After a bye week the No.7 Wisconsin men's hockey team should be rested and ready to go as they head out the road to face off with Nebraska-Omaha in a series that will have big implications for the WCHA conference standings.
The Badgers are coming in riding a streak that has seen them win 11 of their past 12 games, including two consecutive series sweeps over conference rivals Minnesota-State Mankato and Michigan Tech.
Head coach Mike Eaves said that he made practices during the off-week lighter than usual in hopes that his team will come back refreshed and ready to go this week in preparation for their upcoming series with the Mavericks.
""We did a lot of competing last week,"" he said. ""We held our own skills competition to go along with a lot of toe to toe stuff. We used that to help the players rest and recover, so we're hoping to see a little more bounce in their step this week.""
UNO will provide the surging Badgers with their first real test in about a month, and this weekend's series at Qwest Center Omaha will have a big effect on the conference standings as fifth place Wisconsin trails the fourth place Mavericks by a mere two points.
Nebraska-Omaha has taken the WCHA by storm in the program's first season in the conference, a feat that according to Eaves can be credited to the work of UNO head coach Dean Blais.
""[Blais] has done a nice job this year in their first season in the WCHA,"" Eaves said. ""He is one of the best coaches in college hockey, and everywhere he puts his footprint that team learns how to win.""
""I think they surprised everyone with their success at first but it's Dean's team. He has a formula: Work hard, get good goaltending, work together and try to get some skill in there. You do that you're going to have success, and he has done that wherever he has gone.""
