Five weeks into the 2011-12 season, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (3-4-1 WCHA, 4-5-1 overall) is still trying to figure out what type of club it is. The Badgers have shown resiliency in several late-game comebacks, but they have also shown their youth in games like last week’s 7-2 loss to St. Cloud State. However, success this weekend over the No. 1 Minnesota Gophers could help define this young team.
“We always talk about developing ourselves into a championship-caliber team,” head coach Mike Eaves said, “Playing this level of team helps us get to that.”
Minnesota (6-0, 9-1), who ascended to the No. 1 spot this week after a sweep of No. 20 North Dakota, is playing like the best team in the country so far this season. The Gophers have the top-ranked scoring offense (4.8/goals per game) in all of college hockey as well as the third-ranked team defense (1.60 GAA).
Facing such stiff competition, Eaves is looking at what his team can do to win rather than just game-planning around Minnesota’s strengths.
“We know they’re good; we can’t change what they’re going to do,” Eaves said after practice Thursday. “It’s about the things we do.”
One point of emphasis this week has been the team’s penalty kill, which after a woeful start to the season, started to show signs of life last Saturday in St. Cloud when the Badgers did not allow a power play goal.
“We’re looking more comfortable with the scheme we want to run,” Eaves said of his penalty kill unit.
In order to avoid Minnesota’s 4th ranked power play, the Badgers will need to play disciplined hockey and stay out of the box.
“Probably the biggest job is trying to manage the emotions so they play whistle-to-whistle and don’t get involved in all that stuff that happens afterwards,” Eaves said.
The rivalry between Wisconsin and Minnesota has always run deep, but when one of the programs is ranked No. 1 in the country, it only adds fuel to the competitive fire.
“It gets everyone up a little bit extra,” sophomore forward Mark Zengerle said. “I mean everybody is going to be up either way being that it’s Minnesota, but them being No. 1 gives us a little more incentive to get those wins.”
With six Badgers hailing from Minnesota, this is a particularly exciting series for the young team. For freshman forward Joseph LaBate, an Eagan, Minn., native, this weekend is particularly exciting.
“It’s going to be a lot of fun,” LaBate said on facing the Gophers. “I know quite a few guys on the team so it’ll be fun to play against them. “It’s going to be exciting.”
As the young Badgers continue to search for an identity this season, playing host to the top-ranked team in the nation offers an excellent chance to make a statement to the rest of the WCHA and college hockey as a whole about this team.
“Absolutely,” LaBate said when asked if his team was looking to make a statement. “We’re a young team. A lot of people don’t really give us much respect, so I think this weekend is a chance to earn that respect playing the No. 1 team.”
“That’d be huge,” said Zengerle, echoing LaBate’s sentiments. “Especially in our own building, we got our fans behind us, it’d be huge if we got some wins.”
