Badger Hunting

Buckeye puckheads get a double dose of Wisconsin this weekend. The men's and women's hockey Badgers visit Columbus. They present very different challenges for the Ohio State teams, but both squads have a shot a successful series. 

Men

The last time OSU and Wisconsin faced each other they were battling for the Big Ten tournament crown. This week they're fighting to avoid the conference’s cellar. What a difference a season (and a few high quality pro prospects) makes.

Both teams have struggled with personnel losses. Each was expected to rely on solid goaltending early this season while its freshmen acclimated to the college game and returning players settled into larger roles. Needless to say, things did not go according to plan for either team. 

Ohio State's early season rollercoaster of highs and lows has settled into a succession of losses over the last month. The Bucks have been making progress within their game, but those internal victories have not led to positive results on the scoreboard. OSU's last win came on Jan. 9.

Wisconsin has endured an even worse season than their Buckeye brethren. The Badgers are winless in Big Ten play and didn't fare much better against non-conference foes. They've allowed four or more goals in seven consecutive outings and rarely score more than two. 

UW has four players with double digit point totals, led by sophomore Grant Besse's 9-9--18 stat line. Senior Joel Rumpel is having an off year in net. He has played a hefty number of minutes for the Badgers with a 3.82 goals against average and .895 save percentage.

It's been a while since the Bucks faced either a series on home ice or a statistically inferior opponent. These are winnable games for both Ohio State and (unpleasant as this reality is) Wisconsin. Both teams ought to play hungry. Fans should get their money’s worth this week.

Tonight's puck drops early, 6:30 p.m., since the game is the first half of a BTN doubleheader. Tomorrow's game is scheduled for a 7pm start and airs live on the CW in the Columbus area. Both games will stream via BTN2Go, air over the radio on 1460AM, and can be followed on Twitter.

There are a crap ton of promos for the series including Script Ohio on ice, buy one-get one ticket deals, and a postgame meet and greet with the team. You can read more about the fan fun here.

Pregame links and notes...

• The Buckeyes picked up a new recruit this week. Shaker Heights native Tommy Parran announced a verbal commitment to Ohio State. The defenseman currently skates for the USHL's Youngstown Phantoms. 
• Nicole Del Villano had a nice write up about Ryan Dzingel and Max McCormick for the AHL here.
• Due to health concerns former Buckeye Corey Toy is calling it a career.

Conference Outlook

Unless Ohio State goes on a stellar run in the next couple weeks the Bucks are looking at a fifth or sixth seed in the B1G tourney. Aside from the embarrassment of finishing last, one place is probably pretty much the same as the other. Michigan and Minnesota have the late game on BTN tonight. SportsTime Ohio is supposed to air the back half of that series tomorrow at 8pm ET.

Women

Last week Ohio State rolled to a sweep of Minnesota State. This week OSU prepares for its final home games of the 2014-15 season against No. 3 Wisconsin. The Badgers present a big challenge for the lady Bucks.

Rock solid defensively, UW has allowed a total of one goal in its last five games. For most teams that would be the best stretch of the season. Not Wisconsin; back in November, the Badgers posted five consecutive shutouts. Their record since the break isn't as impressive as their defense numbers, with a 5-2-3 record in the second half of the season.

Last week the Badgers tied (0-0, won shootout) and beat (5-0) Minnesota-Duluth. Special teams played a big part in their win. Wisconsin's power play went 4-for-8. Blayre Turnbull tallied three goals with the advantage for the hat trick. Ann-Renee Desbiens was in net for both shutouts.

Desbiens (1.13, .942) is one of the top netminders in the country. She gets plenty of goal support from her teammates. Three of the Badgers, freshman Annie Pankowski along with seniors Karley Sylvester and Brittany Ammerman, have recorded 30+ points. 

Victory will be tough to come by for the Buckeyes in this series, but it certainly isn't out of the question. Ohio State's defense might not be in Wisconsin's class, but it isn't terribly far off. The lady Bucks also have scorers capable of capitalizing on whatever chances they get offensively. 

The ladies fought their way to a tie against a highly skilled Minnesota squad two weeks ago. They could have similar success against the Badgers. The Bucks get an emotional boost on Saturday as they honor their six outgoing seniors. 

Danielle Gagne, Kara Gust, Taylor Kuehl, Kari Schmitt, Sara Schmitt, and Kayla Sullivan have made big impacts during their Ohio State careers. They've been key contributors both offensively and defensively, as well as leaders both on and off the ice. Buckeye hockey is a much better program for having had these fine ladies take part.  

Both games of this week's series are earlier than usual starts. The first tilt gets underway at 6pm this evening while Saturday's home finale is a matinee beginning at 4pm. Games can be followed with a subscription to Buckeye Vision and via Twitter updates. Be sure to wear white tonight for Ehlers-Danlos awareness and red tomorrow as fans Scarlet Out the Ice Rink.

A few more pregame notes...

• Lauren Spring is the WCHA's reigning rookie of the week. Alexa Ranahan and Katie Matheny earned honorable mentions for defensive and offensive players of the week, respectively. 
• Buckeye-to-be Dana Rasmussen has been named a finalist for Minnesota's Ms. Hockey Award. 

Conference Outlook 

Well, Duluth and UND aren't faltering down the stretch. The Bulldogs wrested a point from the Badgers last week. NoDak is gaining momentum, taking five points from Duluth before splitting against Minnesota. Ohio State's chance to move up looks rather slim. The good news is that the ladies are playing well. If they continue to strengthen as a team they'll be a formidable opponent in the postseason regardless of their seeding.