With a roster boasting 20 freshmen and sophomores, the No. 18 Wisconsin men's hockey team (0-0 WCHA, 1-1 overall) will undergo a continuous maturation process this season. The young team showed promise this past weekend in its season opening series against Northern Michigan and looks to continue that growth as they open its WCHA conference schedule with a trip to Michigan Tech.
Coming into the season the biggest question facing this Badgers team was its goaltending situation. UW is relying on two freshman goalies this season to lead it through the rigors of a WCHA schedule—certainly no easy task for a pair of inexperienced net minders.
Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves and his staff got their first look at the two goaltenders during the two-game split with the Wildcats. Landon Peterson made 16 saves in the 3-2 overtime loss Friday, and Joel Rumpel stopped 31 pucks in UW's 3-2 victory Saturday. Eaves said he was impressed with the way both players performed between the pipes, but acknowledged that, as young guys, both players will have to find consistency in their games.
""Both played well,"" Eaves said. ""It was good to see what they did, but there's a consistency level that has to be there weekend in, weekend out, and so what we saw was nice to see. Not, every time you get between the pipes, you've got to do it again.""
Eaves said Peterson seemed to settle in early Friday, while Rumpel became better accustomed as the game went on in his start Saturday.
""Landon looked more comfortable quicker,"" he said. ""I think that Joel, it took him that first period to get through that. He played well. He made some big saves and really backstopped what we needed to have from that position.""
Nobody on the Wisconsin team better exemplifies the theme of growing as players this season than sophomore forward Mark Zengerle. Eaves is trying to get Zengerle to tap into his offensive potential by encouraging him to shoot the puck more and bypassing his natural pass-first instinct—efforts that seem to be paying off early as Zengerle had eight shots on goal in Saturday's win.
""Every athlete has strengths and weaknesses and will play to them. It's just natural,"" Eaves said of Zengerle's natural reluctance to shoot. ""Mark is going in the right direction, and Saturday was a good example.""
""We're trying to change a behavior,"" Eaves said. ""Mark is taking steps, and we'll continue to try to change that behavior.""
Of the Badgers' top five scorers last season only Zengerle and junior defenseman Justin Schultz return this year, meaning UW will have to find new sources of offense. Wisconsin will have to get contributions from everybody this year to help fill that scoring void, exemplified by five different players scoring the team's five goals this past weekend against Northern Michigan.
""We're going to have to do it by committee, and I think that we saw some really good things,"" Eaves said. ""[Freshman forwards] Joseph LaBate and [Matt] Paape, they stepped in and I thought some of our role guys played a very good game. Committee is going to be the call of the year.""
Wisconsin faces its first road test of the year this weekend as the team travels to Houghton, Mich., for a two-game set with Michigan Tech to open the WCHA conference slate, and according to Eaves it will be a good growth opportunity.
""I think getting on the road for the first series is a blessing in disguise,"" he said. ""It's simpler [on the road]. It's a good chance for us to come together, and we can play a simpler game and just go have at it.""
