After the first week of practice for the Badger men's hockey team (1-0-1), one of head coach Mike Eaves' first comments was, ""You never quite know what you're going to get.""
While this is true, no fan can forget the national title Wisconsin won last year. After last weekend's performance against Northern Michigan (1-1-1), the Badgers have some questions to answer, but solutions are beginning to appear.
The biggest question is how Wisconsin will fill in the holes left by top-tier scorers Robbie Earl and Joe Pavelski. While only two games is a small sample size with which to answer that issue, junior defenseman Davis Drewiske, who scored a goal in each game, seemed to provide at least a partial answer this past weekend.
""It was very much a pleasant surprise. A goal in back-to-back games from any defenseman is unusual,"" Eaves said. ""We'd like to have a left-handed shot on the power play that we could use for a one-timer and make some passes and plays. What Davis has done is open our eyes a little bit and said, ‘Well maybe this is the young man we're looking for right now.'""
When asked to address the offense, specifically sophomore forward Jack Skille, Eaves said that Skille had created scoring chances and was happy with the potential he saw over the weekend.
""As long as you're creating scoring chances, the offense will come,"" he said.
Next weekend is the Badgers' home opener. Excitement is high, and rightfully so, as the Badgers will take on conference rival North Dakota.
""We have a real strong opponent [this weekend]; one that always brings the best out of Wisconsin,"" Eaves said.
Last season Wisconsin swept the North Dakota squad on the road—something the Badgers had not accomplished since 1996.
