INSIDE MEN'S HOCKEY BY PAUL CAPOBIANCO @BadgerMHockey
Second season begins
for surging Badgers Wisconsin peaking at the right time
T
he start of the postsea- son puts each team back on somewhat equal footing, with every team looking at a chance to win the WCHA tournament and earn a bid to the NCAA tournament. While some teams likely have a bid locked up from their regular-season results, Wisconsin looks to make a deep run in the league tour- nament to gain a bid. Such a possibility looked slim a month ago at this time, but the way the Badgers have played over the last month, they would appear to have as good a chance as anyone at taking hold of the automatic
48 ยป VARSITY MARCH 8, 2012
bid that comes with a WCHA playoff title. Solid goaltending, timely
goal scoring and solid defen- sive zone play have enabled the Badgers to grab victo- ries in four of their last five games and gain much-need- ed confidence heading into the postseason. Obstacles to reach their
goal? A first-round road playoff series at third-seed- ed Denver and a three-game path at the WCHA Final Five against the league's top teams.
On their side? The Bad- gers are playing their best hockey of the season, are
SCHEDULE (16-16-2, 11-15-2)
Last Five Feb. 18 #10 Denver Feb. 24 Feb. 25
This Week Friday
W, 5-2
at Bemidji State W, 4-2 at Bemidji State W, 4-2
March 2 at #4 Minnesota W, 4-1 March 3 at #4 Minnesota
L, 1-2 at #9 Denver
Saturday at #9 Denver Sunday at #9 Denver*
Up Next Mar 15-17 WCHA Final Five Mar 23-24 NCAA Regionals
* If necessary
8:30 p.m. 8 p.m. 8 p.m.
TBD TBD
3-1-0 in their last four road games and posted a split with Denver ear- lier this season at the Kohl Center. UW holds a 5-6-1 record against top-10 teams this season and boasts a 12-1-0 all-time postseason record against the Pioneers, including a road sweep in the 2007 WCHA Play- offs.
