SPORTS
UW welcomes defending champions
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Also by Tom Ziemer:
- Much maligned UW defense rebounds to pitch shutout (September 12, 2005)
- Williams attracts 'special' attention in loss (October 10, 2005)
- Badgers run over in Happy Valley (November 7, 2005)
- Young UW defense steps to forefront in intra-squad contest (April 18, 2005)
- Williams making noise for UW's return team (September 13, 2005)
Related Stories:
- Hockey to bring show on road (November 12, 2002)
- Women's hockey team finally has reason to celebrate (March 28, 2006)
- UW hopes lightning strikes twice (January 26, 2007)
- Hockey seeing downside of roller coaster season (December 3, 2002)
- Men's hockey looks for lucky number 13 (December 11, 2003)
by Tom Ziemer
Friday, October 29, 2004
The fifth-ranked Wisconsin men’s hockey team (4-0-0) welcomes No. 10-ranked and defending national champion Denver University (3-2-0) to the Kohl Center for a pair of games this weekend. With a shot at the defending NCAA champions, the Badgers should have no trouble getting motivated.
“So I think practice, we didn’t have a great Monday last Monday, and I can’t tell you why other than we took a half a step back,” head coach Mike Eaves said. “But we talked about it as a team. The fact that Denver’s coming back in here as the defending national champions, I think we’ll have more jump in our step on a Monday.”
Wisconsin has opened up the season on an offensive tear, totaling 21 goals in the season’s first four contests. The Badgers have used a balanced attack, with 17 different players tallying at least one point each.
“It’s been a pleasant surprise,” Eaves said of the team’s scoring. “It shows the balance that we have. And what has happened, you know, you think you bring in the young freshmen that are going to have some of that potential to score. What has happened, the guys that are returning, they have another year under their belt, they feel more comfortable within the league, and they’re doing some good things. So it’s nice to have that balance.”
After finishing in a tie for fourth place in the WCHA regular season standings a year ago, Denver caught fire in the NCAA tournament to give head coach George Gwozdecky, a Wisconsin alum, his first national title. Now the Pioneers are learning to deal with the infamous “target on their backs” that comes with Frozen Four success.
“Well, it’s always harder to stay on top, and especially in college, where … there’s a natural evolution,” Eaves said. “Actually, pro sports has become more like that because of free agency, but it’s harder to stay on top. Everybody’s taking a shot at you and it’s … hard to get there, but it’s even harder to stay on top. So they’ve got a big task in front of them.”
Eaves knows exactly what the Pioneers are dealing with — as a member of the 1977 Badgers, he won a NCAA championship his junior season. Wisconsin lost both of its tournament games the next season.
Denver comes to town as one of the hottest teams in the nation, totaling 15 goals in its last three games. After opening the season with back-to-back losses, the Pioneers have won three straight, winning their final non-conference contest against Northeastern before sweeping St. Cloud State in the WCHA’s opening weekend. The most striking difference has been the Denver defense, which, after conceding 11 goals in the two losses, has yielded just five in the last three games.
The Pioneers have utilized a two-man rotation in goal thus far, with sophomore Glenn Fisher and freshman Peter Mannino splitting time at the position. Goaltending was a major question mark heading into this season with the departure of last season’s NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player Adam Berkhoel. While Fisher and Mannino’s numbers haven’t been spectacular, with .905 and .885 save percentages respectively, they have each recorded wins on the year.
Offensively, forwards Jon Foster and Gabe Gauthier have been the main catalysts. After totaling just 18 points a season ago, Foster has opened up his senior season with six goals and one assist in five games. Gauthier’s success isn’t nearly as surprising; the junior out of Buena Park, Calif. totaled 43 points a year ago en route to All-WCHA third-team honors.
Defenseman Matt Carle has also built on last season’s success. Following an All-WCHA Rookie freshman season in which he displayed his offensive-mindedness with 25 points, Carle has picked up where he left off with a pair of goals and three assists on the year.
For Wisconsin, this weekend is simply the first of three tough tests, with Minnesota and North Dakota looming on the horizon. A solid performance against Denver would certainly be a feather in the Badgers’ cap.
“It’s like climbing a mountain. The altitude’s getting higher and higher, there’s less oxygen,” Eaves said. “And so we’re going to have real battles on our hands here going into the next three weekends for sure.”
