In any season, a team experiences the highs and lows that come with competition at the Division I level, but for the Wisconsin men’s hockey team those waves seem to be centered on the special teams, specifically the power-play unit. The team that led the WCHA with a 23.7 power-play percentage going into a Jan. 21-22 series against Notre Dame has scored just four times in 43 power-play opportunities since that point to drop to 20.9 percent.
“Right now one of the things we need to get ourselves out of is our ability to get some goals on our power play,” head coach Mike Eaves said. “If there’s one thing that’s been lacking in these last couple of games, it’s our inability to do that. We scored a power-play goal Friday … but above and beyond that, we fumbled and bumbled the puck and didn’t take what was given. We’re in a little bit of a lull with that.”
In hockey, games can be won or lost on special teams. With the postseason coming up for Wisconsin, the team must find a way to return to its early-season form with the main advantage. For his part, Eaves said that should happen even sooner.
“Let’s work through it now so that when we do come to the playoffs, hopefully we’ll be on an upswing and things will be clicking for us,” Eaves said. “Because three weeks ago when things were clicking, it’s the same group. We’re trying to do the same things. It’s just their ability to handle the puck and make, at the moments of truth, the right plays. So I’d rather be going through it now than in a couple weeks when we’re right in the playoffs. We’ll get out of it.”
Gilbert leading defense: Assistant captain and defenseman Tom Gilbert has emerged as the unquestioned leader on the Badger blue line. Gilbert has taken on additional responsibilities on a defensive corps that includes five freshmen and two sophomores.
Gilbert is tied for first on the team with five power-play goals on the season and he leads the team in plus/minus rating with a plus-18. He has done this, however, without a consistent defensive partner. While most forwards get to work with a line that stays more or less consistent throughout the season, Gilbert has played beside a slew of Badger defenders ranging from Davis Drewiske to Jeff Likens. This sort of personnel shuffling can often disrupt a player’s comfort, Eaves said.
“It is an added burden because there’s a feeling of comfortableness when you play with the same guy,” Eaves said. “You intuitively know that he’s going to be in a certain spot when you have the puck. And when you play with different people you don’t have that. So Tommy (Gilbert), he has had to handle that. And I think since he’s been given that responsibility, he’s stepped up his game.”
The Badgers visit Engelstad Arena: With their visit to Grand Forks, N.D., this weekend, Wisconsin will get the privilege of playing at the luxurious Ralph Engelstad Arena, college hockey’s premier venue. The building, which was built in 2001 for over 100 million dollars, features 11,500 leather and cherry wood seats and granite concourse floors.
The arena housed this year’s World Junior Hockey Championships, and has played host to the Minnesota Wild of the National Hockey League.
“Well, it’s a big-time building. It’s definitely a National Hockey League building,” Eaves said. “The people there really get into the game. You can’t help but walk into that building and go ‘wow.’ The thing that I remember about it is that if you have a chance to walk around it, the history of the college hockey game is up on the walls … so you get a sense of what old-time hockey was all about when you go to that rink. For that reason alone, it’s special.”
