It's Friday, I'm in Love

Monday, you can hold your head
Tuesday, Wednesday stay in bed
Or Thursday - watch the walls instead
It's Friday, I'm in love

Both the Badger Men and Badger women are at home again this weekend, with the Men hosting minnesota and the Women hosting Robert Morris. Go RED!

BADGER MEN v minnesota: FRI/SAT 7 PM (Kohl Center)

I think we’re both kind of in the same spot right now, if you look at our records and where we’re at, coming off the weekends we had. We were struggling similar to them, and we both finally put together a solid two-win weekend. So I think it’s going to be a real intense series for everyone. -- Ryan McDonagh [Badger Herald]

[W]e’re going to be really tough to beat if we can roll out four lines consistently throughout the year. . . . We can really beat up on teams if we can go one, two, three, four lines and they’re only playing three. -- Andy Bohmbach [Badger Herald]

UW: 3-2-1 overall, 1-2-1 WCHA (last weekend swept UNH 4-1, 6-1)
minn: 2-3-1 overall, 2-3-1WCHA (last weekend swept UAA 5-1, 4-1)

By the way, tomorrow is a somewhat dubious day in history, as it's the birthday of minnesota's rouser. My favorite reactions to the rouser after it's debut [music.umn.edu]:

It hasn't enough spirit. It sounds like a kindergarten song. -- univ of minnesota student

The chorus is great if it weren't for the words. -- univ of minnesota student

It has no distinction of language. It is commonplace and not worthy of Minnesota. We shouldn't have given the prize until a really good song was submitted. -- univ of minnesota president Cyrus Northrop

Well, I won't aruge with Northrup's take on the song, but we might differ on what might be "worthy of Minnesota", and I submit that perhaps it's a good fit. Thankfully, WT Purdy had the good sense to remove his entry from the contest and instead offer it to Wisconsin. ON, WISCONSIN!

Moving along, featured on this week's tickets are senior forward Ben Street and sophomore forward Derek Stepan.

Street, of course, is serving as one of the Badgers' tri-captains this year, along with Blake Geoffrion and Ryan McDonagh. Coming off of a medical redshirt for last season, Street entered this season as the Badgers' most experienced player, having played in 128 games. His junior year, he led the team in goals (13, tied w/ Davies) and was 2nd in total points (30, tied w/ Geoffrion), and he entered this season leading current Badgers in career goals (34, tied w/ Davies) and 3rd in total points (63, behind Davies and Geoffrion. In 6 games this season, Street is 1-1-2, +1, and 54% in the face-off circle.

As a freshman last season, St. Stepan showed us he's a pretty good playmaker, finishing 2nd on the team in points (33, behind McBain) based on his 24 assists (2nd only to McBain's 27). This season, he's shown us he can score, too, as he's leading the team in goals (3, tied w/ Geoffrion & Murray). I think most would agree that St. Stepan stepped up his game in the 2nd-half of last season and has continued to further step up his game this season. And I gotta tell ya, he sure is an exciting player to watch on the ice. In 6 games this season, Stepan is 3-2-5, +3, and 54% in the face-off circle. (No update yet on when St. Stepan's Day will officially be celebrated.)


Gameday Links
TV:
- Live - Friday TVW Ch 14 (Madison); Saturday WISC Ch 3 (Madison), Charter Extra Ch 87; both nights FSN North (not FSN WI) / FCS Central
- Tape delay - both nights WPT (11 PM) and next day on The Wisconsin Channel (6 PM)
Radio: WIBA 1310 (Madison)
Audio webstream: insideBADGERSPORTS ($9.95/mo), WSUM (free) - no confirmation, but I'd expect they'll be broadcasting
Video webstream: only if you're not in Wisconsin - insideBADGERSPORTS ($9.95/mo)
Live stats: CBSSports gametracker - Friday, Saturday
Live blog: Worgull (BN)*

* I don't have the direct blog link, but it should be linked on the BN front page at game time.

Weekly Shooutout Winner
This week, BLAKE GEOFFRION beat out Cody Goloubef to win the shootout.

Here are the previous winners and how they did that weekend:
Wk 3: Justin Schultz (0-0-0, E, 1 SOG, looked solid on D to me)
Wk 2: Mike Davies (0-2-0, 6 SOG, and sounds like he played really well)
Wk 1: Podge Turnbull (0-0-0, 5 SOG, and despite being held off the scoresheet I thought he looked really good)

Badger Lines
Bohmbach - Geoffrion - C Smith
Mitchell - Street - Lee
Murray - Stepan - Davies
Bendickson - Dolan - Grotting

McDonagh - Gardiner
Goloubef - Schultz
Smith - Ramage

Bennett
Gudmandson

As you know, C Smith is returning to the lineup and has taken P Johnson's spot on the top line. Derek Lee, who made his Badger debut last weekend, keeps his spot in the lineup, as does Sean Dolan, who replaced Podge Turnbull last Saturday. (Boy, that's a tough one. I thought Podge has looked good all year, but Dolan did a nice job on Saturday, and I'm happy with both players.)

