Badger Hockey Showdown Makes First Madison Appearance
December 26, 2003 | Men's Hockey
No. 4 Men's hockey (11-3-4, 6-2-4 WCHA) plays host to the 15th annual Badger Hockey Showdown this Saturday and Sunday. First started in December of 1989, the Showdown moves to Madison after spending the previous 14 years at the Bradley Center in Milwaukee.
The Badgers welcome a field that includes Union (7-5-3, 2-3-1 ECAC), Ferris State (6-8-2, 4-7-1 CCHA) and UMass-Lowell (7-7-3, 4-3-1 Hockey East). Ferris State and UMass-Lowell open play on Saturday, Dec. 27 at 4:35 p.m., followed by the Badgers and Union at 7:35 p.m.
The Badgers will play again Sunday at 7:35 p.m. and face either Ferris State or UMass-Lowell. Union will play on Sunday at 4:35 p.m. Match-ups are dependent on Saturday's results. The Showdown title game will start at either 4:35 p.m. or 7:35 p.m. on Sunday depending on whether Wisconsin or Union wins on Saturday.
Wisconsin has won eight of the previous 14 Showdowns. The UW beat Colgate, 2-1, in the first round in 2002 before winning 3-1 over Northern Michigan for the title.
A victory at this year's event would give the UW its first back-to-back Showdowns titles since 1993 and 1994. If they do it, the Badgers must overcome their unfamiliarity with the field, having playd the three teams a total of 11 times. The UW is 7-1-1 against Hockey East's UMass-Lowell, 2-0-0 versus defending CCHA-champion Ferris State and have yet to face the ECAC's Union.
The Badgers will be without three players and their head coach. Freshman defensemen Ryan Suter and Jeff Likens, and rookie forward Jake Dowell, as well as head coach Mike Eaves are in Finland with the 2004 U.S. Junior National Team. The squad opened play at the 2004 World Junior Championshp on Friday with an 8-0 victory over Austria.
Associate Head Coach Troy Ward will direct the Badgers for the Showdown in Eaves' place.
Both UW contests will be broadcast live on Fox Sports North and WIBA radio.
