# 2003–04 Minnesota Golden Gophers women's ice hockey season

The Golden Gophers accumulated an overall record of 30–4–2, and a 19–3–2 WCHA record in the 2003–04 campaign. The Golden Gophers swept the WCHA honors, winning the regular season championship and the WCHA Final Five with a 4–2 win over in-state rivals Minnesota Duluth.

## Regular season
### Standings

2003–04 Western Collegiate Hockey Association standingsvte :
| | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Conference | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall | Overall |
| | GP | W | L | T | SOW | PTS | GF | GA | GP | W | L | T | GF | GA |
| Minnesota†* | 24 | 19 | 3 | 2 | – | 40 | 95 | 40 | 36 | 30 | 4 | 2 | 161 | 60 |
| Wisconsin | 24 | 18 | 5 | 1 | – | 37 | 81 | 34 | 34 | 25 | 6 | 3 | 122 | 50 |
| Minnesota Duluth | 24 | 15 | 8 | 1 | – | 31 | 110 | 52 | 34 | 20 | 12 | 2 | 148 | 79 |
| Minnesota State | 24 | 9 | 11 | 4 | – | 22 | 45 | 62 | 34 | 16 | 14 | 4 | 75 | 81 |
| Ohio State | 24 | 10 | 12 | 2 | – | 22 | 51 | 69 | 35 | 16 | 16 | 3 | 83 | 90 |
| St. Cloud State | 24 | 4 | 19 | 1 | – | 9 | 53 | 107 | 32 | 7 | 24 | 1 | 74 | 137 |
| Bemidji State | 24 | 3 | 20 | 1 | – | 7 | 29 | 100 | 34 | 5 | 27 | 2 | 48 | 139 |
| Championship: † indicates conference regular season champion; * indicates conference tournament champion Updated July 21, 2024 ||||||||||||||||||
The Gophers went undefeated in the first half of the season, posting a 13–0–1 record. The Golden Gophers were the top team in the country for 18 of the 23 weeks in both the U.S. College Hockey Online and USA Today polls.

