SPORTS
UW hits open ice, air in Colorado
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Also by Kevin Hagstrom:
- Family comes 1st for ex-Badger WR (December 11, 2007)
- Nothing special about UW power play (December 10, 2007)
- Confident UW squad faces off against Minnesota State (December 7, 2007)
- Sophomores to play for U.S.A. (December 6, 2007)
- Hill of a pickle for UW tailback (December 5, 2007)
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- 'Diligent' Connelly thrives (November 13, 2007)
- Wisconsin hosts North Dakota (November 12, 2004)
- Badgers not overlooking Mavericks (November 18, 2005)
- Tandem of top-5 teams collide at Kohl Center (November 11, 2005)
by Kevin Hagstrom
Friday, November 16, 2007
After a grueling series in which the Wisconsin men's hockey
finesse players were bottled and bodied up by a suffocating North Dakota
defense, they head to Colorado College for open ice and air.
The large sheet that No. 7 CC (5-3, 5-1 WCHA) skates on will
play into No. 9 UW's strengths.
"It gives our skill guys more time, that's for sure," senior
defenseman Kyle Klubertanz said.
The series could very well translate into piles of goals,
something that piques forward Ben Street's interest.
"Me being a forward, I'd love to get some scoring going,"
Street said, also noting that the Tigers are talent-laden as well. "Everyone's
going to be chasing each other all over the rink so it'll be tough."
It is particularly intriguing for Street and linemate Kyle
Turris, Wisconsin's two leading scorers with 11 and 14 points respectively,
because they were effectively shut down against North Dakota. For Turris, the
No. 3 overall pick in the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, the series was particularly
rough, as he was shoved around by Sioux defenders.
"It was frustrating this past weekend because [North Dakota]
did a real good job, but it's something that us as a line and him as a player
are going to have to get used to and battle through," Street said.
"He's going to adapt, I mean it's not the first time it has
happened in his life," UW head coach Mike Eaves added.
To alleviate some of that pressure and wanting to switch
things up to find the right mix, Eaves will move senior Matt Ford to the front
line.
"The way things went Saturday, because of the way Matthew
has been playing and the experience he brings, so perhaps that'll be the
chemistry we're looking for with Ben and Kyle to see if we can get some offense
from them," Eaves said.
The switch is an intriguing one, as it will put Turris and
Ford on the same line for the first time ever. In order for the newly aligned
first line to have some success, they'll have to get the puck past a talented
goaltender.
Freshman Richard Bachman has played an integral role in
Colorado College's conference-leading 5-1 record. Last Saturday he stopped 34
Minnesota-Duluth shots to earn WCHA Rookie of the Week. He'll be matched up
against another Player of the Week, Wisconsin goalie Shane Connelly.
The UW junior had a tremendous weekend as he compiled 74
saves, including a 43-save shutout last Friday. It was what Eaves has been
searching for from his starting netminder all season, and Connelly’s coach
hopes it can continue.
"We were looking for that kind of performance, and he
provided it for us. Now his next step is to continue on that path and be
consistent," Eaves said. "That's what makes good athletes great."
Wisconsin (5-3, 2-2) will also need to be ready to play on
back-to-back nights — a feat this year's team has yet to accomplish, according
to Street.
"We need to play both nights — we haven't done that yet —
and we need to play a full six periods too," he said. "We've had a few lapses
that have hurt us, and we'll come in one night, maybe not too prepared, a
little too nervous or something and it has cost us."
As one of the handful of upperclassmen on the team, and
leaders on offense, it is Street's job to make sure that his teammates stay
level-headed following a dominating win or devastating loss.
"What you did Friday night means nothing toward what you do
Saturday night," Street said. "Usually the games are so completely different
that you'd think they were played months apart; tell the guys to get back to
neutral here, we've got another game, a job to do — that's the important
stuff."
Although the two teams face each other every year, sometimes
twice, the Wisconsin players admit that they aren't too familiar with Colorado
College. That's because like the Badgers — they have seven freshmen playing
regularly — the Tigers are young.
"I don't really know too much about them," Klubertanz said. "I heard they can skate, so we've just got to hit them; shut them down and hit them."
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