After a late-season slide that saw the team go 1-6-1 over the final month of its season the No. 19 Wisconsin men's hockey team finds itself having to go on the road for the first round of the WCHA playoffs. What makes the Badgers' series this weekend unique is that they will be facing No. 16 Colorado College for the second weekend in a row.
The Badgers and Tigers split their series this past weekend at the Kohl Center which, coupled with a St. Cloud State loss to Denver on Saturday night, ensured that the two teams would have a playoff rematch in Colorado Springs.
""The unique things about this series is the fact that it has the feel of a best of five series, which is unusual to college hockey,"" Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said. ""Right now the series is tied at one a piece, so it's best of three ,and we have to go on the road. I think that's a unique thing and it will give the series a more unique feel for college hockey.""
The fact that the two teams will see each other on back-to-back weekends certainly makes preparation for this weekend all the more interesting as both Wisconsin and CC will be familiar with each other's strengths and weaknesses.
""That goes both ways, so there is not going to be a lot of surprises,"" Eaves said. ""When you talk about a series such as this, playoff-type atmosphere, it's going to come down to goaltending and special teams play and usually those two things add up to be the difference makers.""
If goaltending is going to be a key factor in this series, then the Badgers' coaching staff has extra pressure when it comes to determining who will start between the pipes in Colorado Springs. Wisconsin has gone with a rotating goalie system the past couple of weekends, with senior Brett Bennett starting on Fridays and senior Scott Gudmandson getting the call on Saturdays.
""I've had many things run through my mind; I think as this week unveils itself we'll talk about it,"" Eaves said of the goaltending situation. ""Both goaltenders played well. Both deserve to play, and I think it will be a matter of us sitting down and getting a feel to what we want to do.""
The Badgers are entering this playoff series with the Tigers on a high note. Saturday's 3-1 over CC was the team's first since late January, and Eaves believes that that momentum will be big for his team heading into the playoffs.
""It was big for the psyche of our players,"" Eaves said. ""We talk about being in this funk and turning the ship around, and the ship finally came around on Saturday night, and we want to keep sailing this ship with this wind and keep going.""
Playing in Colorado Springs does come with the challenge of playing at a high elevation. The city sits about 6,200 feet above sea level, something Eaves says shouldn't be too much of a problem for his players.
""I believe it's mostly a mental factor,"" he said. ""The biggest thing is if you get caught out too long your recovery time is longer, but if you're intelligent about your shift length and you don't get caught out there too long I don't think it's too much of a factor.""
