'WHITE OUT' MICHIGAN WEEKEND
Wisconsin (15-10-1, 8-4-0-0 Big Ten) plays host to Michigan (9-14-3, 2-8-2-2 Big Ten) for a 'White Out Weekend' on Friday and Saturday at the Kohl Center. Friday's game begins at 8 p.m. CT, while Saturday is a 7 p.m. start.
Friday's game airs live on BTN, while Saturday's game will be shown on Fox Sports Wisconsin.
Wisconsin enters the weekend after getting swept at home by Penn State, 6-3 and 5-2. Michigan skated to a 4-4 tie that ended in a 2-1 shootout win over Michigan State at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit last Friday. Saturday, the Wolverines dropped a 4-1 contest.
Fans are asked to 'White Out' the Kohl Center this weekend by wearing white to the games.
SERIES NOTES
The teams meet for the 140 and 141st time in what is the second-most played rivalry in the Big Ten in UW men's hockey history (Minnesota is the most played).
The last time the Badgers defeated the Wolverines in Madison was a weekend-sweep on Jan. 10-11, 2014.
The two squads met earlier in the season, splitting the two-game matchup in Ann Arbor on Dec. 9-10. UW won the first game, 7-4, and Michigan won the finale by a score of 4-1.
WISCONSIN-MICHIGAN CONNECTIONS
UW freshmen JD Greenway and Trent Frederic played in the USNTDP with Michigan freshmen Luke Martin, Griffin Luce, James Sanchez and Nick Pastujov from 2014-16
Wisconsin captain Luke Kunin played on the USNTDP with Michigan sophomores Brendan Warren and Nicholas Boka from 2013-15.
Badgers' defenseman Cullen Hurley and Wolverines' defenseman Joseph Cecconi played together on the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL during the 2013-14 season.
UW defenseman Jake Linhart and UM forward Alex Kile played together on the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL during the 2012-13 season.
LAST MEETINGS
Michigan 4, Wisconsin 1
Dec. 10, 2016
Despite outshooting Michigan 35-19, the Badgers could not complete a comeback after succeeding the night before, losing to the Wolverines by a score of 4-1. The final score included a pair of empty-net tallies for Michigan.
Michigan's Alex Kile opened the scoring with a power-play goal 11:32 into the opening frame. Cutler Martin put the Badgers in a 2-0 hole just 1:12 later, a deficit UW would not be able to recover from.
Wisconsin entered the third period down just one goal and although they outshot Michigan 15-5 in the frame, they were unable to find the back of the net.
Tony Calderone and Adam Winborg added empty-net goals with less than one minute to go in the game to seal the Badgers' defeat.
Wisconsin 7, Michigan 4
Dec. 9, 2016
Luke Kunin scored twice, Ryan Wagner had three assists, and the Badgers used a five-goal second period to win a 7-4 game at Michigan.
UW fell behind 2-0 after allowing a pair of goals near the midpoint of the first period. UW got one back before the end of the first frame, before exploding in the second period.
Matthew Freytag sealed the win with an empty-net tally.
Jack Berry made 17 stops for the win.
Both teams scored two power-play goals and the Badgers held a 41-21 shot advantage.
BEHIND THE BENCH
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Head Coach: Tony Granato
Record at WIS: 15-10-1 (1st Year)
Overall: 15-10-1 (1st Year)
MICHIGAN WOLVERINES
Head Coach: Red Berenson
Record at PSU: 835-407-89 (32nd Year)
Overall: 835-407-89 (32nd Year)
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER
This weekend marks the last of the regular season that the Badgers will face a team currently unranked, and will mark the second and final time UW will face an unranked squad in UW's last eight weekends of the season dating back to Jan. 20.
UW saw its season-long five-game winning streak stopped last weekend, dropping consecutive games for the first time this year. It also marked the first time the Badgers were swept all season. It was UW's first time swept and the first time swept at the Kohl Center since Feb. 19-20, 2016 against Michigan State.
UW allowed the first goal of the game in both games last weekend, falling in both. UW had scored the first goal in each of the prior five contests, all victories. In the prior four games, UW had outscored its opponents 7-0. The Badgers were outscored 3-1 in the first period last weekend against Penn State.
Sophomore forward Luke Kunin has scored goals in four consecutive games, five of the last six and seven of the last nine games. That has helped Kunin reach 19 goals in 25 games played to equal his total from his first season. UW's scoring leader with 29 points, Kunin is one goal away from becoming the first Badger to reach 20 goals since Michael Mersch scored 22 times during the 2013–14 season.
Kunin's 19 goals rank second among Big Ten skaters behind Ohio State senior Nick Schilkey. Kunin's 0.77 goals-per-game average ranks fourth in the nation.
