Badgers to Showcase College Hockey
November 21, 2007 | Men's Hockey
The Wisconsin men's hockey team (5-5-0, 2-4-0 WCHA) will make its Big Ten Network debut when it skates at the 15th annual College Hockey Showcase this holiday weekend. The Badgers take on No. 2 Michigan (11-1-0, 8-0-0 CCHA) on Friday at 6:30 p.m. CT, and then visit No. 5/6 Michigan State (8-3-0, 4-2-0 CCHA) on Saturday at 6 p.m. CT. The games will be shown on a tape-delayed basis on the Big Ten Network, but will be available via live video stream at www.bigtennetwork.com .
Wisconsin hopes to snap a season-long three-game losing streak when it skates against the Wolverines on Friday. The Badgers have taken three of the last four meetings against Michigan in the College Hockey Showcase, but did drop a 4-3 decision last year to the Wolverines at the Kohl Center.
Michigan currently boasts the nation's longest winning streak of 10 games, but have not played a ranked opponent since the opening weekend of the season.
The Wolverines boast a similar make up to the Badgers, with 17 freshmen or sophomores on the roster. However, Michigan senior forward and team captain Kevin Porter leads the nation with 13 goals and 18 points, while the UW's leading scorer is freshman Kyle Turris, with five goals and 15 points.
Against Michigan State, the Badgers have also taken three of the last four meetings in the College Hockey Showcase, including wins in the last two seasons. The Badgers knocked off the eventual NCAA-champion Spartans by a 2-0 count last season at the Kohl Center.
MSU enters the weekend having lost its last two contests. The Spartans were swept last weekend by No. 1 Miami.
Junior forward Tim Kennedy leads the way for the Spartans, with five goals and 15 points in 11 games played. Junior goaltender Jeff Lerg, the 2007 NCAA Frozen Four Most Outstanding Player, backstops the Spartans on defense.
The Badgers are 8-19-1 at the College Hockey Showcase in the previous 14 years, but are 6-2-0 over the past four seasons of the event.
The games this weekend are both tape-delayed on the Big Ten Network. Friday's contest can be seen at 10:30 p.m. CT that night, as well as 8 a.m. CT on Saturday and noon on Monday. Saturday's game can be viewed Sunday at 1 a.m., CT and Monday at 2 p.m. CT. Both games can be seen live at www.bigtennetwork.com for free.
