54 // VARSITY February 27, 2014
INSIDE
MEN'S HOCKEY
Hobey, Richter on radar
Badgers in mix for player of the year awards
BY PAUL CAPOBIANCO @BADGERMHOCKEY
W
isconsin men's
hockey has been a
regular on Hobey
Baker Memorial Award top-
10 finalist lists in recent years
with five finalists in the four
years from 2009–12, includ-
ing the school's first winner
in 2010 when Blake Geoffrion
took home the hardware.
After 2013, with no Badgers
in the mix, it is possible to see
the return of a Wisconsin play-
er to the finalist list. The most
likely Badgers candidates ap-
pear to be senior forward Mi-
chael Mersch and junior goal-
tender Joel Rumpel.
Others, like senior forward
Mark Zengerle, might be a
notch behind, though he's the
nation's career leader in as-
sists. Sophomore forward Nic
Kerdiles would be an intrigu-
ing name, but with him missing nine
games, he would most likely be out of
the running. Junior defenseman Jake Mc-
Cabe could be one of the nation's top-10
players, but offensive defensemen tend
to make the list, and while McCabe has
22 points in 30 games, there are 11 de-
fensemen across the country who boast
more scoring.
Mersch leads the Big Ten in goal
scoring with 19 goals overall and 11 in
league contests. He is tied for second in
the Big Ten with 30 overall points and 16
league points. He's added some flash, as
well, with a spectacular goal at Michigan
where he passed to himself around his
own and a Michigan defenseman's back,
before finishing.
Rumpel leads the Big Ten with a 1.83
goals-against average, .936 save percent-
age and .786 win percentage (16-4-1).
Those numbers have him third nation-
ally in goals-against average and win
percentage and fifth in save percentage.
Hobey has been hard to come by for
goaltenders over the years, so the in-
augural Mike Richter Award might be
more in Rumpel's wheelhouse. Named
after the former Badgers great, the Mike
Richter Award will go to the nation's
best goaltender. The Badgers went 1-3-
1 when Rumpel was out of the lineup
due to injury. An argument for team MVP
honors could at the very least be made.
SCHEDULE (19-9-2, 10-5-1-0)
LAST TIME OUT
Feb. 21 Michigan State W, 5-2
Feb. 22 Michigan State W, 2-0
COMING UP
March 7 at Penn State 6 p.m.
March 8 at Penn State 6 p.m.
March 14 at Michigan State 6 p.m.
March 15 at Michigan State 3 p.m.
