Take a quick glance at the results of Wisconsin’s big three sports and you would likely chalk up this year as one of the more successful years in recent memory. The football team appeared in its third Rose Bowl in as many years after winning the Big Ten Championship against… Read more »

Offense: B+ In their late season push, the Badgers offense — for lack of a better word — exploded. The normally defense-minded squad netted 44 goals throughout the course of its final 12 games of the season, with a season high seven goals against Minnesota State in the quarterfinals of… Read more »

Player of the Year: Michael Mersch One of the few bright spots for the Wisconsin offense through the early part of the season, junior forward Michael Mersch netted 23 goals and added 13 assists to the team in scoring. His 23 goals were good enough for the second best tally… Read more »

MANCHESTER, N.H. (AP) — Connor Hellebuyck stopped a first-period penalty shot and finished with 31 saves to help UMass-Lowell rout Wisconsin 6-1 on Friday night in the NCAA Northeast Regional semifinals. Joseph Pendaza, Christian Folin, Shayne Thompson, Derek Arnold, Adam Chapie and Ryan McGrath scored for the top-seeded River Hawks… Read more »

Slightly laden down with tryptophan and a little too much pumpkin pie from my delayed Thanksgiving celebration, I sat in the press conference room of the Kohl Center at about 9:30 p.m. on Nov. 24, 2012. I was tired. I had just spent the entire day conversing with aunts and… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Time expired. The bench cleared. And the Badgers tackled Joel Rumpel in a flurry of excitement. They had done it. With a 3-2 win over Colorado College in the WCHA playoff title game, No. 14 Wisconsin claimed its first Broadmoor Trophy since 1998 and punched its… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — It was a turning point. With the game tied 1-1, goaltender Joel Rumpel made the save of Wisconsin’s season. As the first period wound down, Rumpel gave up a juicy rebound allowing St. Cloud State a backdoor chance. As he went to move across the slot,… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Barely a minute into the WCHA Final Five quarterfinal, junior winger Tyler Barnes stole the puck from the red line, carried it to the net and shot it past freshman goaltender — and all-conference netminder — Stephon Williams. At the 1:03 mark, Wisconsin possessed a 1-0… Read more »

Listed as the third line in the Wisconsin hockey lineup, it’s not hard to figure out why junior center Jefferson Dahl, junior winger Sean Little and senior winger Ryan Little get lost in the confusion. After all, the two lines before them are a tough act to follow. The top… Read more »

Just keep rolling. That’s their mantra. Entering yet another playoff weekend, the No. 14 Wisconsin men’s hockey team (19-12-7, 13-8-7 WCHA) is hoping to stick to the plan and “just keep rolling” as they take on No. 8 Minnesota State (24-12-3, 16-11-1 WCHA) Thursday in the opening round of the… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team punched its ticket to St. Paul with a sweep of Minnesota-Duluth this weekend, setting its eyes on the WCHA Final Five and a chance at winning its first Broadmoor Trophy since 1998. After a miserable 1-7-2 stretch early in the season, the Badgers have turned… Read more »

It was mentioned time and again: the hardest thing to do is to end someone’s season — but Saturday night, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team made it look easy. In a 4-1 rout over Minnesota-Duluth (14-19-5, 10-13-5 WCHA) — paired with a 3-1 decision Friday night — Wisconsin (19-12-7, 13-8-7… Read more »

In a game that might be better remembered for the numerous penalties and scuffles than the quality of play, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (20-12-7, 14-8-7 WCHA) clinched a spot in the WCHA Final Five with a 4-1 win over Minnesota-Duluth (14-20-5, 10-14-5) Saturday, completing the series sweep after winning… Read more »

It feels like a completely different season. Looking back on the Badgers’ atrocious 1-7-2 start to the 2012-13 season, it’s hard to imagine how quickly things can change. Sure, October and November don’t seem so far away in retrospect, but now, by mid-March, that 10-game streak started about five months… Read more »

It’s finally all coming together for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. With home ice in the WCHA playoffs on the line, the Badgers came through in a big way Saturday, winning 3-2 in its second game of a two-game series with WCHA leaders St. Cloud State to clinch a share… Read more »

It was just an extra cushion at the time, but Michael Mersch’s third-period, empty net goal was exactly what the Badgers needed. Mersch tallied his 22nd goal of the season and his second in Wisconsin’s 3-2 Saturday night victory over St. Cloud State (21-14-1, 18-9-1 WCHA). The junior winger netted… Read more »

It was just an extra cushion at the time, but Michael Mersch’s third-period, empty net goal was exactly what the Badgers needed. Mersch tallied his 22nd goal of the season, and second of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s 3-2 Saturday night victory over St. Cloud State (21-14-1, 18-9-1 WCHA). The… Read more »

Heading into the regular series finale, a lot was on the line for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. There was a chance to share a piece of the MacNaughton Cup. Wisconsin (16-12-7, 12-8-7 WCHA) still needs to secure home ice advantage for the WCHA playoffs. On top of all that,… Read more »

Wisconsin is headed home to the place where it all started. When the UW men’s hockey team hosts WCHA leaders St. Cloud State Friday and Saturday at the Coliseum in a critical late season game, it will mark the return of the Badgers to their previous home starting in the… Read more »

The last Wisconsin men’s hockey game that I attended was Sunday, Feb. 24, when the Badgers took on first-year Division 1 program Penn State at a sparsely populated Kohl Center. Two out of the three things that I just stated sound completely and utterly wrong in the eyes of any… Read more »

They put up 10 goals with 10 different Wisconsin men’s hockey players notching a point. Rub your eyes. Read it over a few times. Maybe just sit and think about it. Anything to let that fact sink in. After infamously starting the season 1-7-2, 1-5-2 in the WCHA and averaging… Read more »

When the No. 16 Wisconsin men’s hockey team heads to Omaha, Neb. Friday for a two-game series with the No. 13 Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks, fans will be in for a battle between two teams that have found their success this season using very different styles of play. Heading into the weekend,… Read more »

In the devastating loss Monday night to Penn State, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team now finds themselves at a pivotal point in their season. Prior to the faceoff against the Nittany Lions (13-14-0), the Badgers (14-11-7) found themselves tied for No. 17 in the PairWise Rankings — a system designed… Read more »

As the Wisconsin men’s hockey team entered its eleventh overtime game of the season with Penn State, the unnerving feeling of a must-win situation was overwhelming. With just one minute to play in extra time, a tie seemed imminent. But as Penn State junior forward Taylor Holstrom continued to hack… Read more »

Sundays have been kind to the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. One week after taking down No. 2 Minnesota 3-2 in the Hockey City Classic, No. 18 Wisconsin (14-10-7, 11-7-7 WCHA) downed Penn State (12-14-0) 5-0 on senior night. Heading into the series with the worst power play in the nation,… Read more »

Following a sluggish first period, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team took over Sunday night at the Kohl Center and put up 51 shots-on-goal en route to a 5-0 shutout victory against Penn State. The Senior Day battle found a fitting first goal from senior defenseman John Ramage, who launched a… Read more »

Coming off a gigantic 3-2 upset over No. 2 Minnesota in the Hockey City Classic, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is looking to carry it’s momentum through the remaining three weeks of the season. Sitting at sixth in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association — and only four points behind first… Read more »

Things are about to change for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team in a B1G way. After almost 43 years in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, the Badgers will leave the conference next fall to join the new Big Ten conference in its inaugural season. When the Badgers host the Penn… Read more »

The Badgers defeated the rival Minnesota Gophers 3 to 2 at Soldier Field in Chicago last Sunday. The event was the first outdoor hockey game to be hosted at Soldier Field which drew thousands of college hockey fans.… Read more »

CHICAGO — Spectators at the Hockey City Classic could not have asked for better conditions when the Wisconsin men’s hockey team took the ice at Soldier Field Sunday in an outdoor matchup with border-battle rival and second-ranked Minnesota. With the sun shining, and the temperature sitting at a mild 32… Read more »

CHICAGO — It took 30 shots on goal and 33:03 off the clock, but it was well worth the wait for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. At the 13:03 mark of the second period the Badgers found their way onto the scoreboard for a 1-0 lead — 3:19 later and… Read more »

Over the years, the Wisconsin and Minnesota hockey rivalry has become synonymous with tough, physical play. Unfortunately for the Badgers, their tough play – and the resulting penalties – proved the crucial difference maker in a comfortable 3-2 win for their rivals from the west. All three of Minnesota’s goals… Read more »

For most Badgers, love is in the air today, but for members of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team vengeance, rivalry and aggression are the only things on their mind.No. 18 Wisconsin (12-9-7, 9-6-7 WCHA) will take on archrival No. 2 Minnesota (19-5-4, 11-5-4 WCHA) in a highly anticipated series with… Read more »

Seven years ago, 40,890 fans filled Lambeau Field to watch the Wisconsin men’s hockey team down Ohio State 4-2 in the Frozen Tundra Classic during the second-ever collegiate outdoor hockey game. Three years ago on Feb. 6, 2010, the Badgers used two third-period power play goals from Brendan Smith to… Read more »

Fresh off a victory against Bemidji State, the focus of UW men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves’ press conference Monday was this weekend’s series with Minnesota. Games against a rival like No. 2 Minnesota always have a buzz around them, but this weekend is special. Sunday’s game will be the only… Read more »

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the power play has been anything but powerful this year. In the WCHA, UW sits at the bottom of the WCHA in power play goals scored with seven, while the next lowest team Alaska-Anchorage has 11 power play goals. Just when they thought they… Read more »

In striving to find their way to the top of the WCHA standings, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team battled for a crucial victory against Bemidji State Saturday, winning 3-2 after a disappointing tie Friday night. The Badgers (12-9-7, 9-6-7 WCHA) now sit tied for fifth place in the WCHA with… Read more »

After seeing a 3-0 lead be cut down to just a one-goal favor, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team battled a late-game surge by Bemidji State Saturday, but managed to escape with a victory. “I think the mood after the game was we got the two points, we landed a wounded… Read more »

Despite taking 40 shots on net and finding an early 1-0 lead, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team struggled to fend off Bemidji State, tying the Beavers 2-2 Friday. “We are scrambling to get as many points as we can and not getting two with the expectation, that was our goal… Read more »

A battle for momentum will take center ice this weekend when the 19th-ranked Wisconsin men’s hockey team faces off against Western Collegiate Hockey Association foe Bemidji State. The Badgers (11-9-6, 8-6-6 WCHA) will be looking to regain confidence after their 11-game unbeaten streak in conference play that was snapped last… Read more »

One hundred. Every sport has a magic number that all athletes strive to reach — whether it be 300 wins for a pitcher in baseball or 1,000 rushing yards for a running back in a football season — athletes and fans use these benchmarks as a sign that a player… Read more »

The Badgers were riding high entering into their two-game series at North Dakota. Wisconsin had gone 11 games unbeaten in conference play and had pulled within striking distance of first place in the WCHA. However, the night belonged to North Dakota, who put in four goals in the first two… Read more »

When the No. 19 Wisconsin men’s hockey team heads to Grand Forks, N.D., Friday for a two-game series against No. 7 North Dakota, it will be facing an opponent that couldn’t be in more different form over the last month and a half. While the Badgers have been on a… Read more »

