MIDWEST Michigan 10, Ohio St. 2 Minnesota 5, St. Cloud St. 3 Wisconsin 7, Michigan Tech 5 I found this WCHA roundup on Associated Press tonight. By The Associated Press It was a first for the Minnesota Gophers, but one they'd like to forget. Despite a 5-3 victory over St. Cloud State Sunday for a split of their weekend series, the Gophers finished fourth in the final WCHA regular season standings. Never before has Minnesota finished lower than second. Colorado College maintained its strong lead to the end, despite losing 7-3 to Denver Saturday after tying the Pioneers 5-5 in overtime the previous night. The Tigers finished at 22-9-1 in the league, seven points ahead of Denver (18-12-2) and Wisconsin (17-11-4), who tied for second. Wisconsin topped Michigan Tech 7-5 in Sunday's other game for a sweep. The Badgers won 7-1 on Saturday night. Minnesota finished a close fourth, one point behind Denver and Wisconsin. Minnesota's downfall came Friday night, with a 3-0 loss to St. Cloud in the first game of their weekend series. It was the Gophers' third shutout of the season, something that hadn't happened since the 1955-56 season. St. Cloud and North Dakota tied for fifth. North Dakota swept its series with Alaska-Anchorage, winning 6-4 Saturday night and 4-3 Friday night. In the other weekend series, Minnesota-Duluth won two from Northern Michigan, 8-1 Saturday night and 6-3 Friday night. The first round of the playoffs begins Friday, with Alaska Anchorage at Colorado College, Northern Michigan at Wisconsin, Michigan Tech at Denver, Minnesota-Duluth at Minnesota and North Dakota at St. Cloud in best-of-three series. The Final Five begins March 16 at the St. Paul Civic Center. In games Saturday and Sunday: -- Minnesota scored three third-period goals to beat St. Cloud Sunday. Justin McHugh scored twice for Minnesota and Mike Crowley put in what proved to be the game-winner. Brett Lievers scored twice for St. Cloud. In Saturday night's game, St. Cloud freshman goalie Brian Leitza stopped 27 shots for the shutout. -- Brian Rafalski's goal 34 seconds into the game sparked a three-goal first period for Wisconsin in Sunday's victory over Michigan Tech. In Saturday's game, Max Williams, Chris Tok and Scott Sanderson scored late in the second period to lead Wisconsin. -- Antti Laaksonen's two goals and two assists led Denver to victory over conference winner Colorado College. -- Darcy Mitani had two goals and an assist as North Dakota beat Alaska Anchorage. -- Minnesota-Duluth junior Chet Culic scored his first collegiate hat trick to power the Bulldogs over Northern Michigan. |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--| | Lynn Burke Newport News, Va. | |--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|--|