Gophers vs. Mercyhurst

7 p.m. Friday, 5 p.m. Saturday at 3M Arena at Mariucci

TV: Fox9 and streamed on B1G+

Radio: 103.5-FM, 1130-AM

Gophers update: The third-ranked Gophers will get freshman forward Erik Pahlsson back from injury, but they remain without World Junior championship participants Oliver Moore and Brodie Ziemer. Minnesota is coming off a three-week holiday break. Pahlsson has been out since mid-November while Moore and Ziemer will remain with Team USA through the weekend after their team advanced to the tournament's final four with Thursday's thumping of Switzerland.

Mercyhurst update: The Lakers (2-15-3) rank 64th out of 64 Division I teams in the PairWise rankings used to determine the NCAA tournament field. "This is a very important series for us," Gophers senior captain Aaron Huglen said. "We're going to handle it like any other team. It's going to be a good challenge for us."