Badger Men's Hockey!

[Pokerbrat2000]

Well, its about time we discussed the Men's Hockey Team. A program with a great historical past, but has absolutely sucked since the whole Big10 reorganization and pulling out of the WCHA. I actually just realized that I was at the semi-final and final games, when the Badgers last won the NCAA Tournament in 2006, it was in Milwaukee. Can they do it again this year?

I was just happy with the way this program turned around in 2023, under their new head coach Mike Hastings. Nobody saw this coming. Now are they good enough to win it all? While I think they are, I doubt they do. This is a team that looks great one night and the next night, they absolutely suck. So to have that "Great team" show up for the next 4 straight games, is a long shot at best. I also think they got seeded into THE toughest quarter of the bracket. They start off today at 4:30 against the 2023 NCAA Champs Quinnipiac. The Bobcats finished at 26-9-2, with 7 0f their 9 losses being 1 goal games, 6 of them in OT. If somehow they get past the Bobcats, they will most likely face BC (Boston College), a team that has been ranked #1 in the country for most of the year.

It's a Great Day For Hockey, but will it end up being a GREAT year for the Hockey Badgers?

Tune in at 4:30 Central Time on ESNPNews today, to find out which direction it is headed in.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Entertaining game to watch and call me a homer, but I walked away from it frustrated with the officiating. I was glad to see that up until the last minute of the 1st period, the refs were basically letting them play. Then for whatever reason, they started calling nit picky penalties....but only on the Badgers. I am fine when refs call it loose or close, but come on, keep it consistent across both teams. Only 5 penalties were called during the game, 4 on the Badgers, 1 on the Bobcats.

3 situations where I thought the Badgers got absolutely hosed. When the Badgers were on their first and only power play (late in the 3rd period), score tied, the Bobcats committed 2 obvious penalties, neither were whistled. Even the announcers said something about them and concluded "Well they like to keep it close and not decide the game, they aren't going to call those." Oh really? so fast forward to OT, they call a slashing penalty on the Badgers, that wasn't much of anything. What happened to "keeping it close"?

The final "no-call" was during the Badgers only PP also. Bucky had a wide open net and the goalies stick, "left his hand" and hit the puck before it went in. Sorry, but a goalie doesn't just lose his stick in that situation, he threw it at the puck, which is an automatic penalty shot. Below is a quote from a local news story about this play.

"On a line change, William Whitelaw was able to get on the breakaway. He deked Duplessis to give himself an open net, but Duplessis was able to contort himself and appeared to throw his stick at the puck to prevent the goal. No penalties were called and the game continued."

Badgers brought down in overtime as season ends against Quinnipiac

PROVIDENCE, R.I – The Wisconsin men’s hockey team’s turnaround this season was something out of a storybook. The Badgers went from Big Ten bottom feeders, to nearly winning the regular

www.channel3000.com

 

[Voyageur]

It's too bad there wasn't a review of the play. According to the rules, I believe there can be a video review of a play if a major penalty would be considered part of it. Apparently the trigger for the replay is if the ref calls the penalty, not if a coach wishes to review a play that should have been called a major.

Let's face it. Over the last few years, Wisconsin's sports programs have been given the short end of the stick in just about every sport, and it's so obvious that even the conference won't weigh in on it by saying that everything is legit. I think about the two years that they did everything in their power to make sure Brad Davison wouldn't get the charging calls, despite the fact that it was obvious, play after play, that he had taken away driving lanes from opposing players.

The whole thing was based on the fact that he was playing defense the way it was designed to be played, not turning it into a circus act.

Then there's this year, watching the Badgers mauled by Purdue constantly, and the moment a Badger player would fight back, they were whistled for a foul. Then, Painter coming out and saying that the Badgers were "too physical" against their big guy in the middle, despite the fact he was the one initiating 90% of the contact. The league said nothing, as if what he said was okay.

Nothing will change if they don't get some hair on their rear area and start to make waves over it.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It's too bad there wasn't a review of the play. According to the rules, I believe there can be a video review of a play if a major penalty would be considered part of it. Apparently the trigger for the replay is if the ref calls the penalty, not if a coach wishes to review a play that should have been called a major.

