Syracuse (13-21-3, 10-8-2 College Hockey America) earned its first berth to the NCAA tournament in program history by winning the CHA championship on March 8. As one of eight teams in the tournament, the Orange face No. 1 Wisconsin (32-4-2, 18-4-2 Western Collegiate Hockey Association) on Saturday at 3 p.m. SU traveled to Madison on Thursday and will faceoff at LaBahn Arena for the first round of the tournament.

Here’s what to know about Wisconsin.

All-time series: Wisconsin leads the all-time matchup, 6-0-0

Last time they played: In the second of a back-to-back last December at Wisconsin, the Orange were thrashed, 9-1. It came in the midst of a 10-game, two-month losing streak. The Badgers struck thrice in the first period before Abby Moloughney answered with a shorthanded marker early into the second period. After two more Wisconsin goals pushed the lead to 5-1 heading into the second intermission, Emily Clark completed a hat trick nine minutes into the third. The Badgers scored four times on special teams, going 3-of-4 on power plays and adding another goal while shorthanded.  

The Wisconsin report: Headed by the third-winningest head coach in NCAA history, Mark Johnson, the Badgers came into the season off five-straight Frozen Four appearances. They have four national championships, but they last won in 2011. First rounds haven’t been a problem for Wisconsin since its first tournament berth in 2005, though. It’s 11-1 in such games, and in the last three years, UW hasn’t even conceded a goal in the first round.

The Badgers were the preseason No. 2 in both the USCHO.com and USA Hockey Magazine polls, but since taking over the top spot on Nov. 23, Wisconsin has stayed pat. The WCHA champions haven’t lost since Feb. 1, the longest unbeaten streak in the country. Wisconsin defeated Minnesota on the road to take home the conference crown. In two games against Syracuse this season, the Badgers won by a combined score of 15-2.

How Syracuse beats Wisconsin: SU head coach Paul Flanagan admitted the Badgers are faster skaters and more skilled than the Orange after the NCAA selection show. Syracuse will need to play a similar physical defense to how it beat Robert Morris in the CHA championship and slow the game down as much as it can. Then, it must control faceoffs, limit neutral zone turnovers and have its goalie hold the puck to force more draws.

The Orange defense pinned RMU’s best player, Jaycee Gebhard, by keeping a stick close to her near the boards. In the offensive zone, Syracuse will have to do that with the majority of Wisconsin’s players and give them as little room as possible to operate in. Emma Polaski and Brooke Avery will need to shine, especially in the neutral zone, if the Orange want to win, and SU’s freshman duo of Lauren Bellefontaine and Abby Moloughney will likely have to find a spark offensively to keep up with the Badgers offense.

Stat to know: 1.12 — Wisconsin goalie Kristen Campbell’s goals against average, which leads the nation in over 2,200 minutes of play this season. She also has eight shutouts, tied for the NCAA lead.  

Player to watch: Annie Pankowski, redshirt senior forward, No. 19

Pankowski was slated to play her final season last year, but she took the year off to be eligible for the 2018 Winter Olympics for Team USA. She didn’t make the team, and since coming back to Wisconsin, Pankowski’s 23 goals and 45 points are both team-highs. Her 1.25 points per game are tied for No. 13 nationally.

The redshirt senior is one of three finalists for the Patty Kazmaier Award given to the top female college ice hockey player, and Flanagan called her a “top-three” player in the country. Expect her to attack a SU defense that’s struggled against Wisconsin so far this season.

Published on March 16, 2019 at 12:51 am

Contact Arabdho: armajumd@syr.edu | @aromajumder