OHIO STATE SERIES ENDS REGULAR SLATE
No. 16 Wisconsin (19-12-1, 12-6-0-0 Big Ten) closes out the regular season with its final games of the season at the Kohl Center as No. 13 Ohio State (18-10-6, 9-8-1-1 Big Ten) visits for a Friday-Saturday series. Both games begin at 7 p.m.

Friday's game airs on Wisconsin Channel, while BTN airs Saturday's contest.

Wisconsin split last weekend's series at No. 11 Penn State, winning 7-4 on Friday, before falling 6-0 on Saturday. Ohio State slit its home series against Michigan State, falling 5-4, before gaining a 5-3 victory.

Earlier this season, the Badgers swept OSU, winning 3-1 in Columbus on Jan. 26, before skating to a 3-2 overtime victory at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 28. 

SERIES NOTES
Although the teams have met just 26 times, the Badgers and Buckeyes have played 16 times since the 2013-14 season.

Wisconsin has a 6-6-3 record over that time frame.

The Badgers are 2-3-3 in the last six meetings between the schools. 

UW and OSU have met twice in post-season play, with Wisconsin winning both games. The Badgers won 1-0 in overtime in the opening round of the 2004 NCAA tournament.

Wisconsin then defeated the Buckeyes in the inaugural Big Ten tournament finals in 2014, winning 5-4 in overtime.

The two teams have played seven neutral site games, with Wisconsin owning a 6-1-0 record, including a 3-2 Badgers triumph, in overtime, at Madison Square Garden in 2017. 

WISCONSIN-OHIO STATE CONNECTIONS
UW forward Seamus Malone and OSU defensemen Wyatt Ege and Sasha Larocque played together on the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL during the 2014-15 season. Malone also played with goalie Christian Frey from 2012-14.  

Wisconsin defenseman Jake Linhart played with Ohio State forward Nick Schilkey on the Green Bay Gamblers in the USHL during the 2013-14 season. Linhart also played on the Gamblers with Matthew Weis from 2012-14.

UW sophomores Will Johnson and Jarod Zirbel played with Ohio State forwards Miguel Fidler and Freddy Gerard on the Madison Capitols in the USHL during the 2014-15 season.

Badgers' defenseman Cullen Hurley and Buckeyes' defenseman Janik Moser played on the Muskegon Lumberjacks in the USHL during the 2013-14 season. Hurley also played with Mason Jobst from 2012-14. 

Wisconsin defenseman Jake Bunz played with OSU's Brendon Kearney on the Chicago Steel in the USHL during the 2013-14 season. Wisconsin freshman Max Zimmer joined the pair for eight games during the 2014-15 campaign.  

Ohio State head coach Steve Rohlik was the captain for the Badgers 1990 NCAA championship team and skated from 1986 through 1990 for the Badgers.

Rohlik served as an assistant coach under Mark Osiecki when Osiecki served as Ohio State head coach from 2010 to 2013. The two were teammates on the 1990 NCAA championship team.

OSU associate head coach Mark Strobel played for Wisconsin from 1991 to 1995, captaining the team as a senior.

UW associate head coach Don Granato played two seasons for the ECHL's Columbus Chill (1991–93), and spent two seasons as head coach of the Chill from 1997 through 1999. 

LAST MEETINGS
Wisconsin 3, Ohio State 1
January 26, 2017

Two goals in the first eight minutes of the game proved to be enough for the Badgers as they toppled Ohio State by a 3-1 score in Columbus.

Captain Luke Kunin began UW's successful first period with a short-handed goal just 3:24 into the first, extending his point streak to seven games in the process.

The Cardinal and White struck again 5:22 later as Matthew Freytag doubled the Badgers' lead. 

Matthew Weis scored his eighth goal of the season, four and a half minutes into the second, to cut the Wisconsin lead in half. The Badgers would hold on to their slim one-goal lead heading into the final period of play.

Both teams continued to push for a goal in an even-played third period but the 2-1 score held up until Ohio State pulled their goalie with under two minutes to play.

Wisconsin would end up capitalizing as Ryan Wagner found the empty net with 51 seconds to play and seal the Badgers' 3-1 victory.

Jack Berry ended the night with 26 saves on 27 shots to improve his record to 6-4-1 on the season.

