MADISON, Wis. — After dropping a pair of road contests at then-No. 6 Ohio State, the Wisconsin men's hockey team travels to Ann Arbor, Michigan to take on No. 14 Michigan in a Friday-Saturday series at Yost Ice Arena. Last weekend, the Badgers fell, 4-0, in the series opener against the Buckeyes before dropping a 3-1 decision in the finale.
Both games against Michigan this weekend are scheduled for 6:30 p.m. starts (CT). Â
Here are six notes to know ahead of this week's battle against the Wolverines.
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HAPPY THANKSGIVING: This weekend's series marks the first time the Badgers and Wolverines are meeting Thanksgiving weekend since Nov. 26, 2010, when the teams played in the final College Hockey Showcase game, a 4-4 overtime tie at the Kohl Center. The College Hockey Showcase was played annually from 1993 to 2010 and included Wisconsin and Minnesota taking on Michigan and Michigan State each year on Thanksgiving weekend.
Additionally, New York Rangers backstopper and former Wisconsin goaltender Mike Richter appeared in this morning's Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade on the Discover/NHL Frozen Fall Fun float alongside fellow NHL goaltender Bernie Parent.
I'M COMING HOME: This weekend's road trip marks the last for the Badgers until Jan. 25, when UW will head to Minnesota. Following this weekend, the Badgers will skate their next seven regular-season games, plus an exhibition game, at the Kohl Center. UW will also serve as the home team on Jan. 20 when it takes on Notre Dame at the United Center in Chicago.
DANGEROUS DHOOGHE: Sophomore forward
Sean Dhooghe scored his team-leading seventh goal of the season last Saturday against Ohio State. That is already one more than the six he scored in 37 games his freshman season. The goal was also his fourth power-play tally of the season, which has him tied for fourth in the nation in power-play markers, and just two behind the national lead. Dhooghe now has seven goals and nine points on the year.Â
100, WE WANT MORE: Senior forward
Matthew Freytag is set to become the fourth Badger on the roster to play in 100 career games on Saturday should he get into Friday and Saturday's games at Michigan. Seniors
Seamus Malone and
Will Johnson lead with 118 games played, while senior
Peter Tischke is at 111 games.
SCOUTING THE WOLVERINES: The Wolverines enter the series with a 6-5-0 overall record and a 2-2-0-0 conference ledger. Sophomore forward Josh Norris, who ranked seventh in scoring last season, leads the Wolverines in scoring with eight goals and 15 points through 11 games. Michigan goaltender Hayden Lavigne returns for his junior season after backstopping the Wolverines in 33 contests last year. He and freshman netminder Strauss Mann have split time in the net this season, with Mann earning the start in both games last weekend against Penn State.
This weekend, the Badgers and the Wolverines  meet for the 148th and 149th times in what is the second-most played rivalry in the Big Ten in UW men's hockey history. The Wolverines lead the all-time series 76-59-12 against the Badgers. The last time Wisconsin and Michigan met, the Wolverines defeated the Badgers in a best-of-three series in the first round of the Big Ten playoffs to end UW's 2017-18 campaign.
FANTASTIC FIVE: Wisconsin signed a five-member recruiting classes that includes four forwards and one defenseman. Two of the forwards, Cole Caufield (Stevens Point, Wisconsin) and Alex Turcotte (Island Lake, Illinois), were ranked as A prospects for the 2019 NHL Draft by NHL Central Scouting (potential first round draft picks), while a third forward, Owen Lindmark (Naperville, Illinois), was given a C rating as a potential fourth through sixth-round pick.
The fourth forward, Dylan Holloway (Bragg Creek, Alberta), will be too young for next year's draft, but is expected to be a top pick in the 2020 NHL Draft. Defenseman Michael Vorlicky (Edina, Minnesota) is the fifth signee.
