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The Gophers' power play, ranked the best in the nation, failed them in opener against Denver.

Continuing injuries have hamstrung the team. Said coach Rick Adelman: "After a while, it gets really old."

The former Gopher is back in Minnesota - and back on the court with Lindsay Whalen.

Mike Redmond's hours of talking strategy in the Twins dugout set him up well to step in as manager of a rebuilding Marlins team.

  Even in this wide-open season, front-runners are in place for the major awards.

As Trevor Mbakwe's long and winding, second-chance-filled road nears an end, a poignant Senior Day looms.

Q. A player on my daughter’s all-girls team engages in “mean girl” behavior, including telling other girls they are fat, giving them cheap shots during practice and tossing their hats/gloves in puddles in the parking lot. She is also the leading scorer and we’re heading into the playoffs. Should the coach bench her?

A. “As coaches, the biggest carrot we have is playtime,” says experienced hockey director and coach Angelo Ricci. “They’re kids so we can’t fine them and suspension is a last resort.” The key to using playtime to help control behavior is to establish all the rules up-front in a preseason meeting. Then, it’s up to the coach to hold everyone accountable and enforce the rules in a fair and consistent manner, says Ricci. “If you favor kids or change the rules midseason, you lose respect in the locker room.”

In particular, Ricci emphasizes that the behavior of repeat offenders needs to be addressed with playtime. While he admits that some coaches turn a blind eye to behavior when they shouldn’t, the philosophy remains the same: It doesn’t matter what game it is. If a coach determines that a player needs to be benched for a portion of a game, it doesn’t matter if it’s the first game of the season or the last. After all, Ricci says, “Would you let your kid steal a $1 candy bar but not $50 headphones? It’s the same crime.”

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Angelo Ricci for sharing his 15 years of expertise as a hockey director in this article. Ricci is founder, head instructor and consultant for Ricci Hockey Consulting. With 20+ years experience as a skills and stickhandling coach, he conducts/oversees more than 40 programs year-round that develop over 1,000 players each year.

Every year, every team seems to go through the same ritual: How to thank the team manager. (And maybe the team treasurer, the social coordinator, the water bottle hauler.) So you take up a little collection and then you start asking around. Does this person like coffee? Movies? Golf? You buy a gift card, sign a card and you’re done. There you go: A perfectly forgettable gift that is gone in no time. This year, think about more personal gifts that don’t get lost in the shuffle of daily life:

1. Insulated travel mug
2. Hot/cold clear acrylic cup
3. Stadium/tailgate foam cup holder for your favorite team
4. Smartphone gloves
5. Stadium blanket
6. Spiritwear for your association
7. Car wash, detailing, car scents
8. Dinner out with reservations and babysitting money
9. Tickets for a favorite experience: movies, comedy club, hockey game
10. Top-of-the-line anything: golf balls, nail polish, car wax

Editor’s Note: Thank you to Kelly Anton for this story.

Check out the Colorado Thunderbirds AAA program – one of the top-ranked AAA programs in the United States! The organization provides AAA-caliber players with the ice time, coaching and training needed to establish and maintain an elite development track. The Thunderbirds program is based on the core values of accountability, attitude and effort. Follow the links below to download information packets and register:

Spring: Denver Teams & NEW Mountain Teams

• 1999-2005 birth years
• Tryouts March 17-23 in Denver, March 23-24 in Vail
• Season runs from early April to end of May
• Travel players attend Challenge Cup in Vancouver, May 17-20

Spring & Summer: Developmental Skates

• 1995-1999 birth years: May 14-July 23, 25 hours on-ice development
• 2000-2002 birth years: June 11-July 25, 18 hours of on-ice development

Fall 2013-2014 Tryouts

Tentative dates (pending CAHA approval):

• U14, U13, U12 and U11: May 24-May 26
• U18: July 25-26
• U16, U15: July 26-28

The numbers between starting and relieving have gone haywire for Duensing over the past two seasons.

Good times

Twins face ex-catcher Mike Redmond, new manager of Marlins. Josh Willingham was scheduled to make the trip but had a stiff back.

Good times

For many, Tuesday’s momentous win over No. 1 Indiana inspired two reactions: 1. Sheer glee 2. Wait … why haven’t they been playing like this all along?

The Twins are headed to Jupiter to play the Marlins today and visit old friend Mike Redmond, the new Florida skipper.

Kobe Bryant has brought Los Angeles back from the depths of the Western Conference.