THE LIONS COME TO THE BADGERS' DEN
No. 18 Wisconsin (12-12-3, 6-8-2-0 Big Ten) returns to the Kohl Center to face No. 14 Penn State (13-10-3, 6-7-8-2 Big Ten) on Friday and Saturday, Jan. 26-27. Friday's game starts at 8 p.m. CT while Saturday is a 7 p.m. CT puck drop.
Saturday will be Wisconsin's "Face-off Against Cancer" game, designed to raise awareness about the work of local cancer research.
Friday's game will be shown on BTN while Saturday will be broadcast on Fox Sports Wisconsin. Both games will be available online at BTN2Go.com and on the BTN2Go app for cable and satellite subscribers.
In Wisconsin's last time on the ice, it secured a 5-0 victory over No. 1 Notre Dame on Sunday, Jan. 21, handing the Fighting Irish their first Big Ten conference loss. The victory at the United Center in Chicago also snapped a 16-game win streak for the Irish.
The Badgers fell to Notre Dame Friday, Jan. 19 in South Bend, 4-2.
Penn State enters the series having been swept by Michigan last weekend in Ann Arbor. The Nittany Lions suffered a 4-0 shutout on Friday and dropped a 3-2 contest on Saturday.
SERIES NOTES
Penn State
The teams meet for the 24th and 25th times, and for the third and fourth times this season.
The Badgers are 2-13-1 in the last 16 games against Penn State in the series.
Earlier this season, Penn State took game one of the series, 5-1, before the teams played to a 3-3 draw in game two, with Penn State coming away with the extra point in conference standings after a shootout.
Wisconsin-Penn State Connections
Wisconsin's hockey operations director Shane Connelly hails from Cheltenham, Pennsylvania.
UW head coach Tony Granato spent 2009–14 as an assistant coach with the Pittsburgh Penguins.
PSU freshman defenseman Cole Hults is from Stoughton, Wisconsin, and skated for the USHL's  Madison Capitols.
UW rookies Sean Dhooghe and Tyler Inamoto were teammates with Penn State frosh Evan Barratt with the U.S. National Team Development Program.
UW winger Dan Labosky and Penn State juniors Kevin Kerr and Chase Berger played together on the Tri-City Storm in the USHL from 2012-15. Wisconsin forward Matthew Freytag played with the trio on the Storm from 2013-15.
UW forward Matt Ustaski and PSU forward James Robinson were teammates on the Langley Rivermen in the BCHL from 2012-14.
Badgers' forwards Seamus Malone and Jason Ford played alongside Penn State's Nate Sucese for the Dubuque Fighting Saints in the USHL from 2012-14. Â Â
LAST MEETINGS
Penn State 5, Wisconsin 1
January 5, 2018
Penn State got off to a fast start, scoring two goals in both the first and second periods to lead 4-0.
Freshman Tarek Baker scored the Badgers' lone goal at the 11:54 mark of the third period.
Penn State added an empty-net goal in the final minute of play.
Senior Kyle Hayton made 17 saves in relief and did not allow a goal.
Penn State 3, Wisconsin 3
January 6, 2018
Wisconsin came back from a 3-1 deficit to tie the contest, 3-3, in the final minute of regulation and forced a shootout with the Nittany Lions.
Trailing 3-2, junior Peter Tischke sent a laser from the point past three PSU defenders and behind Peyton Jones with 1:52 remaining in regulation.
During extra time, Penn State potted a goal and cleared the bench to celebrate, but the officials reviewed the goal and ruled that James Robinson had affected senior goaltender Kyle Hayton's movement and disallowed the goal. The teams played on but neither would connect in overtime and the game officially ended in a 3-3 tie.
Penn State opened the scoring, but the Badgers' soon tied the game 1-1 on a goal from freshman Linus Weissbach.
Penn State took a 2-1 lead late in the second period and widened it to 3-1 early in the third, but the Badgers came back with a goal from freshman Sean Dhooghe and Tischke's score to even the match, 3-3.
Penn State would go on to take the extra point in league standings in a shootout win.
BEHIND THE BENCH
WISCONSINÂ BADGERS
Head Coach: Tony Granato
Record at WIS: 32-27-4 (2nd Year)
Overall: 32-27-4 (2nd Year)
PENN STATE NITTANY LIONS
Head Coach: Guy Gadowsky
Record at PSU: 98-90-15 (6th Year)
Overall: 271-288-52 (18th Year)
BY THE NUMBERS
40 -Â Sophomore goaltender Jack Berry stopped all 40 shots face against No. 1 Notre Dame last Sunday at the United Center in Chicago. The 40 saves are tied for sixth all time at Wisconsin for saves in a shutout with NHLers Brian Elliott and Wayne Thomas.