NUMBERS TO KNOW
3- Special teams have been special all season for UW and now the team has climbed to third in the country on the penalty kill at 87.2 percent (102-for-117). UW is the only school in the nation with a top-11 power play and penalty kill.
1.30- Freshman forward Trent Frederic's 26 points in 20 games gives him a 1.30 points-per-game scoring average. That ranks 13th in the country among all skaters and second among the nation's freshman.
19- Sophomore forward Luke Kunin is one goal shy of becoming the first Badger to score 20 goals in a season since Michael Mersch tallied 22 times during the 2013–14 season.
TOP-11 SPECIAL TEAMS
Wisconsin's 31 power-play goals through 26 games is already the most for the Badgers in a season since the team scored 33 during the 2011–12 campaign in 37 games.
UW ranks 11th in the country with the man advantage at 21.8 percent (31-for-142).
Wisconsin's penalty kill ranks third in the nation at 87.2 percent (102-for-117).
The Badgers have allowed no more than one power-play goal in a game in each of the last 11 tilts, going perfect in six of those contests, including three of the last four.
The Badgers have allowed more than one power-play goal in a game just three times through the first 26 games this season. They have had 14 perfect nights on the penalty kill.
UW is the only school in the country to boasts top-11 programs in both power play and penalty Kill.
Michigan's power play is tied for 17th in the country at 20.0 percent (21-for-105).
The Wolverines penalty kill ranks at No. 41 at 81.1 percent (107-for-132).
LINHART AND SOUL
Junior defenseman Jake Linhart extended his point streak to a career-high five games with his fourth goal of the season last Friday against Penn State, but had the streak snapped on Saturday. He had two goals and three assists for five points during his five-game streak.
Linhart has quietly accumulated 17 points in 26 games to grab the team lead among defenseman in scoring. Linhart's 17 points, on four goals and 13 assists, are fifth among Big Ten rearguards in scoring. His eight points in Big Ten action has him tied for fourth in the Big Ten among defenseman in league games.
GOALIE ROTATION
Since the start of 2017, UW has gone with a goalie rotation with frosh Jack Berry playing series openers, and sophomore Matt Jurusik playing on Saturdays.
Sophomore goaltender Matt Jurusik had his personal four-game winning streak snapped when he absorbed last Saturday's 5-2 loss to Penn State. Since Jurusik returned to the UW lineup for the weekend of Jan. 6-7 after missing seven games with an injury, he had been a perfect 4-0-0, with a 2.21 goals-against average and .924 save percentage in 243 minutes, 51 seconds of action. He had allowed nine goals in the four appearances before giving up five to Penn State.
Jurusik made a season-high 39 saves in the game.
Berry was 3-1-0 with a 2.23 goals-against average and .922 save percentage in 241:43 of game action in four appearances to start 2017, before allowing five goals on 30 shots last Friday in the Badgers' 6-3 loss to Penn State. PSU scored a late empty-net goal to seal the game.
MICHIGAN KILLERS
Junior forward Ryan Wagner has been stellar over the last two seasons against Michigan, racking up four goals and 11 points over the last six games between the two schools.
Wagner, one of six Badgers with at least 20 points, boasts six goals and 21 points in 26 games this season.
UW sophomore forward Luke Kunin has had recent success against Michigan, as well, recording four goals and five points over the last three meetings between the schools. That includes a pair of two-goal games.
ABOUT FIRST PLACE
Wisconsin sits in second place in the Big Ten, three points behind league-leading Minnesota. UW spent the last two weeks tied with Minnesota in first place, before dropping behind last weekend after losses to Penn State.
Before this season, the last time UW was in first place in conference standings was Oct. 28, 2011, when it was part of a seven-way tie for first place in the WCHA. The Badgers had a 2-2-0 league mark and four points in four games played.
The last time Wisconsin began the month of February in first place was during the 2005–06 season, when the Badgers began the month in a three-way tie for first in the WCHA with Denver and Minnesota. UW went up two points in the standings after a split at Minnesota Duluth on Feb. 3-4, 2006, but fell out of first for good the next weekend when it played non-conference action.
PENN STATE REVIEW
Wisconsin was held to just five goals last weekend against Penn State, its lowest total since scoring just three times in a split against Merrimack on Nov. 18-19.
UW fell behind last Friday, 2-0 in the first period, before tying the game in the second period on goals by Seamus Malone and Luke Kunin.
Penn State regained the lead 50 seconds after UW tied the game and never looked back in a 6-3 victory.
Jake Linhart scored an extra-attacker power-play tally at 16:21 of the third period to make it a 5-3 game, but PSU added an empty-net tally for the final score.
