STICK SALUTE

Frankly, we don’t know how they keep doing it. Sometimes it’s miraculous, like last Friday when Denver trailed at Wisconsin with seconds to play in regulation, and won just seconds into overtime. Other times it’s lacking drama, like last Saturday’s 5-0 Pioneers win at the Kohl Center. No matter how it keeps happening, the fact remains that Denver is now 13-2-1 in its last 16 games in Madison. That’s worthy of a Sher-Wood pointed at the ceiling.

BENCH MINOR

Wisconsin junior forward John Mitchell has been blessed with amazing skills and size (6-5, 222) and when he’s on his game, he’s a joy to watch. But we were frankly concerned to see him called for his second major penalty (this one for contact to the head) in the past four games last Saturday. Keep it clean, Mitch!

GREAT WEEKEND GETAWAY
Minnesota Duluth at Minnesota (Fri.-Sat.)

Minnesota Duluth fans may have been disappointed to see no visit to the DECC by arch-rival Minnesota on the docket when the 2008-09 schedule was announced. But the Bulldogs still have an excellent opportunity to secure at least two playoff games in the home whites versus the Golden Gophers. Scott Sandelin and company travel to Minneapolis for a pair, and can put Minnesota in the rearview for good with a sweep. For the Gophers, it’s another chance — possibly their last — to right the ship and get back into the home ice picture for the playoffs.

While you’re there: There’s a perfect college hockey doubleheader to be had on Saturday, when the top-ranked Minnesota women (who won the WCHA title last weekend) host Bemidji State in an afternoon playoff game, before the Gopher men play that evening. The “other” Gophers feature the high-scoring female branch of the Lamoureux family, as freshman twins Monique and Jocelyne have combined for 123 points in their first 34 college games.  When the hockey’s done, we always encourage fans to sample INCH’s favorite thin crust pie at the new Campus Pizza.