Heading into the 2009-10 season, head coach Mike Eaves finally had a team loaded with depth, and thanks to the presence of seven seniors combined with a good mix of young talent, the wins, and goals, piled up for UW.
The Badgers sat near the top of the rankings for the majority of the year thanks to their balanced scoring and at season’s end they were one of the last two teams standing.
A 5-0 loss in the championship game to Boston College was a harsh end to a special season, but the 2010 Badgers were a team loaded with skill, giving fans plenty of ice cream and opposing goalies plenty of fits over the course of the year.
The Badgers were led by Hobey Baker award winner, Blake Geoffrion, who centered the top line and led the team in goals with 28. But the senior tri-captain was just one of four Badgers who reached the 50-point mark.
Sophomore center Derek Stepan led the team in points with 54 thanks to an astounding 42 assists, tied for top in the nation.. Many of those passes found the stick of his linemate, senior forward Michael Davies, who tallied 20 goals on the year. Davies was the team’s playmaker on the power play, notching 52 points in his final season. When all was said and done, six of UW’s seven seniors posted career bests in goals, assists or total points.
And the UW forwards weren’t the only ones doing the scoring. Junior Brendan Smith scored 15 goals and had 52 points as the country’s highest scoring defenseman. Smith’s slapshot from the point proved to be a viable scoring option all year as the Badgers stretched out opponents with their talent up front and on the blue-line. Two of his biggest goals might have been his game-tying and game-winning goals in the outdoor game.
Senior forwards Ben Street and Aaron Bendickson along with sophomore Jordy Murray also contributed with double-digit goal totals.
The 2010 Badgers will be known for their high-scoring attack, as Geoffrion and Smith were tabbed first team all-Americans for their efforts, but UW also boasted one of the nation’s top defensive pairings.
Junior tri-captain Ryan McDonagh and sophomore Jake Gardiner stifled opposing teams’ top forwards night in and night out as the top pair. The two d-men had the best plus-minus ratings on the team as McDonagh finished plus-23 with Gardiner ending the year plus-25.
McDonagh and Gardiner, along with other NHL draftees Smith, Cody Golobuef and Justin Schultz combined to form one of the most talented defensive corps in recent memory and they protected a first-year starter in goal, junior Scott Gudmandson.
Gudmandson and Boston University transfer Brett Bennett battled through most of the season to grab to the starting spot between the pipes, but Gudmandson emerged as the top option down the stretch.
The junior netminder was solid in postseason play, suring up the most important position on the ice and the Badger offense flourished in front of him, as UW enjoyed a memorable ride to the Frozen Four.