Peruse, if you will, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s season statistics. It’s averaging a decent 27.7 shots per game with an average of 2.3 goals per game. The team scored 56 times this year compared to its opponents’ 48. Not too shabby. There are seven players with 10 or more… Read more »

Fresh off a series sweep of the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves was feeling like things were finally coming together for his team. Friday and Saturday’s definitive wins included, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team lengthened its unbeaten streak of WCHA wins to 10 games. “We found a… Read more »

Sometimes wins aren’t always pretty — a fact the Wisconsin men’s hockey team experienced Saturday. In a 2-1 decision that led to a series sweep over Alaska-Anchorage (13-16-5, 1-15-4 WCHA), Wisconsin (11-8-5, 8-5-5 WCHA) sneaked by with the win Saturday thanks to two second period goals after a sluggish opening… Read more »

While games are ultimately won or lost by the players, it’s the coaches who often receive the praise, or in some less fortunate cases, the criticism for the strategies and game plans that lead to the results. Following a few minor adjustments in practice this week and yet another pair… Read more »

Prior to his senior year, senior forward Derek Lee felt like an alternate. There was always someone ahead of him, always someone else quarterbacking the play, always someone else holding court in the face-off. He wasn’t the star or the go-to guy everyone recognized, but now, in his senior year,… Read more »

As classes start up again at the University of Wisconsin and students begin to swap winter break stories after nearly a month off school, it would be safe to say sophomore defenseman Jake McCabe’s story might just take the gold. Literally. Chosen in early December as captain for Team USA in… Read more »

Rock bottom is always a possibility you desperately hope never becomes a reality. But for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, it was an all too real experience. The Badgers started the season 1-7-2 after boasting the highest of expectations prior to the start of the season. To put it plainly:… Read more »

Long layoffs between games in an athletic schedule have come to be viewed as something equivalent to the plague, killing any and all momentum that may have existed previously. Instead of looking at their break as a curse, the Wisconsin women’s hockey team embraced their 25-day winter layoff and have… Read more »

After losing its first four home games this season, Wisconsin earned it’s first points at home finishing in a 1-1 overtime deadlock with Michigan Tech Friday night. Having played the first two periods of the game to a scoreless tie, the breakthrough came at the 8:42 mark in the third… Read more »

The statement has been made. With a tie and a win against then-No. 5 Denver, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is starting to show what they’re capable of. Now the Badgers just have to bring it to their home ice — a place that hasn’t been friendly to them this… Read more »

After winning just one of its first 10 games this season, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team doubled that total over the weekend with a 3-1 win over No. 5 Denver, the team that still sits atop the WCHA standings. The Badgers also notched a 1-1 tie against the Pioneers (9-4-1,… Read more »

For the first time since the season opener, when the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was ranked No. 15, there is an air of excitement surrounding the Badgers as they head across the country this weekend for their series against No. 5 Denver Friday and Saturday. With the first 10 games… Read more »

Ten games into its 2012-13 campaign, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team never thought it would boast a 1-7-2 overall record. Go back to Oct. 6, 2012. The Badgers dominated the U.S. under-18 team 5-0 and were feeling confident about what was ahead of them. They were already looking forward to… Read more »

Location: somewhere just above rock bottom.Population: the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. In only their second home series of the season, the Badgers (1-7-2, 1-5-2 WCHA) were swept once again in the recently less-than-friendly confines of the Kohl Center, this time at the hands of Minnesota State (5-5-2, 3-5-0) in a… Read more »

Bill Butters’ replacement has been found. Mike Eaves announced Friday morning that former Badger defenseman Matt Walsh will serve as the Wisconsin (1-5-2, 1-3-2 WCHA) men’s hockey team’s interim assistant coach for the remainder of the 2012-13 season. Walsh played for Wisconsin from 1982-86 and was a member of the… Read more »

In a season that has seen a number of misfortunes plague a beleaguered Wisconsin men’s hockey team, UW announced the signing of three student-athletes Tuesday to letters of intent during the hockey fall signing period. Already a young team — they have only three seniors set to graduate at the… Read more »

In the first game of the Wisconsin men’s hockey series with No. 3 Minnesota Friday, one player, junior forward Michael Mersch, single-handedly kept UW in the game. Twice falling down a goal to the Gophers, Mersch brought the Badgers level just as many times on two gritty goals to help… Read more »

Coming off of a 2-2 overtime tie Friday night and a 3-1 loss Saturday to third-ranked Minnesota, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves is looking to move forward and focus on the upcoming weekend. The Border Battle in Minneapolis took the Badgers’ winless streak to five games, their last… Read more »

Not a lot seems to be going right for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team this season. First, it lost a highly-touted freshman to ineligibility issues for 10 games. Then, top centerman Mark Zengerle broke his finger blocking a shot. And last week, during its second bye week of the season,… Read more »

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the 2012-13 season has been anything but normal. After being forced to open the season without freshman forward Nic Kerdiles amidst a scandal that he received benefits from an NHL agent and losing star junior forward Mark Zengerle to a broken index finger for… Read more »

In the midst of a critical coaching change, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team remains in preparation for its series this coming weekend against Minnesota. Without any games on the schedule this past weekend, Wisconsin (1-4-1 overall, 1-2-1 in WCHA) was relatively lucky with the timing of assistant coach Bill Butters’… Read more »

After six games into his third season with the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, assistant coach Bill Butters has stepped down to pursue his life passion: faith ministry. Both Butters and head coach Mike Eaves made it clear that Butters blindsided Eaves with his decision on Monday. The head coach urged… Read more »

Joel Stave’s season was ended Oct. 29 after he broke his left collarbone. That same day, Josh Gasser tore his ACL in practice, effectively ending his 2012-13 campaign before it even began. The worst of it seemed over. But the injury bug had one more stop to make. One week later, Nov.… Read more »

No matter who is on the roster or what the stats sheet says, some teams simply know how to beat another team, time and again. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team (1-4-1, 1-2-1 WCHA) opened its home slate last weekend against precisely that kind of team — Colorado College (5-3-0, 2-0-0)… Read more »

There may still be a long way to go in the 2012-13 season, but after rounding out its first six games with a 1-4-1 record, the next few months might end up feeling even longer for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Following a disheartening overtime loss to Colorado College (5-3,… Read more »

Fifty years ago, the Badgers played their first season in the modern era of Wisconsin men’s hockey. But in the very season they’re celebrating that landmark, they have yet to skate in front of their home crowd — until now. This weekend, Wisconsin (1-2-1, 1-0-1 WCHA) finally returns home to… Read more »

For many sports, having a good goaltender can sometimes be the vital X-factor that separates a good team from a great team. After earning its first shutout of the season Friday in a 2-0 win in the first game of a series against No. 14 Minnesota-Duluth, the Wisconsin men’s hockey… Read more »

As the University of Wisconsin Athletic Department prepares to honor one of its most successful coaches, men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves remembered the life of “Badger Bob” Johnson. The ice sheet at the Kohl Center will be renamed “Bob Johnson Rink” Friday prior to the Badgers’ game against Colorado College.… Read more »

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the season could not have started much worse. After a disappointing pair of losses to Northern Michigan Oct. 12 and 13 in the opening series of the season, UW heads into a vital series against Minnesota-Duluth (2-2) Friday and Saturday if it is to… Read more »

Wisconsin athletics is no stranger to family affairs. Over the last several seasons, multiple teams have had sibling athletes, from the Kelter twins on both the women’s soccer and hockey teams, the Ammerman sisters on the women’s hockey team, the Little brothers on the men’s hockey team and the Trotter… Read more »

More than two weeks after the NCAA suspended Nic Kerdiles, the freshman forward for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team announced Monday he would remain in Madison for the upcoming season.  The 18-year-old Kerdiles is a recruit out of the U.S. National Team Developmental Program whom the Anaheim Ducks drafted in the… Read more »

After getting his suspension reduced to 30 percent of the season Friday, Wisconsin men’s hockey forward Nic Kerdiles announced he will stay in Madison for the upcoming season. In a press conference Monday, the highly-touted freshman said there was never a doubt he would remain a Badger and put his professional… Read more »

As they streak up and down the ice, you notice it. You’re not looking at their jerseys, looking for the puck or waiting for that big hit that starts a fight. No. It’s the little tufts of hair peeking out of their helmets, blown back from constantly skating up and… Read more »

Fall is here and it certainly has gotten very chilly, very quickly for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. With a drop of the puck Saturday, the Badgers kicked off their season, skating to a 5-0 victory over the U.S. men’s U18 team at the Kohl Center. What can give a… Read more »

The 2011-12 Wisconsin men’s hockey season saw the team compile its first sub .500 record since the 2007-08 campaign. But a year later, the expectations surrounding Badgers hockey are much loftier.  The losing record came to the chagrin of Badger fans, but a rebuilding year was somewhat expected with a… Read more »

In anticipation of the approaching Wisconsin hockey season, men’s head coach Mike Eaves and UW athletic director Barry Alvarez revealed a number of exciting events planned for the program’s 50th season in the modern era during their weekly press conference Monday. Along with a new logo to commemorate the 50-year… Read more »

On June 30, former Badger defenseman Justin Schultz confirmed what everyone had been anticipating for weeks: He’s finally making the jump to the NHL. After days of guessing where he might end up off a short list of teams that included Vancouver, New York, Toronto and Ottawa, the two-time All-American… Read more »

Justin Schultz is an Oiler. The West Kelwona, B.C. native and highly touted defenseman is foregoing his senior year at UW to start his NHL career with the Edmonton Oilers. Ever since Wisconsin’s playoff run ended on March 11 in Denver, Schultz’s return was called into question. At the time,… Read more »

More than anything, hockey head coach Mike Eaves’ objectives and coaching style are most likely a result of his own playing career. After his triumphs in college, Eaves spent some time playing for the Oklahoma City Stars, a farm team for the Minnesota Stars. He knew he was not the… Read more »

Standing at about 5-foot-10, Mike Eaves, 55, is not intimidating in stature. He will be the first to make jokes about his physical appearance, which does not bear the extreme marks of a former hockey player — no noticeable missing teeth and no telltale crooked nose that was broken one… Read more »

Unfortunately for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the end came sooner than hoped after only one hard-fought series in the postseason. Similarly, head coach our discussion with head coach Mike Eaves about the season is finally drawing to a close, but not before discussing his freshman forwards and just what… Read more »

In the third installment of Herald Sports’ lengthy Q&A with Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves, the discussion turns toward Eaves’ younger Badgers and the growth he’s seen in them over the season. Kelly Erickson: Now focusing on your younger guys. We’ll start with your sophomore class. As a… Read more »

After reflecting on the year and discussing his breakout sophomore forward Mark Zengerle, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves and Herald Sports turned the conversation toward two-time All-American defenseman Justin Schultz in the second installment of the Q&A on the state of Badgers hockey. Kelly Erickson: On that topic,… Read more »

After an overtime wrap-around goal killed their season, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team boarded a plane home March 11 with the harsh reality of the offseason quickly setting in. The Badger Herald’s Kelly Erickson was eventually able to catch up with head coach Mike Eaves to discuss, at length, the… Read more »

The 2011-12 season was truly a work in progress from beginning to end for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Perhaps the journey became more impressive considering the way the Badgers went down fighting in the first round of the WCHA playoffs. Entering the season as an extremely young team with… Read more »

