Previewing the Wisconsin Badgers/ Goalie Update

The Eagles will host arguably the biggest non BU home game in recent memory tomorrow night as the high powered Wisconsin Badgers will make their first trip back to Chestnut Hill since Banner Night in 2009 when the Eagles defeated the Badgers by a 5-4 score. Wisconsin is 2-0 this season with a pair of victories over the Northern Michigan Wildcats. The Badgers are loaded up front with big names such as sophomore Nic Kerdiles, Mark Zengerle, Joe LaBate, and Michael Mersch. On defense, Wisconsin returns Jake McCabe, Frankie Simonelli, and Joe Faust. The one area where Wisconsin may be a little weak is in net as they rotated goalies all throughout last season. According to Andy Johnson of Bucky's Fifth Quarter, Landon Peterson is playing goalie tomorrow night for Wisconsin.

Obviously being the #2 team in the country, Wisconsin is going to pose a lot of problems for this young BC team. Like the Eagles, they're deep at both defense and offense and have a real good top two lines that will present some issues for Johnny G, Kevin Hayes, and the rest of BC's high powered offense. In the eighty plus college games he has played, there haven't been  many teams that have shut down Johnny G and hopefully the Badgers aren't the first to do so but their depth up front will make for an interesting matchup. I look for BC's second line of Kevin Hayes, Austin Cangelosi, and Ryan Fitzgerald to continue to play at a high level much like they did Sunday. If Wisconsin stacks up against the Johnny G line, look for that line to have a big night.

The big question for me is how will BC's defense hold up against a high octane offense like Wisconsin's ? If BC plays like they did over the final thirty minutes versus RPI in which they spent very little time in their own end, then I think they have a chance to win this game. If they take penalties and play on their heels for the whole game, they will be run out of the building. You can't take penalties and expect to beat good hockey teams. To be honest, BC was a little lucky to get away with that win last weekend. If they do that tomorrow, they have no shot. Let the big guns do their thing, play solid in your own end, and stay out of the box.

Scouting Wisconsin

Rank- #2 (2-0-0 record) both wins vs Northern Michigan.

Head Coach- Mike Eaves

Key players- Nic Kerdiles, Jake McCabe, Mark Zengerle, and Michael Mersch

All Time Series- BC leads 12-9

Last meeting- BC beat Wisconsin in the 2010 National Championship

Notes- Wisconsin returns 81 % of it's scoring from a season ago.


Keys for BC-

1. No stupid penalties.

2. No stupid penalties.

3. Get it going early and often. Also, no stupid penalties.


Projected Lineup-

Johnny G- Arnold- Gilmour

Fitzgerald- Hayes- Cangelosi

Smith- Brown- Calnan

Straight-Sit- Silk

Savage- Santini

Macleod- Linell

Matheson-McCoshen

Billett is playing.

Go Eagles !