While most of the campus is figuring out Halloween costumes and buying tickets for Freakfest, the Wisconsin men's hockey team is preparing to host another talented opponent this weekend. The Badgers welcome the New Hampshire Wildcats to the Kohl Center on Friday night to kick off a weekend matchup between two potent squads.
The Badgers (1-2-1) look to build on last weekend's series in Mankato that included the team's first win and first shutout. That performance, a dominating 6-0 victory on Friday night, was followed by a 3-2 loss in which freshman Craig Smith was ejected for a violent check from behind and subsequently was penalized with a game misconduct. Smith has since been suspended for this weekend's series and will not be in uniform.
Wisconsin did get a piece of good news this week, however. Freshman forward Derek Lee has been ruled eligible by the NCAA Clearinghouse and will see his first action for the Badgers on Friday. That action will come against a very good opponent. The Wildcats (2-2-1) advanced to the final eight of the NCAA Tournament last season and return a very good team this year.
""They're a skilled team,"" head coach Mike Eaves said. ""They skate well; they play on a sheet of ice that's actually a little bigger than the Kohl Center.""
Wisconsin junior goaltender Brett Bennett played two years at Boston University before finding his way to Madison, and is familiar with the New Hampshire program.
""When I was at [Boston University] we played them twice,"" Bennett said. ""They've got very talented forwards, and their transition game is really good. They can get the puck from defense to offense real quick and they're explosive.""
While Bennett may be familiar with this weekend's opponent, he is still adjusting to a budding goaltender rotation between himself and fellow junior Scott Gudmandson. Coach Eaves has not announced a plan for the two for this weekend, but so far Friday nights have belonged to Bennett and Saturdays to Gudmandson.
""You just have to show up every game,"" Bennett said. ""Competition is good, but you can only control what you can control and the only thing I can worry about is my game and how I play.""
As for the offense, the Badgers look to avoid the penalty trouble that plagued them last Saturday. Wisconsin racked up 40 minutes worth of penalties, including two majors in the third period that led to the game-winner from Minnesota State.
Consistency has been an issue for the team through the first two series. The team has had in-game lulls as well as trouble carrying Friday night's energy into Saturday. Junior Brendan Smith leads the offense in scoring with five points (two goals and three assists) while senior center and captain Blake Geoffrion leads the team in goals scored with three.
""We have to have that attitude of ‘we're coming to the rink to win,'"" Geoffrion said. ""We have to play hard both nights, every single shift, and if we do that we'll give ourselves a good chance to win.
The puck drops at 7 p.m. Friday and Saturday night at the Kohl Center.
