Last weekend the No. 4 Wisconsin men's hockey team (5-3-0 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 7-3-0 overall) ended a three-game losing streak with a crucial sweep of then-No. 5 North Dakota at the Kohl Center. This weekend, the Badgers embark on their longest road trip of the season, heading to Alaska-Anchorage for a two-game series against the Seawolves.
Wisconsin will be looking to avenge a disappointing series loss to the Seawolves in last year's WCHA first-round playoffs, which prevented the Badgers from advancing to the WCHA Frozen Four. It was Anchorage's first playoff series win in 23 tries.
\They embarrassed us at home, so we feel like we need to get back at them,"" Badger sophomore forward Jake Dowell said. ""These are two games we need to win.""
The Seawolves, perennial bottom-feeders of the WCHA, appear ready to shed that title. Early in the season, they beat the Minnesota Gophers-something the Badgers could not do a few weeks back. They also boast a sweep over Minnesota-Duluth, the preseason favorite to win the WCHA.
""They play hard and they're a little hard to play against because of that factor,"" UW Head Coach Mike Eaves said. ""It's that old, standard line: When you play hard, you give yourself a chance to win.""
The Seawolves have been successful despite not having a star player. This may pose a problem for them this weekend when they will face the toughest goalie they have seen all year, Badger senior Bernd Br??ckler. Now that he has found his groove, Br??ckler is showing why he was an All-American last season.
After struggling to begin the season, the Austrian native is now 5-3 with a 2.78 goals against average and .908 save percentage. He was named the WCHA Defensive Player of the Week this week after giving up just two goals in two games against the Sioux.
""We want to improve defensively and keep doing the things that we did well last weekend again,"" Br??ckler said. ""And obviously we want to get our offense going as well.""
Until last Saturday's game, the Badgers had failed to score more than three goals in their past four games-three of which were losses. While Br??ckler will keep teams from scoring, he will need help from the offense if the Badgers hope to keep winning games.
One line that continues to step up this season is that of Dowell, and fellow sophomore forwards Nick Licari and Ross Carlson. The trio has combined for 14 goals and 15 assists in the first 10 games this season. Even more impressive, they have scored seven power-play goals this year.
The Badgers' special teams play has definitely helped the Badgers this year. They lead the WCHA, killing 90 percent of opposing teams' power plays and are third in the league, scoring on more than 20 percent of their power-play opportunities.
They will need those power-play goals to lift them to victory again this weekend. One thing is for sure: The Badgers are not taking the Seawolves lightly.
""They're the underdogs,"" Dowell said. ""They have nothing to lose and everything to gain.""
-Greg Porter contributed
to this report.