Wisconsin 3, Ohio State 2 (OT)
January 28, 2017

Despite losing a two-goal lead with under two minutes to play in regulation, the Badgers defeated the Ohio State Buckeyes  3-2, in overtime, at Madison Square Garden.

Cameron Hughes scored the game-winner 2:58 into the five-minute overtime period after collecting a loose puck in front of the OSU goal.

Wisconsin started the scoring late in the first period as Aidan Cavallini scored his second goal of the season to put the Badgers up 1-0. 

Wisconsin denied PSU a lead at the first intermission on Matt Ustaski's third goal of the year with 23 seconds to play in the period. 

Matthew Freytag finally found the back of the net with 5:03 to go in the game, netting his second goal of the series.

In the final minutes of the period, Hughes was whistled for tripping and Ohio State was able to cash in on the ensuing power play to make it 2-1 after pulling their goalie with 1:40 to play. The Buckeyes then tied the game at 2-2 with 16 seconds left in the third to force the game into overtime.

BEHIND THE BENCH
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Head Coach: Tony Granato
Record at WIS: 19-12-1 (1st Year)
Overall: 19-12-1 (1st Year)

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Head Coach: Steve Rohlik
Record at PSU: 64-61-18 (.510) (4 Seasons)
Overall: 64-61-18 (.510) (4 Seasons)

BUSY WEEK AHEAD
The last regular-season weekend of the season is filled with special events, in addition to the Badgers' pair of games this weekend against Ohio State.

A Celebration of Life of Jeff Sauer takes place Thursday at the Kohl Center. The Sauer family will meet with the public between 4-6 p.m., before a program begins at 6 p.m.

Wisconsin's hockey parents will be recognized during the first intermission of Friday's game.

Saturday is senior night, with UW's seniors recognized before the start of the game.

Wisconsin's 1977 NCAA championship team will be recognized on Saturday. This year marks the 40th anniversary of the program's second NCAA title. That team set a UW record with 37 wins and scored a remarkable 93 power-play goals, finishing the season with a 39.1 percent power play success rate. They also won WCHA regular-season and playoff titles that year.

Sunday is 'Skate with the Badgers' from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kohl Center.

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER
The Badgers are guaranteed a top-three finish in the Big Ten standings, can clinch at least second place with at least two points and can grab at least a share of the Big Ten title by gaining at least three more points than Minnesota this weekend. The Badgers were picked to finish fifth in the preseason Big Ten poll by the coaches.

This weekend finishes its final six-game stretch of the regular season, all against teams currently ranked. UW is 7-7-0 against ranked foes. 

Wisconsin's seven goals last Friday were the most for a Badger team in a game since a 7-4 victory at Michigan on Dec. 9.

UW has now scored 5+ goals in a game 13 times this season, the most since the 2009–10 team did it in 18 games.

Senior forward Grant Besse scored the game-winning goal Friday. The goal ended a 14-game goal-scoring drought, giving Besse his first tally since Dec. 10 at Michigan. The goal was his ninth of the season and tied him for the team lead with three game-winning tallies. He is the team's career leader with six game-winners. He is also now three points away from 100 for his career. 

Three Badgers recorded three-point games last Friday, with two setting career highs and one tying his career high in the process. Junior forward Ryan Wagner led the way with the last two goals of the game, and the primary assist on the game-opening tally. He was also plus-3 in the game. The three points matched his career high. Sophomore forward Will Johnson set a career best with the game's first goal, and two assists. He was also plus-4 in the game. Finally, senior defenseman Corbin McGuire recorded three assists.  

Senior forward Aidan Cavallini had his first career two-assist game last Friday, giving him two multi-point games in his last five contests. He had no multi-point games in his first 76 career games played prior to the last five games. Cavallini has 11 points this season after totalling four points in his first three seasons (53 games played). His previous career high for a season was the two points he recorded both his sophomore and junior seasons, all on assists. All six of his career goals have come in the last 17 games.

Wisconsin tied its season-high for goals last Friday without getting a contribution from its top-three leading scorers. Sophomore forward Luke Kunin (35 points) and freshman forward Trent Frederic (32 points) both had eight-game point streaks stopped, while junior forward Cameron Hughes (30 points) failed to record a point for just the second time in 15 games and the third time in 20 contests. All three also went scoreless on Saturday.

