Look at the resume.
1977 national champion, top goal-scorer in UW history, ten years in the NHL, six seasons as an assistant men's coach, building one of the top programs in college women's hockey and two national titles. Oh, and for good measure'¦ playing a pivotal role in the greatest victory in American sports history.
Those are Mark Johnson's credentials.
Thirty years after Johnson led the
Miracle on Ice"" team in scoring and put the puck in net twice against the Soviets, he will lead another American squad in the Olympics, this time the women's hockey team in Vancouver.
Johnson's calm, friendly style will serve Team USA well and has already drawn positive responses. The program he built will serve as his ultimate credential.
The Badgers feature a slew of probable future Olympians, all worth watching. Goaltender Jessie Vetter is considered by many to be the top player at her position in the world. At forward, Hilary Knight and Brooke Ammerman both score goals in bunches, and Meghan Duggan may be the best two-way player in the country.
If there is one Badger player who fans really should try to see before she graduates, it would be diminutive team captain Erika Lawler. It's a strange sight to watch Lawler, at 5'0"", zip around the ice, but definitely worth the price of admission.
Beyond the individuals, the Badgers now sit atop the WCHA and have lost only one game all season. They lead the nation in every conceivable category and have an excellent chance to win their third title in four seasons.
The question, however, must be asked: Why hasn't Johnson's Wisconsin squad drawn more support from the student fan base?
Simply put, the Badger women's hockey team has been the most successful in its sport over the past few seasons.
Wisconsin has two national titles and one runner-up finish in the last three seasons, yet fails to draw more that 2,500 fans per game.
There is always the excuse that women's hockey lacks checking, but is that really what the sport boils down to? Sheer violence and little more?
And it's not as if women's hockey is figure skating. There are a few Badgers who are far from shy about contact on the ice.
Beyond that, the Badgers play a style that relies more on crisp passing and puck possession, a brand of hockey more reminiscent of the Russian team Johnson helped beat in 1980 than the approach employed by the Kohl Center's other on-ice residents.
The men's squad under Mike Eaves plays the choppier dump-and-chase style where the puck is thrown into the offense zone as soon as a player crosses center ice. Although this can be effective, it lacks some of the grace that can be found in women's games.
With a football team that finished 7-6, a men's basketball squad that has lost five straight and an inconsistent men's team, the time to take a look at Johnson's team is now.
Enjoy watching the dump and chase? Tell Ben at breiner@wisc.edu
