At 7:00 PM on Friday (Big Ten network) and 8:00 PM on Saturday, the Badgers will square off at the Kohl Center against the number one team in the country, the Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs. This will mark the second series in which the Badgers have faced a number one team from Minnesota at the Kohl center, and the third series this year against a top five squad. The young Badgers are 3-3-0 in those three series, but have lost 3 straight after getting swept the week before Thanksgiving at Colorado College. Although not the hated Gophers, this should be an intense series, as the Bulldogs are coming off of a national championship and have been the most dominant team so far in 2011.
However, the eyes of the college hockey world won’t be focused squarely on the Bulldogs. Sophomore forward Mark Zengerle has registered a point in his last 15 games, and looks to extend his streak this weekend. That streak is the 4th best in Wisconsin Hockey history, and the all time record for UW stands at 21. That 21 point streak was done by current head coach Mike Eaves, who had 17 goals and 48 points during the streak. Zengerle also is tied for the lead nationally in points.
One of the individuals tied with Zengerle is Minnesota Duluth forward Jack Connolly. The senior center also has matched Zengerle’s point streak and is also looking to extend his 14-game tear. Connolly, the captain of the Bulldogs’ national championship team, was third in the country in points last year and a Hobey Baker Memorial Award finalist. His matchup with Zengerle and the young Wisconsin defenders will be one of the key matchups in this series.
Another individual to watch in this game is Wisconsin defenseman and all-american Justin Schultz, who is one point behind Connolly and Zengerle in the national points race. After a 7 point weekend against Mercyhurst two weeks ago, Schultz was named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week. Schultz also has a chance this weekend to be the first Badger defenseman to reach 100 career points since NHL star Brian Rafalski in only his second year.
In terms of the matchup between these two teams, UMD’s 12 game unbeaten streak, the longest current streak in NCAA hockey will be tested this weekend. The biggest challenge for the Badgers will most likely be getting pressure in the Bulldogs’ zone, and getting the puck past UMD’s senior goaltender Kenny Reiter, who is 10-0-2 this year with 1.73 GAA. The Pittsburgh, PA native has blanked the Badgers twice in his career, both of which came on the road in Madison. The badgers will have to throw the puck in the zone and onto the net as much as possible. Reiter’s one weakness is his propensity to fight the puck under pressure, allowing other teams to get rebounds in close.
On the defensive end, freshman Joel Rumpel will be counted on to keep the puck out of the net. UMD is one of the bigger teams in the WCHA and has more depth than any other team the Badgers will face this year. Even though the Badgers swept Mercyhurst in convincing fashion two weeks ago, the penalty kill was not effective, as the Lakers were able to register 2 power play goals on Saturday. The Badgers, usually stout against the power play in the Mike Eaves era, have not been as dominant a man down in 2011. However, the Badgers do lead the WCHA in short-handed goals with four.
Look for the Badgers to come out with a lot of energy on Friday coming off the bye week. Although UMD is more talented, they have been on the road a lot in this young season and are staring down a three-week break right in the face. If the Badgers can continue their offensive output, they should be able to take one game in this series. Eaves will undoubtedly be preaching a back-to-basics gameplay, keeping the big UMD forwards away from Rumpel and putting the puck on net will be the keys.
Written by:
