (7–4–5) | |||
| January 31 | 10:05 PM | at Alaska–Anchorage | #7 | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Weber | W 4–0 | 3,767 | 13–6–7 (8–4–5) | |||
| February 1 | 10:05 PM | at Alaska–Anchorage | #7 | Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, Alaska | Johnson | W 4–1 | 3,942 | 14–6–7 (9–4–5) | |||
| February 7 | 8:35 PM | at #1 Colorado College | #7 | Colorado Springs World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado | Weber | L 2–6 | 7,428 | 14–7–7 (9–5–5) | |||
| February 8 | 8:05 PM | at #1 Colorado College | #7 | Colorado Springs World Arena • Colorado Springs, Colorado | Johnson | W 3–2 | 7,604 | 15–7–7 (10–5–5) | |||
| February 15 | 7:05 PM | vs. Wisconsin | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | W 5–2 | 10,015 | 16–7–7 (11–5–5) | |||
| February 15 | 7:05 PM | vs. Wisconsin | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Johnson | W 8–1 | 10,150 | 17–7–7 (12–5–5) | |||
| February 21 | 7:05 PM | at Minnesota–Duluth | #6 | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | W 5–4 | 5,409 | 18–7–7 (13–5–5) | |||
| February 22 | 7:05 PM | at Minnesota–Duluth | #6 | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Johnson | L 4–5 OT | 5,409 | 18–8–7 (13–6–5) | |||
| February 28 | 7:05 PM | vs. #13 Denver | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | T 3–3 OT | 10,006 | 18–8–8 (13–6–6) | |||
| March 1 | 7:05 PM | vs. #13 Denver | #7 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota | Weber | W 8–5 | 10,015 | 19–8–8 (14–6–6) | |||
| March 7 | 7:11 PM | at #2 St. Cloud State | #6 | National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | W 5–3 | 6,685 | 20–8–8 (15–6–6) | |||
| March 8 | 7:11 PM | at #2 St. Cloud State | #6 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (Rivalry) | Weber | T 1–1 OT | 10,218 | 20–8–9 (15–6–7) | |||
| WCHA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 14 | 7:05 PM | vs. Michigan Tech* | #6 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (WCHA first round game 1) | Weber | W 3–1 | 9,897 | 21–8–9 | |||
| March 15 | 7:05 PM | vs. Michigan Tech* | #6 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (WCHA first round game 1) | Johnson | W 5–2 | 9,945 | 22–8–9 | |||
| Minnesota Won Series 2-0 | |||||||||||
| March 21 | 7:08 PM | vs. #9 Minnesota State–Mankato* | #5 | Xcel Energy Center • Saint Paul, Minnesota (WCHA semifinal) | Johnson | W 3–2 OT | 17,012 | 23–8–9 | |||
| March 22 | 7:08 PM | vs. #1 Colorado College* | #5 | Xcel Energy Center • Saint Paul, Minnesota (WCHA championship) | Johnson | W 4–2 | 16,668 | 24–8–9 | |||
| NCAA Tournament | |||||||||||
| March 28 | 7:35 PM | vs. Mercyhurst* | #4 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (NCAA West Regional semifinal) | Weber | W 9–2 | 9,554 | 25–8–9 | |||
| March 29 | 4:05 PM | vs. #6 Ferris State* | #4 | Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minnesota (NCAA West Regional final) | Johnson | W 7–4 | 9,622 | 26–8–9 | |||
| April 10 | 6:08 PM | vs. #4 Michigan* | #2 | HSBC Arena • Buffalo, New York (NCAA National semifinal) | Weber | W 3–2 OT | 18,702 | 27–8–9 | |||
| April 12 | 6:02 PM | vs. #3 New Hampshire* | #2 | HSBC Arena • Buffalo, New York (NCAA National championship) | ESPN | Weber | W 5–1 | 18,759 | 28–8–9 | ||
| *Non-conference game. #Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. All times are in Central Time. Source:[8] | |||||||||||
(W1) Minnesota vs. (NE1) New Hampshire
edit| April 12[9] | Minnesota | 5 – 1 | New Hampshire | HSBC Arena | Recap |
| Scoring summary[10] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Period | Team | Goal | Assist(s) | Time | Score |
| 1st | MIN | Matt DeMarchi (8) | Smaagaard | 10:58 | 1–0 MIN |
| UNH | Sean Collins (22) – PP | Martz and Aikins | 19:41 | 1–1 | |
| 2nd | None | ||||
| 3rd | MIN | Thomas Vanek (31) – GW | Koalska | 48:14 | 2–1 MIN |
| MIN | Jon Waibel (9) | Vanek | 51:25 | 3–1 MIN | |
| MIN | Barry Tallackson (8) – PP | Guyer and Harrington | 53:34 | 4–1 MIN | |
| MIN | Barry Tallackson (9) – EN | Potulny | 58:31 | 5–1 MIN | |
| Penalty summary | |||||
| Period | Team | Player | Penalty | Time | PIM |
| 1st | UNH | Colin Hemingway | Charging | 8:57 | 2:00 |
| MIN | Keith Ballard | Roughing | 11:35 | 2:00 | |
| UNH | Justin Aikins | Hooking | 13:12 | 2:00 | |
| MIN | Garrett Smaagaard | Hitting after the Whistle | 18:01 | 2:00 | |
| 2nd | UNH | Patrick Foley | Charging | 22:33 | 2:00 |
| MIN | Thomas Vanek | Cross-Checking | 23:10 | 2:00 | |
| UNH | Brian Yandle | Interference | 35:27 | 2:00 | |
| MIN | Judd Stevens | Obstruction Holding | 38:39 | 2:00 | |
| 3rd | MIN | Jon Waibel | Hooking | 48:59 | 2:00 |
