2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey season

The 2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers men's ice hockey team represented the University of Minnesota in the 2002–03 NCAA Division I men's hockey season, winning the Western Collegiate Hockey Association tournament championship and the NCAA national championship. The team was coached by Don Lucia and played their home games at Mariucci Arena.

2002–03 Minnesota Golden Gophers
men's ice hockey season
NCAA Division I National champion
WCHA Tournament champions
NCAA championship game, W 5–1 vs. New Hampshire
ConferenceT-2nd WCHA
Home iceMariucci Arena
Rankings
USA Today/AHCA2
USCHO.com2
Record
Overall28–8–9[1]
Home14–4–6
Road9–4–3
Neutral5–0–0
Coaches and Captains
Head CoachDon Lucia
Captain(s)Grant Potulny
Alternate captain(s)Paul Martin
Nick Anthony

The WCHA tournament championship was Minnesota's twelfth and its first since the 1995–96 season. It was their fifth NCAA national championship and marked the first time the team had won back-to-back national championships.

Roster

Goaltenders
# State Player Year Hometown (Previous School) Previous Team
31 Travis Weber Sophomore Hibbing, MN (Hibbing High School) USNDT - NAHL
33 Justin Johnson Sophomore Ham Lake, MN (Blaine High School) Lincoln - USHL
34 Dustin Smieja Freshman St. Paul, MN (St. Paul Johnson High School)
Defensemen
# State Player Year Hometown (Previous School) Previous Team
2 Peter Kennedy Freshman Brookfield, Nova Scotia (Cobequid Educational Centre) Ottawa Jr. Senators - CJHL
3 Chris Harrington Freshman St. Cloud, MN (St. Cloud Apollo High School) Omaha - USHL
4 P.J. Atherton Freshman Edina, MN (Edina High School) Cedar Rapids - USHL
6 Judd Stevens Sophomore Wayzata, MN (Wayzata High School) Green Bay - USHL
10 Paul MartinA Junior Elk River, MN (Elk River High School)
13 Keith Ballard Sophomore Baudette, MN (Millard North High School) Omaha - USHL
19 Matt DeMarchi Senior Bemidji, MN (Manly Central High School) North Iowa - USHL
20 Joey Martin Junior Rogers, MN (Buffalo High School) Omaha - USHL
Forwards
# State Player Year Hometown (Previous School) Previous Team
5 Jon Waibel Junior Baudette, MN (Pioneer High School) USNDT - NAHL
7 Gino Guyer Freshman Coleraine, MN (Greenway High School)
9 Andy Sertich Freshman Coleraine, MN (Greenway High School)
14 Chad Roberg Senior Duluth, MN (Duluth East High School)
16 Nick AnthonyA Senior Faribault, MN (Shattuck-Saint Mary's) Twin Cities - USHL
17 Garrett Smaagaard Sophomore Eden Prairie, MN (Eden Prairie High School)
18 Grant PotulnyC Junior Grand Forks, ND (Red River High School) Lincoln Stars - USHL
21 Troy Riddle Junior Minneapolis, MN (Valley High School) Des Moines - USHL
23 Tyler Hirsch Freshman Bloomington, MN (Shattuck-Saint Mary's)
24 Matt Koalska Junior St. Paul, MN (Hill-Murray High School) Twin Cities - USHL
25 Jerrid Reinholz Sophomore Ramsey, MN (Anoka High School) UMD, Des Moines - USHL
26 Thomas Vanek Freshman Graz, Austria (O'Gorman High School) Sioux Falls - USHL
27 Barry Tallackson Sophomore St. Paul, MN (St. Paul Johnson High School) USNDT - NAHL
28 Brett MacKinnon Sophomore Wayzata, MN (Wayzata High School) Cedar Rapids - USHL
29 Jake Fleming Sophomore Osseo, MN (Millard North High School) Omaha - 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 College2819454312570423075190103
#2 Minnesota*2815673710681452889189122
#11 Minnesota State-Mankato2815673711610441201110155144
#13 North Dakota28149533103824326125172120
#14 Minnesota-Duluth28141043295804222155153119
St. Cloud State28121152996853817165124118
Denver28111162895854121146152102
Wisconsin2871441861101401323493134
Michigan Tech28718317771163810244109154
Alaska-Anchorage28022664111136128757143
Championship: Minnesota
indicates conference regular season champion
* indicates conference tournament champion
Final rankings: USA Today/American Hockey Magazine Poll Top 15 Poll