The facial hair has made its traditional — and somewhat disgusting — return, meaning only one thing: It’s playoff time. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team (16-16-2, 11-15-2 WCHA) journeys to Denver to face off with the Pioneers (21-11-4, 16-8-4 WCHA) in a best-of-three series — in what UW hopes to… Read more »

Just three weeks ago, the sun was setting quite early on the 2011-12 Wisconsin men’s hockey season. The Badgers had just dropped their fifth straight game, falling nearly to the bottom of the WCHA cellar with just lowly Alaska Anchorage dangling below them. After being eliminated from top six contention… Read more »

Every team hopes to reach its peak form just as the postseason arrives. With the postseason at the doorstep, it looks like the Wisconsin men’s hockey team isn’t about to let the call go unanswered. The Badgers (16-16-2, 11-15-2 Big Ten) are winners of four of their last five games… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — The Wisconsin men’s hockey team was primed to play the ultimate spoiler with only one period of hockey left to play in the regular season. With a 1-0 lead and 20 minutes left to play on the road in Minneapolis, the Badgers (16-16-2, 11-15-2 WCHA) had to keep… Read more »

There is probably no better way for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team to prepare for the first round of the WCHA playoffs than by going on the road for the second consecutive weekend to take on the fifth-ranked Minnesota Golden Gophers, currently sitting atop the WCHA standings. Trying to build… Read more »

Any Badger hockey player will tell you just how exceptional the hockey culture is in the state of Wisconsin. But that appreciation pales in comparison to the culture in neighborly Minnesota. Aptly nicknamed “The State of Hockey,” the sport permeates all ages throughout the land of 10,000 lakes. From mini… Read more »

With its last regular season games coming up this weekend on the road at rival Minnesota, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is working to keep its momentum and head into the playoffs on a high note. Head coach Mike Eaves is confident in his team’s chances if players remain consistent. “We’ve… Read more »

All season long, when the Wisconsin men’s hockey team has taken a road trip, there’s always been concern over how the youngest Badgers will handle a new atmosphere. As they head to Bemidji State (15-14-3, 9-12-3 WCHA) this weekend, the youngsters aren’t the only ones who have never visited BSU… Read more »

The role of underdog is a precarious one at best. At worst, the underdog loses like it’s supposed to, maybe blown out by a superior opponent. But at its best, the underdog is the role that movies are made of, the Cinderella that everyone hopes will show up and perform… Read more »

The last time Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves visited Bemidji State, he was coach at the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire. The locker room at Bemidji was so small he had to split up his team into groups and address each separately prior to the game. “It was the… Read more »

Just one night after Wisconsin missed out on numerous scoring chances that would have been routine plays on most nights, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team finally got its offense clicking. And once it started, Denver couldn’t find an answer to stop the suddenly explosive cardinal and white. Saturday night, the… Read more »

Welcome to the Badger Herald live blog. I’m Brett Sommers, Statistics Editor at the Herald, alongside Kelly Erickson, Sports Content Editor. We’ll be bringing you play-by-play and analysis live from the Kohl Center for tonight’s final men’s hockey home game of the season, against Denver. The Badgers (12-5-2, 7-14-2 WCHA)… Read more »

Welcome to the Badger Herald live blog! I’m Kelly Erickson, Sports Content editor here at the Herald, joined by Brett Sommers, Statistics Editor. We’ll be coming to you live from the Kohl Center all evening as the Badgers kick off their final home series of the season, against Denver. The… Read more »

The only thing that will be missing from a playoff-like atmosphere Friday night in the Wisconsin series opener against Denver is an actual playoff game, but emotions will certainly be running high for players and fans alike at the Kohl Center. Prior to the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (12-14-2, 7-13-2… Read more »

Only a few minutes journey down John Nolen Drive lies the Alliant Energy Center. Tucked away into a hill between the Coliseum and an unmarked rink, the unassuming gray building sinks into the ground. Near the doors, a few telltale mopeds are parked rain, snow or shine. Inside, photos line… Read more »

In the middle of a four-game losing skid, the Wisconsin men’s hockey faithful still have plenty to look forward to as the final stretch of the season approaches. The Badgers (12-14-2, 7-13-2 WCHA) have dropped four straight games to conference foes despite outshooting their opponents 74-47 in their last two… Read more »

Straight out of high school, Joseph LaBate embodies the youthful state of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Hockey is a rare beast in college athletics. Players can leave early for their shot at a professional career, but more often than not, they don’t even start their collegiate campaigns until they… Read more »

Friday night’s Wisconsin men’s hockey game was a prime example of players having to walk, or in this case skate, a fine line when it comes to rules that protect their own safety. And in a sport that features as much constant contact as football and at times embraces fighting… Read more »

Although the Wisconsin men’s hockey team struggled to find the back of the net in a home series where it was swept by St. Cloud State, the Badgers showed a new liberty to shoot the puck in the two losses. After being swept on the road at North Dakota last… Read more »

Sometimes a team’s best performance simply doesn’t translate to a win, and unfortunately for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, that tragic fate awaited it Saturday night. In a 2-1 decision at the Kohl Center, Wisconsin (12-14-2, 7-12-2 WCHA) was swept for the second weekend in a row, this time by… Read more »

Welcome to the Herald Sports live blog! I’m Ian McCue, Associate Sports Editor joined by Sports Content Editor Kelly Erickson. We’ll be here all night, bringing you all the action from the Kohl Center as Wisconsin tries to maintain their spot in the WCHA standings. After suffering a disappointing 5-1… Read more »

This weekend, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team will host a rematch series with St. Cloud State, a team that delivered the Badgers’ worst loss of the season — a 7-2 decision in November. But the Badgers rallied in game two to tie 3-3. According to freshman goaltender Joel Rumpel, the… Read more »

Wisconsin mens hockey head coach Mike Eaves will be the first to admit special teams play has not been an all-around strength of his team this year. In fact, he has no qualms acknowledging that when it comes to killing penalties, Wisconsin has been disappointing throughout the season — posting… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team (12-12-2) is still trying to produce consistent results each night. After losing consecutive games at North Dakota this past weekend, UW head coach Mike Eaves and the Badgers are hoping to capitalize on the final four series of the season, two of which will be… Read more »

With a new sense of maturity in tow, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team heads north into the surprisingly friendly confines of North Dakota’s Ralph Engelstad Arena. To start off the second half of the season, the Badgers (12-10-2, 7-9-2 WCHA) are on a 5-1 winning streak, showing new maturity and… Read more »

Amid worries of beloved football players leaving for their chance at the NFL draft or basketball players trying their hand at the NBA, hockey players rest easy. More often than not, they already know the NHL team for which they’ll play upon graduation, or that ever-so-tempting choice to step up… Read more »

A 5-1 record in the last six games is certainly nothing to scoff at. Three weekends into the second half of its season, the youth-ridden men’s hockey team has finally started to turn its talent into consistent play and, ultimately, wins. In his weekly press conference Monday, head coach Mike… Read more »

The men’s hockey team may finally be able to shed the youthful tag it’s been wearing all year. After sweeping Alaska Anchorage (6-14-2, 3-14-1 WCHA) with 4-0 and 3-2 decisions at home, Wisconsin (12-10-2, 7-9-2 WCHA) earned its second conference sweep of the season — third sweep overall — and… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team entered the rink Saturday night looking for its second WCHA sweep of the season after winning 4-0 Friday against Alaska-Anchorage. They had to work for it, but the Badgers accomplished what they wanted at the Kohl Center. In a 3-2 game, the highlight reel play… Read more »

Welcome to the Badger Herald live blog. I’m Brett Sommers, Statistics Editor at the Badger Herald, alongside Sports Content Editor Kelly Erickson. We will be bringing you all of tonight’s Game 2 action between Wisconsin and Alaska Anchorage from the Kohl Center. Friday night the Badgers (11-10-1, 6-9-2 WCHA)… Read more »

Welcome to the Badger Herald live blog. I’m Brett Sommers, Statistics Editor at the Badger Herald, alongside Sports Content Editor Kelly Erickson. We will be bringing you all of tonight’s action between Wisconsin and Alaska Anchorage. Wisconsin (10-10-2, 5-9-2 WCHA) enters play looking to raise its record to over .500,… Read more »

Heading into the 2011-12 season, a lot was expected of rookie defensemen Jake McCabe. The Eau Claire native was in the starting lineup from the beginning of the season alongside All-American blue liner Justin Schultz. Like any freshman, McCabe was adjusting to the pace of the game and trying to… Read more »

Big Ten Men’s Basketball The conference became incredibly hard to decipher Hopefully, you got some nice rest over winter break. For college basketball fans, a fresh mind’s certainly needed to decipher the Big Ten. While you were out — with all stats as of Jan. 21 — Wisconsin beat conference… Read more »

Not many people would have thought that the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, with a rag-team of youngsters, would be sitting at 7-9-2 at the halfway point in the season. The Badgers’ record is not overwhelmingly astonishing, but three of those wins and one of those ties came against three teams… Read more »

Herald Sports has been bringing you grades all season long after each football game, rating each unit on a scale of one to five. Here’s a look at how the Wisconsin men’s hockey team fared against No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth after tying game one 3-3 and dropping game two 4-2. Offense… Read more »

Following the Wisconsin men’s hockey clash with Minnesota–Duluth Friday that resulted in a 3-3 tie, Saturday meant just one thing for both teams: unfinished business. Minnesota–Duluth ended up taking care of that Saturday, winning 4-2 and in the process revealing the difference between a talented top-ranked Bulldogs squad and a… Read more »

It’s a big week for Wisconsin sports as the men’s basketball team faces off against Kennesaw State at the Kohl Center and the men’s hockey team plays host to #1 Minnesota Duluth. Badger Herald sports editors Mike Fiammetta and Kelly Erickson will fill you in! Press Conference video by: Mike… Read more »

At the midpoint of the season, here’s head coach Mike Eaves’ verdict on the Wisconsin men’s hockey team: not quite yet. After a 3-3 tie with visiting No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth in the series opener, Eaves hoped the Badgers would take a step forward in the second game. Instead, UW fell… Read more »

While the football team was off winning a Big Ten title, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was celebrating a bye week with some intense endurance-focused practices. But with yet another No. 1 team coming to town this weekend, the Badgers (7-8-1, 4-7-1 WCHA) are hoping all their hard work will… Read more »

During the 1977-78 Wisconsin men’s hockey season, former Badger standout and current head coach Mike Eaves had no idea that he set the school record for consecutive games with a point, scoring a total of 48 points in 21 games. And until sophomore forward Mark Zengerle began approaching the record… Read more »

With top-ranked Minnesota-Duluth visiting the Kohl Center for a two-game series this weekend, head coach Mike Eaves and the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team have worked hard to improve in practice over the last week. Following a series sweep over Mercyhurst that included 7-2 and 5-2 wins by the… Read more »

With the Wisconsin men’s hockey team waffling around a 7-8-1 record with the injury bug biting hard, a bye week is a very welcome break. But junior defensemen Justin Schultz and sophomore forward Mark Zengerle could not be more ready for another game. “I would definitely want to be playing… Read more »

