Although the No. 1 men's hockey team's 14 game unbeaten streak ended last Friday against Michigan Tech, the Badgers came back with a 7-0 trouncing of the Huskies the next night. UW looks to extend a now one-game unbeaten streak over winter break.
U.S. Under-18 National Team Exhibition (Dec. 16)
For the first time in 17 years, the Badgers will face a U.S. national team when it hosts the U-18 group (18-8-1) tomorrow night at the Kohl Center. The team is coached by former UW assistant John Hynes and features three UW recruits: forward Blake Geoffrion and defensemen Jamie McBain and Nigel Williams.
'We're going to coach it with some goals in mind,' head coach Mike Eaves said. 'There are certain things we want to achieve.'
Eaves said that his focus will be on his own players and not the three recruits, all of which he spoke about with high praise.
'Unless somebody does something ultimately tremendous, you're focused on what you're trying to do,' Eaves said. 'You focus on your group and then later on, we'll really watch the games closely from two perspectives when we break it down. One from ours, and then one from how those young men played.'
Badger Hockey Showdown
Western Michigan (Dec. 30)
Northern Michigan/
Wayne State (Dec. 31)
The No. 1 Badgers host Northern Michigan, Wayne State and Western Michigan in the 17th annual Badger Hockey Showdown at the Kohl Center Dec. 30-31. The tournament, widely regarded as one of the more successful in college hockey, will take place in Madison for the third year after 14 at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
UW has won eight of the 16 Showdowns and advanced to the championship game last year against Ferris State, but lost 5-3. The first game this year matches the Badgers against Western Michigan (4-5-1 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, 4-8-2). Depending on the outcome, Wisconsin will then face either Northern Michigan or Wayne State the following night.
Freshman forward Jack Skille will miss the weekend action after being selected to the U.S. National Junior Team. The seventh overall pick of the 2005 NHL Entry Draft has six goals and four assists this season, leading the Badger freshmen.
Colorado College (Jan. 13-14)
The Badgers travel to Colorado Springs to face the No. 7 Tigers (7-4-1 WCHA, 13-6-1 overall) in what will be a difficult conference series. The two teams met previously in Madison this season, Nov. 11 and 12. After playing to a 2-2 tie in the first game, UW shut out then-No. 1 Colorado College the next night, 3-0. Five different players scored goals for the Badgers that weekend.
The Tigers are currently No. 1 in the conference in scoring offense, and have the top-two scorers: seniors Brett Sterling (32 points) and Marty Sertich (26). Defenseman Junior Brian Salcido leads the league in assists (20) and is first in his position in points (23). Colorado College's power play conversion rate, at 20.6 percent is second only to Minnesota in the WCHA.
