Wisconsin men’s hockey had their first of two series this year against rival Minnesota two weekends ago, marking the 249th meeting between the two teams in the history of the programs.
NHL stars like former Badger Ryan McDonagh and former Gopher Thomas Vanek are only a few of the most recent talent this heated rivalry has produced — and a combined total of 11 national titles doesn’t hurt its reputation either.
But despite the massive success and animosity these two programs have had for each other over the past 60 years, the brutal fist fight that fans have come to know and love has declined over the past few of years.
The scoring margin of 13-2 in these last two games is a wakeup call of how far the rivalry has fallen from the decades when a championship matchup between the two was more probable than not.
“You don’t expect to come out like we did against Minnesota,” head coach Mike Eaves said. “We strive to be better and we know we have to be better.”
The history
The greatness of this intense but diminishing rivalry traces its roots back to 1970s, when premier names in hockey, like Bob Johnson and Herb Brooks, coached some of the best teams in the country year in and year out.
In a span of 11 years (1973-1983), Wisconsin and Minnesota won seven championships combined and established legacies that still live on to today.
Both programs would only continue to grow from the storied traditions of what was left behind. Wisconsin won two more trophies (1990, 2006) as well as Minnesota (2002, 2003).
The new millennium brought huge momentum back into the battle as Minnesota won those fourth and fifth titles back to back, followed by Wisconsin breaking ahead again with their sixth under Eaves.
“There is so much history in this great series every year,” Eaves said. “You have to bring everything you have.”
Eaves knows a thing or two about this rivalry too.
During his playing days at Wisconsin he helped lead the Badgers over Brooks, who coached team USA in the 1980 Olympics, and won NCAA championship in 1977.
Eaves then continued Wisconsin’s success during his tenure as coach, leading his alma mater to two championship games and that win in 2006.
The 2014-15 season, however, turned around the popular opinion of the young coach, in which Eave’s Badgers posted the worst record in school history with only four wins.
The problem
Even though both schools had solid teams over the past decade, contending most years, the rivalry seemed lacking as 2015-16 began with an uneventful first series.
The same intensity and chippy nature that used to define the contest was noticeably absent from the two games last weekend, as the Gophers stole whatever optimism surrounded the Badgers fan base.
Wisconsin suffered two ejections for illegal hits to the head in the second game alone, showing frustration in what has been a disappointing campaign in the latter half of the season.
Wisconsin’s win total since the 2014-15 season is eight, making it hard for a legendary program to draw fans. Especially with the rise in popularity of Wisconsin men’s basketball and football.
While Minnesota still holds hockey as their most exciting program, the focus in Madison is quickly shifting away from the ice, despite being only two seasons removed from the last Badgers’ appearance in the NCAA tournament.
The solution
Whether this problem is a result from the expectations of a school community born and raised watching premier hockey, or from a rise in other sports on campus, the program is in dire need of a rebirth.
One of the few ways to ignite a fan base is to take revenge on a close rival. And if there is one thing the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry has always been, it’s that it’s cyclical.
“I never know what to expect what’s going to happen in these games,” Eaves said. “But that doesn’t excuse what happened and we will make sure we’re ready in for the series at Minnesota.”
Eaves now leads a team with a majority of underclassmen in an attempt to calm the storm around the program.
With two future NHL players in freshman goaltender Matt Jurusik and forward Luke Kunin, the future is bright to compete against a Minnesota team that sports 12.
This young group of Badgers has a long way to go, but focusing ahead and defeating the Gophers in the Border Battle will do a lot.
With that said, the two rematch on March 11th and 12th in Minneapolis.
