After an Excellent Season, Some Questions for Minnesota The University of Minnesota men's hockey team was picked to finish sixth out of 12 teams in its own conference before the season - in the end it made it to the Frozen Four. After a whole season of surprising people, the Gophers" magic ran out against eventual N.C.A.A. champion Boston College. The semifinal game in Tampa, Fla., against the Eagles was the first time that the Gophers played a game outside of Minnesota in 40 days. Even with the loss Minnesota head coach Don Lucia still considered the season a successful one. "There's about five great things you can do in a season and that's win your league, you can win your playoff, you can get in the N.C.A.A."s, you can get to the Frozen Four and you can win a national title - and you know what, we did three of them," Lucia said. That's something for these seniors to feel good about...I'm very proud of this group and what they were able to accomplish all year. The loss concluded a tumultuous postseason for the team that began with a sweep of Alaska Anchorage in the first round of the W.C.H.A. playoffs. Minnesota lost to rival North Dakota a week later in the W.C.H.A. Final Five but exacted revenge a week later in the N.C.A.A. tournament by beating UND to advance to the Frozen Four. Both the final five and the N.C.A.A. west region were played at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minn. Minnesota silenced its critics early by starting off 11-1. A road sweep of Minnesota Duluth and a home sweep of North Dakota highlighted the team's beginning of the season. A three-game losing streak to Northeastern, Notre Dame and North Dakota was the Gophers" longest of the season. Including the regular and postseason the Gophers and North Dakota played six times, with Minnesota winning four of those battles. Goaltender Kent Patterson and forward Nick Bjugstad were named second-team All Americans. Bjugstad led the team in goals with 25. The Gophers will lose seven seniors, three of whom had substantial playing time throughout the season. Taylor Matson and Jake Hansen both have signed professional contracts since the loss to Boston College. Patterson will depart after starting every game this season for the Gophers; he went 28-14-1 with a goals-against average of 2.32. Freshman Adam Wilcox will compete with current backup Michael Shibrowski for the starting job next season. It remains to been seen whether underclassmen Bjugstad and Erik Haula will stay with the team or sign with their professional teams. Haula led the team in points with 49. Drew Claussen, a sports reporter for The Minnesota Daily, wrote about Minnesota men's hockey for Slap Shot this season.