Gophers hockey vs. Boston College preview: Odds, prediction

How to watch

• Thursday, Oct. 9 at 8 p.m. CT: Big Ten Network
• Friday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. CT: FOX9+ and BTN+

Minnesota has a rare Thursday and Friday night series, which will lead Gophers fans right into the Homecoming football game on Saturday night against Purdue. A meeting between two of the nation's top programs lands a Big Ten Network spot on Thursday night, and then it will be back on FOX9+ and BTN+ for an earlier start on Friday.

What you need to know about Boston College

After Boston College lost its season opener at home to No. 13 Quinnipiac, and Minnesota's series split, both teams fell in the U.S. College Hockey Online (USCHO) poll. This weekend's matchup will be the first between the Gophers and Eagles since 2016-17 and Thursday night's game will be the first meeting in the USCHO Poll era (13 previous meetings) in which neither team is ranked in the top 10.

After spending much of last season as the No. 1-ranked team in the country, the Eagles were voted to finish fifth in the preseason Hockey East coaches' poll behind Boston University, Providence, UConn and Maine. They're looking to build on the regional final loss they suffered to Denver last season.

Greg Brown has begun his fourth season as head coach of the program, amassing a 75-31-9 overall record. The Eagles are replacing Hobey Baker Award finalist defenseman Ryan Leonard, among other significant talent from last year's team, but much like the Gophers, they don't rebuild; they reload.

Captain Andre Gasseau opened the season with a team-high three points against Quinnipiac, and the fourth-year forward is Boston College's second-leading returning scorer from last season's team with 30 points. James Hagens had 37 points last season as a freshman, which was third-best on the team. He was the seventh overall pick by the Bruins in the 2025 NHL Draft, and he's a player who needs to be near the top of Minnesota's scouting report.

Prediction

DraftKings Sportsbook has Minnesota as a slight -130 betting favorite for Thursday night's game, but this series looks like a true toss-up. A split seems like it would be a huge win with the Gophers, as another huge test looms next weekend on the road against rival North Dakota. A split seems like the most likely outcome between Minnesota and Boston College.

Game odds refresh periodically and are subject to change. If you or someone you know has a gambling problem and wants help, call 1-800-GAMBLER.