INSIDE MEN'S HOCKEY
BY PAUL CAPOBIANCO
Second season begins
Each future weekend earned by the last
I
f you ask members of the
Wisconsin men's hockey
team, they'll say the Badgers
have been playing playoff
hockey since the end of November, when UW began its
climb up from a 1-7-2 start.
Head coach Mike Eaves
sees that as a positive this
time of year.
"The way we play and
the mindset we've had for
so long has been a playoff
mentality," Eaves said. "The
number of close games we
have been in and the way
we've played in those games
has dictated a certain mindset, a certain way of playing.
"We've been there for a
while, and we just need to
continue that."
50 » VARSITY
MAR CH 14, 2013
The Badgers have posted
one of the nation's best records since their opening 10game stretch and expect that
to continue.
"One of the first things we
talked about ... was the fact
that we're battling to play for
one more month, the best
month of hockey," Eaves
said. "In order to build our
resume for the tournament,
we have to keep winning."
UW enters the postseason controlling its own destiny. An at-large berth into
the NCAA tournament is a
possibility should the team
advance past the coming
weekend, something unfathomable at the end of November.
@BadgerMHockey
SCHEDULE (17-12-7, 13-8-7)
Last Five
Feb. 25Penn State
L, 3-2 (OT)
March 1 at #13 Nebraska Omaha W, 4-3
March 2 at #13 Nebraska Omaha W, 6-2
March 8 #8 St. Cloud State
L, 4-2
March 9 #8 St. Cloud State
W, 3-2
This Week
Friday
Minnesota Duluth
Saturday Minnesota Duluth
Sunday
Minnesota Duluth*
* - if necessary
Coming Up
March 21 WCHA Final Five
March 22 WCHA Final Five
March 23 WCHA Final Five
7 pm
7 pm
7 pm
TBA
TBA
TBA
Special teams key
» Playoff hockey success begins with
great goaltending, the best players
playing their best and outstanding special teams. With Minnesota Duluth scoring 14 power-play
goals in its last six games, the same
amount UW has for the entire season, UW's penalty kill looks to be
important for weekend success.
