The Badgers tough schedule this season continues Friday night as the No. 5 Boston College Eagles come to town. The Eagles will be looking to get even after a 2-1 loss to the Badgers in the 2006 National Championship. But the Badgers, ranked No. 2 in the nation, are up to the task, despite lots of anticipation regarding the series.
The Badgers have played well thus far this season, with an overall record of 3-1-2, and have had freshmen step up in place of injured players. The experience these freshmen have gained is invaluable, especially against tough opponents, and has held the team together early in the season.
""We are doing it with a really young lineup, and a lot of guys have been thrown in there and have had to adapt to situations,"" sophomore forward Ben Street said. ""I think [the freshmen] are really adapting to game situations and are doing really well with it.""
This has been important, as the Badgers' schedule does not get easier throughout the season. After Boston College comes to town, Wisconsin's schedule includes playing Denver four times, Minnesota four times, Colorado College four times and other extremely competitive W estern Collegiate Hockey Association opponents.
""In the league we play in, there aren't too many teams that will give you a night off, if any nights off,"" Street said. ""On any given night any team in this league can beat anyone else.""
Despite the tough schedule, the Badgers have progressed a lot together as a team so far this season, and have shown resilience throughout every series. After a loss to North Dakota Oct. 13, the Badgers responded with a 1-0 victory the next night. Similarly, during last week's Minnesota-Duluth series, Wisconsin responded to a 2-2 tie Friday night with a 5-2 win Saturday. That win was highlighted by a three-goal third period that ensured the Badger victory.
""We need to learn that even when we do have the lead to attack and stay on the attack,"" senior captain forward Andrew Joudrey said. ""We took that mentality into the third period on Saturday. We took the lesson from Friday and applied it to Saturday.""
This mentality has been huge to the Badgers' early season success.
On the other side of the puck, Boston College has a lot to play for this weekend. Not only do they have revenge on their minds after last year's national championship loss, but the Eagles come to Madison with a chip on their shoulder.
The Eagles, who play in the Hockey East Conference, started off the season as the No. 1-ranked team in the nation, and with a win over Northeastern. But last Friday saw them fall off their perch at the top of the rankings after a crushing 7-1 loss to an unranked Notre Dame team. They won the following night over Bowling Green, but still would like to beat a ranked team.
The Eagles are led by a strong core of returning players. The Badgers will have to be on the watch for sophomore Brock Bradford, the Eagles points leader thus far, coming off an extremely successful freshman year. Another player that would be hard to miss is Boston College's returning senior Brian Boyle, a 6'7'' enforcer at the forward position that any Badger fan remembers seeing on the ice last season. At goalie, the Eagles return junior Cory Schneider, who played very well last season. The Badgers need to keep a close eye on these three during the weekend in order to win.
Another key to victory will be each team's third period play. The Eagle's have, scored more goals in the third period this season, as well as let up the most third period goals to their opponents.
""You have to be able to finish those games out and when your opponent is down you need to be able to put them right out of the game and take the wind out of their sails,"" Street said. ""We have to play our game, [BC] is going to be a tough team to play against. We have to play a full 60 minutes and take it to them each shift.""