3 -Â Wisconsin is 3-for-3 on penalty shots this season, marking the first time in school history it has scored more than one penalty-shot goal in a season. The Badgers have scored on five consecutive penalty-shot attempts dating back to Oct. 20, 2015.
11Â -Â Senior captain Cameron Hughes leads the Badgers in point-scoring against Penn State with 11 points (two goals and nine assists) in 15 games.Â
'FACE-OFF AGAINST' CANCER GAMEÂ ONÂ JAN. 27
The Wisconsin men's hockey team invites fans to "Face-off Against Cancer" on Jan. 27 when it hosts Penn State in a game designed to raise awareness about the work of local cancer research.
In partnership with the UW Carbone Cancer Center, the event will be a celebration of the doctors and researchers working at UW-Madison to find a cure, as well as serving to recognize those who fight or have fought bravely against this disease, the community impacted by cancer and the support they provide in this fight.
The game will feature a ceremonial puck drop and fan giveaways, as well as presentations from the UW Carbone Cancer Center, the American Family Children's Hospital and The Ride. Participants of The Ride will be in attendance as we honor beneficiaries of this year's proceeds during intermission.
KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER
With eight games remaining in the regular season, the Badgers sit tied with Minnesota for fifth place with 20 points, three behind fourth-place Penn State for the final home ice playoff spot. Notre Dame leads the Big Ten with a 13-1-0 mark and 39 points.Â
The top four teams in the Big Ten standings after the regular season ends are guaranteed to play host to at least one round of the Big Ten playoffs.
In Sunday's victory, sophomore forward Trent Frederic recorded the Badgers' second short-handed goal of the season, his second in as many series and the fourth of his career.
Wisconsin capitalized on the power play last Sunday, scoring twice on the man-advantage for the first time since Dec. 1 at Minnesota, a span of eight games. It marked the seventh time this season UW has scored two power-play goals in a game. Wisconsin's power play sits second in the Big Ten at at 21.0 percent clip (22-for-105).
The Badgers scored five goals from five different players on Sunday, becoming the first team to score more than two goals on the Fighting Irish since Penn State on Nov. 10.
Freshman Wyatt Kalynuk scored the Badgers' first of five goals, adding an assist for his seventh multi-point performance since becoming a Badger. Kalynuk ranks second among Big Ten defensemen with his 20 points this season.
THIRD PERIODS ARE KEY
Third periods have been key to the Badgers' success this season. UW is 9-2-1 when outscoring its opponents in the final frame, but just 1-8-2 when getting outscored in the third stanza.
That held again last weekend as UND and Wisconsin scored just one goal in the third period on Friday and the Badgers fell, 4-2. Last Sunday, UW won the third, 2-0, and won a 5-0 contest.
The Badgers have outscored opponents 86-77 this season, including 28-20 in the first period and 29-26 in the second period. UW is down 30-29 in third periods. UW has been edged 1-0 in overtimes.
The Badgers have scored first in 16 of 27 games this season and sit 10-5-1 in those contests. However, UW has the first goal just twice in its last seven games.
CHICAGO IS MY KIND OF TOWN
With the 5-0 win over Notre Dame on Sunday, the Badgers are now 5-0-0 in games played in Chicago and 11-0-0 in games played in Illinois during the modern era.
Wisconsin's win Sunday helped it improve to 15-18-3 against teams ranked No. 1 in the USCHO.com Poll since it began in 1997 and 11-9-2 against No. 1 teams when the Badgers are ranked. The win was the first game against No. 1 in the Granato era.
Seven Wisconsin players, as well as head coach Tony Granato, call the Chicago area home. Those include Jason and Sean Dhooghe (Aurora), Tyler Inamoto (Chicago), Seamus Malone (Naperville), Peter Tischke (Hinsdale), Matt Ustaski (Glenview) and Ryan Wagner (Park Ridge). Granato is a Downers Grove native.
The six Illinois natives who played last Sunday were key in UW's victory in Chicago, combining for two goals, four assists, six points, 19 shots and a plus-5 rating.
The game was the third NHL building in two seasons for the Badgers after the team skated at Madison Square Garden in New York and Joe Louis Arena in Detroit last year.
SHORT-HANDED FREDERIC
After going the first 24 games of the season without a short-handed goal, the Badgers have scored two in the last three games, and have a third goal on a penalty shot drawn while UW was shorthanded.
All three goals have come off the stick of sophomore forward Trent Frederic. He scored a short-handed goal in UW's 5-2 victory against Michigan State on Jan. 13, scored on a penalty shot at Notre Dame that he drew with a short-handed breakaway on Jan. 19, then scored a short-handed goal on Sunday, Jan. 21 in Chicago against the Fighting Irish in UW's 5-0 victory.
Prior to Jan. 13, UW hadn't scored shorthanded since Feb. 24, 2017, from an Aidan Cavallini tally at Minnesota.
AND THE FRESHMEN SHALL LEAD THEM
Wisconsin's seven-member freshman class paces the Badgers in scoring with 78 points, 10 more than UW's eight-member senior group. UW's eight juniors own 57 points, while the five sophomores account for 23 points.Â
Badger freshmen Sean Dhooghe (goal, two assists), Wyatt Kalynuk (goal, assist), Linus Weissbach (goal) and Tarek Baker (assist) each recorded points last weekend for UW.
With 78 points (27 goals, 51 assists), Wisconsin's freshmen rank third among national rookie classes in scoring this season.
FRESHMAN SCORING
| RK |
TEAM |
POINTS |
| 1. |
Massachusetts |
106 |
| 2. |
Bowling Green |
85 |
| 3. |
Wisconsin |
78 |
| 4. |
Minnesota State |
74 |
| 5. |
Minnesota Duluth |
72 |
UW center Tarek Baker and defenseman Wyatt Kalynuk are on pace to do something rarely seen in program history. Baker, from Verona, Wisconsin, ranks second on the team in goals with 10. Kalynuk, from Virden, Manitoba, paces the club with 18 assists. The last time freshmen led the Badgers in those two categories over the course of a full season was 1965–66 when center Chuck Kennedy and winger Tom Obrodovich had 13 goals apiece and Kennedy had 14 assists. It also happened in 1963–64 when winger Ron Leszczynski accounted for team highs with 16 goals and 18 assists.
Kalynuk's 18 points have him tied for first in the country among the nation's rookie rear guards, knotted up with Denver's Ian Mitchell.
SPECIAL TEAMS
UW is tied for 18th nationally with its 21.0 percent power play (22-for-105), which is second in the Big Ten.Â
UW's power play went 0-for-3 against Notre Dame on Friday but capitalized twice on Sunday, going 2-for-6.
This week's opponent, Penn State, ranks 16th in the country with an 83.1 percent penalty kill (74-for89).
The Badgers went 0-for-7 on the power play against Penn State when the teams met earlier this season for a series. Â
Wisconsin's penalty kill is 90-for-109 (.826) on the season, ranking fifth in the Big Ten and 21st nationally.Â
Penn State's power play is 15th in the country at 21.2 percent (21-for-99).
CROWDSOURCING
The Badgers had their biggest crowd of the season in its most recent home game on Jan. 13 when 13,735 fans showed up at the Kohl Center for its game against Michigan State.
That marked the largest crowd since 14,868 saw UW beat Minnesota, 5-3, on Jan. 21, 2017.Â
BLOCKED SHOTS
Junior defenseman Peter Tischke has 56 blocked shots this season, tied for second in the Big Ten and fourth in the country. His 2.07 blocks per game rank 17th.
WHERE THEY RANK
A handful of Badgers rank among the top players in the Big Ten in various categories.
| 11t. Wagner |
22 points |
| 4t. Frederic |
11 goals |
| 9t. Baker |
10 goals |
| 6t. Kalynuk |
18 assists |
| 2t. Kalynuk |
15 power-play points |
| 4t. Wagner |
5 power-play goals |
| 4t. Malone |
3 game-winners |
| 2. Kalynuk |
20 points (D-men) |
| 2t. Kalynuk |
20 points (Freshmen) |
| 3. Wisconsin |
3.19 goals/game |
| 4. Wisconsin |
2.85 GA/game |
| 2. Wisconsin |
21.0% power play |
| 5. Wisconsin |
82.6% penalty kill |
JOHANNSONÂ PASSES AWAY
Jim Johannson, the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team general manager, passed away last weekend at the age of 53. The former Badger, who helped UW to the 1983 NCAA championship, had been with USA Hockey since 2000 in various roles, including assistant executive director of hockey operations since 2007.
