The University of Wisconsin athletic department released the men’s hockey team 2017-18 schedule Thursday.
It’s official. Badger hockey returns Oct. 6, 2017 when Wisconsin kicks off a new season with a series against Ohio State State University at home in the Kohl Center.
Here's the actual #Badgers schedule for 2017-18
24-game conference schedule with the addition of Notre Dame.https://t.co/5FaXDCqjzk pic.twitter.com/UNYhplanRc
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) May 4, 2017
“We have a schedule filled with quality opponents that I think both our team and our fans will enjoy,” head coach Granato told uwathletics.com. “We get North Dakota and St. Lawrence at the Kohl Center and we travel out to Boston College and back to Green Bay for games.”
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One of the most noticeable changes between last season’s conference schedule and the upcoming 2017-18 season is the addition of the University of Notre Dame to the Big 10 men’s hockey league.
Also breaking from the norm, the 2017-18 schedule features a conference game as a season-opener. It will be the first time in Wisconsin men’s hockey history that the Badgers will kick off a new campaign against a Big Ten opponent.
“This is a unique year for our schedule in that we jump right in to Big Ten play for the first time since the Big Ten formed and we also add Notre Dame as a league member,” Granato said. “I’ve seen early thoughts that have them highly ranked for next year. That will add to the quality of play in the Big Ten.”
The Badgers witnessed their 2016-17 season under Granato as a new head coach exceed expectations in turning the program around after two years of struggling.
