After missing the NCAA tournament by 0.0002 of a point in the RPI last year, the Wisconsin men’s hockey team should not only make this postseason comfortably in 2010, but also be among the favorites to win it all.
Despite a slow start in which they went 1-2-1, the Badgers have gone 12-4-2 since en route to a No. 3 ranking in the USCHO poll.
For the better part of the season, UW has been dominant; Wisconsin has won nine games by three goals or more. The Badgers lead the nation in scoring margin, scoring 1.77 more goals than they give up per game.
There was a concern that UW couldn’t win a close game, because in its first 16 games, the Badgers were 0-3 in one-goal contests. Since then, Wisconsin is 2-1 in one-goal games.
The Badgers have shown toughness, getting three out of four points on the road at ranked North Dakota, as well as gutting out a 5-4 win over Merrimack and a shootout win over Yale. Those last two games came shorthanded, as three key players were away at the World Junior Championship.
As a team, the Badgers are defensively and offensively dominant, thanks in no small part to some great individual efforts by players. Defenseman Brendan Smith is the nation’s highest-scoring defenseman and leads the team with 30 points.
Senior tri-captain Blake Geoffrion leads the WCHA in goals per game, averaging 0.71. Sophomore playmaker Derek Stepan already has 27 points after totaling 33 in all of 2008-2009, and was the leading point-getter at the WJC.
While UW is largely a veteran team, led by Geoffrion as well as fellow captain Ben Street and scoring threat Michael Davies, the contributions from freshmen have been equally invaluable. Two of UW’s regular defensemen — Justin Schultz and John Ramage — are first-year players, and Schultz has been especially valuable on special teams. Freshman forward Craig Smith is second in the WCHA in points by rookies.
It’s this kind of depth that is UW’s true strength — a nation-best 21 different players have scored a goal for the Badgers. That Wisconsin went 3-0 without Stepan, Ramage and defenseman Jake Gardiner only further illustrates how deep head coach Mike Eaves’ roster is.
One of Wisconsin’s biggest question marks entering the season was its goaltending, after longtime starter Shane Connelly left. Juniors Scott Gudmandson and Brett Bennett have been more than capable, however, splitting time and ranking fourth and fifth in the conference in goals against average.
Gudmandson came up especially clutch against North Dakota and Yale, making 40 saves and stopping two of three in the shootout in the latter game.
Wisconsin started 2010’s conference slate with a split at Colorado College and faces WCHA-leader Denver this week.
The real highlight of the season could be the Feb. 6 outdoor game against Michigan in the Camp Randall Hockey Classic.
With no weaknesses and an abundance of strengths, the 2010 Badgers could find their charmed season finishing at the Frozen Four in Detroit.