As a Badger, Johannson scored 63 goals, 67 assists and 130 points in 148 games played from 1982-86. He was also a part of Wisconsin's 1983 NCAA championship team.
Among the numerous accomplishment during his USA Hockey tenure, among the most significant were capturing 64 medals in major international competition, including 34 gold, 19 silver and 11 bronze; the launching and implementation of the highly acclaimed American Development Model; and securing USA Hockey Arena in Plymouth, Michigan, as a home for all U.S. teams to utilize.
"We lost a true friend in Jim Johannson today," Wisconsin and U.S. Olympic coach Tony Granato said. "He was so compassionate and as loyal a friend as you could have. He was the ultimate teammate.
"I am deeply saddened and shocked and sorry that he is no longer with us. He was a special human being. Please pray for Jim's wife and daughter, Abby and Ellie."
OF PENALTY SHOTS
Freshman forward Tarek Baker's successful penalty shot against Ohio State on Oct. 6 marked the fourth penalty shot goal in the last five seasons for the Badgers. Freshman forward Sean Dhooghe made it five in five seasons with his penalty-shot goal on Nov. 4 against North Dakota. Prior to the last five years, UW went 16 seasons without a successful penalty shot.Â
Both Baker's and Sean Dhooghe's penalty shot goals marked their first career goals as a Badger. That makes them the first UW skaters since at least the 1989–90 season to score their first goal on a penalty shot.
DOUBLE DHOOGHE
When Sean and Jason Dhooghe each scored their first career goals in the same game on Nov. 4 against North Dakota, they became the first brothers in UW history to accomplish the feat. They also became the sixth brother combination to score goals in the same game, including most recently current UW associate head coach Mark Strobel, and his twin brother, Mike, who both scored on Nov. 19, 1993 against Colorado College. They were the third Badger twin brothers to both score in the same game.
First OccurrenceÂ
| Brothers |
Date |
Opponent |
| Sean/Jason Dhooghe |
11/4/2017 |
North Dakota |
| Mark/Mike Strobel (twins) |
11/19/1993 |
Colo. College |
| Jim/John Johannson |
11/26/1982 |
Air Force |
| Scott/Todd Lecy |
11/2/1979 |
Michigan State |
| Mark/Peter Johnson |
11/10/1978 |
Michigan |
| Murray/Brad Johnson (twins) |
1/2/1976 |
Denver |
| Dave/Bob Lundeen |
11/17/1973 |
Notre Dame |
|
HEY, HAYTON
Goaltender Kyle Hayton joins the Badgers as a graduate transfer from St. Lawrence University, where he was named the ECAC Goaltender of the Year and a second-team All-American in 2016-17.Â
Hayton, a native of Denver, was one of 10 semifinalists for the Mike Richter Award. He started 35 of the Saints' 37 contests while posting a .929 save percentage and five shutouts.
Hayton finished his time at SLU as the leader in career wins, appearances, saves, shutouts and goals-against average in just three seasons of play.
Had Hayton played his first three years at Wisconsin, he would currently rank in the top-five on the all-time UW list for career save percentage (.929, second), shutouts (13, second), wins (61, fourth), goals-against average (2.20, second) and saves (3,509, third).
Hayton entered the season with numbers that rank among the best in the country among the nation's goaltenders. His 3,079 saves were No. 1, as was his .934 save percentage. He ranked second with 54 victories in goal, while his 13 shutouts also ranked second.Â
B1G ADDITION
Notre Dame is now the seventh member of the Big Ten for hockey after spending the last four seasons as a member of Hockey East. The Fighting Irish were CCHA members prior to that.
UND reached the 2017 NCAA Frozen Four semifinals, before eventual national champion Denver eliminated the Fighting Irish.
UND visits the Kohl Center for a Dec. 8-9 series, while UW visits South Bend, Indiana, for a series on Jan. 19-20.
The Big Ten moves to a three-week playoff with best-of-three series on campus sites, then a semifinal game and championship game at campus sites of the higher seed. The top seed will get a first-round bye.
OLYMPICS UPDATES
Badgers' head coach Tony Granato was named head coach of the United State's men's hockey team competing in the 2018 Winter Olympic Games in Pyeongchang, South Korea.
As a player, Granato represented Team USA in the 1988 Winter Games. He also served as an assistant coach for the Americans at the 2014 Olympics.
Joining Granato on the bench as an assistant coach will be former UW defenseman Chris Chelios, as well as general manager for Team USA Jim Johannson, who played with Granato at Wisconsin and on the 1988 Olympic team.