Junior defenseman Jake Linhart skated in his 100th career game last Friday, becoming the fourth current Badger to do so (Besse - 134; Soleway - 110; Wagner - 102; Linhart - 101). Redshirt junior defenseman Tim Davison and junior forward Cameron Hughes are next in line with 98 games played. Senior defenseman Corbin McGuire is on the cusp as well, with 97 games played.

Sophomore forward Seamus Malone had a goal and an assist last Friday to give UW its third double-digit goal scorer of the season. The two points also helped Malone eclipse his freshman season total of 26 points. He now boasts 10 goals and 28 points on the year.

Thanks to a career-best three-point outing by junior right winger Will Johnson in the win over Penn State, the Badgers now have eight players with 20 points or more this season. Johnson (9-12-21) joins a list that includes Kunin, Frederic, Hughes, sophomore center Seamus Malone (10-18-28), senior right winger Grant Besse (9-19-28), junior winger Ryan Wagner (9-18-27) and junior defenseman Jake Linhart (6-16-22). The last time UW had more 20-point sources was 2009-10 with 10.

UW went 0-for-1 on the power play in both games last weekend. The two weekend power plays marked the fewest in a weekend this season, with the closest being the four chances UW had against Ohio State on Jan. 26 and 28. UW had no chances the first night of that series and then went 0-for-4 in the second game against OSU.

Wisconsin is one conference victory from matching its Big Ten high of 13 set during the inaugural Big Ten season of 2013–14 when UW finished 13-6-1 in league play. The Badgers placed second that season before winning the Big Ten tournament.

UW is one victory away from the program's 37th 20-win campaign all time, and its first since the 2013–14 season. 

A season-high six different goal scorers tallied last Friday for UW, with Johnson, Malone, Besse, Wagner (2), Matt Ustaski and Jason Ford scoring goals.

The Badgers have four short-handed goals over the last 12 contests, and five over the last 16 games played. UW had just one short-handed goal over the first 16 games of the season.

Sophomore forward Luke Kunin, who leads the Badgers with 20 goals, has just one marker in his last five games. 

NUMBERS TO KNOW
13- Wisconsin sits one conference victory away from tying its Big Ten high of 13 set during the inaugural season of 2013–14. UW went 13-6-1 that season and finished second in the standings before winning the Big Ten tournament.

37- UW is one victory away from the program's 37th 20-win campaign all time, and its first since the 2013–14 season. 

20- The last time UW had more than eight 20-point scorers, like it has now, was in the 2009–10 season when 10 Badgers reached the mark.

TOP-13 SPECIAL TEAMS
Wisconsin's 35 power-play goals through 32 games is the most for the Badgers in a season since the team scored 44 during the 2010–11 campaign in 41 games. 

UW went 0-for-2 on the power play last weekend at Penn State.

UW ranks ninth in the country with the man advantage at 22.2 percent (35-for-158).

Wisconsin's penalty kill ranks 13th in the nation at 85.4 percent (117-for-137).

UW allowed three power-play goals last weekend, marking just the third time this season that has happened.

The Badgers have faced three of the top-10 power plays in the country this season in a total of eight games, including two against the nation's top power play, Ohio State.

This week's opponent, Ohio State, leads the country with a 31.9 percent power play (44-138).

The Badgers had allowed no more than one power-play goal in a game in 16 consecutive tilts, going perfect in eight of those contests, before allowing two goals to Penn State last Saturday.

The Badgers have allowed more than one power-play goal in a game just four times through the first 32 games this season. They have had 16 perfect nights on the penalty kill. 

UW is the only school in the country to boasts top-13 programs in both power play and penalty Kill. UMass Lowell is the only other school boasting both a top-15 power play and penalty kill.

Ohio State's penalty kill ranks 57th of 60 schools in the country at 72.9 percent.

LINHART AND SOUL
Junior defenseman Jake Linhart has points in 10 of his last 12 games and has scored four goals and six assists during that span. He has had two five-game point streaks over the last 12 contests.

Linhart has quietly accumulated 22 points in 32 games to grab the team lead among defenseman in scoring. Linhart's 22 points, on six goals and 16 assists, are fifth among Big Ten rearguards in scoring. His 13 points in Big Ten action has him third in the Big Ten among defenseman in league games. His five Big Ten goals are tied for the conference lead among rearguards.

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.

