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BY ANDY BAGGOT
UWBadgers.com Insider
MADISON, Wis. — Five takeaways on the Wisconsin men's hockey team following its Big Ten Conference series with Michigan State:
One: By virtue of 6-3 and 4-3 (overtime) road victories over the Spartans, UW continues to hold down a share of first place in the Big Ten and remains in position to do something rare. For all their legendary achievements — framed by six NCAA titles — the Badgers have won only three regular-season championships since 1969 when they debuted in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association. Wisconsin won MacNaughton Cups in 1977, '90 and 2000. UW has a long way to go — 10 regular-season games remain, including two with co-leader Minnesota Feb. 24 and 25 in Minneapolis — but that's a pretty juicy carrot dangling in front of those facemasks.
Two: Thanks in part to its five-game winning streak, Wisconsin (15-8-1, .646) has a better overall record right now than 11 of the 16 entries in the NCAA tournament from last season. That includes half of the Frozen Four field as well as defending national titlist North Dakota.
Three: The Badgers swept back-to-back opponents away from home for the first time since January of 2013, improved to 7-2 away from the Kohl Center and 6-3 in games decided by one goal. For perspective, UW was a combined 4-21-4 away from home and 6-10 in one-goal outings from 2014 to '16.
Four: Some statistics mean next to nothing. Some catch your eye. Sophomore center Seamus Malone has assisted on six game-winning goals for UW this season and has produced nine of his 21 points (3 goals, 6 assists) in the third period. Sophomore winger and captain Luke Kunin has scored the first goal of the game five times — the Badgers are 5-0 in those instances — and has registered 10 of his team-best 17 goals away from home. Kunin also has five game-tying goals, while freshman center Trent Frederic has four. Junior center Cameron Hughes has scored three of his six goals in the third period or overtime and had the primary assist on three others in crunch time.
Five: An emotional backdrop to the sweep of Michigan State was the sudden, unexpected death of former UW coach Jeff Sauer last Thursday at the age of 73. Wisconsin players and coaches — Tony Granato, Don Granato and Mark Osiecki all served as captains under Sauer — wore patches honoring the man who led the Badgers to NCAA titles in 1983 and '90. True to his private, humble nature, Sauer's obituary published Sunday spanned three brief paragraphs. There was no mention of his Hall of Fame coaching career which included stops at Colorado College and Wisconsin. It focused on his family, noting simply that "he inspired us all with his positive attitude, loyalty, integrity and steadfast dedication to friends and family." In lieu of flowers the family asks for contributions to the USA Hockey Foundation or the American Hearing Impaired Hockey Association. A private family ceremony is being planned as well as a memorial service.
