After a string of disappointing losses on home ice, the No. 8 Wisconsin Badgers will look to reset as they prepare to face the Minnesota Golden Gophers over the weekend.
Wisconsin lost 7-2 to Penn State Friday night at the Kohl Center. After the Nittany Lions were assessed a five minute major penalty for hitting from behind, the Badgers scored twice on the power play, giving them the lead going into the second period. However, defensive breakdowns and heavy offensive pressure from the Nittany Lions lead to seven unanswered goals.
Saturday night started with an early lead for Wisconsin when senior Christian Fitzgerald scored a short-handed goal less than seven minutes into the first period. Yet again, the Badgers were unable to hold on to their lead and fell 3-1 to Penn State. This marked Wisconsin’s fourth consecutive loss of the season, extending a rough stretch kickstarted by a home series sweep at the hands of Michigan State a week earlier.
After their big home sweep against Minnesota earlier this season, the Badgers will look to replicate that result on the road in Minneapolis.
Even with recent setbacks, the Badgers still convert at a steady .278 rate, ranking No. 4 in power play conversion nationally. Minnesota follows closely behind at No. 7, with a power play conversion rate of .257.
The Gophers average 2.6 goals per game, while giving up an average of 3.4 goals to their opponents. In comparison, the Badgers average 3.8 goals per game, something they will need to take advantage of against Minnesota.
Forwards Brodie Ziemer and Brody Lamb lead the Gophers in points with 23 each. Together, they account for more than a third of Minnesota’s total goals this season.
Minnesota frequently rotates between both their netminders but primarily start junior Luca Di Pasquo, who has a save percentage of .916 with 492 total saves.
The Gophers give up 34 shots on goal per game while the Badgers average 33.6 shots per game. Maintaining offensive pressure will be key for Wisconsin to find the back of the net.
As the Badgers look to return to the win column this weekend, capitalizing on the man-advantage will be crucial after struggles in recent games. With key players missing due to injuries, the Badgers will need to be sharper on the faceoff dot and maintain puck possession to help generate offense.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. on Friday and 6 p.m. on Saturday in 3M Arena.
