No. 2 Terriers Head West to Visit Badgers
January 8, 2015 | Men's Ice Hockey
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Inside BU Hockey - Episode 13
Meeting in Madison for the first time since 1989, the No. 2 Boston University men's ice hockey team will face Wisconsin for a two-game series beginning on Friday (Jan. 9). Both contests will start at 8 p.m. ET.
The Wisconsin Channel will be broadcasting both games and will provide a free online video stream, which also can be viewed on BTN2Go.
The Terriers last traveled to Madison for the Ice Breaker Invitational on Oct. 11-12, 2002, but they did not face the Badgers. BU tied Northern Michigan, 4-4, before defeating Rensselaer, 5-1, the following night to win the title.
Wisconsin topped BU, 7-2, when they met on Jan. 6, 1989, at the Badgers' old home, Dane County Coliseum.
BU has met Wisconsin on the ice 16 times, with the Terriers holding a 10-6-0 advantage in the series. The Terriers have been victorious in four of the past five meetings, including a 7-3 home victory last season. Then-junior Cason Hohmann tallied a career-best four points (1g, 3a) in last year's triumph.
The defending Big Ten champion, Wisconsin won just one of its first 13 contests before posting a 2-0 shutout against Michigan Tech in its most recent contest on Saturday to earn a weekend split.
Six of the Badgers' top eight scorers are underclassmen, led by sophomore Grant Besse with eight points on three goals and five assists.
Sophomore Morgan Zulinick has seven points on the strength of a team-best five goals. Freshman Tim Davidson and senior Joseph LaBate also have tallied seven points on two goals and five assists each.
In goal, senior Joel Rumpel has started 12 of Wisconsin's 14 games this season and sports a .904 save percentage and a 3.17 goals-against average.
Mike Eaves is in his 13th season at the helm of his alma mater and holds a career record of 257-181-54.
The Terriers, who opened their second half with a 3-3 draw against Union on Saturday, have been ranked in the top three in both national polls since Nov. 10 with two appearances in the No. 1 spot.
Freshman standout Jack Eichel will return to action on Friday and the rookie continues to lead the nation in points per game (1.69), assists per game (1.19) and plus/minus (+21). He was named Hockey East Rookie of the Month for December on Tuesday.
Over the past three games, junior Danny O'Regan has six points (4g, 2a). He and Eichel have been held without a point only three times each thus far this season.
Freshman defenseman Brandon Hickey has a point in six of the past eight contests and his nine points (2g, 7a) tie him with junior captain Matt Grzelcyk (9a) for the most points among BU blueliners.
Junior Matt O'Connor has been in goal for each of BU's past 10 wins and his .939 save percentage and 1.76 goals-against average rank sixth and eighth amongst Division I goaltenders, respectively.
