Badger men's hockey seeks postseason clarity at Penn State
After being swept at home earlier this season by the Nittany Lions, Wisconsin men's hockey hopes to clinch home ice for at least one more game in Madison
The regular season comes to a close this weekend as the Wisconsin Badgers men’s hockey team travels to face the Penn State Nittany Lions. After PSU swept UW in Madison earlier this season, the Badgers look to get revenge with their postseason fate on the line.
After losing six straight games in January, No. 11 Wisconsin (19-11-2, 12-10-0 Big Ten) managed to keep its head above water through February. The Badgers amassed a 4-2 record last month, putting them back on a trajectory to potentially make the NCAA Tournament.
Before that bracket is revealed, however, UW will play in the Big Ten Tournament next week. Depending on how Wisconsin fares against No. 6 Penn State (20-10-2, 12-8-2 Big Ten), the Badgers might earn the right to play an additional game or two on home ice this postseason.
If Wisconsin can clinch that opportunity, it will have done so against a dangerous offense that has caused UW plenty of trouble already this season. Maybe, along the way, Badgers head coach Mike Hastings will find his postseason starting goalie.
Who to watch: Whichever goaltender starts for Wisconsin hockey
After exiting the first game of a two-game series in Columbus against the Ohio State Buckeyes, Wisconsin netminder Daniel Hauser missed the following three contests due to an injury. A timely bye in the penultimate week of the regular season gave Hauser a chance to get healthy. The week between the injury and bye, however, opened the door to a potential goaltending controversy in Madison.
Hauser has led the way for the Badgers most of this season, with a team-best .886 save percentage and 3.15 goals against average in conference play. With Hauser sidelined, sophomore Eli Pulver stepped into the fray against the now top-ranked Michigan Wolverines. Pulver held the Wolverines in check, allowing only three goals and posting a .936 save percentage on 47 shots. Michigan boasts the nation’s most prolific offense, scoring 4.44 goals per game.
According to Hastings, Hauser has been “cleared” to play this weekend, but he and Pulver both remain in the mix to start.
“Now we’ve just got to see what that body of work is between now and when that puck drops on Thursday,” Hastings added. “Eli’s, I think, put together a really good week and a good off week, which was important for him to build on what happened against Michigan, where I thought both nights he gave us an opportunity to win a hockey game. And that’s what we ask from our goaltending.”
What to watch: Wisconsin Badgers transition defense
Throughout much of Wisconsin’s up-and-down season, it has struggled to contain opposing offenses breaking out of their defensive zone and getting on the move to the other end. Between its goaltending and the skaters in front of it, UW performed much better in that aspect against Michigan.
“I thought we were much better as a group, coming back and defending together and not creating the other team’s offense,” Hastings said.
Turning the page to this weekend, the Badgers face a Nittany Lions offense that can be dominant in transition. Headlined by potential first-overall NHL Draft pick Gavin McKenna, PSU’s speed and playmaking can be overwhelming.
McKenna’s line combined for seven of the ten goals Penn State scored against Wisconsin inside the Kohl Center in January. Since then, however, that top line lost its center and captain, Dane Dowiak, to a season-ending injury.
Freshman Luke Misa has stepped into that role in the middle, and PSU has not slowed down. Flanked by McKenna (the nation’s third-leading scorer) riding a five-game point streak on the left wing, and Aidan Fink’s four-game point streak on the right, the Nittany Lions have at least weathered the storm offensively. Since Dowiak’s injury, Penn State has scored 5.0 goals per game, but has amassed a 2-2-1 record in those contests.
Still, Wisconsin’s at times leaky offense, regardless of who is in net, will have to contain a squad that has used its speed to score 3.81 goals per game this season, the fourth-most nationally.
“They’re just a really good transitional team,” Badgers defenseman Joe Palodichuk said of the Nittany Lions. “If you manage pucks against them, you will have success, but when they find their success is through transition, through turnovers, and they strike. They’re a really good offensive team. They score a lot. But I think if we manage pucks and take care of ours, we’ll be set.”
Why to watch: Chance for home ice advantage
Wisconsin is guaranteed a spot in the matchup between the fourth and fifth-place teams in the Big Ten Tournament next week, and those two teams will be Wisconsin and Ohio State. Where the Badgers and Buckeyes will face off, however, remains in question.
UW currently sits in fourth place, six points ahead of OSU. That leaves the Buckeyes just enough room to tie the Badgers in the final standings, and Ohio State holds the head-to-head tiebreaker.
So long as Wisconsin earns at least one conference point, by nature of a win or an overtime loss this weekend, it will host at least one B1G tournament game inside the Kohl Center this postseason on Wednesday, March 11th.
“You don’t want to go on the road if you don’t have to,” Hastings said of the possibility of hosting a postseason game in Madison. “It’s why you play in the regular season to try to play in the playoffs in your own building, sleep in your own bed, and try to get all the benefits from playing in your own building.”
The Badgers would also clinch home ice advantage over Ohio State if the Buckeyes drop any points this weekend against Notre Dame. The Fighting Irish have only won three conference games this season, but one of those victories came against OSU.
And, of course, Wisconsin is still jockeying for a spot in the NCAA Tournament. Heading into this weekend, the Badgers would be in the field, but earning a win on the road would go a long way in helping to guarantee their spot.
“It’s fun when you talk about that, being able to work to get into the tournament,” Paloidchuk said. “Just ready to compete, is what it is. We got all these guys, and it’s exciting to go over to their barn and play them. It’s going to be packed, so we’re looking forward to it.”
How, when, where to watch Wisconsin men’s hockey at Penn State: TV, radio, streaming
Where: Pegula Ice Arena — Penn State University — State College, Pennsylvania
Game 1
When: Thursday, March 5th — 6:00 p.m. Central
Watch/Streaming: Big Ten Plus
Listen/Radio: Badger Sports Network // 1310 AM WIBA // Varsity Network App (Play-by-play: Brian Posick; Analyst: Paul Capobianco)
Game 2
When: Friday, March 6th — 6:00 p.m. Central
Watch/Streaming: Big Ten Plus
Listen/Radio: Badger Sports Network // 1310 AM WIBA // Varsity Network App (Play-by-play: Brian Posick; Analyst: Paul Capobianco)
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