The UW men's hockey team (1-3-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 5-5-0 overall) takes a trip out west this weekend to take on rival North Dakota (3-1-0, 9-1-0). The Badgers, coming off of a split with University of Minnesota-Duluth, are ready to have a solid series against the No. 4 team in the nation.
\We've got a big weekend coming up that will determine where we stand in the WCHA and even in the national rankings,"" sophomore center Alex Leavitt said.
The Badgers have battled early on this season, working hard to get the group all on the same page under the new coaching staff. At 5-5, the team is satisfied for now with where they are, and believe that with a few more weeks of experience, they can become one of the strongest teams in the league.
""We're just plowing ahead. We're taking the next step together,"" Head Coach Mike Eaves said.
They will have to plow ahead if they want to take care of the Fighting Sioux, who are lead by freshman forward Zach Parise.??
Parise leads the nation in scoring with more than two points per game, already accounting for nine goals and 13 assists in this young season.
""I think what we're trying to do is not focus all of our attention on him. We're just going to play our game and hopefully we can stop him,"" freshman defenseman Tom Gilbert said.
""The best defense against a player like that is to play well together away from the puck and keep the mistakes down,"" Eaves said.
One of the most positive things for the Badgers early on in this season is the emergence of freshman leadership. Gilbert and forward Ryan MacMurchy have stepped up and are both in the top four in scoring for the Badgers.
""Anytime that you can get a contribution from new guys, not just their numbers, but also how they play the game, it's a big help,"" senior wing Brad Winchester said.
North Dakota is a team that is not afraid to give up penalty minutes, and the Badgers have had many power play so far this season. The team is still optimistic about their power play chances despite coming off of a weekend where they went zero for 13 on the advantage.
""We are very happy with some of the chances that we're generating. We have a couple new looks we're going to try this week and then we'll go from there,"" Winchester said.
The Badgers will have to play well together to overcome the tough road environment to be successful this weekend. The outlook is extremely positive for the Badgers as the season rolls on. One thing is for sure. This weekend's series will set the tone for when the Sioux come to the Kohl Center in early March.
