TICKETS
MADISON, Wis. – The No. 4 Wisconsin men's hockey team looks to pack the Kohl Center this weekend when No. 9 Minnesota visits for the first top-10 Border Battle series at the Kohl Center in 18 years.
The teams meet on Friday and Saturday, Feb. 2-3.
Here's six quick things to know before tuning in:
Rosters: Badgers || Gophers
1 - TWENTY WINS FOR BUCKY: With its 6-5 overtime win at Michigan on Saturday night, Wisconsin became the first team in the NCAA to reach 20 wins on the season.
The victory also marked UW's first 20-win season since the 2020-21 team went 20-10-1 and its third 20-win campaign since the 2013-14 slate.
UW's 20th victory in its 26th game is tied for its third fastest to the milestone behind only the 1981-82 (24 games) and the 1971-72 (25 games) squads. The 1976-77 team also reached 20 victories in 26 contests.
2 - WHITE OUT & NHL NIGHT: This Friday, Feb. 2, fans in attendance are asked to wear clothes to 'White Out' the Kohl Center. For Crease Creatures, a free t-shirt giveaway for the first 750 students in attendance will take place. Fans are also able to join the Crease Creatures for a live show during pregame outside of Sec. 116.
Saturday, Feb. 2, serves as 'NHL Night,' one of the six nights selected to honor the 75th season of Wisconsin men's hockey. The evening will commence with a special puck drop honoring UW alumni Derek Stepan on an incredible 13-year NHL career. Fans will also have the opportunity to enter a jersey sweepstakes before the game to win one of four jerseys from your favorite Badgers in the NHL. Enter at a table located in the concourse outside section 107.
Fans are also encouraged to wear your favorite (Badger in the) NHL jersey.
3 - A HEATED RIVALRY: This series marks the first top-10 Border Battle match up at the Kohl Center against Minnesota since 2006.
Wisconsin is 4-4-0 in match-ups against Minnesota since Feb. 2005 when both teams have been ranked in the top 10.
4 - MINNESOTA ROUND TWO: This weekend's series marks the second time that Wisconsin and Minnesota will meet this season. On Thursday and Friday, Oct. 26-27, the then-No. 14 Badgers swept the then-No. 1 Gophers at 3M at Mariucci Arena in Minneapolis.
Despite trailing 1-0 just 15 seconds into game one, UW scored three unanswered goals over the final minutes of the contest to win it 5-2. Both sophomore forward
Cruz Lucius and senior forward
Mathieu De St. Phalle scored twice to help Wisconsin upset the nation's top-ranked team.
UW won game two, 3-2. After heading into the third period tied at two, sophomore forward
Simon Tassy stunned the Gophers, scoring the go-ahead goal for Wisconsin with 2:31 left in the contest.
5 - SCOUTING MINNESOTA: No. 9 Minnesota currently boasts a 15-7-4 record, including an 8-5-3 ledger in Big Ten conference play. The Gophers head into the weekend after splitting a series against Michigan State, losing game one, 3-2, and winning game two, 5-1.
Junior forward Rhett Pitlick currently leads the roster with 15 goals and 29 points. Graduate student goaltender Justen Close has won 14 of 25 starts this season, accumulating a .916 save percentage and an average of 2.53 goals allowed per game.
6 - HOW TO WATCH: Puck drop for both contests is scheduled for 7 p.m. The games will stream live on B1G+ while audio play-by-play can be found on 1310 WIBA in the Madison area, 97.3 The Game in Milwaukee, as well as on the Badgers app and The Varsity Network app. You can also follow along on X/Twitter and Instagram @BadgerMHockey.
