The Badger Hockey Showdown should provide the UW men’s hockey team with a holiday of its own when the tournament commences later this month.
Wisconsin has historically done well in the college hockey holiday tournament, which includes Brown, New Hampshire, and Colorado College. Most importantly, the Badgers should finally be at full health when the team faces off against Brown to open the tournament on Dec. 27 at the Bradley Center.
“It will be good for us to get Andy Wheeler and Kent Davyduke back to 100 percent,” Wisconsin head coach Jeff Sauer said. “I think we are ready for a break and that the wins over [North Dakota] were a Christmas present. We put ourselves in pretty good shape going into the holidays.”
The Badgers must use the tournament as preparation and a confidence builder for their tough upcoming second half of the season. Although Wisconsin seems to just be peaking, the Badgers will need to sustain any momentum that they garnered from a sweep over traditional WCHA power North Dakota.
Among the Badgers’ January opponents are Minnesota, St. Cloud State, and Denver, who all currently reign in the top three spots in the conference. Those three teams alone account for a 34-3-4 overall record this season, with a 23-2-3 record in WCHA play. Sauer, however, shows no signs of weariness.
“The important thing now is the loss column,” Sauer said. “We are only one loss out of third place with Minnesota. We have got games in hand on the teams behind us, and we have got to play these teams ahead of us. We hold our destiny in [our own] hands.”
That destiny resumes with Brown. The Bears (3-5-1, 3-4-1 ECAC) have struggled this year but remain dangerous. Brown has played Maine to overtime before losing 3-2 and have beaten conference leader Harvard.
Yet their style of play could be their downfall. Brown relies on experienced goaltending and a tough defense to keep them in games. That poses a potential problem versus Wisconsin, who does those exact same things, only better.
“[Brown] has surprised me with some of their scores,” Sauer said. “They have been down the past couple of years, and it has surprised me, some of the teams they have beaten this year.”
If Wisconsin quickly disposes of the Bears as expected, either New Hampshire or Colorado College would lie ahead.
Already having captured a win over WCHA power Denver, New Hampshire (10-3-2, 6-1-2 Hockey East) is a formidable opponent. Led by renowned head coach Richard Umile, the Wildcats have overachieved in jumping out to an early lead in their conference and elite recognition in the national polls.
However, what might intrigue the Badgers is that while UNH is presently ranked sixth in the nation, the Wildcats have recently had problems defensively, giving up nine goals in their last two games. That could be a problem if they expect to get past Colorado College.
Colorado College is a familiar foe. Currently just one slot behind the Badgers in the WCHA standings (9-6-1, 5-6-1 WCHA), the Tigers will present a stiff challenge in the first round for New Hampshire. CC prides itself on never being out of games due to its offensive explosiveness, yet also features senior goaltender Jeff Sanger as an alternative measure. Sanger has rewritten the CC record books for most career victories and shutouts among Tigers.
Regardless of its second round match-up, Wisconsin should get past Brown and enjoy a weekend free from the pressures and the grind of intense conference play.
“It will be a good tournament,” Sauer said. “From our standpoint, hopefully we can take care of Brown and then move on and play one of the other teams.”
