Gophers men's hockey back at No. 1, barely

For the third time in four weeks the Gophers are ranked No. 1 in the USCHO men's hockey poll, albeit just barely.

The Gophers (23-8-1) received 25 first-place votes and 975 points overall. That's three points more than last week's No. 1 Quinnipiac (26-3-3), which received the other 25 first-place votes from the poll's 50 voters, a group made of coaches and media members nationwide.

The Big Ten champion Gophers swept a series at Penn State over the weekend, winning 7-2 Friday and 3-2 in overtime Saturday. Quinnipiac extended its winning streak to eight by beating Yale 5-1 and Brown 5-2.

The Gophers finish their regular season at home with games Friday and Saturday against No. 8 Ohio State.

Sean Stephens hit a two-out walkoff single in the 12th inning to send New Mexico to a 4-3 victory over the Gophers baseball team in Surprise, Ariz.

Brady Counsell went 4-for-5 for the Gophers, who fell to 0-4 to open the season. Counsell hit a tying RBI single in the top of the ninth inning, a half-inning after the Lobos took a 3-2 lead on Lenny Ashby's two-run homer.

Sam Hunt went 3-for-4 for the Gophers, hitting an RBI double in the second inning and a go-ahead RBI single in the eighth.

The Gophers had a chance to go ahead in the top of the 12th, but Riley Swenson was thrown out at the plate trying to tag on a fly ball to right field.

The MIAC moved up game times for three of Tuesday's four basketball quarterfinals two hours to 5 p.m. due to winter weather concerns. Both men's games — Hamline at St. Mary's and St. Olaf at Macalester — will be at 5 p.m., as will the women's game between St. Olaf and host Hamline.