The Badger men's hockey team enters the NCAA tournament riding the confidence of the No. 1 overall seed, but the top seed also means anything short of a national championship will be an upset.
Despite the top seed and the bulls eyes on their chests, Badger players are focused on playing the best they can one game at a time.
Whether we're a No. 1 or a No. 16 seed, losing a game is going to be disappointing,\ senior captain Adam Burish said. ""With the group of guys we have and the way we've played as of late we feel like if we play our best we are unbeatable.""
The Badgers have a chance to win the national title without even leaving the state of Wisconsin, heading to Green Bay this weekend for the Midwest Regional where the winner advances to the Frozen Four in Milwaukee.
""It can't be any better than to play in your home state in front of all red and white,"" Burish said. ""If we get it done the right way, it could be a pretty neat run to the top here.""
While the No. 1 overall seed makes the Badgers the statistical favorite, it in no way guarantees them a trip to the Frozen Four.
Cornell was the last No. 1 overall seed to even make it to the Frozen Four—they did so in 2003—but that squad could not make it past the national semifinals.
The 2000 Badger squad, with names like Dany Heatley and Steve Reinprecht, earned the top overall seed, only to fall to Boston College 4-1 in the regional finals.
""We're not concerned about the history of the No. 1 seed, we've got the confidence and ability to go out there give it all we've got and still be proud of whatever we accomplish,"" said senior defenseman and assistant captain Tom Gilbert. ""We know if we play our best we'll win.
Gilbert—the team's only first-team All-WCHA selection—is preparing for his final games with the Badgers.
""You've just got to go out there and play like every shift is your last and go as hard as you can for 60 minutes,"" Gilbert said. ""But for us, we're so close it doesn't matter what year you are, we're out there together working for one thing and that's just to win.""
Burish is also gearing up for his last games with the team. ""You're fighting for another day, and that's the message I've been giving to the guys, in this tournament there's no tomorrow,"" he said.
After an up-and-down finish to the season, the Badgers must now string together four straight victories to become the national champions.
""Getting four straight wins right now is probably the hardest thing to do, especially facing the best teams in the country,"" Gilbert said.
""In the Minnesota game last weekend, we got that swagger back,"" Burish said. ""Now that we've got the swagger we're going to use it to help carry us through these next four games.""
In addition to their rediscovered swagger, the players have all decided to let their facial hair grow.
""It's playoff time man, the beards make us look a little tougher, a little meaner, they help our swagger,"" Burish said.
While most of the players by now have full-facial beards, 18-year-old freshman Jack Skille is having some trouble cultivating much.
""We gave Jack a fake beard, he's got one in the locker room that we made him wear last weekend at the Final Five,"" Burish said. \