Let's face it. Over the last few years, Wisconsin's sports programs have been given the short end of the stick in just about every sport, and it's so obvious that even the conference won't weigh in on it by saying that everything is legit. I think about the two years that they did everything in their power to make sure Brad Davison wouldn't get the charging calls, despite the fact that it was obvious, play after play, that he had taken away driving lanes from opposing players.

The whole thing was based on the fact that he was playing defense the way it was designed to be played, not turning it into a circus act.

Then there's this year, watching the Badgers mauled by Purdue constantly, and the moment a Badger player would fight back, they were whistled for a foul. Then, Painter coming out and saying that the Badgers were "too physical" against their big guy in the middle, despite the fact he was the one initiating 90% of the contact. The league said nothing, as if what he said was okay.

Nothing will change if they don't get some hair on their rear area and start to make waves over it.

In the end, it is all suppose to balance out right?

Now I will say this about the Hockey game yesterday, like I said before, the officials were letting them play hockey, of course that was with a 1-0 Bobcat lead. Once the Badgers went ahead or the game was tied, that was when the whistles started blowing. Sometimes I wonder if Refs intentionally or sublimely want to help out the underdog, make the game more interesting?

I also don't like the fact that players and coaches can get fined for talking about the officiating. Everything else is free game, but leave those officials alone!

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Just a small bit of what I am seeing online about the officiating...."glad" to see it wasn't just me!

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[Pokerbrat2000]

Despite being the last poster here 2 years, I forgot that we even had a "Badger Men's Hockey" thread.

Well, Bucky is in the Frozen 4! Let's Go!

Badger Men's Hockey has been in a real downturn for the last 16 or so years. For me, the program turned completely South when the Badgers left the WCHA and became part of the newly formed Big10 Hockey Conference in 2013.

2006 was the last time Bucky won a National Championship in Men's Hockey. Prior to this season, their last NCAA Tournament game win was in 2010.

Is this finally the season to put Bucky back in the conversation of being a top 5 Men's Hockey school or is it just a blip? I do know that Mike Hastings has been a difference maker since he became head coach in 2023.

I'm looking forward to Thursdays game against The Fighting Sioux Hawks. An old rivalry is always fun to play in a game with so much importance.

 

[Voyageur]

Despite being the last poster here 2 years, I forgot that we even had a "Badger Men's Hockey" thread.

Well, Bucky is in the Frozen 4! Let's Go!

Badger Men's Hockey has been in a real downturn for the last 16 or so years. For me, the program turned completely South when the Badgers left the WCHA and became part of the newly formed Big10 Hockey Conference in 2013.

2006 was the last time Bucky won a National Championship in Men's Hockey. Prior to this season, their last NCAA Tournament game win was in 2010.

Is this finally the season to put Bucky back in the conversation of being a top 5 Men's Hockey school or is it just a blip? I do know that Mike Hastings has been a difference maker since he became head coach in 2023.

I'm looking forward to Thursdays game against The Fighting Sioux Hawks. An old rivalry is always fun to play in a game with so much importance.

I definitely want to watch this one. I think they can upend ND to be honest. They have this thing about being tenacious when it comes to developing unexpected offense with 2-line passes.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Holy Cow!! The Badgers are in the Finals! What a game, what a win. Where did this team come from? A month ago, I was just hoping they would scratch out a few wins to just save face and make it into the NCAA Tourney. Now they are 1 win away from winning it all! Crazy!

Mike Hastings and the Badgers picked the perfect time to put it all together and look like a winner. They actually dominated North Dakota for most of the game yesterday. That 1st period by the Badgers was just a statement.

Meanwhile, in the late game, what a thriller and a slugfest! Thank you Michigan for losing and more importantly, totally tenderizing our opponent (Denver) for the finals. The 2 teams had to play almost 2 OT's before Denver scored the game winner. During that Marathon game, Michigan played very physical, sending 2 Denver players into the locker room for stitches, as well as knocking their goalie to the ice in a massive collision. No way around it, Denver is going to wake up this morning tired, sore and bruised.

Championship game is Sat at 4pm CST on ESPN. Go Bucky!

