It is safe to say that, of the two largest athletic facilities on campus, Camp Randall Stadium will garner most of the attention this weekend. Over at the Kohl Center, though, the staff better have the Zamboni machines fired up, Phil better have his white sweater clean, and the band better have ""The Time Warp"" cued up.
Hockey season is here.
Head coach Mike Eaves and his young squad open up their home slate with a Friday night-Sunday afternoon tilt against Alabama-Huntsville this weekend before jumping into WCHA play next week.
After using nine freshmen in the rotation last weekend at the Ice Breaker Tournament in St. Lous, fans might be wise to pick up a program or print off a roster because there are plenty of fresh faces in the UW locker room. One of those is freshman forward Mark Zengerle, a Rochester, N.Y. native who skated on Eaves' top line with sophomore Craig Smith and senior Jordy Murray in UW's first two games.
""For the new guys coming in, there's a good amount of talent and a good amount of offensive players,"" Zengerle said. ""We may not be the same offense as last year, but it's a good base to grow as a young time.""
Growth will be a key for this team this year, and—without discounting the talent difference between Boston University and Holy Cross—the improvement from Friday night to Sunday last weekend provided at least one early indication that this team will learn fast.
""Against BU, we were there but we weren't there,"" Eaves said of his team's 4-3 loss last Friday. ""We were about six inches away from deflecting passes that went through for what looked like beautiful goals.""
The defensive execution, particularly on the penalty kill, sharpened on Sunday, as Wisconsin did not allow a goal to Holy Cross. Senior goaltender Brett Bennett might have been the biggest benefactor of that effort, as he made 26 saves and proved his health is not an issue in registering his first shoutout of the year.
""It feels good playing right now,"" Bennett said. ""Not even putting up a shutout … you just breathe better and move better without the brace on. I just want to keep going from the first game to the next game.""
Fellow senior goaltender Scott Gudmandson is likely to start Friday night, continuing a rotation that carried UW through the regular 2009- 2010 season before Gudmandson took over in the playoffs.
Interestingly, despite losing Hobey Baker winner Blake Geoffrion to graduation and the professional ranks this offseason, the familiar name will grace the ice this weekend at the Kohl Center. Both of his younger brothers, sophomore Sebastian and freshman Brice Geoffrion play for the Chargers.
""I played with Sebastian in juniors,"" Bennett said. ""He was our fighter on our team. He was like a [New York Rangers forward Sean] Avery-type if you can compare him to anyone in the NHL.""
On the same night the younger Geoffrion brothers get to play on the sheet that big brother dominated last season, ten UW freshmen start their quest to follow in the same footsteps.