The score may suggest otherwise, but Wisconsin’s 5-2 win and series sweep over Mercyhurst was far from pretty. With the injury bug hitting Wisconsin (7-8-1, 4-7-1 WCHA) hard, there was no veteran forward on any of its lines. While the other forwards worked through some growing pains against Mercyhurst (6-7-1,… Read more »

Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves is looking for a transformation or “evolution” similar to what most kitchen tables probably go through over the Thanksgiving holiday. Eaves said is looking for his extremely young group of Badgers (5-8-1, 4-7-1) to progress from a team that is playing sub-.500 hockey to… Read more »

Hear the latest news about Badger football, basketball and hockey from the Badger Herald’s Mike Fiammetta, Elliot Hughes and Kelly Erickson!Recap/Preview Nov. 11 - Nov. 20… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team clearly knows how to get things done at home, but playing on the road is by no means its forte. This week, Wisconsin (5-6-1, 4-5-1 WCHA) travels to No. 5 Colorado College (5-2-0, 3-2-0 WCHA), where some painful memories linger from last year. The Badgers… Read more »

If you grow up in a hockey family, especially one where your father is a former professional hockey player and assistant coach for the four-time defending NHL Southeast Division champion team, it’s pretty difficult to breathe and bleed anything other than hockey.It’s probably a big reason why Wisconsin freshman forward… Read more »

If the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was young at the beginning of the season, then right now it’s experiencing some growing pains. After splitting last weekend’s home series with No. 1 Minnesota, head coach Mike Eaves talked about the disappointment Wisconsin felt following Saturday night’s 4-1 loss in his weekly… Read more »

Friday night was just the latest example of the No. 1 team in the country coming into Madison to find the Wisconsin Badgers less than hospitable. Although the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (5-6-1, 4-5-1) split the weekend series with Minnesota (10-2-0, 7-1-0), the Badgers welcomed the Gophers to the Kohl… Read more »

Regardless of record, rivalry games tend to be close and hard-fought contests. For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s sake, that will hopefully hold true. Minnesota (9-1-0, 6-0-0) comes to Madison ranked No. 1 in the country for the first time since 2008, and Wisconsin (4-5-1, 3-4-1) will face the task… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team is ready to put any references to their youthful, inexperienced roster to rest. But when there are nine freshmen on the team — with a total of 20 underclassmen — those stunting adjectives are bound to stick around no matter the record, conference standing or… Read more »

Roughly the first 115 minutes of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s series at St. Cloud State this past weekend were simply brutal. The Badgers were outscored 10-3 in that span before scoring two goals in the final five minutes to force a game two tie and escape with one point… Read more »

The road has not been too kind to the Badgers this year. Before winning three out of four games at home in the last two weeks and scoring 20 goals during that time, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team took a little trip up to Houghton, Mich., where it lost two… Read more »

On Thursday, Oct. 6, the day before the Badgers’ season opener, Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves still hadn’t decided who would start the season opener the following night. He knew it would be either freshman Landon Peterson or freshman Joel Rumpel, but the decision was essentially a toss-up. Eaves… Read more »

After scoring 19 goals in the past two weeks, drive and ambition are simply not issues for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. After splitting a penalty-packed, high-scoring series against Nebraska-Omaha head coach Mike Eaves addressed the media in his weekly Monday press conference, assuring that at the close of the… Read more »

Agonizing losses seem to come in bunches. With 20 seconds to go in the game, the Badgers were in need of a score after giving up an early lead. Wisconsin couldn’t create any offense to secure the win and faced a heartbreaking loss. Luckily for the men’s hockey team (4-4-0,… Read more »

Aggressive checking, multiple fights and high scores were the trademarks of the Wisconsin men’s hockey games this weekend at the Kohl Center, from the drop of the first puck on Friday until the final horn Saturday night. Wisconsin (4-4-0, 3-3-0) and Nebraska-Omaha (4-4-0, 3-1-0) clashed for only the eighth and… Read more »

Nebraska-Omaha and the Wisconsin men’s hockey teams may have a very brief history — only seven matchups on the ice — but there will be no lack of familiarity in the coaching styles as the Mavericks and Badgers enter this weekend’s WCHA showdown. UW’s (3-3-0, 2-2-0) sweep of North Dakota… Read more »

It was like the perfect sport-themed movie where the classic underdog triumphs in the end and dominates its bigger, more intimidating opponent. Before you get your proverbial undies in a bunch, don’t worry, I’m not talking about football. The unranked Wisconsin men’s hockey team swept then-No. 5 North Dakota at… Read more »

He normally sports a white sweater with a small motion “W” emblem on the left of his chest over a red turtleneck. To any Wisconsin hockey fan, he’s instantly recognizable. He is Phil Dzick. Mostly known simply as “Phil,” he’s been leading cheers at Wisconsin men’s hockey games since 1981.… Read more »

While the youthful Wisconsin men’s hockey team has unmistakable weakness to improve, head coach Mike Eaves is not lacking encouragement. UW’s head coach maintained an upbeat tone in his weekly press conference Monday. Eaves, though he said he was pleased with the sweep over North Dakota, did not disguise his… Read more »

From the outside looking in, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team appeared to be facing plenty of adversity stemming from youth and power play struggles, but the team clearly failed to take notice, sweeping No. 5 North Dakota for the first time since 2006 at the Kohl Center with a 5-4… Read more »

There are 16 underclassmen — 10 of which are freshmen. And no, it’s not Wisconsin. North Dakota has found itself in a similar situation to the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, fielding a slew of young skaters. But the fact remains that North Dakota is still a feared power, returning nine… Read more »

To say the Badgers are struggling may be an understatement to describe the power play of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, and historically, it is an uncommon occurrence. Each of the last four seasons, the Badgers’ conversion percentage on power plays increased, from 14.9 percent in 2006 to 21.6 percent… Read more »

Despite two difficult overtime losses over the weekend at Michigan Tech, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves said he doesn’t believe his young team has any confidence issues moving forward. However, Eaves did stress the need for his team not to press, especially his captains. “With the captains today,… Read more »

The first series is in the books, and already the young Wisconsin men’s hockey team is being thrust into the dual challenge of its first road and WCHA conference series. The Badgers (1-1-0) are heading to Michigan Tech to take on the Huskies (2-0-0) in a series that has been… Read more »

There really is no way around it — Wisconsin’s men’s hockey team is young. Yet a trio of sophomore forwards that has only been together for a year has already landed itself leading roles for the Badgers. Mark Zengerle, Micheal Mersch and Tyler Barnes, while not the most veteran forwards,… Read more »

The men’s hockey season is barely underway with Wisconsin coming off a split in its opening series. But looming ahead for the Badgers is both their first road series and Western Collegiate Hockey Association conference matchup of the season Friday and Saturday at Michigan Tech. Still, simply preparing and keeping… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team, surrounded by questions about youth and inexperience at the beginning of the season, took to the ice for its season-opening series against Northern Michigan Friday and Saturday to mixed results. The Badgers split the series at the Kohl Center, picking up a 3-2 win Saturday… Read more »

Head coach Mike Eaves said it would be a process and through two games, that process is already starting to take shape. In their season-opening series at the Kohl Center, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team split the weekend 1-1 against Northern Michigan. Both nights, the Badgers found themselves down 2-0… Read more »

Practice had finished Thursday, and Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves had still not decided which of his three goalies would start either game of the season-opening series against Northern Michigan Friday and Saturday. He did say that he would decide before settling in for a good night’s sleep Thursday… Read more »

If you were worried about the Wisconsin men’s hockey team last year, then prepare for another season of questions. Mainly, who will play in goal? And who will score goals? Not to be too pessimistic, but there are possibly more questions about this team right now than answers. All head… Read more »

A battle of youth will commence this weekend as the Wisconsin men’s hockey team hosts a similarly fresh-faced Northern Michigan squad in its season opener at the Kohl Center. 20 of the 26 Badger skaters this year are either freshmen or sophomores, while the remaining six players are juniors with… Read more »

Craig Smith was expected to be one of the main leaders for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team this upcoming season, but now he won’t even be suiting up for the Badgers.Instead, Smith will forgo his remaining two years of eligibility at UW to turn pro and play for the Nashville… Read more »

Jordy Murray has officially left the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey program. The Fairbault, Minn. native elected to forgo his senior year season, signing with the Rapperswil-Jona Lakers of the Swiss National League A. According to UW, Murray has a brother (Brady) and sister (Sarah) who are currently playing in… Read more »

In early November 2010, College Hockey, Inc. director Paul Kelly and NHL commissioner Gary Bettman helped organize a meeting between NHL officials and a number of college coaches including, among others, Wisconsin’s Mike Eaves, Minnesota’s Don Lucia and Boston University’s Jack Parker. A flight cancelation resulted in Eaves missing the… Read more »

Mike Eaves’ office is tidy and spacious. It’s a nice room, befitting the all-time leading scorer in Wisconsin hockey history, a man who coached the Badgers to their sixth national title and got to the cusp of a seventh.So as he sits at a table in his office and talks… Read more »

While top talent often decides to leave the college hockey ranks early, there are cases where an NHL draft pick will honor all four years of his commitment to his school. And sometimes it pays off. North Dakota’s Matt Frattin was kicked off the team before his junior year after… Read more »

When Derek Stepan decided to forego his final two years of college eligibility, it came as a surprise to many — including his coach. A second-round pick of the New York Rangers, Stepan said he would stay for his junior season after a sophomore campaign where he led the University… Read more »

There is a trend brewing in the Wisconsin men’s hockey program that recently stalled thanks to what could be seen as a curious decision by Justin Schultz.Schultz, who just completed his sophomore season, became the third Badger defenseman in three years to collect an impressive array of awards. Starting with… Read more »

The funny thing about a team that is both talented and young is how hard it is to properly assess it.In the case of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the Badgers experienced a midseason high that surprised everyone — team included — before tumbling back into preseason expectations of being… Read more »

Park Ridge, Ill. – The directors of athletics of Big Ten institutions which sponsor men’s ice hockey unanimously announce their intention to recommend to the Big Ten Council of Presidents/Chancellors in June the establishment of men’s ice hockey as an official conference sport for the 2013-14 academic year with participation… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — It might be hard to envision a title celebration where the trophy goes ignored, but North Dakota’s seniors are making a habit of it.The Fighting Sioux won the MacNaughton Cup as Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season champions and, Saturday night, claimed the Broadmoor Trophy after… Read more »

The first steps toward reclaiming a spot in the NCAA tournament will start with a familiar foe.Both Wisconsin and Colorado College were well aware they might be playing each other not only in the regular season finale, but in the first round of the Western Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs as… Read more »

After a 3-1 victory against Colorado College last Saturday, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves emphasized at his Monday press conference the momentum he hopes his team will gain from the victory going into the WCHA Playoffs Friday. After having lost to the Tigers the previous night in disheartening… Read more »

At first, Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves admitted the senior night festivities slowed his team down. But after Colorado College outplayed Wisconsin in the first period Saturday, UW’s seniors regained focus, took control of the game and propelled the Badgers to their first victory in over a month. After seven… Read more »

