A year ago when Ross Carlson arrived at Wisconsin midway through the year, things took an awkward turn for the sophomore forward. After realizing that he didn't have a stall, he put his gear on a chair. Upon arrival the next day, a teammate's possessions had been moved out to give Carlson room.
\I didn't want that to happen,"" Carlson said.
It was a strange beginning, but one Carlson has made up for with a breakthrough freshman season and an impressive sophomore year thus far.
In typical hockey-player fashion, Carlson learned to skate by age three and play hockey by age four, following in his older brother's footsteps.
After playing high school hockey at Duluth East High School with fellow Badger junior forward Nick Licari, Carlson joined his old friend after an injury sidelined him for the first half of his freshman year. The impact on the team was immediate. The WCHA named him Rookie of the Week after his Jan. 2-3 debut weekend against Minnesota State.
Carlson began his season scoring four points in his first four games and on Feb. 20-21 against St. Cloud State he scored the game-tying and game-winning goals.
""I think he fit right in,"" Licari said. ""The first weekend he played he had three or four goals and that just shows that he was ready to play. I think he adapted really well and he's doing well now.""
Licari said he had little doubt that the player he once joined on the ice in high school and his roommate during away weekends was at full form and would be an important part of the building process the Badgers were undergoing at the time.
Carlson has avoided the sophomore slump this season, tying sophomore forward Robbie Earl in goals with seven and is third on the Badger list in points. Carlson said the key to his success has been the help of his linemates, including Licari and the depth of the team. He credits the coaches at UW for helping his development over the past year and also in becoming more of a reactive player.
""I've developed more maturity from a defensive standpoint. ... I'm blocking more shots since when I came,"" Carlson said. ""Little stuff like that, little details like that I take confidence in.""
Head Coach Mike Eaves said since a setback from a knee injury delayed his start, Carlson became a better player while waiting to join the team.
""Ross came into [last year] halfway through; he had some knee issues,"" Eaves said. ""The one thing that stands out right away this year is his ability to skate. His legs are stronger-his whole body is at a higher level, in terms of strength and conditioning. So he is able to play at a higher level and with his natural skill, he's able to do a skill longer and recover faster, which allows him to do his thing during the game.""
After waiting a year to join the friend he played pond hockey with back in Minnesota, Licari and Carlson joined one another on the same line. After working on the kinks of it having been several years since they played together, both said they feel that their play is back in sync.
""When he came ... I was really hoping to get to play with him,"" Licari said. ""Last year I didn't and when I found it this year ... I think I've made the best of it. It's definitely something I've been looking forward to and I think he would say the same thing.""
""We're getting into the swing of things now, knowing where each other are, we're knowing where each other should be,"" Carlson said.
The choice to come to UW was a no-brainer Carlson said, after the Badgers expressed interest in him.
""I really didn't have anybody that was talking to me,"" he said. ""You don't want to go where you're not wanted.""
