The Badger Herald

SPORTS

Forward matures over season

JAKE NAUGHTON/Herald photo

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Also by Kevin Hagstrom:

Badgers, Huskies split (March 3, 2008)
Badgers look to secure home ice (February 29, 2008)
Goals come unnaturally (February 25, 2008)
Injury forces Smith to watch action from afar (February 21, 2008)
Badger forward steps into role (February 19, 2008)

by Kevin Hagstrom

Wednesday, March 12, 2008

There’s something different about Michael Davies, teammate John Mitchell observed during a second-half of the season practice.

Nothing outwardly changed about Davies. His haircut was the same, short and spiked in front; his skates were laced the same, tight and double-knotted; and his deft stick-handling abilities were the same, capable of deking anyone.

But something was different. Mitchell was certain of it — Davies had grown up.

Only wanting to score goals, Davies would cheat in the offensive zone — the “dark side” of offense as UW coach Mike Eaves said — meaning when the play went the other way, the sophomore forward would reluctantly skate back.

He was a forward, not a defender, he thought.

What’s more, Davies wanted to score so bad he began expecting his teammates to get him the puck even though he wasn’t returning the favor. And that proved frustrating at times for his teammates.

“If he just kind of lollygags out there, then he kind of loses the respect of his teammates,” Mitchell said. “Guys don’t really want to work hard for him.”

The score-first philosophy ingrained in Davies’ head began losing its root after an early season benching, and it completely withered in the final weeks of the regular season.

“He’s been coming to the rink with his lunchbox and really working hard,” Mitchell said.

No longer does he cheat in the offensive zone or fail to get back in the defensive zone.

“His game really thrives when he doesn’t just stand at the side of the net waiting for the puck to come to him but goes into the corners and recovers it himself,” UW forward Ben Street said. “He’s grown defensively too. Before, he was kind of one of those guys you were a little bit nervous about putting in key situations. Now he’s going to block shots and battling along the boards.”

Part of the transformation process for Davies was just realizing that by playing harder, he’d play more and get the puck more, which in turn improves his offensive numbers.

And while not big, standing 5-foot-9, Davies also realized that he could use his entire frame to his advantage.

“The thing about Michael is he’s putting two and two together. He’s not the biggest guy, but he can play physical and create a turnover and a scoring chance by running into somebody,” Eaves said. “It was like the voltage finally went on enough that we could see it, and he could see it and buy into it.”

An extra incentive to continue to give an upgraded effort is seven points in the final five regular season games. The reward is he has been moved up to the first line to play with Blake Geoffrion and Kyle Turris this weekend.

“You can respond the shift after getting bench [CR1], or you can respond night after night,” Street said. “That’s how he’s going to be successful, and knowing that, that’s how he’s adapted.”

One hole in Davies’ game is that he’s still learning how to finish. No one contends that his stick-handling abilities are deft, but most of his goals have come off [CR2]one-timers and while standing still, not after a series of moves.

“He’s got great hands and real good vision,” Street said. “He might be a bit of a playmaker and dangler before he is a finisher.”

Not to worry — Mitchell gives Davies plenty of grief about it.

“We might send him a message saying, ‘Have you ever scored a goal that wasn’t right off the side of the net?’” Mitchell said.

All the same, Davies came into the year, along with former linemate Ben Street as Wisconsin’s top returning goal-scorers. As it stands, they are again No. 1 and No. 2 — Davies and Turris are tied with 11 goals apiece — on the team.

“He has always had that knack for finding the back of the net. Goal scorers have that,” Mitchell said. “It’s not how, but how many.”

Davies said playing in the shadow of Turris and Geoffrion has helped. Most teams have focused more of their attention on Wisconsin’s top offensive prospects, allowing then second-liner Davies and Street more freedom with the puck.

Lining up alongside those two this weekend, Davis said, will now shift the focus onto him. But with his teammates now fully on his side, he’s ready for the challenge.

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