The defensive pairings remain the same. Brett Bennett gets the nod in goal on Friday, and as usual we'll have to wait until Saturday to hear who will play Sat night.

Listen, Alex, unless you want me to lead, you're going to have
to put your hand on my waist. Photo courtesy of Neil Ament,
caption courtesy of EoDS before he was ours.

gopher lines
Hoeffel - Schroeder - Sacchetti
Lucia - Carman - Matson
Hansen - Budish - White
Birkholz - Larson - Flynn

Fairchild - Fischer
Lofquist - Ness
Wehrs - Helgeson

Kangas
Patterson

Kangas gets the nod tonight, and I'd expect we'll see him tomorrow as well. To learn more about Kangas, you can read Gandalf's most recent article about him, as well as the biography that Gandalf wrote last season. Quite informative.

Senior forward Jay Barriball suffered a season-ending knee injury during practice this week. Freshman defenseman Nick Leddy had his jaw broken during last Friday's game v. UAA and is out for 6 weeks.

And to refresh your memory, you may want to glance at Gandalf's preseason look at the goofs.


I know Kangas is my grandson, but it still makes me vomit
in my mouth to watch these guys. Photo courtesy of
Neil Ament, caption courtesy of anonymouse.
Series Previews
uwbadgers: preview, game notes
gophersports: preview, game notes
Baggot (WSJ): UW men's hockey vs. Minnesota
Baggot (WSJ blog): Stats don't change Eaves' plan
Holt (Badger Herald): Men's hockey team to host rival Minnesota
Gabriel (Daily Cardinal): Border Battle, raucus Kohl Center await Badgers

A couple of fun items from Baggot's preview: Per Baggot, Mike Hoeffel is the only gopher in the lineup to have scored 10 or more goals in a season (12 last year, but I'm not sure he's the only player, b/c didn't Jordan Schroeder score 13 goals last year?), and the gophers have more SH goals (2) than PP goals (1) this season. (By my count, the Badgers have 5 players in the lineup who have scored 10 or more goals in a season - Street, Geoffrion, Davies, Bohmbach, Mitchell - and have scored 6 PP goals. The Badgers are still waiting for their first SH goal of the season.)

Other Articles/Links
Wodon (CHN): Team of the Week: Wisconsin
uwbadgers: Smith, Ramage earn WCHA laurels
Baggot (WSJ): UW's hockey team focuses on finding the right pairings on defense
Baggot (WSJ blog): Five good minutes with Craig Smith
Baggot (WSJ blog): Eaves sends a not-so-subtle message
Augustoviz (Star Trib): Gophers' Hoeffel works for bigger role
Holt (Badger Herald): Outstanding depth gives men's hockey big advantage
Holt (Badger Herald): Penalties kill, help men's hockey team
Henson (Badger Herald): Border battle key for season
Bleach (BN): Loading a loose cannon (premium content)

The Usual Suspects
CHN: Tale of the Tape
USCHO: This Week in the WCHA
INCH: Friday Four-Cast (national notebook)
Goon's World: Weekend Match-ups (Sioux 7)


BADGER WOMEN v. Robert Morris: Fri/Sat 2 PM (Kohl Center)

UW: 5-3-0 overall, 5-3-0 WCHA (last weekend swept the previously undefeated minnesota, 4-2, 5-2)
RMU: 3-5-0 overall, 0-0-0 CHA (last weekend swept Maine, 3-1, 1-0 (OT))

Gameday Links
TV: none
Radio: none
Audio webstream: WSUM (free) - no confirmation, but I'd expect they'll be broadcasting
Video webstream: bigtennetwork ($2.99/game)
Live stats: CBSSports gametracker - Friday, Saturday
Live blog: none (away games only)

Series Previews
uwbadgers: preview, game notes
rmucolonials: preview, game notes
Hager (Badger Herald): Badgers to host Robert Morris
Savidge (Daily Cardinal): Streaking Badgers look to keep rolling


Other Articles/Links
Augustine (wisconsinwomenshockey): highlight video from last weekend
Gilbert (wcha): The small things lead to big things
WSJ: Ruegsegger named WCHA Defensive Player of the Week
uwbadgers: Ruegsegger claims first WCHA weekly honor
Jakiel (uwbadgers blog): Get out your brooms, Badger fans