### Schedule

Source
    As of September 13, 2024.
| Date | Time | Opponent$^#$ | Rank$^#$ | Site | Decision | Result | Attendance | Record |
| Regular Season |||||||||
| October 17 | 7:05 | Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 6–3 | 1,059 | 1–0–0 (1–0–0) |
| October 18 | 7:05 | Ohio State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 7–0 | 1,258 | 2–0–0 (2–0–0) |
| October 25 | 2:05 | at #6 Wisconsin | #1 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Horak | W 3–0 | 1,124 | 3–0–0 (3–0–0) |
| October 26 | 2:05 | at #6 Wisconsin | #1 | Kohl Center • Madison, WI | Horak | W 3–1 | 1,022 | 4–0–0 (4–0–0) |
| October 31 | 4:05 | St. Cloud State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 4–1 | 554 | 5–0–0 (5–0–0) |
| November 1 | 2:05 | St. Cloud State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 5–3 | 1,058 | 6–0–0 (6–0–0) |
| November 15 | 2:00 | at Brown* | | Meehan Auditorium • Providence, RI | Horak | W 5–2 | 187 | 7–0–0 (6–0–0) |
| November 16 | 12:00 | at Brown* | | Meehan Auditorium • Providence, RI | Horak | W 8–1 | 105 | 8–0–0 (6–0–0) |
| November 22 | 4:05 | at Minnesota State | | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, MN | Horak | T 1–1 | 234 | 8–0–1 (6–0–1) |
| November 23 | 4:05 | at Minnesota State | | Midwest Wireless Civic Center • Mankato, MN | Reinen | W 4–0 | 307 | 9–0–1 (7–0–1) |
| November 29 | 2:05 | North Dakota* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 6–2 | 1,236 | 10–0–1 (7–0–1) |
| November 30 | 2:05 | North Dakota* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 10–1 | 1,063 | 11–0–1 (7–0–1) |
| December 5 | 7:05 | Bemidji State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 7–0 | 894 | 12–0–1 (8–0–1) |
| December 6 | 4:05 | Bemidji State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 6–1 | 876 | 13–0–1 (9–0–1) |
| January 9 | 7:05 | at Minnesota Duluth | | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, MN | Horak | L 1–4 | 1,489 | 13–1–1 (9–1–1) |
| January 10 | 7:05 | at Minnesota Duluth | | Duluth Entertainment Convention Center • Duluth, MN | Horak | W 4–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,587 | 14–1–1 (10–1–1) |
| January 16 | 7:05 | Mercyhurst* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 5–1 | 985 | 15–1–1 (10–1–1) |
| January 17 | 7:05 | Mercyhurst* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 3–1 | 1,143 | 16–1–1 (10–1–1) |
| January 24 | 1:05 | Minnesota State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 3–2 | 1,050 | 17–1–1 (11–1–1) |
| January 25 | 1:05 | Minnesota State | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | L 2–3 $^{OT}$ | 1,540 | 17–2–1 (11–2–1) |
| January 31 | 2:05 | at Bemidji State | | John S. Glas Field House • Bemidji, MN | Horak | W 4–1 | 130 | 18–2–1 (12–2–1) |
| February 1 | 2:05 | at Bemidji State | | John S. Glas Field House • Bemidji, MN | Reinen | W 4–0 | 296 | 19–2–1 (13–2–1) |
| February 7 | 1:05 | #1 Dartmouth* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | L 2–3 | 1,115 | 19–3–1 (13–2–1) |
| February 8 | 1:05 | #1 Dartmouse* | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 7–3 | 2,214 | 20–3–1 (13–2–1) |
| February 13 | 7:05 | Wisconsin | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | L 1–2 $^{OT}$ | 1,029 | 20–4–1 (13–3–1) |
| February 14 | 7:05 | Wisconsin | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 2–1 | 1,869 | 21–4–1 (14–3–1) |
| February 20 | 7:05 | at Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Horak | T 1–1 | 416 | 21–4–2 (14–3–2) |
| February 21 | 7:05 | at Ohio State | #1 | Ohio State University Ice Rink • Columbus, OH | Reinen | W 6–0 | 431 | 22–4–2 (15–3–2) |
| February 28 | 2:05 | #6 Minnesota Duluth | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Horak | W 4–2 | 3,142 | 23–4–2 (16–3–2) |
| February 29 | 2:05 | #6 Minnesota Duluth | #2 | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN | Reinen | W 7–5 | 2,359 | 24–4–2 (17–3–2) |
| March 5 | 4:05 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Horak | W 3–1 | 540 | 25–4–2 (18–3–2) |
| March 6 | 7:05 | at St. Cloud State | #1 | Herb Brooks National Hockey Center • St. Cloud, MN | Reinen | W 7–5 | 1,078 | 26–4–2 (19–3–2) |
| WCHA Tournament |||||||||
| March 13 | 4:05 | Ohio State* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff, Semifinal Game) | Horak | W 5–1 | 1,262 | 27–4–2 (19–3–2) |
| March 14 | 4:10 | Minnesota Duluth* | | Ridder Arena • Minneapolis, MN (WCHA Final Faceoff, Championship Game) | Horak | W 4–2 | 1,500 | 28–4–2 (19–3–2) |
| NCAA Tournament |||||||||
| March 26 | 5:05 | vs. Dartmouth* | | Dunkin' Donuts Center • Providence, RI (NCAA Frozen Four) | Horak | W 5–1 | – | 29–4–2 (19–3–2) |
| March 28 | 4:05 | vs. #2 Harvard* | #1 | Dunkin' Donuts Center • Providence, RI (NCAA Championship Game) | Horak | W 6–2 | 3,522 | 30–4–2 (19–3–2) |
| *Non-conference game. $^#$Rankings from USCHO.com Poll. |||||||||

### Roster

Source:

## Postseason

On March 28, 2004 Halldorson and the Golden Gophers defeated Harvard, 6–2, to win their first NCAA Championship and her third national championship in six years.

## Awards and honors

* Laura Halldorson, American Hockey Coaches Association’s Coach of the Year, her third honor since 1998.