Men's Hockey Opens Friday in Green Bay
October 05, 2006 | Men's Hockey
The University of Wisconsin made its case as the center of the college hockey world during 2005'06 as both its men's and women's ice hockey programs captured NCAA titles. For the men, the championship made Wisconsin a six-time NCAA champion in ice hockey. It is time to move on, however, and the slate is clean as the 2006 '07 campaign begins.
As its seems to do every year, Wisconsin returns to the ice with stellar goaltending, as Hobey Baker Award finalist Brian Elliott skates in his senior season. Coming off a school record-breaking campaign, and one of the best goaltending seasons in NCAA hockey history, Elliott hopes to continue to improve on the ice and remain a backbone for the squad. Sophomore goaltender Shane Connelly showed he can carry the load when called upon during a midseason stint as the UW starting goaltender during the 2005'06 season.
On the blue line, assistant captain and All-American Tom Gilbert departs, but an experienced rear guard in the form of seniors Jeff Likens and Matt Olinger, and juniors Kyle Klubertanz, Joe Piskula, Davis Drewiske and Josh Engel all had a part in the Badgers ' national best 1.79 goals-against average last year. Entering the mix are second-round NHL draft picks Nigel Williams and Jamie McBain, both products of the U.S. National Team Development Program.
Up front, Wisconsin must replace four of its top scorers from a team that ranked 13th in the nation in scoring. That means a larger load of the Badgers' scoring load will fall on senior Ross Carlson, whose 11 goals and 23 points is tops among Wisconsin 's returning skaters. It also means an opportunity for Badgers who escaped the limelight in recent seasons, but who have proven track records as point producers. Among those now with a chance to shine include senior captain Andrew Joudrey, who posted 78 points in 53 games his last season in the Saskatchewan Junior Hockey League, and sophomore forward Jack Skille, who proved a clutch scorer in his first season in the red and white. Others who will look to up their offensive output include junior Matthew Ford, who tied for the USHL goal-scoring title in 2003'04, sophomore Ben Street, who became an intelligent two-way player as last season progressed, as well as seniors Jake Dowell and Andy Brandt and sophomore Tom Gorowsky. In addition, a group of rookies, including U.S. National Team Development Program product Blake Geoffrion, Michael Davies, the third-leading scorer in the USHL last season and Florida Panthers' draft pick Zach Bearson, as well as Ben Grotting, John Mitchell and Andy Bohmbach, all join the mix and attempt to fill the holes created by graduations and early departures.
The Badgers open the 2006-07 season in a city that proved friendly to the UW during last year's title run. Wisconsin faces Northern Michigan at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wis., on Oct. 6, returning to the site of the 2006 NCAA Midwest Regional Final, a three overtime, 1-0 victory over Cornell. The following week, the Badgers open WCHA play and their Kohl Center slate when 2006 NCAA Final Four participant North Dakota appears Oct. 13.
The long journey back to the Frozen Four for the Badgers stretches nearly six months, with a final destination of the Scottrade Center in St. Louis. There will be ups and downs along the way, but the Badgers's ultimately hope to return with a chance to make it two-straight NCAA titles.
