Wisconsin has five more games to determine if this season will end with a bang or a whimper.
The Badgers (2-12-4 Big Ten, 4-22-4 overall) will face Michigan State (8-6-2, 14-14-2) in their last away series of the year this weekend. After that, they’ll play a finale in front of their home crowd at the Kohl Center against Ohio State.
When they enter the postseason, they’ll have a chance to make the NCAA tournament by stringing together three wins in the Big Ten Tournament. However, UW hasn’t strung together more than two wins in a row all season or beaten either Michigan or Minnesota, the current Top 2 Big Ten teams, in regulation.
“We’re just focusing on these next five games, trying to play our best hockey over that period of time,” sophomore forward Grant Besse said.
Wisconsin heads to East Lansing having suffered a sweep at the hands of the Michigan Wolverines last weekend. The Badgers were shut out Friday and fell 5-2 Saturday thanks in part to a hat trick from Michigan’s J.T. Compher.
The last time the teams met, they split the series. Wisconsin won Friday’s game by a 2-1 margin and was shut out Saturday in a game that left head coach Mike Eaves scratching his head.
“They won more race, more battles,” Eaves said after that game. “Our defensive coverage broke down the first period. They scored a couple goals. Give kudos to them because they came back tonight with a fire in their belly and they took it to us.”
The Badgers’ last two series will be played for pride more than anything. They sit dead last in the Big Ten standings and would have to win all four of their remaining regular season games to leapfrog Ohio State, and even that wouldn’t nab them a bye in the first round of the Big Ten Tournament.
Michigan State sits in the middle of the pack, just two points behind Minnesota in the standings. The Spartans faced the Gophers last weekend and came away with a 4-2 road win on Saturday.
However trying this season has been, the Badgers are still looking forward. For the senior class, the milestones are fewer and fewer as the postseason approaches.
“You’re always thinking about how many games you have left here,” senior goaltender Joel Rumpel said. “It’s kind of sad. But we’re still looking forward to the Big Ten Tournament and trying to make some noise there.”
Wisconsin and Michigan State face off at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday at Munn Ice Arena in East Lansing, Michigan.
