INSIDE WOMEN'S HOCKEY
BY ROSS LADUE
@BadgerWHockey
Daunting schedule to test defending champs
The month of October will be a good measuring stick for UW, as the Badgers face off against four nationally ranked teams in successive weekends.
By the time Halloween has come and gone, the Badgers will know how much their offseason preparations have paid off and what they will need to improve upon to repeat last year’s successes.
This weekend, the team prepares for its first test of the month, playing host to No. 7 North Dakota. UND comes to Madison after splitting a weekend series with UW’s opponent in last year’s Frozen Four final, Boston University.
Unbeaten Badgers
» Wisconsin is currently on a 29-game unbeaten streak, posting a 27-0-2 record since losing to Minnesota Duluth on Nov. 28, 2010. The NCAA record for longest unbeaten streak is 32, which was set by the Badgers back in 2007. Included in those 29 games is UW’s current 16-game win streak.
What to expect this weekend
» North Dakota travels to Madison after splitting with Boston University last weekend. After be dominated in the first game and losing 4-1, UND came out the next night and turned the tables by beating the 2011 NCAA finalists 5-1. The Sioux never won a game last year against the Badgers, and it was Wisconsin that ended their season, so expect to see the Sioux fired up and looking for an upset. North Dakota returns all but one player from last year’s squad. Last year, UND posted the program’s best record of 20-13-3 (16-10-2 WCHA).