The Badgers went 2-for-4 on the power play, but allowed a short-handed goal in the first minute of the third period to Trevor Hamilton that made it a 4-2 deficit.
Frosh Jack Berry stopped 25 shots in the loss.
Saturday, PSU went up 1-0, but Matt Ustaksi tied the game at 19:37 of the first period.
Penn State scored twice in the second period to gain a 3-1 edge, but Kunin scored his second power-play goal in as many games to close the gap.
PSU went on to score the only two goals of the final frame for a 5-2 victory.
Sophomore Matt Jurusik stopped 39 shots, but absorbed the loss to snap a personal four-game winning streak.
UW was 1-for-5 on the power play and 3-for-3 on the penalty kill.
CAPTAINS
Sophomore forward Luke Kunin was named team captain, the second sophomore captain in school history. Mike Eaves was a sophomore captain for the 1975–76 season.
Joining sophomore forward Luke Kunin as alternate captains are senior forward Grant Besse and junior forward Cameron Hughes. Besse served as alternate captain last season, while Hughes filled in at that capacity for a handful of games last year.
SCORING IN BUNCHES
Overall, the Badgers are fourth in the league in scoring offense at 3.62 goals per game, but that also ranks seventh nationally as four of the top schools in the country in offense are from the Big Ten.
1. Penn State - 4.27
2. Ohio State - 4.14
4. Minnesota - 3.89
7. Wisconsin - 3.62
Despite scoring just five goals in two games last weekend, the Badgers third in offense during league games with 3.92 goals-per-game mark.
Wisconsin ranks second in in Big Ten play, allowing 3.08 goals-against per game.
RIGHT SAID FRED
Freshman forward Trent Frederic has points in four consecutive games and in nine of his last 10 contests. He also had three consecutive multi-point games, before only collecting one assist in the game last Saturday agaisnt Penn State.
He has three goals and eight points in his current four-game point streak and 14 points on five goals and nine assists in his last 10 games.
One of two Badgers with double figures in goals (10), Frederic ranks second on the Badgers with 26 points.
The Badgers are 13-7-0 with Frederic in the lineup and 2-3-1 without him.
Since the beginning of 2017, Frederic leads the Badgers in scoring with 14 points on five goals and nine assists.
Frederic ranks second among the nation's rookies with 1.30 points per game, ranking 13th among all skaters and fifth in the Big Ten.
Chosen 29th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2016 NHL Draft, Frederic has 10 goals and 26 points in just 20 games this season, making him one of two Badgers averaging a point per game.
The Badgers average 3.85 goals per game with Frederic in the lineup (77 goals in 20 games), and 2.83 goals per game without him (17 goals in six games).
Frederic leads the Big Ten with four short-handed points, boasting a goal and three asissts.
CAPTAIN KUNIN
Sophomore captain Luke Kunin leads the Badgers in scoring with 28 points and 19 goals.
Kunin is averaging 0.64 goals per game for his career with 38 goals in 59 games played. That is the highest average in the country for skaters in at least their sophomore seasons. Only BU frosh Clayton Keller (0.67 in 21 GP) have a better average.
Kunin has had a knack for scoring in the first and last minute of periods throughout his UW career. After leading the country as a frosh with nine goals and 14 points total in the first and last minutes of a period, Kunin again leads the country with six goals and nine points coming in the first and last minute of periods.
He scored four goals in the last minute of a period last season to rank second in the country, while his seven points in the last minute were also second. He had nine goals and 14 points in the first and last minute of periods, which both led the country.
Kunin has scored the first goal in five games this season, all UW victories.
Luke Kunin finished the 2015–16 season as the Badgers leading goal scorer with 19 goals, the first UW rookie since Dany Heatley scored 28 goals in 1999–2000 to lead the Badgers in goals. The 19 goals are also the most for a UW freshman since Heatley's 28.
Kunin's 32 points made him the first UW rookie to reach 30 points since Nic Kerdiles tallied 33 points (11 goals, 22 assists) in 32 games during the 2012–13 season.
The 32 points were good for second among Big Ten freshmen, while his 0.94 points per game ranked seventh nationally among freshmen.
Kunin finished conference play as UW's leader with 13 goals and 21 points in Big Ten play. His 13 goals ranked fourth among all Big Ten skaters, while his 21 points shared eighth. Both ranked second among Big Ten freshmen.
NON-CONFERENCE
The Badgers finished non-conference play 7-6-1 against non-conference foes. The seven non-conference victories matched the program's combined non-conference win total for the last two seasons. The Badgers were 7-13-6 in non-conference play over the last two seasons.
