As the Wisconsin women's hockey team enjoys a week off from the collegiate schedule, a handful of Badgers are trading their Motion W's for Stars and Stripes.
Sophomore forward Hilary Knight and junior forward Meghan Duggan will join senior forward Erika Lawler, senior goaltender Jessie Vetter and 18 other players from around the country to represent Team USA in this week's Four Nations Cup held in Lake Placid, N.Y.
This marks the 12th edition of the annual tournament, which also features Finland, Sweden and Canada. The four countries rotate hosting duties on a yearly basis.
Team USA boasts a relatively young roster for the tournament, with half of the players selected under the age of 22. For the team's younger members, the Four Nations Cup serves as a great learning experience.
You're playing with teammates who are maybe 30 years old, and it's a different level of play,"" Knight said. ""{Having} more confidence when you come back is the biggest thing. You feel like you're at a different level.""
Even for veterans, international play brings a noticeable change of pace.
""It definitely gets me to test my conditioning [and] see if I'm ready for that type of pace,"" Vetter said. ""It keeps me in shape and obviously gets me ready and focused for the rest of the Badger season.""
The Four Nations Cup also offers the four Badgers a unique opportunity to play on the same team with some of their WCHA rivals. The conference has a strong showing on Team USA, with eight of the players on the roster currently collegiate hockey players at Wisconsin or Minnesota. The team also features a number of alumni from both programs, including former Badger Molly Engstrom and former Gopher Natalie Darwitz.
""I love playing with the rivals,"" Lawler said. ""They're really good friends of mine. When they come here, we give each other the cold shoulder a little bit, but when we're [at the tournament], we catch up and bond with each other.""
Team USA will face Team Canada Thursday in what is possibly the tournament's most intriguing matchup. Canada is the defending Four Nations Cup champion, with the United States finishing second in 2007.
""Any time you play Canada, it's always a battle,"" Duggan said. ""Those are great games to play in. It's good hockey, and that's why we play. I'm really looking forward to it.""
For the Badgers on Team USA, Thursday's game will have an interesting twist, as former Wisconsin defenders Meaghan Mikkelson and Bobbi-Jo Slusar will be on the Canadian blue line.
""It's always fun to play against people you know,"" Duggan said. ""You go into the corners a little bit harder, and you start slamming around with them. Those are always great games.""
The two teams may look forward to playing each other, but the competitive environment makes for some awkward moments off the ice.
""We're supposed to be rivals and hating each other, but we're really best friends off the ice,"" Duggan said. ""When they're with their teammates and we're with ours, it's a little uncomfortable.""
Both Team USA and Team Canada began play Tuesday in Lake Placid. The teams will face each other Thursday at 7 p.m. at Herb Brooks Arena.
