The Wisconsin men's hockey team (1-7-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 5-11-0 overall) is facing hard times in its first year with Head Coach Mike Eaves. Throughout the year, Eaves has been wracking his brain, figuring out how the team can produce goals and win this season.
\The team has a low confidence right now,"" Badger sophomore goaltender Bernd Bruckler commented. ""The only way to get that up is we need to win.""
Although the Badgers hoped the boost of confidence would occur this weekend, they fell to border rival Minnesota (6-2-2, 9-4-4) 3-0 Friday and 3-2 Saturday. Minnesota entered the weekend's match-up as the defending NCAA champions and are currently ranked No. 10 in the nation.
Wisconsin began both games with sloppy offense. The Badgers, unable to execute key passes on offense, were backed into a defensive game early, as Minnesota took control of the puck, forcing UW's defense to take a physical approach to the game. The physical play also kept the referees busy, calling 33 penalties (17 Friday, 16 Saturday) and breaking up players that tried to have a few heated discussions. Both teams saw enough opportunities to take advantage of these penalties, however Minnesota made more use of them, scoring on three of 10 power play opportunities (UW went one for nine). Wisconsin only accumulated five shots on goal during their power plays.
Eaves explained the few number
of shots UW took.
""We're trying to create a higher percentage shot, a higher percentage scoring chance; we want to work the puck around to try to get that shot,"" Eaves said.
Wisconsin failed to also convert in key scoring chances and three on two breakaways during both games that could have turned the games around.
Friday night Wisconsin hoped to jumpstart the offense that has been absent for the team. Friday's game, ending in a 3-0 shutout for Minnesota's sophomore goaltender Travis Weber (first of his college career), was not the game to do it for the Badgers.
""Enough talk, [the scoring drought] has to stop,"" Badger's freshman forward Adam Burish said. ""We've got to figure out what to do and we've got to do it.""
Saturday, the team took more control and notched its first goal of the weekend. Though the first period began like Friday, sloppy and scoreless for both teams. UW, though, was able to gain control, silencing the Minnesota crowd for a couple of minutes. A little over a minute into the second period UW freshman forward Ryan MacMurchy would see his fourth goal of the year go past Weber's glove.
Wisconsin's only lead in the series would not be long enough for the Badgers to pull out a win. Three minutes later the Golden Gophers tied the game when sophomore forward Jake Fleming pushed the puck between Bernd Bruckler's legs.
The Badgers still saw hope to split the series when they executed their one power play of the weekend, and the first in a long time. UW's junior forward Rene Bourque rounded the back of the net and sneaked the puck through Travis Weber's legs tying it 2-2 with seven minutes left in the game.
The Golden Gophers swept the Badgers, however, when seconds after a Wisconsin penalty was completed, Minnesota's senior defenseman Matt DeMarchi found the net and sealed the 3-2 victory.
""To be real honest, I was rather disappointed the way we came out,"" Eaves added. ""I thought it was a desperate situation and I don't think we played the way we needed to in the first period, and that was disappointing.\