The Big Ten boasts the nation's second-best non-conference record at 46-29-11 (.599 win percentage). The NCHC leads with a 48-21-14 mark (.663). Big Ten teams have completed their non-conference schedules.
YOU DON'T KNOW JACK
Freshman goaltender Jack Berry started his Badger career with 144 minutes, 17 seconds of shutout hockey before finally allowing a goal to Merrimack last Friday. That marks the longest shutout streak to start a UW career, more than double Bernd Brückler's 67:59 of shutout hockey to start his career in 2001–02, which is the second longest streak in school history.
Berry's 22-save shutout in UW's game on Nov. 5 against Northern Michigan marked the fourth time a Badger goalie accomplished the feat in his first collegiate start. In addition to Bernd Brückler's 25-save shutout on Oct. 20, 2001 in a 5-0 win over Wayne State in his first start, Jim Carey posted a 22-save shutout on Nov. 1, 1992 in an 11-0 win over Northern Michigan. Wayne Thomas also began his career with a 22-save shutout on Nov. 16, 1968 in an 11-0 win over Pennsylvania.
BESSE TO 100
Senior forward Grant Besse needs eight more points to become the 74th skater in UW history to reach 100 career points, and would become the first since Tyler Barnes (2010–14) reached the mark with 101 points for his career. He began the season needing 31 to reach 100.
With 24 points through 25 games played, Besse currently boasts 38 goals, 55 assists and 93 points in 128 games played.
Besse's 128 games played makes him one of just two Badgers who have played 100 career college games, joining fellow senior forward Jedd Soleway, who has played 110 games.
NEW COACHING STAFF
Tony Granato returns to Wisconsin after 13 years as a head and assistant coach in the NHL with the Detroit Red Wings, Pittsburgh Penguins and Colorado Avalanche. That followed a 13-year NHL playing career that included stops with the New York Rangers, Los Angeles Kings and San Jose Sharks.
Don Granato arrives in Madison after nearly five seasons as head coach with the U.S. National Team Development Program (USNTDP) helping develop the nation's best young hockey players. He also spent one season as an assistant coach with the NHL's St. Louis Blues, in addition to over 10 years as a head coach in junior and minor-league hockey.
Osiecki returns to Madison, where he previously spent six seasons (2004–10) as an assistant coach. While at UW, he helped the Badgers win the 2006 NCAA Championship, as well as a runner-up spot in the 2010 NCAA Frozen Four. Since his time at UW, Osiecki spent time as the head coach at Ohio State, as well as an assistant coach with the AHL's Rockford Ice Hogs, the minor league affiliate of the Chicago Blackhawks.
All three coaches went to school and played hockey for Wisconsin.
FEELING A DRAFT
Wisconsin begins the season with eight NHL draft picks on its roster, including two first-round picks in Luke Kunin and Trent Frederic, third-round pick JD Greenway, fourth-round pick Max Zimmer, fifth-round selection Grant Besse, sixth-round choice Cameron Hughes and seventh-round picks Jedd Soleway and Matt Ustaski.
UW's top four picks were all chosen in the 2016 draft.
This year marks the first time since the 2010–11 season that UW boasts a first-round draft pick on its roster (Jake Gardiner), and the first team since the 2009–10 squad to boast more than one first-round pick (Gardiner, Ryan McDonagh, Brendan Smith).
Forwards Kunin and Frederic give UW its first first-round draft picks at the forward position since Kyle Turris played for UW during the 2007–08 season.
Kunin and Frederic give Wisconsin two first-round draft picks on the same team at forward for the first time in school history.
CURRENT UW DRAFT PICKS
NHL DEBUT
Former Wisconsin forward Joseph LaBate (2011–15) became the 16th Badger this season and the 81st all-time to play in the NHL when he made his debut on Nov. 23 at Arizona.
GETTING YOUNGER
While Wisconsin boasted one of the youngest rosters in the country last season with regards to age, they get even younger this year. The team average 20 years, 10 months at the start of October last season. This year, the team averages 20 years, 5 months.
UP NEXT
Following the 'White-Out' weekend in Madison, the Badgers will head to Minneapolis for the second Border Battle of the season on Feb. 24-25. The two teams split the first series in Madison, with the Gophers taking the first game in overtime by a score of 4-3 and the Badgers earning a split the next night, winning 5-3. Friday night's matchup will start at 7 p.m. CT and will be televised on Fox Sports Wisconsin Plus as well as streamed on BTN2Go and on the radio on WIBA-AM 1310. Saturday's tilt will begin at 7 p.m. CT, airing on Fox Sports Wisconsin, streaming on BTN2Go and on the radio on WIBA-AM 1310.