The win may have come one night too late for Wisconsin, but the important thing was that it came at all. The Badgers broke a seven-game winless streak with a 3-1 victory over Colorado College Saturday night at the Kohl Center that, if anything, gives them a tiny bit of… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team hasn’t had a lot to celebrate lately, but the Badgers know this weekend calls for a commemoration. It’s senior weekend as Wisconsin (19-13-4, 11-12-3) hosts Colorado College (18-15-3, 12-12-2) for the final regular season series at the Kohl Center. The Badgers sit one point behind… Read more »

If you watched the end of practice Wednesday, you wouldn’t have thought the Wisconsin men’s hockey team had gone 0-for-February. The players and coaches had a good talk before everyone was let go for the day. Guys were fake fighting and firing shots at the net nonchalantly.The scene was no… Read more »

Losing is never easy to talk about. But in talking to his team — which is winless in its last six outings — Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves used a real-life example to communicate a message to his group. “This may make no sense to our young players… Read more »

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Hope springs eternal for Mike Eaves. After a sweep by St. Cloud State that left Wisconsin 0-5-1 in the month of February, there are not many reasons to be optimistic about his hockey team. Following UW’s 7-3 loss Saturday night, Badger players and coaches held a… Read more »

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Rock bottom. There aren’t many more fitting ways to describe where the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (19-13-4, 11-12-3 WCHA) is right now. Their winless streak is at six games, the latest contribution being a 7-3 loss to St. Cloud State — really a 7-1 loss, as… Read more »

Ask the members of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team where their favorite places to play outside of the Kohl Center are, and more than a few will point out the National Hockey Center in St. Cloud, Minn. Road trips can be brutal in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association and trips… Read more »

Mired in a four-game winless streak, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team had a feeling head coach Mike Eaves would look to make some changes during the week of practice. On Tuesday, the Badger defensemen came to the rink and realized they had new partners along the blue line. How’s that… Read more »

Even if the result of the weekend — getting just one point against a team below it in the standings — wasn’t in Wisconsin’s favor, coach Mike Eaves could at least admit it was appropriate. After a 5-2 loss Friday where the Badgers never seemed completely in it, they fought… Read more »

After a 5-2 loss to the Minnesota Gophers Friday, Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves knew his team needed a shake-up. So Brett Bennett was given the start in-net for the Badgers Saturday, replacing Scott Gudmandson, who owned the WCHA’s top marks in goals against average and save percentage heading into… Read more »

After winning 12 out of 13 games from early December through January, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was feeling quite comfortable at No. 7 in the Pairwise rankings. But after Nebraska-Omaha swept the Badgers last weekend, that comfort has been replaced with some anxiety. Now UW is No.15 in the… Read more »

Sometimes, when you’re struggling, there’s no sugarcoating it; when you stink, you stink.Before getting two late power play goals last Saturday, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was mired in a 3-for-36 stretch with the man advantage.And the Badgers aren’t hiding from the fact.“It’s been tough; it’s been tough,” sophomore forward… Read more »

Heading into this season, the expectations for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team were not very high. The Badgers were again expected to be a competitive team in the WCHA, but, overall, this season was supposed to be mostly a rebuilding year. After losing to Boston College in the national championship,… Read more »

There are four teams ahead of Wisconsin in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association standings. There are seven teams below the Badgers. UW’s record against the teams ahead of it stands at 1-6-1, while it owns a 10-1-1 record against the rest of the WCHA. And now, fresh off a bye… Read more »

When local mite hockey teams take the ice during intermission at games across the country, it doesn’t take long before something becomes obvious to all those in the stands. There is only one thing every kid floundering around the ice sheet wants to do. They all want to score. “When… Read more »

Coming off a late-season bye week is not the easiest thing in hockey, but it can be beneficial. At his Monday press conference, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves acknowledged that the health and overall morale of his team improved, thanks to last week’s snow day in conjunction with… Read more »

Aside from being the captains of their respective hockey teams, Sean Dolan and Alex Ovechkin don’t have much in common. Ovechkin, a star forward for the NHL’s Washington Capitals, is perennially among the league’s scoring leaders; Dolan’s 12 points so far this season are a career high. When thinking of… Read more »

The last time Michigan Tech and Wisconsin met, the Huskies were undefeated at 3-0-2. It was a surprising start for a team that went 5-30-1 the season before. Then, history caught up with head coach Jamie Russell’s squad. Wisconsin won both its games against Michigan Tech, taking 5-2 and 4-1… Read more »

Eighteen games into the 2010-11 season, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team played the way it was expected to. The Badgers were 8-7-3. They were raw and inconsistent. Their inexperience was evident, and it looked as though they would have to fight all year for a final spot in the NCAA… Read more »

The prolonged success of any hockey team always starts between the pipes. Thanks to the play of his senior goaltender, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves is spending a lot of time talking about it. Scott Gudmandson put together a pair of tremendous performances this past weekend as UW… Read more »

It was a sign of growth and leadership. It was also a rare display of skill in crunch time. Craig Smith’s third period goal Saturday against Minnesota State-Mankato — a tally that came right after the Mavericks had tied the score at  1 — meant a lot to the Wisconsin… Read more »

Last week, Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves admitted the rough patch his penalty kill unit recently hit. Two games later, it appears the shorthanded ship might be righted. After a less-than-stellar performance Friday night against Minnesota State-Mankato, the Badgers looked dominant on the penalty kill in game two,… Read more »

When Minnesota State (10-9-5, 4-9-3) comes to Madison, No. 9 Wisconsin (15-8-3, 7-7-2) knows exactly what to expect. “They have the little guys, those little gnats that won’t go away,” senior defenseman Craig Johnson said. “They always have those guys who will just do anything. Mankato has always been a… Read more »

Mike Eaves and the Wisconsin men’s hockey team were riding quite a high heading into last weekend’s WCHA series with No. 5 Minnesota Duluth. The Badgers hit the road with a season-high seven-game win streak, but none of those victories came against a team with a winning record. That needed… Read more »

In a perfect world, hard work pays off. An athlete puts in the hours and effort and is rewarded with tangible results. Scott Gudmandson’s world is not perfect — but it’s getting close. The senior goaltender has backstopped the Wisconsin men’s hockey team to a 15-8-3 record, starting 19 games… Read more »

Find your role. Earn the respect of your teammates. Look for ways to improve each and every practice. That sounds like the all-too-familiar messages an incoming freshman would receive upon entering the Wisconsin men’s hockey program. But those guidelines aren’t reserved for teenagers. Gary Shuchuk and Bill Butters are going… Read more »

Wisconsin never should have needed a hero. But when the moment came, Justin Schultz delivered and got a couple of monkeys off the men’s hockey team’s back in what head coach Mike Eaves called a “wacky” game.Schultz’s goal with eight seconds left in overtime gave UW a 6-5 win over… Read more »

In a sport where polls and voters only get you so far, winning with style doesn’t always mean a lot — and for that the Badgers are thankful.In a lethargic game at the Kohl Center, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team beat Canisius in the teams’ first ever meeting, 3-0. The… Read more »

At the beginning of the season, Mike Eaves said he would wait until winter break to assess his squad. Now, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is sitting at the midpoint of its season and its head coach still has, as he likes to say, some riddles to solve. Both Eaves… Read more »

Podge Turnbull needed a few bounces to go his way this weekend. The senior forward has been in and out of the UW lineup throughout the early portion of his final collegiate season, still searching for consistency. But head coach Mike Eaves gave Turnbull a chance to center Wisconsin’s second… Read more »

November wasn’t kind to Wisconsin, but entering the mid-season break, the men’s hockey team finally has a bit of momentum again. The Badgers swept WCHA foe Bemidji State at the Kohl Center, winning 2-0 and 3-2 games to pick up four important points in the standings. Wisconsin owns a three… Read more »

The effects of conference expansion weren’t limited to college football this past summer. College hockey saw some programs move around as well, with Bemidji State and Nebraska-Omaha joining the WCHA conference. Tonight, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (8-7-3, 4-6-2) will give Bemidji (5-8-1, 4-7-1) its own welcome to the conference… Read more »

One year ago, John Ramage was an unheralded freshman defenseman at Wisconsin. Even as the Badger men’s hockey team gained notoriety, it was Ramage’s defensive partner, Brendan Smith, that got the attention on the blue line. But while Smith was on his way to a remarkable offensive season, Ramage got… Read more »

Road trips can be a great way for a team to come together during the course of a season. The Badgers will have plenty of time to gel this weekend, as UW (7-6-3, 3-5-2) flies west to take on Alaska Anchorage (4-8-2, 3-6-1). Scott Gudmandson has made the trip to… Read more »

Hope springs eternal. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team is just 1-4-1 in its last six games, all of which came at home. After a surprising 6-2-2 start to the season, the Badgers are currently just 7-6-3 and in the middle of the pack in the WCHA. Any realistic thoughts about… Read more »

After going winless in six straight games, including a tie Friday against Michigan, the Wisconsin Badgers finally ended the streak beating Michigan State 4-1 Saturday in the College Hockey Showcase. It was a tale of two starts as the Badgers came out slow and ended up earning a tie in… Read more »

“We actually have a hat trick tonight.” That was the first thing said as Justin Schultz, Jake Gardiner and Scott Gudmandson sat down for the postgame press conference Saturday night. Schultz, a sophomore defenseman, scored three goals on the night for Wisconsin in its 4-1 win over Michigan State. The… Read more »

If the Wisconsin men’s hockey team were a boxer, then the referee would be standing over the crumpled fighter calling out numbers five… six… seven… waiting, with the rest of the hushed crowd, to see if the team could get back up on its feet. After another round of heartbreaking… Read more »

Being swept twice in two weekends has got to hurt. If giving up two games to North Dakota last weekend was not enough, Wisconsin just could not find the game winning goals this weekend against Minnesota-Duluth, losing 6-5 Friday night and 3-2 Saturday as both games went into overtime. With… Read more »

After last weekend’s losses to North Dakota, Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said the team would keep moving forward — and if players didn’t move along with, they would be left behind. So entering this weekend’s matchup with No. 1 Minnesota-Duluth (9-1-2, 6-1-1 WCHA), it’s a little more clear who… Read more »

Mike Eaves knows a thing or two about scoring. As the all-time leading scorer in Wisconsin men’s hockey, he’s no stranger to offensive talent. Even as a coach, talented players have fallen under his watch, including four 50-point scorers last season. So what does Eaves have to say about Minnesota-Duluth’s… Read more »

There wasn’t much more Scott Gudmandson could do. The Wisconsin senior goaltender made 63 total saves on the weekend, but No. 10 North Dakota skated away with 4-2 and 1-0 wins over the No. 13 Badgers. The Fighting Sioux were the next big test for a young Badger squad and… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team wasn’t expected to lead to the nation in scoring and get off to a hot 6-2-2 start this season. They were expected to perform like an inexperienced group and work through some tough times early on. Those growing pains finally came this weekend as North… Read more »

Last season, depth was the buzzword surrounding the Wisconsin hockey program. This year, however, deep is the perfect way to describe WCHA rival North Dakota. UW’s youth will once again be tested this weekend as the No. 13 Badgers (6-2-2-) prepare to take on the 10th-ranked Fighting Sioux (5-4-1) at… Read more »

Some might say it was gutsy. Others might call it crazy. Mike Eaves would call it growth. Entering a series with border rival Minnesota, the Wisconsin head coach decided to shuffle around his defensive pairings. At the top, he had junior Jake Gardiner and sophomore Justin Schultz, two of his… Read more »

