This Week in Wisconsin Hockey - new

BIG TEN TOURNEY UP AS BADGERS LOOK TO EXTEND SEASON
Second-seed Wisconsin (19-14-1, 12-8-0-0 Big Ten) plays Friday at 3:30 p.m. CT in the 2017 Big Ten Tournament semifinals against the quarterfinal winner of third-seeded Ohio State (20-10-6, 11-8-1-1 Big Ten) and six-seed Michigan State (7-23-4, 3-14-3-1 Big Ten). OSU and MSU meet Thursday at 3:30 p.m. CT on Thursday.

2017 Big Ten Tournament Central

The entire 2017 Big Ten Tournament airs on BTN.

Wisconsin went 2-2-0 against Ohio State during the regular season, winning at Ohio State and at Madison Square Garden on Jan. 26 and 28, and getting swept last weekend at the Kohl Center.

The Badgers went 4-0-0 against Michigan State, grabbing a pair of 5-1 wins against the Spartans at the Kohl Center on Jan. 6 and 7, and skating to a 6-3 win and 4-3 overtime victory on Feb. 3 and 4 at MSU.

Game 35 \| Wisconsin vs. Ohio State/Michigan State
Date	Friday, March 17 \| 3:30 p.m. (CT)
Location	Detroit \| Joe Louis Arena (20,027)
Watch	Big Ten Network \| BTN2Go
Listen	WIBA 1310 \| Badger Sports Network \| Listen Live
Follow	Live Stats \| @BadgerMHockey
Game Notes	Wisconsin
Tickets	Big Ten Tournament

Game 36 \| Big Ten Championship Game
Date	Saturday, March 18 \| 7 p.m. (CT)
Location	Detroit \| Joe Louis Arena (20,027)
Watch	Big Ten Network \| BTN2Go
Listen	WIBA 1310 \| Badger Sports Network \| Listen Live
Follow	Live Stats \| @BadgerMHockey
Game Notes	Wisconsin
Tickets	Big Ten Tournament

SERIES NOTES
Ohio State
Although the teams have met just 28 times, the Badgers and Buckeyes have played 18 times since the 2013-14 season.

Wisconsin has a 6-8-3 record over that time frame.

The Badgers are 2-2-0 against OSU this season, winning at Ohio State and at neutral site Madison Square Garden in New York.

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.

Michigan State
The teams (might) meet for the 107th time.

UW has gone 5-3-0 against over the last two seasons.

Michigan State leads the series in neutral locations 11-6-1.

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.

WISCONSIN-MICHIGAN STATE CONNECTIONS
UW freshmen JD Greenway and Trent Frederic played in the USNTDP with Michigan State freshman Patrick Khodorenko.

UW junior Ryan Wagner played in the USNTDP with MSU’s Dylan Pavelek and Ed Minney.

MSU sophomore Mason Appleton, a Winnipeg draft choice, hails from Green Bay.

LAST MEETINGS
Wisconsin 3, Ohio State 1
March 11, 2017

OSU began the scoring just 2:46 into the first period on a power-play goal from Mason Jobst, his 18th of the year.

The Badgers looked to quickly respond, but they were outshot during the period, 10-7, and headed into the first intermission trailing by one.

The Buckeyes grabbed control of the game in the second period, adding a second goal 10:42 into the period on Kevin Miller’s 11th of the season.

Wisconsin wasn’t able to capitalize on two power plays during the period and were put in a three-goal hole on the latter man-advantage as Brendon Kearney scored a short-handed goal to make it 3-0 in favor of the Buckeyes with just over two minutes to play in the second.

Luke Kunin was eventually able to make it 3-1 on a power-play goal 11:37 into the final period. The captain finished off a cross-ice feed from Cameron Hughes for his 21st of his sophomore campaign. Trent Frederic also earned an assist on the play.

Wisconsin 4, Michigan State 3
Feb. 4, 2017
Defenseman Jake Linhart ended the game 1:34 into overtime as the Badgers knocked off Michigan State by a count of 4-3 on Saturday night at Munn Ice Arena.

UW led the game 3-2 late in the third period when Michigan State pulled its goaltender with 1:20 to go. MSU scored just 13 seconds later on a Brennan Sanford goal to make it 3-3 and force the game into sudden-death overtime.

