> The UNH Wildcats defeated Wisconsin 9-7 in the second semifinal of the Badger
> Classic.  This is the first win by a UNH team over Wisconsin after going
> 0-14.
>
> UNH trailed 4-0 after 6 minutes, then scored 5 straight (Nickulas 2, Nolan 2,
> Sadowski 1) to lead 5-4 after 1.  UNH fell behind 5-6 un the second, but Mark
> Mowers scored in the final minute to even it at 6 after 2.  UNH got goals
> from Krog, Souza (GWG) and Gagnon to finish it off.  Matile in nets all the
> way.
>
> UNH meets Colorado College in tomorrew night's final.
>
> WOW!  I'm excited!!  Wish I was there.
 
Just got back from the game -- I am completely drained.
 
The Badgers just totally dominated the first 10 minutes of the period.
They outshot UNH 16-1 over that span and out-hustled, out-hit and
out-played the Wildcats until a UNH power-play goal in the eleventh
minute or so turned the tide.
 
The Wisconsin defense completely vanished at that point and the rest
of the period was a blur of 3-on-1's and 2-on-nobodies.  At some point
Kirk Daubenspeck completely lost his focus and as a result he let in at
least 3 or 4 "soft" goals over the course of the game.
 
This collapse proved in the long run to be more than Bucky could
overcome.  UW will look back on this game as one of lost opportunties.
(Of course the Wildcats did have something to do with it too.)
 
Other notes:
 
+ for the second year in a row, Wisconsin fails to reach the finals
  of their own tourney.
 
+ The Badgers unveiled (what I beleive were) new uniforms for this
  game.  Rather than the traditional diagonal "WISCONSIN" across the
  jersey front, their uniforms featured a large hockey-stick carrying
  Bucky Badger angled across the front.  Also, the same "W" from the
  football team's helmets were printed on both shoulders, and the
  numerals on the jersey back were a much more contemporary style with
  red numbers with a black drop-shadow.
 
  They looked kind of strange at first, but by the end of the night
  I had adjusted to them.  (Editorial: I just wish that they'd get
  rid of the white helmets and wear the red helmets with their home
  uniforms.)
 
+ The Badger Band was conspicuously absent (the football team played
  in the Copper Bowl tonight), but rather than having the Alumni
  Band try to fill in, the PA played excerpts from some of the Band's
  recordings, along with clips of various pop tunes during breaks in
  the action.  It just wasn't the same.  Call me biased, but as a
  former member, I think that the presence of the band just might
  have given the team and crowd enough of an extra lift to see them
  through to the win.  (Well, it couldn't have hurt anyway.)
 
  Why no Alumni Band?
 
+ Ironically, it looks like my reference in earlier e-mail about
  Jeff Sauer hoping for a power-play from Santa actually came true
  as the Badgers were 3-for-3 with the man advantage.  (Somebody
  pinch me!)
 
+ Isn't it usual for the host team in the tourney to schedule itself
  against the "patsy" team?  Of course, looking at record alone,
  the Badgers are the "patsy" of this tourney.  (Though I don't
  think that the Wildcats would share that opinion any longer.)
 
All things considered it was a great game to watch, at least up
until Dauber let in the last softie with about 4 minutes left.
 
Steve Manning
UW '85
[log in to unmask]
 
HOCKEY-L is for discussion of college ice hockey;  send information to
[log in to unmask], The College Hockey Information List.