When the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (6-2-2) took on the cross-state rival Minnesota Gophers (5-4-1) this past weekend, it was no surprise to see the level of physicality present at the Mariucci Arena. When head coach Mike Eaves reviewed the stats from the series, one category in particular stood out.… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — I guess this is growing up. Going into a tough road series against Minnesota, the young Wisconsin men’s hockey team wasn’t fazed, going 1-0-1 on the weekend. Head coach Mike Eaves had seven freshmen in his lineup for the two games, a 6-0 pummeling Friday, followed by a… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — It wasn’t pretty. It wasn’t quick to be official. But it was enough. Junior winger Jordy Murray managed to get just enough of his stick on a puck to poke it past Minnesota goaltender Kent Patterson, tying the game at 3 with just under three minutes to play.… Read more »

Jill Gardiner has some decisions to make this weekend. One of her sons, Jake Gardiner, a defenseman on the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, is heading up to Minneapolis this weekend to play the Minnesota Golden Gophers, which has been a standard occurrence over Gardiner’s three years at UW. This year,… Read more »

Something had to give. Michigan Tech and Wisconsin entered the weekend with the second and third-highest power play percentages in the nation. The Huskies were converting at a 37 percent rate, a big reason MTU was scoring 4.80 goals per game and were undefeated at 3-0-2. So of course, given… Read more »

Michigan Tech (3-2-2) jumped in front of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (5-2-1) in both games over the weekend, but the Badgers were unfazed and came away with two comeback victories to sweep the previously unbeaten Huskies. After a scoreless first period in game two Saturday, MTU forward Alex… Read more »

Undefeated Michigan Tech. For those familiar with college hockey, the phrase is not only eerie, but timely, given that it’s Halloween weekend. The Huskies are 3-0-2 to start the season, after going just 5-30-1 in 2009-2010. In the past three seasons combined, MTU has just 25 wins, or three fewer… Read more »

Last season, Patrick Johnson and the Wisconsin Badgers fulfilled a dream. They had a tremendously successful season, earning an opportunity to play in the Frozen Four and an eventual national championship. But unfortunately for Johnson, he had no impact on the outcome. After playing 37 games during the 2009-10 season,… Read more »

The over-arching theme of men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves’ address to the media Monday was coming of age. Following the Badgers’ winless WCHA opener against No. 11 Denver, Eaves likened the growth of his team to Tiger Woods’ entrance into the majors. The way in which Wisconsin’s core of… Read more »

In his senior year as a Badger during the 2009-2010 season, Blake Geoffrion etched his name in the record books. One of the highlights of his college hockey career was being the first UW hockey player to win the Hobey Baker award, given to the most talented college hockey player.… Read more »

Last time the teams met, it was a battle of WCHA powerhouses, chock full of veteran talent, a fight to see whose national title dreams seemed more realistic. This time around, it might simply be a case of which team did a better job of reloading. The rosters look a… Read more »

The question coming into the season was where the Wisconsin men’s hockey team was going to get its points. UW lost four 50-point scorers from last season’s squad, and its leading returning scorer had just one year of college under his belt. But for a team that lost almost… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team lost almost 75 percent of its scoring from last season. The 2010 edition of the Badgers were going to have to rely on solid defense and goaltending, because who knows what kind of offense they would be able to generate. UW was supposed to take… Read more »

Despite an awkwardly scheduled weekend and a less than stellar start Sunday afternoon, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (3-1) swept Alabama-Huntsville (1-3) in the home opening series at the Kohl Center. After a typical 7 p.m. start for Friday’s game, the Badgers and Chargers had to wait until Sunday at… Read more »

When the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (1-1) takes the ice for its home opener against Alabama- Huntsville (1-1) tomorrow, fans will see a revamped lineup after numerous losses from last year’s squad to graduation and the NHL. So the 2010 Badgers are in the midst of forming their new identity… Read more »

Mike Eaves lost a lot at the end of last season. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team said goodbye to 345 points produced by 12 players. Seven senior forwards graduated. The guy the players elected as the team’s next captain was one of four underclassmen to leave for the pros early.… Read more »

After opening the 2010 season with a 4-3 loss against Boston University and a 6-0 victory over Holy Cross in the Ice Breaker Tournament, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team looks to continue refining itself as the young season continues. Despite the loss to No. 10 BU, Eaves came away from… Read more »

Ah, the memories. Wisconsin went to its 11th Frozen Four last season. The men’s hockey team, which owned six national titles but no Hobey Baker Award winner, given to the best player in college hockey, got to scratch that off the list. The suit-clad, mustachioed Badgers watched their senior captain,… Read more »

The proud Wisconsin men’s hockey program has six national championships, 11 Frozen Four appearances and dozens of all-Americans, but until recently, the Badgers were always missing something —- a Hobey Baker Award-winner. Thanks to former tri-captain Blake Geoffrion, UW can now cross that off the list. Geoffrion was given the… Read more »

When the Wisconsin men’s hockey team got back to its roots with an outdoor game, the Badgers brought a few friends with them; 55,031 friends, to be exact. In front of the largest hockey crowd in UW history, Wisconsin came back in dramatic fashion to beat Michigan by a score… Read more »

Heading into the 2009-10 season, head coach Mike Eaves finally had a team loaded with depth, and thanks to the presence of seven seniors combined with a good mix of young talent, the wins, and goals, piled up for UW. The Badgers sat near the top of the rankings for… Read more »

It might sound too storybook, too perfect, but Wisconsin’s best athlete this year was the senior captain of its best team. Almost any way you slice it, Blake Geoffrion was the most successful Badger to compete this year. The stats are there: Geoffrion scored 28 goals — third in the… Read more »

When thinking about the 2009-10 season for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team, the most readily available memory might be the 5-0 loss to Boston College in the national championship — a painful memory. But despite missing out on a chance to complete any team’s ultimate goal, the Badgers still experienced… Read more »

Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach, Mike Eaves, has a long, challenging summer ahead of him. Just weeks after a national championship run, Eaves’ programs already looks a whole lot different. His two assistant coaches? Both gone. Mark Osiecki took the head coaching position at Ohio State and Kevin Patrick is… Read more »

There are no broken bones, no apparent bleeding and no stitches to be made. But concussions are among the most serious — and most common — injuries in sports. It’s easy to fix a broken finger; it’s a lot harder to fix a broken mind. Likewise, while ice can help… Read more »

There are two ways to look at Wisconsin’s 2009-10 season. Neither view is more “right” or “wrong” than the other. It’s just easy to divide the year into what the men’s hockey team did and what it didn’t do. On one hand, the lasting memory will be the 5-0 loss… Read more »

It wasn’t supposed to end like that. The team never lost consecutive games. Blake Geoffrion became the first Hobey Baker winner in UW history. They won a high-profile outdoor hockey game, just like in 2006, and were co-captained by a guy who was on that ‘06 title team. It was… Read more »

DETROIT — Hockey skill, leadership and character are among the traits Hobey Baker Award winners need to display. You can add forgiveness to that list as well. Wisconsin senior and Hobey winner Blake Geoffrion had to look away as his mother told an embarrassing story about his obsession with being… Read more »

DETROIT — After putting up the most goals by a team in a Frozen Four game since 1994 Thursday night, scoring didn’t look like it would be a problem for Wisconsin in the title game. Whoops. The Badgers forgot their offense against a Boston College Eagles team that executed a… Read more »

DETROIT — Wisconsin enjoyed a dream season where everything seemed to fall into place on its way to the 2010 national championship game. But on the biggest stage, nothing went right for the Badgers. UW was 60 minutes away from winning their seventh national championship and achieving the goal this… Read more »

DETROIT — Oh, they’re halfway there. But instead of relying on prayers, seven different Badgers scored a goal and 13 skaters registered at least one point as the Wisconsin men’s hockey team beat the Rochester Institute of Technology 8-1 in the national semifinal to advance to Saturday’s title game. It… Read more »

DETROIT — Any goaltender is going to have a hard time stopping pucks he can’t see. Even if he is as hot as Rochester Institute of Technology senior Jared DeMichiel. That fact was made perfectly clear Thursday during the Badgers’ 8-1 thrashing of RIT in the opening game of the… Read more »

Wisconsin is tired of talking about its Frozen Four matchup with the Rochester Institute of Technology. They have had an extra week to think about it, an extra week to practice for it and now the Badgers want nothing more than to see the puck finally drop in Ford Field.… Read more »

Ben Street knows it. Mike Eaves and Brendan Smith do too. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team has had a charmed season in making its run to the Frozen Four — and possibly the program’s seventh national title. Lots of little things happened that added up in a big way: players… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Depth. Experience. Goaltending questions. Performing in the big games. Those are all themes that have been beaten into the ground when talking about the Wisconsin men’s hockey team this season. And the Badgers got a couple more weeks to get sick of talking about them, as… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The teams might have ended the season series with a split, but Wisconsin won the game that mattered most. St. Cloud State owned a three games to two edge over UW after a WCHA Final Five semifinal win back on March 19th, but with a trip… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Depth. Experience. Goaltending questions. Performing in the big games. Those are all themes that have been beaten into the ground when talking about the Wisconsin men’s hockey team this season. And the Badgers will get at least a couple more weeks to get sick of talking… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The Wisconsin men’s hockey team learned a lesson about starting games quickly last week: If you start fast, you win; if you take too long to get going, it’s game over. Luckily for the Badgers, that lesson didn’t quite apply Friday night. Down 2-1 to Vermont… Read more »

On paper, it looks like a mismatch. Wisconsin, which owns a 25-10-4 record, is the No. 1 seed in the West Regional in St. Paul after spending most of 2010 ranked third in the nation. The Badgers’ opponent, the fourth-seeded Vermont Catamounts, are three games above .500, with a 17-14-7… Read more »

Its forward lines changed during the conference tournament and until recently the goaltending situation was in constant flux, but one aspect of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team has been a symbol of stability throughout the season. The defensive corps. Ryan McDonagh and Jake Gardiner. Cody Goloubef and Justin Schultz. Brendan… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Wisconsin didn’t leave the Twin Cities with what it wanted. But the Badgers return to Madison with what they needed. Despite a tough loss 2-0 to St. Cloud State in the semifinal of the WCHA Final Five, Wisconsin dominated top-ranked Denver in the third-place game, 6-3.… Read more »

ST. PAUL — The Wisconsin men’s hockey team learned a valuable lesson this past weekend: The way it starts games does in fact go a long way in determining how it finishes them. That first became evident at the WCHA Final Five Friday afternoon where the Badgers came out flat… Read more »

As the Wisconsin men’s hockey team takes the ice in St. Paul this weekend, the Badgers will look a little different than when they played in Minnesota two weeks ago. The lineup will be the same and they’re not busting out any new sweaters for the WCHA Final Five. They’ll… Read more »

This weekend’s WCHA Final Five features five ranked teams loaded with talent, and the third-ranked Badgers have multiple players flaunting gaudy statistical seasons. Two of those skilled individuals, senior forward Michael Davies and junior defenseman Brendan Smith, are in solid position to earn postseason recognition for their efforts, but that… Read more »

