For many, the new year is a time for change, a time for reinvention, a time to improve yourself and to achieve your goals.
Outside No. 2 Notre Dame, which is still undefeated in Big Ten play through ten games, the rest of the conference has been unpredictable, with each team having major fluctuations in their play.
Another 40 minutes of strong play against one of the nation’s top teams, and once again nothing to show for it. A night after breaking a 38-game unbeaten streak when leading after two periods and costing themselves a chance at a marquee win, the No. 12 Wisconsin men’s hockey team (4-5-1 Big Ten, 10-9-2 overall) was once again done in by a late-game offensive surge by No. 4 Notre Dame (10-0-0, 16-3-1) as they fell 6-2 Saturday night at the Kohl Center. The two teams traded goals for much of the first two periods, with the Irish taking a pair of one-goal leads on a power play tally from sophomore forward Cal Burke and a shorthanded strike from junior defenseman Dennis Gilbert.
With No. 4 Notre Dame traveling to the Kohl Center, Wisconsin was looking for what would be its best win so far this season.
No. 12 Wisconsin (4-3-1 Big Ten, 10-7-2 overall) against No. 4 Notre Dame (8-0-0, 14-3-1). Wisconsin is 5-4-2 at home, and Notre Dame is 6-0-0 on the road. Last weekend, Wisconsin split a series with Minnesota and Notre Dame swept Michigan State.
Coming off the worst seasons in program history — just 12 wins over two years and back-to-back missed NCAA tournaments — the expectations weren’t very high for Wisconsin’s men’s hockey team in 2016-’17.
With recent surprise losses to 1-12-1 St. Lawrence, a Michigan State team that is 1-4-1 in the Big Ten and 5-5-2 Mercyhurst, the Badgers have dropped from No. 5 in the nation to No. 14, and easily could be feeling the pressure of an upcoming weekend trip to No. 7 Minnesota (3-4-1 Big Ten, 9-6-1 overall). But, despite its recent losses — dropping from a championship contender to a fringe tournament team and traveling to a challenging atmosphere to play a difficult opponent — Wisconsin (3-2-1-0, 9-6-2-0) is not letting the pressure get to them.
Another weekend, another underwhelming result. After seemingly building some momentum against Michigan, No. 14 Wisconsin (3-2-1-0 Big Ten, 9-6-2-0 overall) split a weekend series against a weak Mercyhurst (2-2-2-0 Atlantic Hockey, 5-5-2-0) opponent that an aspiring tournament and championship team should likely sweep.
They were losing, then winning, then losing again and then they ultimately tied. Saturday night’s matchup with Michigan (2-2-1-1 Big Ten, 6-4-2 overall) followed an unusual, yet familiar story for Wisconsin’s men’s hockey team (3-2-1-0, 8-5-2), as they mounted a comeback to erase an early deficit but couldn’t seal the deal in an eventful 4-4 tie. The stage was set dramatically in the first seven minutes as the Badgers dug themselves a quick two-goal hole on goals from Michigan’s Cooper Marody and Tony Calderone.
Difficulty putting together a full weekend Wisconsin has struggled to put together a full weekend all season.
Coming into this season, the Badgers felt like they had a legitimate shot to win a national championship.
Coming into this season, many thought the Big Ten was going to primarily be a five-team race between Minnesota, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, Ohio State and Penn State. Now, after a 2-1-1 conference start and a 6-3-1 overall start, including a win and a tie against No. 7 Minnesota, Michigan has reestablished themselves as a competitive, quality hockey team with legitimate Big Ten Championship aspirations.
In the middle of the season, it is a common theme for coaches to dissect how a team is playing potentially above tangible results.
It’s not easy being a freshman collegiate athlete. Even if you’ve figured out your classes and practice schedule and gotten adjusted to the level of competition, there’s still any number of little things that can trip you up and get you off your game.
In our first Cardinal Zone Hockey Podcast of the season, sports editor Ben Pickman is joined by sports editor Ethan Levy and men’s hockey beat writer Cameron Lane-Flehinger as the trio breaks down the start of Wisconsin’s season.
Over the course of this season, Wisconsin has played seven different freshmen, and five of those first-year players have been in the lineup for all 11 games so far.
The third line on a hockey team is sometimes the most critical, and is often the most overlooked.
For the first time since 2010, the Kohl Center will be hosting a top-ten men’s hockey matchup. The No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers, for the first time in three years, have cracked the top-10 of the USCHO poll after a couple of seasons rebuilding a largely storied program.
Call it a letdown, call it a hangover. Whatever its name, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (1-1-0 Big Ten, 6-3-0 overall) experienced it Saturday night against St. Lawrence.
Simply, the Badgers dominated St. Lawrence in the opening game of their weekend series. Ultimately, Wisconsin outshot the SLU 42-19, which is an impressive margin — but, more shockingly, UW recorded 84 shot attempts to the Saints 40.
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