In today's Minneapolis Star Tribune:
 
 
 
 
 
*Wisconsin Goalie Equal to Challenge*
 
--Daubenspeck has come long way
 
 
This weekend's hockey series between the Gophers and Wisconsin has the
customary importance of most meetings between the longtime rivals.  A sweep
would propel the winner into the thick of the WCHA race, while the victim of
a sweep would be left to scrounge for a first-division finish and the
accompanying home-ice advantage in the first round of the league playoffs.
 
As with any critical series, two of the central figures are certain to be the
goaltenders:  Jeff Callinan of Minnesota and Kirk Daubenspeck of
Wisconsn.  Callinan, a senior, leads the WCHA with 13 victories and a 2.75
goals-against average.
 
Daubenspeck is a sophomore, two seasons removed from posting a 5-27-2 record
(despite a saves percentage of almost 90) in the U.S. Hockey League, one
season removed from playing a total of 280 minutes -- the equivalent of less
than five games -- as backup to Jim Carey.  Nonetheless, the Badgers express
no concerns about pinning their fate on their goalie, having done precisely
that since the early September day that Carey signed with the Washington
Capitals.
 
"If one guy's played consistently since Christmas, it's [Daubenspeck]," said
Wisconsin coach Jeff Sauer, who recorded his 500th career victory earlier
this month.  "He's really been very strong for us in goal, and he has a great
approach to what's going on."
 
Daubenspeck -- 11-10-3 with a 3.46 GAA this season -- freely admits it was
quite different as recently as a month ago.  He entered the Badger Hockey
Showdown with a 7-8-1 record, a 3.75 GAA and a .870 saves percentage.
Daubenspeck's personal list of problems included self-doubt and fatigue --
both mental and physical.  From Daubenspeck's perspective, he felt in late
December much as he had entering the season -- wondering if he was a bona
fide WCHA goaltender.  Carey, who would have been a junior, signed with the
Capitals two days after the start of the fall semester.
 
"I'm not going to lie to you -- it was one of the happiest days I can
remember," Daubenspeck said.  Then he started thinking of the pressures of
being a Wisconsin goaltender.  The Badgers have won five national titles
(1973, '77, '81, '83 and '90) and were runner-up twice (1982 and '92) in the
last 21 years.  The tradition has been built largely on strong goaltending by
the likes of Curtis Joseph, Marc Behrend, Duane Derksen, Mike Richter and
Carey.
 
Into that breach stepped Daubenspeck, who was raised in Madison and knew full
well the expectations.
 
"The fans are very demanding," he said.  "It's a place where they're not
afraid to boo you if you're not going well.  From that aspect, there was some
pressure. . . .I had a lot of people doubt me, and I doubted myself a
little.  You always hear about people who can't step up when they get to
college.  Sitting on the bench 30-some games [last season], that's the way
you feel.
 
"I just lost the spark last year.  I wouldn't even come to the rink for games
prepared to play.  I'd be eating nachos and stuff before the game, because I
knew the coaches had all the confidence in the world in Jimmy [Carey]."
 
Daubenspeck got off to a strong start this season, then began slumping
during the College Hockey Showcase at the St. Paul Civic Center in late
November, where the Badgers lost to Michigan (7-2) and Michigan State (3-2).
A week later came an 8-4 loss to visiting St. Cloud State.
 
In late Demcember, Badgers captain Mark Strobel told a Madison reporter:
"[Daubenspeck] has to stop putting pressure on himself and just be Kirk
Daubenspeck and not try to be Duane Derksen or Mike Richter or some of those
other great goaltenders.
 
"He is a talented goaltender and he has the ability to be a great goaltender,
but he has to realize that he just has to be himself."
 
Daubenspeck now believes he is on the road to doing just that.  Since late
December he is 4-2-2 with a 2.27 GAA and a .919 saves percentage.  In
retrospect, he believes his junior league trials of two seasons ago were at
the root of his personal turnabout.
 
"I realized some things are out of my control, and that some shots are just
meant to go in," he said.  "You can't let everything affect you."
 
 
____________________________________________________________________________
 
Gophers vs. Wisconsin:  (includes a logo of a Gopher dribbling a
basketball. . . . .nice one)
 
Site:  Dane County Coliseum
Time:  7:05 tonight and Saturday night
TV, radio:  MSC, KSTP (1500 AM)
Series:  Gophers lead 107-60-13, including 2-0 this season
 
 
Goophers update:  The lineup will have a reunion theme.  At defense, Dan
Trebil and Greg Zwakman -- who skated together last season -- have been
reunited.  Freshman Mike Crowley and Godbout will be on another defensive
tandem, with Brian La Fleur and Charlie Wasley on another.  A new line will
have former St. Paul Vulcans junior teammates Dan Woog and Dave Larson
skating with junior Bobby Dustin. . . .The Gophers scored five power-play
goals in last Saturday's 7-4 victory over Colorado College after going 0-for-
31 on the power play the previous five games. . . .Justin McHugh has six
goals and three assists in four games since returning from severe knee
sprain. . . .The Gophers are 3-0-1 at Wisconsin last two years, 6-1-1 since
1991.
 
 
Badgers update:  Freshman Joe Bianchi, a Bloomington Jefferson grad, has six
goals and four assists in his last eight games.  Hill-Murray alum Mike
Strobel leads the Badgers with seven power-play goals. . . .Wisconsin penalty-
killers have limited foes to two power-play goals in the last 23 chances
(91.3 percent). . . .The Badgers are 8-3-1 at home.
 
 
 
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ON WISCONSIN!!!