Granato joins Peter Laviolette, John Garrison, Jack Riley and Herb Brooks on a short list of coaches who have played in the Olympics for Team USA and later coached the American squad in the Games.
Granato joins Bob Johnson, who guided the Americans in 1976, as Wisconsin men's coaches who have been tabbed to coach Team USA.
OLYMPIC NOTES
There has been at least one Wisconsin men's hockey player competing at every Olympics dating back to 1976. In all but 1994, there have been at least two Badgers in each Olympics.
UW head coach Tony Granato is the 2018 U.S. Olympic Team head coach.
Two addition former Badgers are part of Team USA's staff as Chris Chelios serves as an assistant coach and Jim Johannson is the team general manager.
Two former Badgers will skate for Team Canada as forward Rene Bourque (2000–04) and defenseman Cody Goloubef (2007–10) were named to the squad.
Bourque and Goloubef are the fifth and sixth Badgers who will have represented Team Canada at the Olympics (Bruce Driver and Patrick Flatley (1984), Curtis Joseph (1998 and 2002), Dany Heatley (2006, 2010). Both Joseph and Heatley won gold medals.
They are the 24th and 25th Badgers to skate in the Olympics all-time.
100 GAMES
Six Badgers have skated in at least 100 games played with senior forward Ryan Wagner leading the way (133 GP). Also over the 100 games-played threshold are senior defenseman Jake Linhart (132), senior forward Cameron Hughes (129), senior defenseman Tim Davison (124) and senior forward Jason Ford (105). Graduate transfer goaltender Kyle Hayton has also played in 126 games.
Four others, including Seamus Malone (97), Will Johnson (97), Matt Ustaski (91) and Peter Tischke (89), are within striking distance of 100 games played.
UW boasted seven skaters last season with at least 100 games played, the most since the 2013–14 Badgers had 11 skaters over 100 career games played.
100 POINTS
A couple Wisconsin seniors have an outside chance at reaching 100 career points as Cameron Hughes has 87 career points and Ryan Wagner boasts 77 career points. Â
Should either reach the mark, they would be the first Badgers since the 2013–14 season to break the mark. That year, both Michael Mersch (120 points) and Tyler Barnes (101 points) eclipsed the mark.Â
CAPTAINS
Senior forward Cameron Hughes was named team captain after serving as an alternate captain in 2016-17.Â
The four Badgers joining Hughes as alternate captains are senior forward Ryan Wagner and senior defenseman Jake Linhart, as well as junior forward Seamus Malone and sophomore forward Trent Frederic.
The five-member leadership crew is the largest in program history, not counting the three seasons during which the Badgers have rotated and had game captains.
UW has had combinations of four captains and assistant captains on six prior occasions, including most recently during the 2012-13 season when captain John Ramage had assistant help from Ryan Little, Derek Lee and Frankie Simonelli.
FEELING A DRAFT
Wisconsin begins the season with nine NHL draft picks on its roster.Â
UW had four players selected in 2017, including three defensemen. That marks the first time since 2008 that three Badger defensemen were chosen by NHL teams.
Defenseman Tyler Inamoto (5th round, 133rd overall) was the highest pick for the Badgers in this year's draft, followed by defensemen Wyatt Kalynuk (196th) and Josh Ess (215th), both in the seventh round.
Forward Linus Weissbach was also selected in the seventh round, going 192nd overall.
This marks the second consecutive year that four Badgers were chosen in the NHL Draft.
CURRENT UW DRAFT PICKSÂ Â Â
COACHING THEM UP
All three Wisconsin coaches are Badgers' alumni with head coach Tony Granato (1983–87), associate head coach Mark Osiecki (1987–90) and associate head coach Mark Strobel (1991–95) all having skated for UW.
Granato, who completed his degree last year during his first season as UW head coach, will face a similar challenge this season as the 2018 U.S. Men's Olympic Hockey Team head coach.Â
UW's director of hockey operations Shane Connelly gives UW two former Badger athletes with NCAA titles on their resume. Connelly was a member of UW's 2006 NCAA title-winning team, while Osiecki played for the Badgers' 1990 NCAA championship team. Osiecki also served as an assistant coach for the 2006 team during his first coaching stint at UW.
UP NEXT
Wisconsin travels to Michigan for a series, Feb. 2-3. Both games of the series are set for 6:30 p.m. CT and will be televised on Fox Sports WisconsinÂ
