Wisconsin men's hockey seeks rubber match win, Frozen Four
Whether it is the Wisconsin Badgers or Michigan State Spartans, one Big Ten hockey program will end a long Frozen Four drought
In year three of the head coach Mike Hastings era, Wisconsin men’s hockey is one win away from the Frozen Four. To get back there, the Wisconsin Badgers will have to win a Big Ten rubber match with a Michigan State Spartans program trying to snap an even longer drought of appearances in the NCAA Tournament semifinal.
A pair of empty-net goals capped Wisconsin’s 5-1 victory in the opening round of the big dance, vaulting the Badgers (21-12-2, 14-10-0) into the regional final. There, UW faces Michigan State (26-8-2, 16-6-2 Big Ten) after the conference foes split four games earlier this season.
Just before Thanksgiving, Wisconsin earned a road sweep over MSU in East Lansing. In January, the Spartans returned the favor in Madison, thanks, in part, to a face that Badgers fans recognize from his stint in Cardinal and White.
Regardless of how games one through four went, it will be game five that figures to leave the lasting impression on at least one of these Frozen Four hopefuls.
Who to watch: Still Charlie Stramel
The former Badger is still doing it for the Spartans. The MSU alternate captain’s three points (1G, 2A) tied for a series-high when Michigan State visited the Kohl Center in January. Now, in Michigan State’s first meeting with Wisconsin in the NCAA Tournament since 2001, the senior looks to knock off his former team.
A first-round NHL Draft pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2023, Stramel anchors a dangerous MSU top forward line. He and goaltender Trey Augustine are top-ten finalists for the Hobey Baker Memorial Award after leading the Spartans to a third consecutive Big Ten regular-season title.
Beyond his speed and 6-foot-3 size, Stramel has helped Michigan State become a top-seven team in both scoring offense and defense by excelling at the faceoff dot. The Rosemount, Minnesota native’s 478 wins on the draw this season are second-most nationally. Going 17-26 in his team’s regional semifinal game against UConn, Stramel logged some timely faceoff wins on special teams during a game in which officials called seven penalties against MSU.
That battle for initial puck possession could come to a head against Wisconsin center Gavis Morrissey, whose 422 wins at the dot trail Stramel’s, but Morrissey’s 58.1% faceoff success rate beats his former teammate’s 53.6%.
What to watch: Wisconsin’s penalty kill
In its regional semifinal matchup with the Dartmouth Big Green, Wisconsin’s special teams units took center stage. The Badgers boast a top-five unit on the advantage (converting on 27.34% of opportunities) and used it to get on the board first, beating Dartmouth’s penalty kill that ranks third nationally.
On the flip side, the Badgers were perfect on the afternoon, killing three penalties. UW’s often embattled PK unit, sixth-worst in the country at keeping opposing offenses off the scoresheet, might need to show up just as big against an even better MSU PP.
The Spartans are one of the few teams in the country scoring PPGs more often than Wisconsin. Michigan State forward and leading scorer Porter Martone has tallied eight of his 25 goals this season on the power play, helping the Spartans become the most dangerous unit on the advantage in the second half of the season. Since January 1st, the MSU power play has converted on a national-best 36.5% of its chances.
Why to watch: Is it finally time?
For 16 years, Wisconsin Badgers hockey fans watched, waited, twiddled their thumbs, sat tight, and inevitably agonized over a drought of games won in the NCAA Tournament. After a stretch of one tournament appearance in nine seasons marked the close of the Mike Eaves era and the span of Tony Granato’s tenure, Hastings has Wisconsin moving up.
Two tournament appearances in three seasons are signs of progress. Winning a game in the big dance for the first time since 2010 is progress. Could the UW’s first appearance in the Frozen Four since the advent of the Big Ten hockey conference be just on the other side of 60 minutes?
Whether it is Wisconsin or Michigan State, one of these two programs, each boasting multiple national titles, will make its first appearance in the national semifinal in the B1G hockey era. The Badgers last made the Frozen Four in 2010, falling in the national title game 5-0 to the Boston College Eagles. The Spartans’ last appearance was capped by capturing the 2007 national championship.
How, when, where to watch Wisconsin hockey vs Michigan State NCAA Tournament: TV, radio, streaming
Where: DCU Center — Worcester, Massachusetts
When: Saturday, March 28 — 3:30 p.m. Central
Watch/TV/Streaming: ESPN2 (Play-by-play: Kevin Gehl; Analyst: Angela Ruggiero)
Listen/Radio: Badger Sports Network — 1310AM WIBA — Varsity Network App (Play-by-play: Brian Posick; Analyst: Paul Capobianco)
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