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GOPHERS

SERIES PREVIEW

VS. VERMONT

WHEN: 6 P.M. FRIDAY, 1 P.M. SUNDAY

Where: Mariucci Arena

TV/radio: FSN and 1500ESPN both days

Gophers at a glance: The Gophers are 4-0 for the first time since 2001-02. ... Last weekend they swept defending NCAA champion Minnesota Duluth on the road by 5-4 scores; the first game was decided in overtime. Goalie Kent Patterson had a career-high 46 saves each night. ... The Gophers are averaging 6.25 goals per game, and their power play is clicking at 39.1 percent. Both those statistics are Division I bests. ... They have never played Vermont, but next season the Gophers will play in Burlington, Vt., on Thanksgiving weekend.

Catamounts at a glance: Vermont has not yet played a game. ... They return four of their top five scorers from an 8-20-8 team. Junior forwards Sebastian Stalberg (9 goals, 19 assists, 28 points) and Chris McCarthy (8-12--20) were 1-2 in points last season. ... Senior Rob Madore will play in his 100th game Friday. He had a 2.98 goals-against average and a .907 save percentage last season. ... Vermont lost to the under-18 U.S. national team 2-1 last Friday in an exhibition game. The Hockey East coaches, in a preseason poll, picked the Catamounts to finish sixth in the conference.

ROMAN AUGUSTOVIZ