More than three seasons ago, when Mike Eaves was tapped as the new head coach of the Wisconsin men's hockey program, he defined the formula for success on the ice: playing hard, playing smart and playing as a team.
The Badgers did all three this weekend on the road against Michigan State and Michigan, the number one team in the country. The result: two wins and the likelihood of the No. 1 ranking in the country when weekly polls are released today.
The showdown with Michigan would have been missing some hype if not for a come-from-behind effort against MSU in Wisconsin's first game of the College Hockey Showcase.
The Spartans, winless in their last six games entering Friday night, were staked to a 1-0 lead on a Drew Miller power-play goal with less than a second remaining in the first period.
The Badgers appeared lifeless until the last 10 minutes of the third. Junior Jake Dowell found the back of the net with assists from senior Ryan MacMurchy and sophomore Kyle Klubertanz to tie the score at one.
With 4:11 left to play, senior captain Adam Burish scored the first of his two critical goals in the pair of games. His put-back of junior Robbie Earl's shot proved the game-winner, and MacMurchy added an empty-net score with under a minute left to cap the Badgers' 3-1 win and push the team's unbeaten streak to 11 games.
UW laid that streak, the longest in the nation, on the line Saturday night against a Michigan team featuring a prolific offense. But the Badgers, yet to give up three goals this season, kept the Wolverines relatively in check while Burish once again provided the heroics.
With just under two minutes remaining and the score 2-2, the forward went five-hole on goalie Noah Ruden to break the deadlock and ensure a 3-2 victory. Earl and MacMurchy both scored earlier in Wisconsin's two- goal second period.
Sitting pretty at 11-1-2 overall and 8-0-2 in the WCHA, the Badgers are in prime position for a run at a national championship. They rounded out the month of November with a 7-0-1 record. The seven wins are the most in a single month by an Eaves-coached team at UW.
Today, when USCHO.com and USA Today/USA Hockey unveil new rankings, it seems probable that the Badgers will claim the No. 1 spot. Not since Oct. 23, 2000 has that feat been accomplished.
Still, there is plenty of action the Badgers have yet to see in this promising season. They take the only undefeated conference record in the country to Minnesota next weekend for a tough test against the Gophers.
'We have a bull's-eye on our back now,' Eaves said. 'It's something we have to take with great pride and keep doing what we're doing.'
