Coming off of a nation-high 14-game undefeated streak and a pair of big wins against Minnesota, the UW Badgers (10-0-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 13-1-2 overall) hope to keep their momentum alive as they return home to face the Michigan Tech Huskies.
Last weekend, the Badgers swept rival Minnesota for the first time since the 1995-96 season, winning 4-3, and 4-0. Because Wisconsin has struggled with Minnesota in the past, the pair of victories was sweet revenge for head coach Mike Eaves and his players.
'It was satisfying because when the seniors were freshmen they got spanked and now it has come full circle,' Eaves said.
In the 4-0 win against Minnesota, junior goaltender Brian Elliott stood strong and tallied his second shutout of the season. Currently, Elliott and the defense are working well together, forming a powerhouse combination that players, like sophomore forward Joe Pavelski, appreciate.
'It's awesome, we've got a good defense, too, but when we do have a little mishap, Brian's there, he's been there all year, no worries right now,' Pavelski said.
The Michigan Tech Huskies, one of five teams in the conference with a losing record, are ranked No. 9 in the WCHA. Against the Badgers, the Huskies will be big underdogs, and they will undoubtedly play like it. Eaves expects Michigan Tech to be both aggressive and physical.
'They skate, they play hard and they take the body,' Eaves said. 'They're going to work their fanny off because that's how they're going to have a chance to win.'
Although the Huskies have had a relatively unsuccessful season thus far, they are the type of quick-shooting, offensive minded team that could pose a problem for the Badgers. To succeed, the Badgers will have to set the tone early, and not allow the Huskies to outplay them.
'When they were up in North Dakota they fired a lot of shots, they outshot them 2-1 almost. They lost 8-2 so we have to be ready for what they're going to bring. They're going to bring a lot of hard work, and we just have to be ready for it,' Pavelski said.
Adding to the Badger's achievements this season, freshman Jack Skille was recently one of 22 college players named to the 2006 U.S. Junior National team. Skille leads Badger rookies in points with five goals and four assists and continues to be an offensive threat.
The Badgers need to maintain their offensive numbers in order to keep their streak alive. Although in the early part of this season, offensive inability plagued the Badgers, the pair of wins against Minnesota seems to have made goal-scoring concerns a thing of the past. For Robbie Earl, getting the offense to click is a regular part of any season.
'It's the beginning of the year. You're just learning who you're playing with, systems you're trying to learn and that's all a part of it, gradually you get more comfortable, and that's just what it is,' Earl said.
For the Huskies, this weekend is a chance to bring down the No. 1 team in the nation, and for the Badgers, this weekend is a chance to prove their dominance and extend the streak. For players like Earl, this weekend is a chance to place a bigger cushion between the Badgers and the rest of the pack.
'Looking at [these] kinds of games, they are more important than the Minnesota's because these are teams that can help us. If we can take 4 points away, it gives us an advantage, and we recognize that. It's something that we're aware of; we're going to try to take 4 points.'
