When the Wisconsin men’s hockey team elected Brad Winchester as captain and Brian Fahey and Dan Boeser as assistant captains, head coach Mike Eaves didn’t think that the pressure would inhibit his trio offensively.
Eaves, who rotated the captain position around the roster before turning to the team for a vote, wouldn’t go back and renege the election after watching the three upperclassmen tally a total of nine points in conference play this season.
“I think the pressures of being a captain or assistant captain are on those kids’ shoulders and that is a whole new element to deal with,” said Eaves, who was a three-year team captain from 1975-78.
Citing the newly added pressures upon his leaders, Eaves now has to focus on how to ease the weight of being under difficult demands both on and off the ice.
“Part of my job as a coach is to take some of that pressure off and say, ‘Look guys, just relax. Be who you are,'” Eaves, who tallied 81 points in the 1977 season, said.
The pressures of the WCHA regular season have been painfully apparent with Winchester, Fahey and Boeser.
With two goals and two assists, Winchester has been a far cry from his former self; just a year ago he led the Badgers in conference scoring with 12 goals and 12 assists.
Fahey and Boeser, both defensemen, have also been dormant on the offensive end this season. Boeser anchored the UW defense in 2001-02, leading the way with three goals and 13 assists, which was good enough for seventh overall on the team. This season Boeser has assisted only four times and has yet to knock home a goal.
Fahey, who finished twelfth on the team in scoring a year ago (one goal, seven assists), has not been present in one of UW’s WCHA scores this year.
“You were elected captains because of who you are as a captain and a player,” Eaves said. “I think when teams go through tough times, the captains want to carry the extra load — they feel more pressure.”
Between the Pipes: Sophomore goaltender Bernd Bruckler sat and watched as Scott Kabotoff played back-to-back nights against Minnesota-Duluth Jan. 16 and 17. It marked the first time that head coach Mike Eaves had not rotated between his two net minders. Kabotoff, however, has not faired well in his past two starts (versus Colorado College and Denver).
In both contests the opposing team’s first shot on Kabotoff has resulted in a goal and an early deficit. Bruckler, who will start in goal Friday, may see his first back-to-back appearances of the season with a solid effort in the series opener against Alaska-Anchorage.
WCHA News: It is safe to say that the WCHA is the strongest hockey conference in America. After sweeping then No. 1 North Dakota last weekend, Colorado College has taken over the WCHA and the No. 1 ranking in the USA Today/American Hockey Magazine. The Tigers (14-1-5 in conference) are on a ten-game winning streak and currently lead second placed WCHA foe UND by six points.
The USA Today/AHM is laden with WCHA squads, sporting six in the top 15, the most among NCAA conferences. Following CC is No. 3 UND, No. 7 Minnesota, No. 9 Denver, No. 14 Minnesota State and No. 15 St. Cloud State.
Dare To Imagine: Former Wisconsin Badger Danny Heatley, who would be a senior this year had he not opted to sign with the NHL’s Atlanta Thrashers after his sophomore campaign, bagged four goals in last weekend’s All-Star game. With UW’s current offensive situation, head coach Mike Eaves could use a player of his caliber.
“Maybe he could mail us a few (goals),” laughed Eaves. “At 22 years old, he is still eligible, isn’t he? [He] might make a difference.”