The Spartans dominated the first minute of overtime, peppering Matt Jurusik with shots but the sophomore goalie held strong in between the pipes before Linhart scored his third goal of the year from the slot on a nice feed from Seamus Malone.

The game went back and forth with the Badgers striking first in the late stages of the first period. Luke Kunin scored a short-handed goal with 1:51 left in the opening frame to make it 1-0 Badgers.

In the second period, which has been the Badgers’ strongest period offensively this season, Michigan State scored twice to give themselves a 2-1 lead heading into the third.

The final period turned out to be the Cardinal and White’s most effective, as Frederic squeaked in his 10th goal of his freshman campaign to tie the game at 2-2.

Cameron Hughes and Cullen Hurley earned helpers on the play.

UW then took a 3-2 lead on Cameron Hughes’ sixth goal of the year. The junior forward deflected a Corbin McGuire shot past MSU goaltender John Lethemon to put Wisconsin up with 9:55 to play in regulation.

BEHIND THE BENCH
WISCONSIN BADGERS
Head Coach: Tony Granato
Record at WIS: 19-14-1 (1st Year)
Overall: 19-14-1 (1st Year)

OHIO STATE BUCKEYES
Head Coach: Steve Rohlik
Record at PSU: 66-61-18 (4 Seasons)
Overall: 66-61-18 (4 Seasons)

MICHIGAN STATE SPARTANS
Head Coach: Tom Anastos
Record at MSU: 75-113-38 (6 seasons)
Overall: 75-113-38 (6 seasons)

KEY NOTES TO CONSIDER
Wisconsin finished the regular season in second place in the Big Ten, the school’s highest conference finish since taking second during the inaugural Big Ten season of 2013–14. UW went on to win the inaugural Big Ten tournament that year.

UW is 2-2-0 all-time at the Big Ten tournament, going 2-0 in 2013-14 with wins over Penn State and Ohio State at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. UW lost its lone game at the 2015 tournament to Michigan at Joe Louis Arena in Detroit. Last season, UW fell to Penn State in St. Paul, Minnesota.

Five current Badgers from the 2014 Big Ten Tournament championship are are on the UW roster with Grant Besse, Aidan Cavallini, Jedd Soleway, Corbin McGuire and Tim Davison.

Next season, 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 by and Notre Dame joins the league as the seventh team.

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

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.

NUMBERS TO KNOW
5- Five current Badgers from the 2014 Big Ten Tournament championship team are on the UW roster with Grant Besse, Aidan Cavallini, Jedd Soleway, Corbin McGuire and Tim Davison. Only Besse and Soleway played in the championship game.

13- Wisconsin owns 13 titles in conference tournaments, including the inaugural Big Ten tournament title in 2014. UW also won titles in 2013, 1998, 1995, 1990, 1988, 1983, 1982, 1978, 1977, 1973, 1972 and 1970.

36- Sophomore Luke Kunin’s 36 points lead the team in scoring and marks the largest total for a Badger since Mark Zengerle led UW with 44 points during the 2013–14 season.

100- UW has six players who have played 100 career games, and seventh who can reach the mark on Friday. The last time UW had more on its roster was 2013–14 when the team boasted 11 skaters with at least 100 games played.

BADGERS IN DETROIT
The Badgers are 5-5-0 all-time playing at Joe Louis Arena, and 9-8-1 skating games in Detroit. Two of Wisconsin’s six NCAA titles have been won in Detroit, including the 1977 championship in which UW beat Michigan, 6-5 in overtime, at Olympia Stadium.

UW won the 1990 NCAA title at Joe Louis Arena with a 7-3 victory over Colgate, with current UW associate head coaches Mark Osiecki and Don Granato on the team. Osiecki had an assist in the game.

The Badgers also reached the 2010 NCAA Championship Game held at Ford Field after an 8-1 victory over RIT in the semifinals. UW trailed Boston College, 1-0, after two periods in the title game, but lost current New York Ranger forward Derek Stepan to an injury and then the game, 5-0.

UW’s most recent game at Joe Louis Arena was March 19, 2015, a 5-1 loss to Michigan in the 2015 Big Ten Tournament quarterfinals. Jedd Soleway scored the lone UW goal, on an assist by Cameron Hughes.