Jurusik is 5-3-0 with a 3.37 goals-against average and .900 save percentage in his eight appearances in 2017. That included a four-game winning streak.

Berry is 6-2-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in the new year.  

Berry leads all goalies in Big Ten play with a 2.81 goals-against average, while his .902 Big Ten save percentage is third.
 
ABOUT FIRST PLACE
Wisconsin sits in second place in the Big Ten, three points behind league-leading Minnesota. UW spent two weeks tied with Minnesota in first place, before dropping behind the Feb. 10-11 weekend after losses to Penn State. UW's victory at Minnesota on Feb. 24 returned the Badgers to a tie for the conference lead, but UW fell three points back after dropping a contest at the Gophers the following night. Then last Friday, UW drew back even with UM with a win at Penn State and Minnesota's loss at Michigan. However, UW fell behind again last Saturday with a loss at PSU and Minnesota's win at Michigan. 

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
The Badgers played to a split at No. 11 Penn State last weekend, winning last Friday, 7-4, before dropping a 6-0 decision last Saturday.

Will Johnson opened the scoring at 9:10 of the first period, before PSU's Andrew Sturtz tied the game at 12:02.

Seamus Malone and Jason Ford scored in the second period, before PSU again came back to tie at 3-3, but Matt Ustaski scored with 12 seconds left in the period to give UW the lead for good.

Grant Besse ended a 14-game goal-scoring drought with the eventual game-winning tally at 4:02 of the third period to make it a 5-3 game.

After PSU scored to make it 5-4, Ryan Wagner scored twice, including late into an empty net, to seal a 7-4 win.

Freshman Jack Berry made 34 saves to imrpove to 10-5-1 on the season.

UW had just one power play, a five-minute major, but failed to score.

Saturday, Penn State scored twice in the first period, which proved to be all the offense it needed in a 6-0 shutout.

The Badgers had numerous grade A scoring chances throughout the game, but failed to beat PSU goaltender Peyton Jones, who finished with 36 saves.

UW was outshot 40-36 in the contest, and failed on its lone power-play chance.

Sophomore Matt Jurusik made 34 saves and fell to 9-7-0. 
 
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 3.66 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 - 4.22
3. Ohio State - 4.00
4t. Minnesota - 3.85
7. Wisconsin - 3.66 

The Badgers ranks second in Big Ten action with an average of 3.89 goals per game, trailing only Minnesota's average of 4.11 goals per contest.

Wisconsin ranks third in Big Ten play, allowing 3.22 goals-against per game.

RIGHT SAID FRED
The Hockey Commissioners' Association Rookie of the Month for February began March by going without a point in UW's first series of March at Penn State. That marked the first time all season that Frederic went without a point in consecutive games. 

Frederic led the nation's freshmen with eight goals and 14 points in February.

One of three Badgers with double figures in goals (15), Frederic ranks second on the Badgers with 32 points.

The Badgers are 17-9-0 with Frederic in the lineup and 2-3-1 without him.

Since the beginning of 2017, Frederic leads the Badgers in scoring with 20 points on 10 goals and 10 assists.

Frederic ranks third among the nation's rookies with 1.23 points per game, 20th among all skaters and fifth in the Big Ten. 

Freshman forward Trent Frederic's goal eight seconds into the Feb. 18 game against Michigan set the school record for fastest goal to start a game, beating Ryan Wagner, Gary Winchester and Steve Reinprecht by one second.

Chosen 29th overall by the Boston Bruins in the 2016 NHL Draft, Frederic has 14 goals and 30 points in just 22 games this season, making him one of three Badgers averaging a point per game.

The Badgers average 3.85 goals per game with Frederic in the lineup (100 goals in 26 games), and 2.83 goals per game without him (17 goals in six games).

Frederic is tied for the national lead and leads the Big Ten with five short-handed points, boasting two goals and three assists.

HUGHES NETS
Junior forward Cameron Hughes had a  12-game point streak from Jan. 6 through Feb. 18, posting five goals and 11 assists during the longest of his career and the longest for the Badgers this season.

Hughes' 12-game point streak is the longest for Wisconsin since Nic Kerdiles had a 12-game point streak from Feb. 24-March 29, 2013. 

He has just one assist in the four games since. 

The streak was tied for the 14th-longest in school history.

Hughes is one of three Badgers with at least 30 points this season and reached the mark for the first time in his career.

