Head coach Mike Eaves had remained steadfast that, despite the sub-.500 record, the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team was slowly turning its ship around.
With No. 1 Minnesota in town last weekend, however, Wisconsin looked destined for its struggles to continue.
Although the Badgers only found the net twice in 120 minutes of hockey against their border-rival Gophers, two important results came out of the weekend: a series split and a renewed sense of confidence.
In what has been a disappointing title defense for Wisconsin, falling from the preseason No. 1 ranking to out of the polls altogether, losing six consecutive games in November and currently standing fifth in the conference, the Badgers are finally starting to sail toward friendlier seas.
In the split against Minnesota, Wisconsin showed signs of what helped the Badgers win the national title last season: senior leadership, aggressive defense and phenomenal goaltending.
Wisconsin’s two goals came at critical times in the first game of the series, and both came off the stick of senior Ross Carlson.
Carlson, who had missed seven games due to injury in the first half of the season, scored his first goal on a give-and-go passing play that, with the help from linemate Jack Skille, faked Minnesota goalie Kellen Briggs right out of his pads.
Carlson’s second and game-winning goal went in with the Badgers on a 5-on-3 power play. With two Gophers in the box, Carlson took a cross ice pass from senior Andrew Joudrey and flicked the puck past Briggs to give the Badgers the lead for good.
“[Carlson has] got that ability to be a difference-maker in a game with his shot and the way he plays,” Eaves said. “His shot is one of the best on the team. When he shoots, he has got that magic. He came up huge for us tonight.”
While Carlson’s goals helped the Badgers to victory, it was the defense that led the way.
The Badgers blocked 20 Gopher shots in game one, their second highest block total of the year, and blocked another 11 in the series finale.
Wisconsin also showed a renewed sense of aggressiveness to the puck and on the boards in game one and parts of game two that had been dormant for most of the season, evident by Minnesota’s 19 shots in Game 1 — the Gophers’ lowest total on the season.
“We took to our old form from last year,” senior defenseman Matt Olinger said. “Defense is a big part of this team. If we don’t play well, we’re not going to have much of a chance to win.”
And according to Minnesota head coach Don Lucia, Wisconsin’s blocking ability got in his players’ heads.
“They are so good at blocking shots that you need to just keep shooting at the net and hope they get through,” Lucia said. “They’re terrific in blocking shots.”
And even senior goalie Brian Elliott is starting to regain his old form.
A Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist last season, Elliott stopped 42 shots on the weekend. In what has been an uncharacteristic season for the senior net minder (2.28 GAA and .919 save percentage), Elliott has gotten back on track with a 1.67 GAA and .939 save percentage over his last six conference games.
“[Elliott] played awesome,” defenseman Kyle Klubertanz said. “He held us in those games for sure. We just have to help him out and get him some offense, whether it is an ugly goal or whatever. We need to help him out.”
For Elliott, the Minnesota series was one he felt would help Wisconsin get back on track.
“We knew it was an important series,” Elliott said. “[Beating Minnesota] feels good about the way we are playing [and] helps us gain some confidence.”
Now the Badgers enter an important stretch of the season with an opportunity to stockpile points. Six of the next eight games are at home, and eight of the next 12 games are against teams below them in the WCHA standings.
“[Minnesota was] an important win, and it would be nice if that starts us off as we continue down the back stretch,” Eaves said. “Every game becomes the most important game of the year.”