| UNH | Nathan Martz | Roughing | 51:43 | 2:00 | |
| UNH | Tim Horst | Hooking | 58:46 | 2:00 | |
| MIN | Jake Fleming | Slashing | 58:46 | 2:00 | |
|
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Scoring statistics
edit| Name | Position | Games | Goals | Assists | Points | PIM |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thomas Vanek | LW/RW | 45 | 31 | 31 | 62 | 60 |
| Troy Riddle | C | 45 | 26 | 25 | 51 | 50 |
| Keith Ballard | D | 45 | 12 | 29 | 41 | 78 |
| Matt Koalska | C | 41 | 9 | 31 | 40 | 26 |
| Paul Martin | D | 45 | 9 | 30 | 39 | 32 |
| Gino Guyer | C | 41 | 13 | 16 | 29 | 10 |
| Tyler Hirsch | F | 43 | 9 | 15 | 24 | 30 |
| Grant Potulny | C | 23 | 15 | 8 | 23 | 12 |
| Barry Tallackson | RW | 32 | 9 | 14 | 23 | 18 |
| Jake Fleming | F | 41 | 10 | 9 | 19 | 36 |
| Chris Harrington | D | 45 | 4 | 14 | 18 | 60 |
| Jon Waibel | F | 40 | 9 | 8 | 17 | 18 |
| Matt DeMarchi | D | 44 | 8 | 9 | 17 | 130 |
| Andy Sertich | D | 44 | 5 | 8 | 13 | 12 |
| Jerrid Reinholz | C | 33 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 4 |
| Dan Welch | W | 18 | 5 | 5 | 10 | 12 |
| Judd Stevens | D | 44 | 3 | 6 | 9 | 12 |
| Garrett Smaagaard | F | 21 | 2 | 7 | 9 | 4 |
| Joey Martin | D | 24 | 3 | 4 | 7 | 16 |
| Nick Anthony | F | 34 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 12 |
| P. J. Atherton | D | 20 | 2 | 2 | 4 | 20 |
| Brett MacKinnon | D | 16 | 1 | 3 | 4 | 10 |
| Mike Erikson | RW | 16 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 4 |
| Peter Kennedy | D | 10 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 6 |
| Justin Johnson | G | 14 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Travis Weber | G | 34 | 0 | 1 | 1 | 0 |
| Bench | - | - | - | - | - | 14 |
| Total | 189 | 293 | 482 | 686 |
Goaltending statistics
edit| Name | Games | Minutes | Wins | Losses | Ties | Goals Against | Saves | Shut Outs | SV % | GAA |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Travis Weber | 34 | 1993 | 18 | 6 | 7 | 83 | 761 | 2 | .902 | 2.50 |
| Justin Johnson | 14 | 764 | 10 | 2 | 2 | 37 | 285 | 0 | .885 | 2.90 |
| Empty Net | - | 3 | - | - | - | 2 | - | - | - | - |
| Total | 45 | 2761 | 28 | 8 | 9 | 122 | 1046 | 2 | .896 | 2.65 |
Awards and honors
editPlayers drafted into the NHL
edit| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star[20] | = NHL All-Star[20] and NHL All-Star team | = Did not play in the NHL |
| Round | Pick | Player | NHL team |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | 5 | Thomas Vanek | Buffalo Sabres |
| 3 | 78 | Danny Irmen † | Minnesota Wild |
| 3 | 87 | Ryan Potulny † | Philadelphia Flyers |
| 4 | 136 | Mike Vannelli † | Atlanta Thrashers |
| 5 | 165 | Gino Guyer | Dallas Stars |
† incoming freshman
References
edit- ^ 2006–07 Minnesota Men's Hockey Yearbook. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics. 2006.
- ^ "Potulny Injury More Severe Than Thought". USCHO. October 18, 2002. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Saturday, November 16, 2002". College Hockey Stats. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "This Week in the WCHA: March 19, 2003". USCHO. March 19, 2003. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Saturday, March 22, 2003". College Hockey Stats. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "2003 U of M Frozen Four Highlight". YouTube. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Univ. of Minnesota". Elite Prospects. Retrieved September 23, 2022.
- ^ "Minnesota Men's Hockey 2018-19 Media Guide" (PDF). Minnesota Golden Gophers. Archived from the original (PDF) on April 2, 2019. Retrieved April 2, 2019.
- ^ "Minnesota 5, New Hampshire 1". USCHO.com. April 12, 2002. Retrieved June 16, 2013.
- ^ "Minnesota 5, New Hampshire 1". CollegeHockeyStats.net. April 12, 2003. Retrieved May 7, 2018.
- ^ "Minnesota 2002-2003 Skater Stats". Elite Prospects. Retrieved May 8, 2020.
- ^ "NCAA Division I Awards". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- ^ "Men's Ice Hockey Award Winners" (PDF). NCAA.org. Retrieved June 11, 2013.
- ^ "NCAA Frozen Four Records" (PDF). NCAA.org. Archived (PDF) from the original on August 17, 2012. Retrieved June 19, 2013.
- ^ a b "WCHA Awards". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ a b c "WCHA All-Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. Retrieved May 16, 2013.
- ^ "Hockey East All-Rookie Teams". College Hockey Historical Archives. May 16, 2013.
- ^ "2009-10 WCHA Yearbook 129-144" (PDF). WCHA. Retrieved June 1, 2014.
- ^ "2003 NHL Entry Draft". Hockey DB. Retrieved September 24, 2022.
- ^ a b Players are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.