[media-credit name=’MATTHEW KUTZ/Herald photo’ align=’alignright’ width=’336′][/media-credit]The road to No. 1 was not an easy task for the Wisconsin men's hockey team. To reach the top of the ranks, the Badgers (11-1-2) had to overcome difficult road contests against the likes of North Dakota, where they hadn't won since 2001, and formerly top-ranked Michigan.

This weekend, the Badgers will face another difficult contest when they head to Minnesota to take on the No. 4 Gophers.

And just like the team's trip to Grand Forks, the Badgers will face a 10-game losing streak at Mariucci Arena that dates back to Nov. 3, 2000. In those past 10 games, Minnesota has outscored Wisconsin 46-19.

This time around Wisconsin and Minnesota come into the matchup riding the two longest unbeaten streaks in the WCHA. The Badgers' 12-game unbeaten streak (10-0-2) is also the longest in the country, while the Gophers haven't lost in their last six (4-0-2).

"I'm hoping the experience of having a lot of guys who have played there will get it done," Badger head coach Mike Eaves said.

Experience should be on the side of the Badgers this weekend, as the Gopher roster is loaded with 16 underclassmen, including six freshmen.

Wisconsin will also be aided by the emergence of forwards Ryan MacMurchy and Jake Dowell. Eaves has had the two playing on the same line as of late, and the result has been a resounding success.

Dowell, who hadn't scored a goal until he notched the game-winner against Minnesota State Nov. 20, currently has a three-game scoring streak. The notoriously streaky MacMurchy has found his groove as well, enjoying a similar three-game scoring streak, including two goals in his last two games.

"They're doing little things, and I think they're just feeling a lot better about themselves and the way they're playing," Eaves said of the duo.

Eaves has also put freshman Jack Skille on that line, which turned into an assist for Skille last Saturday after a three-game scoring drought.

"I think we work together really well. It's three power forwards on one line," Skille said. "We work really hard together and we have some really good line chemistry there."

The Badgers will need all their lines working for them this weekend against the formidable Minnesota offense.

Led by freshman standout and Madison native Phil Kessel, the Gophers lead the WCHA in scoring with 3.79 goals per game. Kessel has scored 21 points on eight goals and 13 assists, putting him second in the conference in scoring.

Skille played with Kessel in the United States National Development Team Program before coming to Wisconsin. It was rumored that the two had a rivalry, although those claims have been denied by both parties. Whatever the nature of their relationship, Skille won't let that distract him.

"I'm going to worry about my game, and hopefully the team isn't worried about Phil Kessel," Skille said. "From the way it sounds, nobody is."

Kessel and the rest of the Minnesota offense have been extremely effective with power play this season. Head and shoulders above the rest of the conference, Minnesota has converted 23.5 percent of its power play opportunities this season. The Badgers, on the other hand, have killed 88 percent of opponents' opportunities, good for sixth in the country.

"They have a bunch of finesse players and skill players, and when you put them on a power play, you give them an advantage," Skille said of Minnesota. "Our penalty kill is a huge thing for us this weekend."

The Gophers, with or without the man advantage, will have to contend with Wisconsin netminder Brian Elliott, who won his third WCHA Defensive Player of the Week honors this week. Elliott is second in the nation with a 1.41 goals against average and .942 save percentage and has yet to give up more than two goals in a game this season, all the while playing every minute of every game the Badgers have played to date.

Minnesota is second in the conference standings with 14 points to Wisconsin's 18 points, and a sweep this weekend would put them into first place along with the Badgers. To prevent that from happening, the Badgers would have to win at Minnesota for the first time since March 17, 2000.