BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Here are four takeaways from the Wisconsin men's hockey team following its Big Ten Conference series at Ohio State:
1. Instead of wallowing in the misery of a four-game losing streak to end the regular season — including 6-2 and 4-0 losses to the Buckeyes — UW players should be embracing the possibilities that come with the reset of the playoffs. Some suggested research: Minnesota-Duluth in 2009 and the Badgers in 2005. Duluth was 0-3-2 to close out the Western Collegiate Hockey Association regular season, but swept a best-of-three playoff series from Colorado College and won three games in three days at the WCHA Final Five to claim the MacNaughton Cup and the automatic NCAA tournament berth. The Badgers, meanwhile, had a similar limp when they began the postseason in '05 — one win in the last nine games — then finished the year with consecutive playoff losses. But all the accumulated knowledge, determination and grit gave way to an NCAA title in 2006.
2. It bears repeating amid all the angst: The Badgers (14-17-4 overall) beat two conference champions decisively on the road (5-2 over Boston College and 5-0 over Notre Dame); have wins over five of the top 25 scoring offenses (Penn State, Michigan, Ohio State, Michigan Tech and Northern Michigan); and have beaten six top-25 clubs in team defense (Ohio State, Notre Dame, Minnesota, Northern Michigan, BC and Michigan Tech). Point is, UW is capable of competing at the highest level. It just needs a timely spark.
3. Of course, the Badgers missed Tony Granato while he was coaching Team USA in the Winter Olympics in South Korea. He and his staff, associate head coaches Mark Osiecki and Mark Strobel, strike a unique, effective vocal mix in practice and on the bench during games. Remove a voice from that chorus and it's impossible not to notice. That's not an alibi for four straight losses in which UW was outscored 11-1 in the third period and 21-5 overall; it's just a fact.
4. The sixth-seeded Badgers should feel good going into their first-round, best-of-three matchup at third-seeded Michigan (18-13-3) starting Friday. Five of their best players had strong outings during the four regular season meetings, including sophomore center Trent Frederic (3 goals, 6 assists, 9 points), freshman winger Linus Weissbach (2-5-7), freshman defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk (1-5-6), senior winger Ryan Wagner (4-1-5) and senior center and captain Cameron Hughes (2-2-4). If you include the four regular-season meetings between the schools last season, Frederic has 8-7-15, Wagner 4-6-10 and Hughes 3-6-9. That's some good mojo.