The 2017 Big Ten Tournament takes place at Joe Louis Arena, home of the Detroit Red Wings. UW head coach Tony Granato served as the Detroit Red Wings assistant coach for two seasons (2014–16) before taking over the Wisconsin men’s hockey program last spring.

FIRST IS BEST
Wisconsin has scored first in a game just once in its last six contests, a road win at Penn State on March 3.

The Badgers have scored first in 17 games this season and are 15-1-1 in those contests.

UW went 1-4 in the last five games when allowing the first goal, winning at Minnesota on Feb. 4 after allowing the Gophers the first score. UW is 4-13-0 this season when falling behind.

When the Badgers have reached an intermission with a lead, they are perfect this season, going 9-0-0 when leading after one period and 16-0-0 when ahead after two periods.

ROAD SUCCESS
Wisconsin finished with a losing record at home (8-9-1) for the third straight season, but its 11-5 (.688) mark in road and neutral site games — the second-best winning percentage in the league — bodes well for the playoffs. The Badgers beat every Big Ten team at least once on the road, three of which were ranked in the top 10 at the time.

UW went 2-1 at neutral sites this season, splitting two games with Northern Michigan on Oct. 7 and 8 at the Resch Center in Green Bay, Wisconsin, and defeating Ohio State, 3-2 in overtime, at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Jan. 28.

100 GAMES
Over the last three weekends, four Badgers have eclipsed the 100 career games played mark to give UW six players who have reached the milestone.

Junior forward Cameron Hughes and junior defenseman Tim Davison both reached the mark last Saturday against Ohio State, while junior defenseman Jake Linhart (103 GP) games hit the mark at Penn State on March 3 and junior forward Ryan Wagner (104 GP) did it on Feb. 25 at Minnesota. Senior forwards Grant Besse (136 GP) and Jedd Soleway (111 GP) had already reached the mark last season.

Senior defenseman Corbin McGuire has skated in 99 games for the UW.

Assuming McGuire reaches the mark on Friday, that would give UW seven players with at least 100 games played. That would be the most since the 2013–14 Badgers had 11 skaters over 100 career games played. That team finished the season with five skaters over 150 games played.

IRISH EYES ARE SMILING
When compiling a list of go-to players for the Badgers this postseason, consider that they are 16-5 when sophomore center Seamus Malone has a point and 3-8-1 when he does not.

He missed the first game of his college career on Saturday after being assessed a major penalty for spearing and a game disqualification on Friday. He’s one of the last guys you’d think would be busted for such an infraction with just 14 penalties for his career prior to the infraction.

TOP-13 SPECIAL TEAMS
Wisconsin’s 37 power-play goals through 34 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 2-for-12 on the power play last weekend vs. Ohio State.

UW ranks ninth in the country with the man advantage at 21.8 percent (37-for-170).

Wisconsin’s penalty kill ranks 13th in the nation at 84.8 percent (123-for-145).

UW has allowed at least one power-play goal in five consecutive games, the longest such streak of the season. Prior to the last five games, UW went two or more games allowing a power-play goal just three times, including twice in two consecutive contests and once in three straight games.

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

The Badgers have allowed more than one power-play goal in a game just four times through the first 34 games this season. They have had 16 perfect nights on the penalty kill.

UW is one of two schools in the country to boasts top-13 programs in both power play and penalty kill, joining UMass Lowell in the group.

UW is 13-6-0 when winning the special teams battle in a game and 4-2-1 when losing the special teams battle. The Badgers are 2-6-0 when it is even on special teams in games.

LINHART AND SOUL
Junior defenseman Jake Linhart has points in 11 of his last 14 games and has scored four goals and seven assists during that span. He has had two five-game point streaks over the last 14 contests.

Linhart has quietly accumulated 23 points in 34 games to grab the team lead among defenseman in scoring. Linhart’s 23 points, on six goals and 17 assists, are fifth among Big Ten rearguards in scoring. His six goals are tied for third.

His 14 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 had gone with a goalie rotation with frosh Jack Berry playing series openers, and sophomore Matt Jurusik playing on Saturdays, but Jack Berry started both games last weekend because of an injury to Jurusik.

