The Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team is about to enter the most pressure-laden part of its season. Four games remain, and each is critical to the Badgers' chances of home-ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs and a berth in the NCAA tournament.
Fortunately for UW, though, the most consequential stretch of the season will come at a time when the team is peaking, with a season-long four-game unbeaten streak.
""As far as a period of time where I think they feel good about what they're doing, how they're playing and having that mentality of being able to come back and do it again, this is probably the best,"" head coach Mike Eaves said Monday at his weekly press conference.
The Badgers (11-11-2 WCHA, 14-15-3) rounded out the home portion of their schedule this past weekend, racking up a surprising three points against fourth-ranked St. Cloud State. UW was rewarded for its efforts with the 19th spot in the USCHO.com poll.
After a win and tie over the Huskies, the Badgers ran their point total in the conference to 24, good for sole possession of sixth place in the WCHA. But only three points separate the Badgers from third place. Ultimately, UW wants to finish at least in fifth, which would ensure them home-ice advantage in a first-round, best-of-three series.
Eaves, though, said Monday that he was not playing the numbers game. ""I started to,"" he acknowledged. ""I just let it go because there were so many permutations. I just thought, you know, I will drive myself crazy.""
Talking about the team's philosophy as it heads down the stretch, Eaves mentioned the ""control factor,"" meaning the team needs to keep focus on the task at hand and control what it could control.
That comment points to the last two series of the regular season for the Badgers, both to take place on the road against teams in the lower half of the conference standings. The Badgers open a series against Michigan Tech, the seventh-place team, Friday. The following weekend the Badgers will travel to face Minnesota-Duluth, which is currently in last place.
Eaves said that closing the regular season on the road was not necessarily a bad thing for UW, which is 4-6 in away games this year.
""To be real honest, I think there's less distractions on the road,"" he said. ""I think most guys would tell you that because of the less distractions being on the road, that it is actually easier to prepare.""
Joudrey, Elliott earn honors
UW senior forward Andrew Joudrey was named the WCHA Offensive Player of the Week and senior goalie Brian Elliott earned the Defensive Player of the Week honor, the conference announced Tuesday.
Joudrey had three goals and Elliott stopped 46 of 49 shots last weekend as UW took three of four points against No. 4 St. Cloud State.
