When Wisconsin and Michigan Tech take to the ice this weekend it will barely draw the eyes of the other eight teams in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, much less the college hockey world. This, however, does not mean there is nothing to play for, or that either of them will hold anything back once the puck drops.
Though it will not be a spotlight game, Wisconsin's weekend series in Houghton, Mich., is an important one for both squads involved. The Badgers are 0-2 in the conference, 3-3 overall while the Huskies are 0-1-1 in the WCHA and even across the board with a 2-2-2 overall record. Both units are hungry for their first league win and realize that, in a league as tough as the one they play in, every win is valuable.
\We lost our first two games in the league and if you fall into a big hole there are so many good teams in this league that you might never recover,"" senior defender Dan Boeser said.
It would not be the first time the teams meet in recent history as Michigan Tech and Wisconsin battled in Houghton at the end of last season while locked in a heated battle for playoff positioning. The Badgers won both games then, but a repeat will not be as easy.
""If you look at the type of year they've had there is no reason for us to get complacent,"" Boeser said.
The core of the Husky team remains mostly intact from last season, but a change did come from behind the bench. Michigan Tech alumnus Jamie Russell has been named head coach and has already brought a new attitude to a team that finished 10-24-4 only a year ago.
""With a new coach comes new enthusiasm and new hope for a fresh start,"" Wisconsin Head Coach Mike Eaves said.
A new attitude is one thing, but if the fortunes of this team are to change it will be a result of the offense. Senior forward and team captain Brett Engelhardt returns to the Huskies and, though he has yet to score a goal, will be watched closely by the Wisconsin defense.
The most noticeable threats on the Husky offense this season, though, have been forwards sophomore Chris Conner and junior Colin Murphy. Conner is moving toward elite level with 11 goals, the most in the nation, while Murphy has proven his consistency with eight goals and seven assists. These two stars are tied for the national lead in points with 15 apiece.
The Wisconsin defense has been steadily improving and the goaltending situation is solid. Both will need to be in top form to deal not only with the Huskies' star front, but the rest of their solid offense.
""We don't focus on any one guy or line, we look at it as a team,"" Badger sophomore forward Nick Licari said.
On the defensive side the Huskies have not had as much luck, letting up an average of four goals per game. The defense is thin and does little to bolster an already shaky goaltending duo.
Junior goalie Cam Ellsworth is still a question mark in net and has seen his playing type usurped by freshman Bryce Luker. Neither the veteran nor the rookie, however, is giving the Huskies an answer in the crease. If the Badger offense, or its potent power-play unit, heats up, this problem could play havoc on Tech's chances at victory.
On paper it is easy to overlook a team like Michigan Tech, but to do so would ignore their recent accomplishments. In this weekend's series it is not a trio of forwards or a new coach that will make the Huskies a threat, but their desire to shed the reputation of a losing program.
