With the start of the WCHA playoffs looming two weekends from now, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (10-14-2 WCHA, 15-15-2 overall) is beginning to charge up for what it hopes will be a deep playoff run.
After sweeping Bemidji state this past weekend (the team’s first sweep on the road this season) the Badgers have won three straight games and are hoping to build momentum towards a run through the WCHA playoffs.
“We have to continue to play well and keep rolling for us to have a chance to play as long as we can, get through the playoffs, get to the Final Five, and then see what happens,” Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said. “I think that there’s a sense in the locker room from the inside out of how we need to play … we’ve got to keep banging the drum and play the way that we are playing, so that we can continue to play.”
If Wisconsin is going to go deep into the postseason it is going to need contributions from all four of its lines, and according to Eaves, he liked what he saw out of his fourth unit of forwards Jefferson Dahl, Jason Clark and Brad Navin this weekend against the Beavers.
“I think Mr. Dahl’s line with Mr. Navin and Mr. Clark did a lot of good things, and they played a lot more on Saturday and were contributing factors,” Eaves said. “It was nice to see that line jump in there and make a difference on back-to-back nights especially.”
This weekend Wisconsin travels to Minneapolis for a date with the border rival Gophers (19-7-0, 23-11-1) in a series that could have major postseason implications for both teams.
The Badgers’ postseason destination remains up in the air heading into the final weekend of the regular season. Wisconsin currently sits in ninth place in the WCHA, but a big weekend against Minnesota could vault the Badgers further up the standings as they sit only three points behind eighth place St. Cloud State.
The Gophers, on the other hand, will be looking to secure the program’s 13th WCHA regular season title and 12th MacNaughton Cup. One would think that going into Mariucci Arena and having the opportunity to prevent Minnesota from winning the title would serve as motivation for the Badgers, but Eaves said that’s not something his team will be focused on.
“I’ve never been a coach that is going to throw that up in the player’s face as motivation,” Eaves said. “I think for us that’s a side effect of if we play well and we don’t let them win… For us, the immediate picture, the big picture, we’re concerned about continuing to play as long as we can and banging that drum and playing well.”
Schultz for Hobey?
There is no doubt that Wisconsin junior defenseman Justin Schultz has had a Hobey Baker-worthy season.
The West Kelowna, British Colombia native has put up 42 points this season (15 goals, 27 assists), which not only makes him the highest scoring blueliner in the country, but also ranks him as the ninth-highest scoring player in the nation period. But, in the eyes of many, Schultz’s Hobey chances are significantly hampered because he does not play for a winning team.
“I think that’s a factor,” Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said. “Justin’s ability to have a chance to win and be successful at that will be the pace on how long we go here, and how we bang the drum. And if we do well, he’s going to be leading the charge, and so it is a factor in my mind.”
Voting for the Hobey Baker Award takes place during the postseason and Eaves used former Badger and Hobey Baker winner Blake Geoffrion as an example of how a team’s success can affect a players Hobey campaign.
“The fact remains that because of how far we went that year allowed Blake to be on a stage to play, and in that playing, he played at a high level,” Eaves said. “I think playing deep and playing well on a team that was going to the finals was a big factor in him winning. I will not deny that.”
