The University of Wisconsin Men's hockey team (16-18-4 overall) travels to St. Paul, Minn. this weekend to face the best the Western Collegiate Hockey Association has to offer in the Frozen Five Tournament.
Wisconsin will need to have a night of sensational play, similar to that of last Saturday's 7-3 domination over the Minnesota State-Mankato Mavericks, if they hope to advance past Thursday night's preliminary action.
Awaiting the Badgers on Thursday are the Tigers of Colorado College (24-11-3 overall). Currently the Tigers are ranked 10th in the polls, and are the fourth seed in the Frozen Five tournament. Led by senior center Mark Cullen and sophomore forward Peter Sejna, CC has played very well all year and has been ranked as high as No. 6 in the polls.
The preseason favorites for the McNaughton Cup have, however, struggled at times, losing a few games early in the season, a stat that the UW can relate to as well.
\We should be at .500 right now, and if we were at .500, we would not be looking at winning three straight games just to get into the NCAAs,"" Head Coach Jeff Sauer said. ""We threw a game away against Ferris State early in the season. We threw a few games away against Michigan Tech early on and we threw a few points away against Alaska Anchorage.""
The Badgers will head to the Frozen Five on a four-game winning streak.
""The team has been playing very well lately and with a lot of confidence,"" freshman forward Alex Leavitt said in a press conference Saturday. ""This weekend maybe we are the underdogs and I think that works to our advantage a little. ... The seniors have been the best players the past month and all of us have fed off that.""
One factor in the recent winning streak has been the spectacular goaltending by goalies junior Scott Kabotoff and freshman Bernd Bruckler.
Kabotoff and Bruckler have given up seven goals total over the past four games, with many of the goals coming late in the game when the Badgers had already secured a win. The past weekend's series against Minnesota State-Mankato the goal tending was superb, with Kabotoff yielding two goals on Friday night and Bruckler giving up two goals Saturday. (Senior goalie Mark Barancyzk was in the net for MSU's third goal.)
The scenario facing Bruckler before Saturday's game would have been difficult for the most steeled hockey player, or human being, for that matter.
Bruckler, a native of Austria, learned earlier in the week that his father passed away. Bruckler had known about the death for a few days and had spoken with his mother about the matter and decided to play on Saturday. Displaying extraordinary resolve, Bruckler went out and shut down the Mavericks offense.
""It certainly shows his dedication not only to the team but also to the sport of hockey itself,"" Sauer said.
Health wise the only doubt for UW will be the health of junior forward Brad Winchester. Winchester, who injured his shoulder midway through the third period of Saturday's game, is day to day. It will be a game-time decision as to whether he plays or not.
The Badgers have been on a roll as of late and will have to stay on one if they hope to make the NCAA Tournament. The Badgers are heading into the Frozen Five knowing with most certainty that they will have to win the Frozen Five to make it to the next level.
The rub lies in the fact that no team that has played on the Thursday has won the tournament. With nine seniors who want to keep playing and one coach who wants to keep coaching, that fact may change this weekend.
