The University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team will travel north this weekend to face rival Minnesota in both teams’ last regular season series before Big Ten play.
The series between the two teams in January resulted in two losses for the Badgers.
Wisconsin (7-27-8, 2-12-4 Big Ten) has already secured a spot at the bottom of the conference for the second year running. The young team has struggled throughout the season to scrounge up the few wins they have.
Last weekend’s series proved to be a confidence booster for the Badgers with their win over No. 14 Penn State. The Badgers hope the momentum from their last home game carries over to their upcoming series against Minnesota.
Minnesota (18-15-0, 13-5-0 Big Ten) ranked No. 19 is having yet another impressive season. The Gophers are coming off a split with Michigan State, recording one win and one loss, respectively. Minnesota is hoping to end their regular season with a bang to secure their rank for the Big Ten tournament beginning March 17.
The Gophers will host the Badgers at 7 p.m. on Friday and Saturday.
Wisconsin keys to victory
Confidence and momentum traveling to Minnesota’s home ice will be crucial for the Badgers. With a disappointing season thus far, Wisconsin needs as much help as they can to get going into the Big Ten tournament.
Missed opportunities are a recurring theme for this young Wisconsin team. Many games have resulted in close play, yet the Badgers consistently have problems putting the puck in the back of the net.
Offensively, Wisconsin will need to be quick on the attack and crisp with their passing to get around the Minnesota defense. The Badgers top line will need to be on their A-game by putting pressure on the Gopher’s defense to set the tone early in the series.
Wisconsin’s freshman goaltender, Matt Jurusik, has proved to be a key asset in recent games. Jurusik’s incredible performance — he had 46 saves last Saturday — resulted in a much needed win for the Badgers against Penn State. He was recently named Big Ten third star, a big honor for a freshman.
Minnesota player to watch: Junior forward Justin Kloos
Kloos, Minnesota’s captain, from Lakeville, Minnesota came out with a bang this season and was awarded the season’s first Big Ten player of the week. Kloos has spring boarded off his early season performance and has been a force for the Gophers all year.
Kloos is a playmaker and one of the top passers in the conference, with three assists last Friday against Michigan State. His quick hands and keen eye make him a threat to any defense. The Badgers will have their hands full whenever Kloos is on the ice.
