Wisconsin men’s hockey head coach Mike Eaves said repeatedly throughout the year that he wanted his hockey team to be playing its best hockey at the end of the season.
Heading to Minnesota State Friday for the first-round of the WCHA playoffs, Wisconsin (13-21-4 overall, 7-17-4 WCHA) must either take the best-of-three series or face the prospect of the end of a season.
After being handed a humbling series sweep last weekend from North Dakota, described as “a cold bucket of water in the face” by Eaves, the Badger coaching staff believes the season finale will serve as a wake-up call for the new season ? the playoffs.
“Even though we didn’t come up with a couple of wins [last weekend],” Eaves said, whose team is the WCHA’s No. 8 seed, “The type of hockey that was on the ice will benefit us — the level of hockey, the intensity of the hockey — will benefit us going into this weekend.”
The Mavericks (18-8-10, 15-6-7) and Badgers, facing each other for the second consecutive year in the first-round playoffs, fought earlier this season twice to overtime at the Kohl Center in January. MSU, the No. 3 seed, in the only matchup between the two schools this season, came away with a victory and a tie in the extra sessions.
Wisconsin, who has not played well on the road this season, racking up a 3-10-2 record, will have to make a first-round playoff trek out of Madison for the first time in six years. Despite the importance of winning the first game, putting the Maverick’s backs against the wall with a do-or-die situation doesn’t hold any extra merit with Eaves.
“You’ve got to coach each game like it’s an individual entity and push to get that game — that’s the most important one,” Eaves said.
In forwards Shane Joseph and Grant Stevenson, Minnesota State has two of the league’s most potent offensive talents, both ranked in the top six in conference scoring. Stevenson has had two 13-game scoring streaks en route to 24 goals and 31 assists, while Joseph has 27 goals and 30 assists, good enough for the eighth spot nationally in total points.
“[Joseph and Stevenson] work very hard,” Eaves said. “You’re not going to contain them and not going to keep them off the score sheet over the course of three games. We want to limit them to the success they have.”
The dynamic duo has led MSU to a 14-1-5 record to close out the season.
Wisconsin limps into the contest on the offensive side, literally. Injuries have been sustained by forwards Pete Talafous (second-degree MCL tear) and Jake Heisler (concussion) against UND, while forward Adam Burish has not yet been cleared to play since breaking his collarbone Jan. 10.
Out shot by UND 79-32, the Badgers need big offensive output from goal leader Rene Bourque (18) and assist leaders senior captain Brad Winchester and freshman Ryan MacMurchy (13 apiece).
The absence of a scoring punch last weekend jolted the Badgers, who set a season record for most times shutout, back to the end of January when the squad suffered three straight losses, scoring two goals.
“I don’t think [last] weekend will affect us,” Dan Boeser said. “We’ve been a team that’s put a lot of things behind us. Rankings don’t mean anything, it’s a whole new season.”
Granted that UW’s victories in the last month and a half have come against sub-par clubs, the Badgers do hold a legitimate chance at an upset, in this, the new season.
During his NHL playing days and coaching stints, Eaves has seen the underdog prevail before and will no doubt have a motivational trick up his sleeve.
“We were an eight-seed in Pittsburgh playing the No.1 seed in New Jersey, in the playoffs, and we won that in seven [games]. You know, it happens,” Eaves said. “That’s the great thing about athletics, and we will prepare this week with the full intent of going in there, in this brand new season.”
If the team plans to extend its new season for another weekend they will have to play their best hockey of the year.
