The Wisconsin men’s hockey team got a taste of playoff-style action against North Dakota last weekend. The team’s bland and uninspiring 5-2 and 5-0 losses suggest they’ll need a better response if they have any hope of making some noise in the upcoming WCHA tournament.

While UW came in riding a four-game unbeaten streak and the Fighting Sioux hadn’t won in their last seven, North Dakota took advantage of its superior size and speed to thoroughly dominate the action both Friday and Saturday, outshooting Wisconsin by a combined total of 79-32 in the two games.

That doesn’t exactly bode well for the Badgers, whose 7-17-4 conference mark earned them an eighth-place finish in the regular season standings. Now they look ahead to this weekend’s best-of-three series against the third-seeded Minnesota State Mankato Mavericks in the first round of the WCHA tournament.

Head coach Mike Eaves, looking for a positive outlook, maintained that playing North Dakota was a good learning experience for his team, regardless of the results.

“You play a team like North Dakota; that’s playoff hockey,” Eaves said. “Intrinsically, now we know what to expect [in the playoffs].”

If the Badgers don’t put forth a better effort against MSU than they displayed this past weekend, they should expect an early exit.

Two areas in which the team will need to be especially sharp are forechecking and goaltending.

Wisconsin’s aggressive forecheck contributed greatly to the team’s 3-0-1 record in the four games leading up to UND’s visit, setting the tone physically and creating quality scoring chances for the Badgers.

However, the Fighting Sioux effectively neutralized the UW forecheck by applying intense pressure to the neutral zone and preventing the Badgers from getting the puck deep. That allowed North Dakota to quickly regroup and move the puck out of its defensive zone and up the ice before Wisconsin forwards could attack.

“Our guys were getting the puck in the neutral zone. They were stepping right up on us, and the next thing you know, it was a turnover going back the other way in our zone,” Eaves noted. “That was a little thing that made a huge difference.”

Without a consistent forecheck, Wisconsin struggled to generate intensity on the bench and offensive opportunities.

Ultimately, the Badgers need to apply pressure to the Mankato defensemen earlier and more often if they want to be competitive.

Another key to the team’s fortunes this weekend will be the play of goaltender Bernd Bruckler.

The sophomore had an up-and-down game in his only start against North Dakota last Friday, as he made several big saves, keeping his team in the game, but also allowed two goals on long shots and misplayed a third into the Zach Parise goal 20 seconds into the third period that put the game out of reach for the Badgers.

Bruckler will need to bring his A-game this weekend, as Wisconsin simply can’t afford any soft goals.

Some might argue that the Badgers lucked out, drawing Mankato in the first round rather than No. 2 Minnesota or No. 4 North Dakota, both of which defeated UW handily in their last meeting. However, teams that have underestimated the Mavericks this season have done so to their detriment.

“These guys were expected not to do anything this year,” Eaves said of Mankato, whom he only half-jokingly labeled a “team of destiny.”

The Mavericks are certainly the surprise team of the WCHA this year, finishing conference play with an impressive 15-6-7 mark.

“They’ve bought into what they’re doing; they’ve got confidence,” Eaves said. “So they’re going to be a tough opponent for us.”