MADISON, WIS. - Three teams were picked in the preseason WCHA polls to finish ahead of the Gophers. After five games against those three, the Gophers remain winless (0-4-1).
Wisconsin was the latest of the big boys to frustrate Minnesota, beating the Gophers 4-2 on Friday night at the Kohl Center before an announced crowd of 12,508. Senior center Blake Geoffrion scored Wisconsin's first goal at 24 seconds and got the game-winner midway through the second period.
"The thing that hurt us more than anything tonight was turning some pucks over," Gophers coach Don Lucia said.
"We talked about that. They ended up scoring goals two, three and four as a direct result of us not making a good play with the puck."
Minnesota (2-4-1 overall and conference) outscored Alaska Anchorage 9-2 last weekend in a series sweep but has gotten only one tie facing North Dakota, Denver and now Wisconsin.
Mike Hoeffel and Patrick White had Minnesota's two goals.
White's came on a power play in the ninth minute of the third period, but the Gophers had only 18 shots on net. That's their lowest total since they had that same number in a 3-1 victory over the host Badgers on Jan. 28, 2006.
Wisconsin took its quick lead in this game when defenseman Ryan McDonagh took a long shot and the puck caromed off Geoffrion.