Here's an article in the 9/26 Minnesota Daily (http://www.mndly.umn.edu/)
about the Gopher's first practice and their freshman class.
 
Bigger and faster Gophers hockey team opens practice
 
Matthew Cross - Staff Reporter
 
It seems strange the Gophers hockey team, which went to the NCAA final
four last season, can look bigger, stronger and faster than it did a year
ago -- but it does.
 
Minnesota added bulk to its lineup with a corps of freshman that has been
described by coaches as being tough and gritty.
 
In fact, during the team's first practice on Monday, freshman winger Mike
Anderson got into a scuffle with sophomore winger Casey Hankinson.
 
Gophers coach Doug Woog was impressed by what he saw, not only in the new
class's fire, but in its ability.
 
"(The freshman) can shoot the puck; I'll tell you that," Woog said with
wide eyes. "We were looking for some punch up front and I think eventually
they'll give us that."
 
Offense and overall aggressiveness are Woog's main concerns going into the
season, but he remains optimistic.
 
"I think we're going to be able to use our defense to create offense,"
Woog said. "And the guys we have are very capable of that."
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.