With three 30-point scorers, the Badgers have three in a season for the first time since the 2013–14 season. The 2012–13 season is the last time UW had four players with 30 points. Grant Besse (27 points) and Seamus Malone (26 points) are within striking distance. 
 
CAPTAIN KUNIN
Sophomore captain Luke Kunin leads the Badgers in scoring with a career-high 35 points and 20 goals. 

Kunin is averaging 0.60 goals per game for his career with 39 goals in 65 games played. That is the highest average in the country for skaters in at least their sophomore seasons. Only BU frosh Clayton Keller (0.73 in 26 GP) and DU freshman Henrik Borgstrom (0.70 in 30 GP) have better averages.

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 ranks second in the country with six goals and 10 points coming in the first and last minute of periods. His six goals share the national lead 

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 on Nov. 18. 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 (and others) to 100
Senior forward Grant Besse needs three 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 28 points through 31 games played, Besse currently boasts 39 goals, 58 assists and 97 points in 134 games played.

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    

KERDILES MAKES NHL DEBUT
2013 WCHA Final Five MVP Nic Kerdiles became the 18th Badgers this season and the 82nd all time to play in the NHL when he skated on Feb. 22 for the Anaheim Ducks in a 5-3 victory over the Boston Bruins in his home state of California.

Kerdiles became the second Badger to make his NHL debut, joining Joseph LaBate, who skated his first NHL games this season for the Vancouver Canucks.

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.

SKATE WITH THE BADGERS
Wisconsin will hold its annual 'Skate with the Badgers' on Sunday, March 12 from noon to 2 p.m. at the Kohl Center. 

Admission for the event is free, however participants who want to take part must provide their own skates. No sticks or puck will be allowed on the ice. For those without skates, you can still come to the event and get autographs from the stands.

The Kohl Center doors will open at 11:30 a.m. at the Gate B entrance. Badger fans can pick up team photos at the door for their favorite players to sign.

"Skate with the Badgers" on Sunday follows the UW men's hockey final home series with Ohio State on Friday and Saturday evening, March 10 and 11 at the Kohl Center.

JEFF SAUER PASSES
Jeff Sauer, 20-year head coach for Wisconsin (1982–2002), passed away on Feb. 2 at the age of 73. Wisconsin's all-time winningest coach in any sport with 489 victories at UW, Sauer won 655 games as a college hockey head coach when combining UW and Colorado College, where he coached before taking over the UW program.

Sauer was inducted into the UW Athletics Hall of Fame in the fall of 2016, and earned membership in the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in 2014. 

Sauer directed UW to NCAA titles in 1983 and 1990. He was the first men's hockey coach to direct a team to an NCAA championship in his first year at a school when the Badgers captured the 1983 crown.

The Badgers will wear a jersey patch and helmet stickers to honor Sauer the rest of the season.

REUNION WEEKEND FEATURES 1977 NCAA CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Wisconsin will celebrate all its men's hockey alumni the weekend of March 10-11. 

There will be special recognition of the 1977 NCAA championship team that won UW's second NCAA title.

That team set the UW record with 37 victories. It also set school marks with 264 goals, 93 power-play goals and a 39.1 percent power play (93-238).

The Badgers defeated Michigan in overtime, 6-5, to capture the national title. 

Head coach Bob Johnson was named the national coach of the year, while Mark Johnson was named the freshman of the year. 

Forward Mike Eaves, defenseman Craig Norwich and goaltender Julian Baretta were all named All-Americans.

Baretta was the NCAA tournament MVP, while Norwich and defenseman John Taft were all part of the NCAA all-tournament squad.

UP NEXT
The weekend series with Ohio State wraps up the regular season for the Big Ten, paving way for the Big Ten Tournament in Detroit from March 16-18. The Badgers need just one point over the two games to secure a top-two seed and a bye in the first round. UW currently sits in second place with 36 points, three behind Minnesota who host Michigan State this weekend. Penn State, who travels to Michigan, is currently in third place with 31 points and OSU is two behind in fourth place with 29.

Should UW secure a top-two ranking, their first game will be on Friday, March 17 at either 3:30 p.m. CT or 7 p.m. CT. All games will air on Big Ten Network, BTN2Go and on the radio on WIBA-AM 1310 and the Badgers Sports Network.