Is there a big shindig going down on State Street this weekend?
Perhaps, but the real parties will be at the Kohl Center. Friday and Saturday, the men's hockey team (4-2-0 Overall, 0-0-0 WCHA) will be playing host to the University of Denver Pioneers (5-1-0, 0-0-0). The Badgers, coming off a 5-1 victory over Northeastern Oct. 26, look to avenge their 4-2 loss to Boston College Oct. 25.
The No. 2 Pioneers are hoping to roll over the unranked Badgers. This weekend's hockey games are sure to be exciting showdowns.
Friday and Saturday night at the Kohl Center will be somewhat of a reunion for Badgers Head Coach Mike Eaves and his former teammate of his. Denver Head Coach George Gwozdecky, who played as a wing with Eaves on the '77 National Championship team, will lead the Pioneers into the Kohl Center to match up against the Badgers for the first division game of the year.
Eaves' former teammate also graduated in 1978 and is in the UW Hockey Hall of Fame.
\George was always a high-energy player and a good skater. He really got the crowd into the game,"" said Eaves.
This weekend's series also features the opening of WCHA division play for both clubs. Neither team has played a division game yet this season, but Denver is looking to improve upon its 32-8-1 record from last season and be the WCHA Champions again. The Badgers, who went 16-19-4 last year, want some revenge after losing all four games against Denver during the 2001- '02 season.
""[Denver will] be prepared. They play hard. They go to the net like no other team I've seen in college hockey in a couple of years,"" Eaves said.
UW's senior center Brad Winchester and junior left wing Rene Borque, are tied as the goal-leaders with four apiece, and they will face-off against Denver's leading goal-scorer freshman forward Connor James, who has five goals under his belt.
Junior defensemen Jon Krall and Dan Boeser, who have been sidelined with a bruised leg and a fractured hand, respectively, will not play this weekend.
Even with the injuries one positive has been the emergence of freshman defenseman Tom Gilbert, who has stepped up his play in Boeser's absence.
""I actually played a lot as a forward before I switched to defense, so I really like to get the puck up the ice,"" Gilbert said. ""Denver is a good team, and we'll have to play hard to keep up,""
Despite the injuries and Denver's apparent strength, the Badgers are optimistic about this weekend and the WCHA season. These two games against Denver are crucial if the Badgers want to get off to a good start in division play.
""Our key to success is to play hard, play smart, and play as a team,"" Eaves said.