After a dismal performance against Minnesota in which the Badgers lost 6-1, many fans questioned whether the Badgers could make a deep playoff run. However, after a dominating weekend sweep of the Alaska-Anchorage Seawolves, the third-ranked Badgers look to be back on track and poised to make a deep run… Read more »

Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves and his team knew ending Alaska Anchorage’s season in the WCHA tournament Saturday was going to be tough. Throughout almost two periods, it was. But a late second period surge with the man advantage helped the Badgers secure a victory, sending them to next weekend’s… Read more »

As recently as three weeks ago, Wisconsin’s goaltending situation was a question mark. UW’s Scott Gudmandson had been given chances to earn the clear-cut No. 1 spot, but performances like his four-goal first period at Colorado College in January kept fellow junior Brett Bennett in the mix. But Gudmandson got… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team (22-9-4) is set for postseason play against the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves (11-21-2) after a self-admitted funky series in Minneapolis to close out the regular season. But things got even more unusual Thursday as forward Ben Grotting — known for his physicality and grit, not his… Read more »

Their contributions — both good and bad — were evident last Friday night. The Wisconsin men’s hockey team pulled out a 3-2 win over rival Minnesota with freshmen Craig Smith and Justin Schultz scoring all three goals. Smith scored the first goal as well as the game-winner at 15:48 in… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — To sum up the Badgers’ weekend in one word, “disappointing” works quite nicely. Given the chance to close out the regular season on a high note, the third-ranked Wisconsin men’s hockey team could only manage a split with rival Minnesota. After a 3-2 win Friday night, the Badgers… Read more »

MINNEAPOLIS — Even with the WCHA playoff seeds set before Sunday’s game between the Badgers and Gophers, Minnesota — unlike Wisconsin —showed it still had plenty to play for on Senior Day. The Badgers spent most of the day watching the Gophers’ power play dominate en route to a 6-1… Read more »

The third-ranked Wisconsin men’s hockey team knows all about the heated historic border rivalry with Minnesota. This year, however, there is an unusual separation between the two powerhouse programs in the WCHA standings as they prepare for this weekend’s series. The Badgers sit in second place, while the Gophers find… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team got a warm welcome from a friend when it flew back in from Houghton, Mich. last weekend. Senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion was at the airport to greet his teammates after they swept a road series at Michigan Tech. “I was talking to guys all weekend… Read more »

HOUGHTON, Mich. — The benefits of not having senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion in the locker room are small for third-ranked Wisconsin. Head coach Mike Eaves thought it was quieter insider the visitors’ locker room at the MacInnes Student Ice Arena. It was rumored that some of the players thought it… Read more »

There are just two weeks of regular season play left, and the Wisconsin men’s hockey team will spend both of them on the road. The Badgers head up to Houghton, Mich. this weekend to face WCHA basement-dweller Michigan Tech, having swept the Huskies at the Kohl Center back in early… Read more »

Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves thought he’d have settled on a No. 1 goaltender at this point in the season. But after Scott Gudmandson’s shaky performance last weekend, Eaves and his goaltenders are back to the drawing board. “Things didn’t go as planned,” Eaves said in his Monday… Read more »

After a weekend split with the St. Cloud State Huskies, in which two seemingly different versions of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team appeared, head coach Mike Eaves seemed happy with the outcome of the series. As a result, Eaves will look to continue Saturday’s high-octane play in the weeks ahead.… Read more »

Through 29 games, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team had not lost back-to-back games all year. The Badgers made sure to keep that streak alive in the midst of a heated conference title race Saturday. After honoring the senior class in its final regular season home game, the Badgers planned on… Read more »

After devoting at least four years of work, sweat and time to a college hockey program, it seems unlikely that any meaningful conclusions can be drawn from the final game in front of a home crowd just because this particular Saturday was labeled “senior night.” On this rare occasion, however,… Read more »

Defense wins championships. But you have to score too, right? Special teams and goaltending matter too — so what exactly is a common X-factor on championship teams? Experience. Only two of the last five NCAA champions had more freshmen and sophomores than juniors and seniors on the roster. That would… Read more »

Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves has enjoyed the contribution he has received from his fourth line this year and does not expect them to let up any time soon. Although senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion is the only Badger with over 20 goals this season, the Badgers have three… Read more »

As the University of Wisconsin held its weekly press conference Monday, several head coaches were in attendance to talk about their respective teams. First among them was women’s basketball head coach Lisa Stone, who discussed about her team’s upcoming matchup with Ohio State and the Badgers’ chances of making the… Read more »

Minnesota State came into Madison with clear physical intentions, and the Mavericks weren’t afraid to take penalties — 27 in all — to get their point across. The Badgers made them pay. Over the weekend, UW scored 12 goals, with half of them coming on the power play. “They’re a… Read more »

Entering the weekend series with Minnesota State, the Wisconsin penalty kill was rolling, but the power play unit had some catching up to do. Consider things even. UW had gone just 2-of-25 on the man-advantage in its recent series with Colorado College, Denver and Minnesota Duluth. Although the Badgers emerged… Read more »

If you believe what the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is saying, don’t expect an open-air hangover. Fresh off a 3-2 comeback win in front of 55,000 fans in Camp Randall’s outdoor game last week, the No. 3 Badgers got back to business in practice Monday. Despite the excitement surrounding that… Read more »

The Wisconsin power play looked anything but powerful in the weeks leading up to the Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic. In their previous six games, the Badgers were converting on just 8 percent of their opportunities with the man-advantage, going 2-for-25. And early season losses to Colorado College (3-2), Minnesota… Read more »

Two days later, the Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic remained the focus of Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves’ weekly Monday press conference. Following the Badgers’ 3-2 win over Michigan Saturday at the Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic, Eaves talked about the importance of the game to the players. Perhaps more… Read more »

Brendan Smith was rarely without a smile in the postgame press conference Saturday — and with good reason. The junior defenseman scored two power play goals in the last six minutes of play to give the No. 3 Wisconsin men’s hockey team a 3-2 win over Michigan in the Camp… Read more »

Saturday sure was a great day — and night — for hockey. An announced crowd of 55,031 fans packed Camp Randall Stadium and created an unforgettable atmosphere as Wisconsin and Michigan took the ice for outdoor hockey. The players did their part as well, as junior defenseman Brendan Smith scored… Read more »

It’s been an unusual week of preparation for head coach Mike Eaves and the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. The third-ranked Badgers have been practicing in Camp Randall stadium as they ready themselves for this Saturday’s highly anticipated Camp Randall Hockey Classic. Eaves knows the importance of every opportunity to get… Read more »

You might think that the last thing on Ryan McDonagh’s mind over winter break would be hockey. With classes over and a mid-season break free of school and athletics, the junior tri-captain of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team finally got some time off. You might think the idea of going… Read more »

Talk to anyone within the Wisconsin Hockey community, and you will no doubt feel a sense of anticipation for this Saturday’s Culver’s Camp Randall Hockey Classic. Men’s coach Mike Eaves is certainly feeling the excitement. “There is no other feeling like [hearing] the sound the puck makes when it leaves… Read more »

DULUTH, Minn. — No rhythm. No offense. That’s the way the night went for the typically high-powered Wisconsin men’s hockey team Saturday at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center. The Badgers’ flow was disrupted right from the start when Minnesota-Duluth scored two goals in just over three minutes of play. UMD… Read more »

DULUTH, Minn. — While the Wisconsin men’s hockey team shacked up at the Sheraton in downtown Duluth for the weekend, the Badgers probably spent more time getting intimately familiar with the Duluth Entertainment and Convention Center’s penalty box. UW went on the penalty kill a single-game season-high 10 times in… Read more »

Preparing for a top-10 team is becoming second nature for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. After starting a challenging three-week stretch on the road at then-No. 8 Colorado College, the Badgers returned home last weekend for a thrilling series with then-No.1 Denver. And now UW is heading to Duluth to… Read more »

Brendan Smith isn’t afraid to tell his younger brother he’s wrong. As far as the elder Smith, a junior defenseman on the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is concerned, the question of NCAA conference superiority isn’t up for discussion. “I think if you look at all the leagues and the… Read more »

In many ways, the 2009-10 Wisconsin men’s hockey squad is shaping up to look a lot like that of 2005-06, when the Badgers last won the national championship. Currently the Wisconsin Badgers have plenty of on-ice experience and excellent depth, something that was essential to the 2006 NCAA Tournament Championship… Read more »

In the biggest game of the season, in front of the biggest crowd of the season, Michael Davies helped the Wisconsin men’s hockey team earn its biggest win of the season so far. Davies’ tip of Justin Schultz’s shot from the right boards gave the No. 3 Badgers a 4-3… Read more »

You could feel the intensity brewing all weekend. The series between No. 1 Denver and No. 3 Wisconsin was more than a typical regular season matchup. The coaches knew it, the players knew it and the fans knew it as they packed the Kohl Center Saturday night for the first… Read more »

It wasn’t easy, but Wisconsin finally got a huge monkey off its back. In a fierce battle with a playoff-like atmosphere Saturday night, the No. 3 Badgers outlasted the top-ranked Denver Pioneers 4-3 in front of a sellout crowd of 15,237 at the Kohl Center. With the win, Wisconsin… Read more »

All it took was one goal Friday night for the third-ranked Badgers to get going. Unfortunately for head coach Mike Eaves’ squad, however, the momentum they built over a four-minute stretch in the third period did not prove to be enough as Wisconsin skated to a 3-3 tie with… Read more »

For hockey fans who just can’t wait until April’s Frozen Four, heading to the Kohl Center this weekend might not be a bad idea, when No. 1 Denver takes on No. 3 Wisconsin. Both teams could find themselves earning No. 1 seeds in the NCAA tournament come late March.… Read more »

When Derek Stepan, Jake Gardiner, John Ramage and assistant coach Mark Osiecki left UW to represent team USA in the 2010 IIHF World Juniors tournament in Canada, the Badgers knew the next few games without them would be challenging. Well, UW won the Badger Hockey Showdown, and as for the… Read more »

When the Badgers’ old winning formula of outshooting and outscoring their opponents by a wide margin was slowed, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team found a new way to win: be resilient. Facing a No. 9-ranked Yale team that outshot Wisconsin 42-22, the depleted Badgers hung on to win the final… Read more »

After 21 years running, the Badger Hockey Showdown went out in style, as Wisconsin edged Yale 2-1 in a shootout following a 2-2 tie through overtime. It was not the most well-attended game of the season for the Badgers, and it was not one in which they played at full… Read more »

After missing the NCAA tournament by 0.0002 of a point in the RPI last year, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team should not only make this postseason comfortably in 2010, but also be among the favorites to win it all. Despite a slow start in which they went 1-2-1, the Badgers… Read more »

After honoring Derek Stepan, John Ramage, Jake Gardiner and assistant coach Mark Osiecki for their gold medal efforts in the World Juniors tournament before Saturday’s game, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team looked at the opposing bench and saw more USA hockey - this time it was the 18 and under… Read more »

If the Badgers’ first game of 2010 was any indication, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team is in for a wild year. Wisconsin withstood 1:25 of six-on-four hockey to finish the game and hang on for a 5-4 win over Merrimack in the Badger Hockey Showdown. Michael Davies’ boarding penalty… Read more »

