Badger hockey rings in New Year with special events
December 31, 2008 | Men's Hockey
Special events revolving around the Wisconsin hockey teams involving current Badgers, former Badgers and Badger fans take place tonight and through the upcoming weekend. A key game at the 2009 IIHF World Junior Championship, the NHL's Winter Classic at Wrigley Field, a women's hockey exhibition game against the U.S. select team, a two-game series against Northern Michigan at the Kohl Center (with games at 7 p.m., Friday and 8 p.m., Saturday), as well as Skate with the Badgers on Sunday make up this week's slate.
The action begins tonight when a much-anticipated match-up takes place at the World Junior Championship in Ottawa. UW sophomore defenseman Ryan McDonagh and the rest of his Team USA teammates face host Canada, with UW sophomore defenseman Cody Goloubef at 6:30 p.m., CT on NHL Network. The winner of the game earns a bye into the tournament semifinals as both teams are tied in first place in their pool with identical 3-0-0 records.
The hockey continues on New Year's Day when the Detroit Red Wings visit the Chicago Blackhawks at Wrigley Field in Chicago for the location=/winterclassic/2009"> --> NHL's second annual Winter Classic . Former Badgers and current Detroit Red Wings' defenseman Brian Rafalski will presumably be in the lineup, as may Detroit's Chris Chelios and Chicago's Adam Burish, who also skated in the Frozen Tundra Hockey Classic for Wisconsin in 2006 at Lambeau Field in Green Bay, Wis. This year's game begins at noon CT on NBC.
The top-ranked women's hockey Badgers skate on Friday at 2 p.m., at the Kohl Center sportid=138&storyid=16253"> --> against the U.S. select team in an exhibition contest. Former Badger defenders Kerry Weiland and Molly Engstrom, along with forward Jinelle Zaugg. Four current Badgers - Hilary Knight, Jessie Vetter, Erika Lawler and Meghan Duggan - will also play. Attendance is free for the game.
Friday and Saturday at the Kohl Center, the Badgers take on Northern Michigan in the UW 's last non-conference series of the year. Of special note, Saturday's contest will begin at 8 p.m., at the Kohl Center, while Friday's game will start at the normal 7 p.m., time. The UW men's basketball team also plays at the Kohl Center on Saturday at 11 a.m., against Penn State.
Finally, the Badgers play host to their annual sportid=119&storyid=15882"> --> 'Skate with the Badgers' on Sunday at the Kohl Center. Skating begins at 2 p.m., and continues until 3:30 p.m. sportid=119&storyid=15882"> --> Click here for more details