Jurusik replaced Berry last Friday after Berry allowed three goals in the first period and half to Ohio State, but after making just one save, Jurusik was injured and Berry returned to the net.

Frosh goaltender Johan Blomquist went in for the final nine minutes and 34 seconds of the game to make his second career appearance. He made two saves on two shots.

Berry then started Saturday, giving him consecutive starts for the first time since Dec. 9-10 at Michigan.

Prior to last weekend during the rotation, Jurusik was 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 was 6-2-0 with a 2.75 goals-against average and .912 save percentage in the new year.

ABOUT FIRST PLACE
Wisconsin finished in second place in the Big Ten Prior to the final weekend of hte season, UW trailed Minnesota by three points. 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 on Friday, March 3, 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.

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 3.50 goals per game, but that also ranks eighth nationally as four of the top schools in the country in offense are from the Big Ten.

2. Penn State - 4.03
3. Ohio State - 4.00
5. Minnesota - 3.78
8. Wisconsin - 3.50

The Badgers rank eighth in the nation in scoring despite only scoring two goals over the last three games.

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

UW had seven goals at Penn State on March 3, giving it two games this season during which it reached seven goals. UW also scored seven goals in a a 7-4 victory at Michigan on Dec. 9.

RIGHT SAID FRED
The Hockey Commissioners’ Association Rookie of the Month for February began March by going without a point in UW’s first three games, before posting an assist last Saturday against Ohiom State.

The three-game pointless streak 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 33 points.

The Badgers are 17-11-0 with Frederic in the lineup and 2-3-1 without him.

Since the beginning of 2017, Frederic leads the Badgers in scoring with 21 points on 10 goals and 11 assists.

Frederic ranks fourth among the nation’s rookies with 1.18 points per game, 25th 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 3.64 goals per game with Frederic in the lineup (102 goals in 28 games), and 2.83 goals per game without him (17 goals in six games).
Frederic is tied for second nationally and leads the Big Ten with five short-handed points, boasting two goals and three assists. Brady Ferguson of Robert Morris leads the country with six short-handed points.

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

He has just two assists in the six 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 he 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 (28 points), Seamus Malone (28 points) and Ryan Wagner (28 points) are within striking distance.

CAPTAIN KUNIN
Sophomore captain Luke Kunin leads the Badgers in scoring with a career-high 36 points and 21 goals.

Kunin is averaging 0.60 goals per game for his career with 40 goals in 67 games played. That is the highest average in the country for skaters in at least their sophomore seasons. Only BU frosh Clayton Keller (0.68 in 28 GP) and DU freshman Henrik Borgstrom (0.66 in 32 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 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 33 games played, Besse currently boasts 39 goals, 58 assists and 97 points in 136 games played.

NCAA ATTENDANCE RANKINGS
Wisconsin finished the season ranked second in the country in average attendance at 10,157.7 fans per game. North Dakota led the country at 11,504.9.

Wisconsin has led the country in attendance 38 times all time, including most recently in the 2011–12 season.

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

NAME	TEAM	YEAR	RD/PICK
Luke Kunin	Minnesota	2016	1/15
Trent Frederic	Boston	2016	1/29
JD Greenway	Toronto	2016	3/72
Max Zimmer	Carolina	2016	4/104
Grant Besse	Anaheim	2013	5/147
Cameron Hughes	Boston	2015	6/165
Jedd Soleway	Arizona	2013	7/193
Matt Ustaski	Winnipeg	2014	7/192

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.

REUNION WEEKEND FEATURED 1977 CHAMPIONSHIP TEAM
Wisconsin celebrated all its men’s hockey alumni the weekend of March 10-11.

There was a special recognition of the 40th anniversary 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 at the Olympia in Detroit.

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.

NCAA SELECTIONS
Should the Badgers win the 2017 Big Ten Tournament, they would get an automatic bid to the NCAA tournament. This year's announcement of the field will take place on Sunday, March 19 at 11 a.m. CT on ESPNU. Regional sites this year include Fargo, North Dakota (West), Cincinnati (Midwest), Providence, Rhode Island (East) and Manchester, New Hampshire (Northeast).

University of Wisconsin Athletics

This Week in Wisconsin Hockey - new