[media-credit name=’DEREK MONTGOMERY/File photo’ align=’alignnone’ width=’648′][/media-credit]The Badgers' crucible has come.

With their best goaltender down with an ankle injury, and in the midst of a two-game skid, No. 2 Wisconsin must take on a fourth-ranked Minnesota Gopher squad thirsty for revenge from a Badger sweep in Minneapolis earlier this season.

Minnesota has gone 9-0-1 since suffering those defeats and, with Denver's sweep of Wisconsin last weekend, has the Badgers looking over their shoulders with just a four-point lead in the WCHA standings.

In perhaps the most critical series of the year, fraught with playoff implications, the Badgers will try to defend home ice with freshman Shane Connelly in net.

When goalie Brian Elliott went down with an ankle injury last Wednesday, putting him our for three to four weeks, hockey fans across Wisconsin let out a collective gasp that could be heard throughout the Midwest and into parts of Canada. Their beloved Badgers would be forced to leave a net normally guarded by arguably the nation's best goaltender in the hands of the unheralded and inexperienced rookie.

With the sizzling Golden Gophers coming across the border this weekend, some concerns remain, but Connelly's play against Denver last weekend has put many doubts to rest.

"Connelly did his job last weekend," senior forward Ryan MacMurchy said. "He made a lot of key stops, and he didn't really let any weak ones in."

Friday night, Connelly, playing in the first meaningful game of his career, stopped 22 Denver shots as the Badgers fell 1-0 to the Pioneers. Connelly's inexperience showed at times Saturday night, as he was caught out of position on a few plays, but he proved he could hang with players at this level.

Surprisingly, the offense — not Connelly — faltered last weekend. The previously fourth-best offense in the country mustered just two goals in as many games against the Pioneers, including Friday's shutout.

Wisconsin's power play was all but invisible until a third period score by Robbie Earl Saturday night, and the Badgers finished the weekend 1-for-11 with the man advantage.

"There's pressure on the offense to get rolling again and get [Connelly] some confidence," MacMurchy said. "It's tough for a goalie when you're not putting goals up and he's got to try to keep it a one-goal game."

Meanwhile, Minnesota comes into the game with the second-best offense in the country, averaging four goals per outing.

They are led by senior forward Ryan Potulny, whose 19 goals are good for third in the NCAA, and freshman standout Phil Kessel. Kessel, a Madison native, comes home carrying with him a 1.29 scoring average and a flair for the dramatic (he once jumped over a defender to score a goal).

"Obviously playing against a guy of Kessel's stature, you want to kind of realize when he's out there," Connelly said. "He's going to make a lot of smart decisions out there, and the same with the rest of the guys."

When the Badgers traveled to Minnesota back in early December, they looked like the clearly dominant team, especially in the second night's 4-0 shutout, but the Gophers managed to outshoot Wisconsin both nights.

"If you're playing a real offensive team you're going to brace yourself a little more for more pressure and more skill plays," Connelly said. "Minnesota, they go, go, go."

Gopher head coach Don Lucia has worked on the things that got them swept in that series, and Minnesota has responded with better all-around performances.

"Their play away from the puck is better," Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said. "They're trying to be more responsible when they're playing away from the puck."

The Badgers like their chances against a team like the Gophers, who rely on their offense to win games for them.

Wisconsin's ability to block shots and physically defend every play allows them to disrupt what Minnesota can do offensively and frustrate even Potulny and Kessel, the latter of which was shut down in his first two games against the Badgers.

"We try to play a little blend of those two," Eaves said of the two styles of play. "We transition, we want to get going and do that. But we also have that balance of when we don't have the puck, we're trying to do certain things as well."

All eyes in college hockey will certainly be on Madison this weekend as the nation's best defense takes on the Gophers' explosive offense. Ask any of the players, however, and they will tell you the stakes don't matter when their border rival comes to town.

"It never matters," MacMurchy said. "If we haven't won a game this whole season, it's them, and we want to play our best."

The Badgers will need their best starting at 7:07 Friday night, when the puck drops at the Kohl Center.