Regular season

#DateOpponent#Rank#SiteScoreGoaltenderRecordPoints
1October 12*vs. #15 Ohio State#1Xcel Energy CenterSt. Paul, MN7–2Weber1–0–0
2October 18*@ #3 New Hampshire#1Whittemore Center ArenaDurham, NH5–5 (OT)Johnson1–0–1
3October 19*@ #3 New Hampshire#1Whittemore Center Arena • Durham, NH1–3Weber1–1–1
4October 25@ Michigan Tech#2John J. MacInnes Student Ice ArenaHoughton, MI5–4Weber / Johnson2–1–12
5October 26@ Michigan Tech#2John J. MacInnes Student Ice Arena • Houghton, MI3–3 (OT)Johnson2–1–23
6November 1*Alabama-Huntsville#4Mariucci ArenaMinneapolis, MN12–1Weber3–1–2
7November 2*Alabama-Huntsville#4Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN4–2Johnson4–1–2
8November 8@ Minnesota State#3Alltel CenterMankato, MN2–3Weber4–2–23
9November 9@ Minnesota State#3Alltel Center • Mankato, MN7–4Johnson5–2–25
10November 15#7 Colorado College#8Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN3–7Johnson5–3–25
11November 16#7 Colorado College#8Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN2–2 (OT)Weber5–3–36
12November 22Michigan Tech#9Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN4–2Weber6–3–38
13November 23Michigan Tech#9Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN2–1Weber7–3–310
14November 29*Michigan State#9Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN5–5 (OT)Weber7–3–4
15December 1*#8 Michigan#9Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN1–3Weber7–4–4
16December 6@ Wisconsin#10Kohl CenterMadison, WI3–0Weber8–4–412
17December 7@ Wisconsin#10Kohl Center • Madison, WI3–2Weber9–4–414
18December 9*Team Italy (exh.)Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN4–2Weber9–4–4
19December 27*$Yale#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN7–3Weber10–4–4
20December 28*$#6 Boston College#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN2–1 (OT)Weber11–4–4
21January 3St. Cloud State#4Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN3–4Weber11–5–414
22January 4@ St. Cloud State#4National Hockey CenterSt. Cloud, MN3–3 (OT)Weber11–5–515
23January 10#1 North Dakota#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN2–4Weber11–6–515
24January 11#1 North Dakota#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN6–3Weber12–6–517
25January 17*U.S. Under-18 Team (exh.)Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN6–0Johnson12–6–5
26January 24Minnesota State#8Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN2–2 (OT)Weber12–6–618
27January 25Minnesota State#8Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN4–4 (OT)Weber12–6–719
28January 31@ Alaska Anchorage#7Sullivan ArenaAnchorage, AK4–0Weber13–6–721
29February 1@ Alaska Anchorage#7Sullivan Arena • Anchorage, AK4–1Johnson14–6–723
30February 7@ #1 Colorado College#7World ArenaColorado Springs, CO2–6Weber14–7–723
31February 8@ #1 Colorado College#7World Arena • Colorado Springs, CO3–2Johnson15–7–725
32February 14Wisconsin#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN5–2Weber16–7–727
33February 15Wisconsin#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN8–1Johnson17–7–729
34February 21@ Minnesota-Duluth#6Duluth Entertainment Convention CenterDuluth, MN5–4Weber18–7–731
35February 22@ Minnesota-Duluth#6Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, MN4–5 (OT)Johnson18–8–731
36February 28#13 Denver#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN3–3 (OT)Weber18–8–832
37March 1#13 Denver#7Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN8–5Weber19–8–834
38March 7@ #2 St. Cloud State#6National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN5–3Weber20–8–836
39March 8#2 St. Cloud State#6Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN1–1 (OT)Weber20–8–937
*Non-Conference Game. Hall of Fame Game. College Hockey Showcase. $Dodge Holiday Classic.
#Rankings from USA Today/American Hockey Coaches Association poll released prior to games.

Postseason

WCHA Playoffs

#DateOpponent#Rank#SiteScoreGoaltenderRecord
1March 14*Michigan Tech#6Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN3–1Weber21–8–9
2March 15*Michigan Tech#6Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN5–2Weber / Johnson22–8–9
3March 21vs. #9 Minnesota State#5Xcel Energy Center • St. Paul, MN3–2 (OT)Johnson23–8–9
4March 22$vs. #1 Colorado College#5Xcel Energy Center • St. Paul, MN4–2Johnson24–8–9
*WCHA First-Round (best of three). WCHA Final Five Semifinal. $WCHA Final Five championship.
#Rankings from USA Today/American Hockey Coaches Association poll released prior to games.

NCAA Playoffs

#DateOpponent#Rank#SiteScoreGoaltenderRecord
1March 28*Mercyhurst#4Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN9–2Weber25–8–9
2March 29#6 Ferris State#4Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, MN7–4Johnson / Weber26–8–9
3April 10vs. #4 Michigan#2HSBC ArenaBuffalo, NY3–2 (OT)Weber27–8–9
4April 12$vs. #3 New Hampshire#2HSBC Arena • Buffalo, NY5–1Weber28–8–9
*NCAA First-Round (West Regional). NCAA Quarterfinal (West Regional). NCAA Semifinal (Frozen Four). $NCAA championship (Frozen Four).
#Rankings from USA Today/American Hockey Coaches Association poll released prior to games.

Season Stats

Scoring Leaders

Note: GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; PIM = Penalty Minutes

Player GP G A Pts PIM
Thomas Vanek4531316260
Troy Riddle4526265250
Keith Ballard4512294178
Matt Koalska419314026
Paul Martin459303932

Goaltending

Note: GP = Games Played; TOI = Time On Ice (minutes); W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals Against; SO = Shutouts; Sv% = Save Percentage; GAA = Goals Against Average

Player GP TOI W L SO Sv% GAA
Travis Weber3419941867.9022.50
Justin Johnson147651022.8852.90

References

  1. 2006–07 Minnesota Men's Hockey Yearbook. Minneapolis: University of Minnesota Intercollegiate Athletics. 2006.
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