For the 317th and 318th time in the long-standing rivalry, the Wisconsin Badgers and Minnesota Golden Gophers men’s hockey teams will battle at the Kohl Center to kick off conference play. Bucky endured
the season sweep last year against Minnesota, but looks to get back on top when they put their six-game unbeaten streak to start the season on the line Thursday night.
No. 14 Wisconsin (4-0-2 overall) is starting to put the pieces together, building some much-needed depth and producing points all over the roster. Eight separate Badgers combined to score over the two games against Alaska last weekend, a far cry from the heavy reliance on the top line that plagued Wisconsin last season.
They’ll need to keep getting contributions from everyone if they want to beat the Gophers. No. 19 Minnesota (2-5-1 overall) might not have a record that jumps off the page, but this is a talented team that will surely be playing with some desperation as they try to get their season back on track.
Earlier this month, the Gophers split with Boston College and North Dakota, both teams hovering around the top ten. Last weekend, Minnesota dropped both games to Minnesota Duluth at home, catapulting the Bulldogs into the top ten. The Gopher schedule has certainly been difficult, but it also features a loss to an unranked Michigan Tech in the season-opening series.
Despite his 1-3-1 record, junior goaltender Nathan Airey is allowing 2.78 goals per game, which is not a terrible number considering the competition he’s faced. Goaltending isn’t the reason for Minnesota’s slow start; it’s the lack of scoring. The Gophers are averaging only 2.50 goals per game, and outside of senior Brodie Lamb (four goals, three assists), nobody has really been able to get it going.
But as much as the Badgers are a work in progress with their influx of young talent, Minnesota might be on an even more accelerated learning curve. Nine of the Gophers’ top 12 forwards are either freshmen or sophomores, as are five of the seven defensemen. The young group from Minnesota has been stacking big-game experience, while the most significant experience for Wisconsin this season has been the two draws against No. 18 Minnesota State.
If the Badgers want to hit pause on Minnesota’s plans to break out, it starts with keeping freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser clean. This series, like any Border Battle, demands a physical brand of hockey to knock skaters off the puck and keep the shooting lanes clear. Wisconsin will need to be willing to engage in scrums at the net, which shouldn’t be difficult with experienced pests like senior Simon Tassy on the ice.
It also helps that the Badgers are not scared to put pucks on net. They’re averaging 36 shot attempts per game, which is not a foreign concept to Wisconsin over the past few years, but this year—at least so far—they’re starting to convert more of those attempts into goals. Setting the tone and getting under the Gophers’ skin early could be the recipe to get their eighth-ranked power play onto the ice, especially since Minnesota’s penalty kill comes to Madison ranked 46th in the NCAA.
Wisconsin has checked the boxes so far this year and continued to improve every week. It’s a long season, and this weekend isn’t necessarily going to be what makes or breaks the Badgers, but it is a great litmus test to see where this team stands. Head coach Mike Hastings has the big-picture view in mind—develop the youth, lean on your experience, and be ready to play your best hockey in February. At the same time, no Badger ever wants to lose to Minnesota, and Wisconsin has a taste of four straight defeats they’d like to wash out of their mouths this weekend.
Game Info
Date: October 30, November 1
Time: Thursday – 8:00 p.m. | Saturday – 6:00 p.m.
Place: Madison, WI | Kohl Center
TV: BTN (Thurs.), B1G+ (Sat.)| Radio: 1310 WIBA