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[El Guapo]

It's a classic WCHA showdown

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

It's a classic WCHA showdown

I was thinking the same thing when the Badgers were playing N. Dakota and now they go up against Denver. I miss the WCHA!

I wish that the game on Sat. was closer, I would definitely go. Tickets last night could still be had for under $200.

 

[Voyageur]

Denver is a hot team. Beating them is going to take a lot to be honest. But I look at how Wisconsin knocked off Michigan during the season, 4-1, and think that Denver had to go two overtimes to beat them. That tells me the Badgers might just be able to pull this one off.

I keep hearing how great Johnny Hicks is, in goal, for Denver and just a freshman. Yet, I don't hear how we have a freshman goalie as well, who is really making a name for himself. Daniel Hauser. A freshman. He's been amazing in the nets shutting down teams that score at will. Look what he did to the #3 scoring team in the nation, North Dakota. The one goal, late in the game, in a wrap around. A desperation goal.

I'm going to get home to watch this one. It's possible the Badgers could become the hockey capital of the US. The River Falls women's team won the DIII championship as well. That would be a hat trick of championships for our state.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Tough loss for Bucky. I really thought they were going to win this one. Despite dominating the Pioneers for most of the game, the 1-0 lead didn't hold up. So many miss opportunities for the Badgers to get that 2nd goal and go up by 2, but they just couldn't put the puck in the back of the net.

Hats off to the Pioneers, they never quit and despite being outshot 30-15, they managed to get two by Hauser and win the game.

Overall the refs did a good job, letting a lot of penalties go. Not sure why they decided to call holding on Montgomery with 4 minutes left in the game.

 

[Voyageur]

Tough loss for Bucky. I really thought they were going to win this one. Despite dominating the Pioneers for most of the game, the 1-0 lead didn't hold up. So many miss opportunities for the Badgers to get that 2nd goal and go up by 2, but they just couldn't put the puck in the back of the net.

Hats off to the Pioneers, they never quit and despite being outshot 30-15, they managed to get two by Hauser and win the game.

Overall the refs did a good job, letting a lot of penalties go. Not sure why they decided to call holding on Montgomery with 4 minutes left in the game.

Good game. I thought Denver would wear down in the 3rd but it was the Badgers who seemed to be back on their heels. I thought they'd outskate them late, and pull out the win. That last penalty on Montgomery pretty much killed the chance of the Badgers putting it into OT.

Denver will be solid again next year. The Badgers have some serious rebuilding to do. They lose a lot of talent. It's nice seeing them this competitive. It's been a long time coming.

 

[Pokerbrat2000]

Good game. I thought Denver would wear down in the 3rd but it was the Badgers who seemed to be back on their heels. I thought they'd outskate them late, and pull out the win. That last penalty on Montgomery pretty much killed the chance of the Badgers putting it into OT.

Denver will be solid again next year. The Badgers have some serious rebuilding to do. They lose a lot of talent. It's nice seeing them this competitive. It's been a long time coming.

Sometimes a 1 goal lead is almost worse than a 1 goal deficit. I started getting nervous midway through the 2nd period when the Badgers, despite being dominant, just couldn't find the back of the net to go up by 2. Once Denver scored that equalizer in the 3rd, I almost knew it was over for Bucky. Something about playing with a lead and being too defensive, seems to get teams in trouble too often. Almost like watching a DC in Football throw in the prevent defense with a 7 point lead.

The Badgers are loosing at least 6 players due to eligibilty, but I am guessing with the Transfer Portal and ability to go Pro, that may reach double digits. Those 6 are pretty key players:

• Ben Dexheimer (D): Senior (also Team Captain)
• Christian Fitzgerald (F): Senior
• Jack Horbach (F): Senior
• Simon Tassy (F): Senior
• Aiden Dubinsky (D): Senior
• Tyson Dyck (F): Grad student

The good news for Mike Hastings and the Badgers, their success of making the NCAA finals should open more doors in both recruiting and the Transfer Portal. Hastings is a great coach at bringing new players together and making them into a solid team. While I would have loved another Natty, things are finally looking bright again for the Badger Men's Hockey team.