Offense wins games. Defense wins championships.
It may be one of the most overused clichs in sports, but every word of it is true. The philosophy has worked for many championship teams in a variety of different sports, and this year it is being successfully employed by the Badgers.
No matter how much offense a team can muster, that team can always be outscored if it does not have a sound defense. But a good, solid defense will always keep a team in the game. Badger Head Coach Mike Eaves believes that a strong defense is imperative for any hockey team.
\You actually play 80 percent of the game without the puck, so you need to know how to play away from the puck,"" Eaves said. ""That's what good hockey is all about.""
""I think in every team that has something good going, you have to have a good defense. You can't just have a race to five goals,"" freshman defenseman Ryan Suter said.
The Badgers' strong defensive philosophy has produced nationally recognized numbers this year. Wisconsin's defense ranks No. 1 during Western Collegiate Hockey Association games this year while ranking seventh in the NCAA over the entire year. The defense has led the Badgers to a 14-7-7 record in the WCHA this season (20-10-8 overall) and has earned them the third seed in the WCHA tournament.
The talented defensive unit begins with the Badgers' youngest pair of blue-liners: sophomore Tom Gilbert and freshman Ryan Suter. Their combined defensive prowess has caused Coach Eaves to use them on Wisconsin's top defensive line for most of the year. Not only are their defensive skills strong, but they are also both ranked in the top 20 in the WCHA in defenseman scoring.
""Their skills complement each other. The way they think complements each other ... It has built for a nice partnership out there,"" Eaves said.
Tom Gilbert, a Bloomington, Minn., native, started his hockey career in the United States Hockey League, where he led the league in goals by a defenseman and was selected to the 2002 All-Star game. That performance earned him a fourth-round draft pick by the Colorado Avalanche in the National Hockey League draft. Gilbert led all UW defensemen in scoring as a freshman.
Ryan Suter, a Madison, Wis., hometown hero, is following the tradition of Suters who have thrived at Wisconsin. His uncles, John and Gary Suter, played for the Badgers in the '70s and '80s respectively. His father, Bob Suter, played for Wisconsin during the mid '70s and was a member of the famous ""Miracle on Ice"" hockey team that won Olympic gold for the United States in 1980. A strong showing for the U.S.A. Hockey National Team Development Program led Suter to be drafted seventh by the Nashville Predators of the NHL last year.
The Gilbert-Suter tandem has done nothing but impress in its first year as the top defensive line. Gilbert is second on the team in defensive scoring while Suter is third and they have notched a plus-15 and plus-18 plus-minus rating, respectively, proving that good things happen when the duo is on the ice. In their short time together, Gilbert and Suter have quickly formed a bond that has produced positive results for UW.
""We're just comfortable with each other,"" Gilbert said. ""We know how to find each others' stick. We know how to play defensively together. We just flow really good together.""
Joining the youngsters behind the blue line this year is an outstanding core of upperclassmen in senior defensmen Dan Boeser, Andy Wozniewski and Jon Krall, and junior defenseman Chris Julka. Their experience as long-time Badgers has helped the underclassmen develop into fine, young players. Freshman defensemen Jeff Likens and Matt Olinger as well as sophomore Tom Sawatske round out the crew that has produced the WCHA-leading defense. The even mix of experienced and young players has been a plus for UW this year.
Gilbert, Suter and the rest of the talented Badger defensemen have proven that strong defense will produce a winning team. Whether they produce a championship or not, the regular season alone should prove the infamous saying true.
""Every good team has to have defense, you know?"" Suter said. ""They say 'Defense wins championships.' I think that's fair to say.\
