2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season
College ice hockey team season
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The 2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season was the 82nd season of play for the program and its 44th season in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA). Representing the University of Minnesota, the Golden Gophers played home games at Mariucci Arena. Led by Don Lucia in his fourth season as head coach, the Gophers successfully defended their NCAA Division I men's ice hockey national championship. The Gophers finished the season with a 28–8–9 record, closing out the year without suffering consecutive losses at any point in the season.
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| 2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season | |
|---|---|
| |
| 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 | Grant Potulny |
| Alternate captain(s) | Paul Martin Nick Anthony |
| Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey seasons « 2001–02 2003–04 » | |
Season
Following the 2001–2002 season, players Jordan Leopold, John Pohl, and Jeff Taffe did not return. Thomas Vanek made his college debut in this season.[2]
The Gophers were ranked first entering the season, but the team lost team captain Grant Potulny to an injury in the season opener against Ohio State. What was initially thought to be a fractured fibula turned out to include torn ligaments as well, leaving him out for months.[3] In addition to Potulny's injury, starting goaltenders Travis Weber and Justin Johnson both struggled to find success early in the season. This goalie rotation continued through the Colorado College game,[4] after which Weber was named the primary starter and achieved a road victory against the University of Wisconsin.
Although goaltending and offensive play improved as the season continued, the Gophers' record remained inconsistent. In December, the team ranked 10th in the league. Following victories over Yale and Boston College, they briefly ascended to 4th in January before dropping down to 7th.
The second half of the season started with three losses, with the first win coming against North Dakota. Entering the final few weeks of the season, Minnesota sat 7th in the polls, with their next four games against higher-ranked teams. Minnesota went 2–0–2 in those games, and finished the regular season tied for second in the WCHA standings.
Conference tournament
Because they held the tie-breaker, the Gophers received the No. 2 seed for the WCHA tournament, playing against Michigan Tech. The Gophers won the first game, but Weber suffered an injury to his finger in the second. Johnson entered for the remainder of the contest.[5] Though he was initially expected to be ready for the next game, Weber was unable to play against Minnesota State–Mankato. Minnesota outshot MSU 49–17. Just less than four minutes into the extra session, Vanek scored his 26th goal of the season and sent the Gophers to the championship game.
Colorado College entered the game as the higher-ranked seed. Potulny played a part in all three of Minnesota's goals in the first period to build a significant lead. The Tigers had two power play goals in the second half of the game, along with 38 shots. The Gophers won 4–2.[6]
NCAA tournament
Because the team hosted one of the four regionals, Minnesota was placed in the West bracket. The WCHA championship allowed Minnesota to 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. With Weber returning and Potulny scoring a hat-trick, Minnesota claimed a 9–2 victory.
Minnesota's second game was expected to be closer than the previous games, as they were taking on #6 Ferris State. The Bulldogs were led by Hobey Baker finalist Chris Kunitz who scored twice in the first period. Minnesota then scored five times in the first period en route to a 7–4 victory.
The national semifinal saw Minnesota recover from an early deficit. Facing #4 Michigan, the Gophers were outplayed in the first period and down by a goal. Jed Ortmeyer scored after the midway point of the game, giving the Wolverines a two-goal lead. Troy Riddle cut the lead in half on a rebound from Vanek before the end of the second, while a goal less than two minutes into the third from Gino Guyer tied the score. Chris Harrington took two separate minor penalties afterwards, but the team was able to keep the game tied at 2–all. In overtime, both teams were unsuccessful on offense. In almost nine minutes, only five shots were taken, but eventually Vanek scored, sending the Gophers to the championship game.
The final game of the year was a rematch: Minnesota against New Hampshire. Minnesota generated sustained offensive pressure, but Wildcats player Mike Ayers kept the game close. After two periods, Minnesota led in shots 30–16, but the teams remained tied with one goal each. Just past the 8-minute mark, Vanek scored and then assisted on a second goal just three minutes later. After a power play goal from Barry Tallackson, Minnesota had a 3-goal lead. New Hampshire pulled its goaltender, and the Gophers scored their fifth goal, winning the national championship.[7]
Departures
| 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
| 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
April 15, 2003.[8]
| No. | Nat. | 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
Note: 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
| 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:[9] | |||||||||||
NCAA Championship
(W1) Minnesota vs. (NE1) New Hampshire
| April 12[10] | Minnesota | 5 – 1 | New Hampshire | HSBC Arena | Recap |
| Scoring summary[11] | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
|
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Scoring statistics
| 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
Awards and honors
Players drafted into the NHL
2003 NHL entry draft
| = NHL All-Star team | = NHL All-Star[21] | = NHL All-Star[21] 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