These are far from your normal Gophers.
The Minnesota program traditionally is one of college hockey's strongest, perennially competing for league titles and stocked with top talent. Although the talent is there in Minneapolis, the success has not been for the team the Badgers will face when they head up I-94 this weekend.
Wisconsin is looking to wrap up its regular season with a top-three finish in the WCHA against a Gopher squad currently sitting in seventh place with an 11-13-2 record in the league. Minnesota has won four of its last 10 games, but has been playing better of late and is in a position Wisconsin has found itself in at times.
""We've been in their shoes, you want to play your best hockey at the end of the year,"" UW head coach Mike Eaves said. ""That's been their battle cry I'm sure. Not even being in their locker room, but being in a situation similar [to] that in a career, that's what they're saying and they're starting to find their stride a little bit.""
Eaves refused to say that junior netminder Scott Gudmandson, who has started the Badgers' last four games, will be his goaltender for the postseason, simply calling him the ""number one goaltender heading into Friday night.""
Gudmandson will contend with an attack that features 18 skaters drafted by NHL teams.
Under head coach Don Lucia, the Gophers usually look to get out in tradition and score quick goals, a gameplan that is still present despite averaging the seventh-most goals per game in the conference.
""They're going to play the same style they always do. They are run-and-gun, a lot of skill, lot of offense, try and catch you sleeping and stuff like that,"" junior defenseman Ryan McDonagh said.
""They're fast and they know how to play well with each other so we've got to make sure we're talking a lot, communicating and just keeping everything in front of us.""
On the other side, Gopher goaltender Alex Kangas will be dealing with the WCHA's top scoring offense which should get its top scorer back from an injury. Senior captain Blake Geoffrion, who leads the conference in point and goal scoring, will likely be back after a concussion sidelined him for two games against Michigan Tech.
As for the talented Gophers' overall struggles this year, none of the Badgers could point to a cause.
""I definitely would look at something like that and be like ‘how does it happen?'"" sophomore center Derek Stepan said. ""But then again it comes back to the WCHA being as good as it is this year. I don't know, I wish I could explain it to you too, that's kind of a riddle to me. But you've just got to come out and play, that's the bottom line.""
With the postseason positioning and rivalry pride on the line, it certainly is.