After going almost a month without playing in a game for the Badgers, the Badger Hockey Showdown was a big weekend for Jordy Murray, as he would finally get back on the ice. His shoulder was recovered from an injury suffered on Dec. 3, and his father, Andy Murray,… Read more »

All it took for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team to break its longest drought of national title game appearances was a guy who knew a thing or two about Badger NCAA titles. In just his fourth year as head coach, Mike Eaves guided UW to its sixth national title.… Read more »

Change and success were the themes for Wisconsin’s hockey programs this decade. Both the men’s and women’s teams introduced new head coaches for the 2002-03 seasons, and the teams won a combined four national titles. The 2000s saw the Wisconsin hockey family gain a new member, as the women’s… Read more »

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — The Wisconsin men’s hockey team had a chance to make a statement on the road this weekend and took full advantage of it. Playing No. 3 North Dakota, the No. 11 Badgers tied Friday and won Saturday at Ralph Engelstad Arena to get three crucial points… Read more »

GRAND FORKS, N.D. — Two years ago, the first goal UW goaltender Scott Gudmandson gave up in Saturday’s game would have begun a downward spiral. Instead, the junior stood strong and was the biggest reason the Badgers left Grand Forks with three points. With the skaters in front of him… Read more »

As finals week looms, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team (10-5-1) is gearing up for its toughest test of the season. The 11th-ranked Badgers are hitting the road to take on No. 3 North Dakota (9-5-2) in a pivotal WCHA series this weekend. UND undoubtedly presents the toughest challenge to date,… Read more »

What happens when a team leads its conference in scoring offense and scoring defense? Well, the goals against tend to be overshadowed by the goals scored. So when the Wisconsin men’s hockey team shut out Michigan Tech Saturday, it wasn’t until five questions into the postgame press conference that… Read more »

Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves spoke all week at practice about the need to manufacture goals, and after this weekend’s series sweep of Michigan Tech, it is safe to say the Badgers did just that. It was a series that saw the Badgers collect an astounding 14 goals,… Read more »

Not everyone was glowing about Blake Geoffrion’s hat trick Friday night. The senior tri-captain got three texts during the postgame press conference and not all of them were congratulatory. “No, actually my dad says ‘It’s about time,’” Geoffrion said. It was Geoffrion’s first career hat trick at UW and… Read more »

On Nov. 7 the Wisconsin men’s hockey team outshot Minnesota 47-28. Two weeks later, UW owns a 39-25 shots on goal advantage over St. Cloud State. This weekend at Michigan, the Badgers outshot the Wolverines 41-35. All three of those games were losses. Wisconsin lost 5-2, 4-1 and 3-2 in… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team announced the seven student athlete recruits committed to UW will most likely sign early in the signing period. Although none of the signees were much of a surprise, UW head coach Mike Eaves was enthusiastic about the class as a whole. Among the recruits are… Read more »

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Perhaps nobody works harder to score goals than the fourth line on the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. Senior John Mitchell scored the game winner on a backhander in the second period while falling down and colliding with another player to help UW to a 4-1 win… Read more »

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — With the way they’ve been playing on the penalty kill, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team might want to just play a man down all game. The Badgers killed nine near-consecutive minutes of penalties to start the second period en route to their 4-1 win over St.… Read more »

Ben Street hasn’t scored a lot against St. Cloud State, but when he has, it’s made a difference. In 13 games against the Huskies, Street has just four goals and one assist. But every one of those goals either tied or won the game for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team.… Read more »

The WCHA may be one of the most competitive college hockey conferences in the country, but during the week, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team experiences that level of competitiveness inside its very own locker room. It’s the daily battles among teammates that go a long way in determining who will… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team is 6-3-1 this season following a decisive weekend sweep of the University of Alaska Anchorage Seawolves. Winning 5-1 Friday and 6-2 Saturday, the Badgers wrapped up a 5-1 home stand at the Kohl Center. After struggling at the start of the season, going 1-2-1… Read more »

Chalk one up for the Madison natives. On a night where Patrick Johnson and Craig Smith both scored goals, the two were asked who scored the prettier one. Johnson dove to get a stick on a pass and poked it by the goaltender, while Smith bullied his way to… Read more »

Culver’s might be running low on ice cream in the coming days thanks to efforts of the Wisconsin men’s hockey team. When the Badgers score at least five goals in a game, the crowd on hand wins a coupon for free ice cream at the casual Midwestern chain, and… Read more »

For the Wisconsin men’s hockey team coming off a series split to Minnesota, practice this week has gone on with the same consistent intensity, something head coach Mike Eaves expects to see as the team prepares to host the Alaska Anchorage Seawolves this weekend at the Kohl Center. “The… Read more »

The Wisconsin men’s hockey team carries a feeling of optimism as it prepares to face the University of Alaska Anchorage this Friday and Saturday. UW head coach Mike Eaves highlighted he is proud of his team’s performance against the University of Minnesota, despite scoring just six goals off of 79… Read more »

When two talented hockey teams square off, more often than not, a few critical plays make the difference in the eventual outcome. According to head coach Mike Eaves, Saturday night’s game between the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers turned on those pivotal moments. “They got the timely saves and… Read more »

Nowhere was Wisconsin’s day-and-night performance against Minnesota more evident than in goal. After UM goaltender Alex Kangas struggled to make saves Friday night, UW’s Brett Bennett had similar troubles Saturday. UW head coach Mike Eaves had relied on a Friday-Saturday rotation of juniors Bennett and Scott Gudmandson up to this… Read more »

The women’s soccer team got the Border Battle off to a start with a loss. Then the football team kept the Axe, but the volleyball team lost in straight sets. Women’s hockey upset Minnesota last weekend and now the task of beating the Gophers falls on the Wisconsin men’s… Read more »

Colorado College went just 1-for-10 on the power play against Wisconsin. Minnesota State, 1-for-14. New Hampshire, 0-for-8. All in all, the men’s hockey team has killed 30 of 32 penalties, ranking it second in the nation in penalty kill percentage. Although it is just six games into the season, UW’s… Read more »

This past weekend was certainly an eventful one as Halloween took over Madison, and inside the Kohl Center, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team looked scary good against New Hampshire. The Badgers outshot the Wildcats 95-35 in the series and in the process came away with their first sweep of the… Read more »

Mike Eaves had blamed the Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s losses on Saturdays to a lack of scoring. But the Badgers’ head coach had to have been happy with the UW’s six-goal outburst Halloween as they swept New Hampshire.Sophomore forward Jordy Murray had two goals Saturday and was one of eight… Read more »

Halloween started a little early for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team when the Joker joined the Badgers for an end-of-practice shootout Thursday. While assistant coach Mark Osiecki wasn’t able to score in his “Dark Knight”-influenced costume, the display kept the team loose as it prepared for tonight’s series opener against… Read more »

Anytime an athlete transfers to another school, there are inevitable questions. For Wisconsin goaltender Brett Bennett, there is one particular situation that tends to be brought up.”BU?” Bennett asked with a laugh. Exactly. Bennett played hockey for two years at Boston University before leaving the school following the 2007-08 season.… Read more »

After a dominating performance in Friday’s game against Minnesota State, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team followed its 6-0 victory with a heartbreaking loss in game two Saturday. Freshman forward Craig Smith and junior defenseman Ryan McDonagh were called for major penalties in the third period, giving the Mavericks 10… Read more »

Following a disappointing opening weekend where the Wisconsin men’s hockey team earned just one point, the Badgers turn their attention to WCHA Conference foe Minnesota State, their first road test of the 2009 season. The challenge that awaits in Mankato, Minn., this weekend is one that head coach Mike… Read more »

Coming off an opening weekend in which he saw his team lose one game and tie another against WCHA rival Colorado College, Wisconsin men’s hockey coach Mike Eaves was encouraged by his team’s play but disappointed by the results.”We would first of all say we were disappointed [by] only getting… Read more »

While the Wisconsin men’s hockey team were looking forward to a fresh start this Friday, the Badgers are already showing signs of repeating last year’s disappointing season. After squandering another third period lead in the season opener that looked reminiscent of last year’s games, the Badgers only managed one goal… Read more »

After Friday night’s devastating loss to conference foe Colorado College, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team avoided being swept on opening week for the second consecutive season when senior forward Ben Street scored the trying goal late in Saturday’s 1-1 tie. Street’s goal not only prevented a scoreless Wisconsin weekend,… Read more »

It came down to the wire, but the Wisconsin men’s hockey team finally declared itself ready to start the 2009-10 season.The Badgers begin their season tonight at home against Colorado College, but head coach Mike Eaves waited until yesterday to name junior Brett Bennett his starting goaltender. Bennett, who played… Read more »

After missing the NCAA playoffs last year, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team looks to open this season on a more positive note at home against Colorado College this weekend. Friday’s contest marks the first time the Badgers have begun the year at home since 2005-06 and they will play at… Read more »

With the season opener against Colorado College less than two weeks away, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team will get a preview of its talent and potential at Friday’s Red and White intrasquad scrimmage. Predicted to finish third in the WCHA conference by coaches and media and No. 14 in the… Read more »

If all goes according to plan, Western Collegiate Hockey Association men’s hockey will be welcoming two new members into its ranks sometime over the next few months. Currently a 10-team league, the WCHA decided at its annual meeting Tuesday to entertain bids from other schools in hopes of expanding… Read more »

After losing four seniors to graduation and seeing WCHA Player of the Year Jamie McBain skip his final season at the University of Wisconsin, the men’s hockey team welcomed two new recruits for the 2009-10 season Wednesday afternoon. Joining the Badgers are goaltender Brett Bennett — who hails from… Read more »

The decision Jamie McBain made may not have been an easy one, but it certainly wasn’t a surprising one, either.McBain, a junior defenseman on the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team, announced Thursday he will forgo his senior season and turn pro, joining the Carolina Hurricanes’ minor league affiliate —… Read more »

One goal. One save. One win. That’s how close the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team came to making the NCAA tournament this season. So while Mike Eaves’ team watches the playoffs from home as just the first team to miss the field of 16, they can point to… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — The path to the NCAA tournament was simple for the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team: two Final Five wins and they’re in. But a 3-0 loss to Denver Friday ended the Badgers’ hopes for a Final Five title, dashing their NCAA postseason chances in… Read more »

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Jamie McBain was the first to admit he was surprised. But whether or not the junior defenseman saw it coming, McBain was named the WCHA’s Player of the Year Thursday at the conference’s annual award banquet. The award wasn’t the only accolade he received on… Read more »

It was just two series ago when the Badger men’s hockey team faced off against the Minnesota State Mavericks. And frankly, it was a weekend to forget for UW. Wisconsin escaped Mankato with just one point in the series after letting two third-period leads slip away. The stakes are… Read more »

For the first time since 2006, the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team (17-15-4, 14-11-3 WCHA) has home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs. At the Kohl Center this weekend, the No. 3 seeded Badgers will host the No. 8 Minnesota State Mavericks (15-15-6, 11-13-4 WCHA)… Read more »

Even with a 2-1 loss Friday against North Dakota, the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team secured home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs. But following a 4-1 victory Saturday, the Badgers are now riding a wave of momentum — however small it may be — into… Read more »

The University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team started off Saturday night by honoring the seniors and their parents on the ice before the game. But in the end, they could thank a freshman for making sure their last regular season game at the Kohl Center was a successful one. First-year… Read more »