When the Minnesota Gophers (6-2-1) host the Wisconsin Badgers (1-4-1) this weekend they'll face a team that badly needs scoring but will have to play without its most potent point-scorer. Badger junior forward Mark Zengerle is sidelined four-to-six weeks with a broken finger. Zengerle, who leads the Badgers in scoring with two goals and four assists, was injured while killing a penalty during Wisconsins' 3-0 loss to Colorado College at home November 3.
Zengerle's injury, if it carried any shred of good timing, can at least be said to have come at a point in the season when head coach Mike Eaves can try to do something about it. After the November 3 tilt the Badgers entered a bye week, one that saw Eaves revamp his lines.
Butters splits: Eaves also shook up his defense alignments during the bye week. He's handling the blueliners himself at the moment following the unexpected resignation of former Gopher Bill Butters as assistant coach. Butters, 61, said he wanted to pursue his calling as a minister to God. He had spent almost three decades as a chaplain for Hockey Ministries International.
While Eaves is sifting through likely candidates for a replacement, which will be a full-time gig paying better than $110,000 a year, he insists that Butters' permanent replacement won't be named for several months. In the meantime, The Wisconsin State Journal reports that former Wisconsin captain Mark Strobel is among those who have tossed their toques into the ring for the immediate opening.
Series for the ages: In all of collegiate sports not much can top a weekend hockey series between the Gophers and the Badgers. The teams will play four times this season and, of course, the rivalry will continue when both schools move to the new Big Ten hockey conference for the 2012-13 season.
Among WCHA opponents, no rivalry is as long as that of the Gophers and Badgers and with the possible exception of North Dakota, none is as intense. Beginning in 1922, Minnesota and Wisconsin have met 261 times. The Gophers have piled up an impressive 90-27-7 record against Bucky on home ice. The 27th loss came toward the end of last season when the teams split at Mariucci after dividing an earlier series at Madison.
Hot Young'n: Freshman goalie Adam Wilcox (5-1-1) has been named the WCHA's Rookie of the Week after allowing only two goals in the win/tie series at Alaska-Anchorage last weekend. The South St. Paul native posted his second career shutout with a 14-save performance in Friday's 4-0 win. He made 21 stops in Saturday's 2-2 overtime tie.
Wilcox leads the WCHA with a 1.58 goals-against average, which is fifth best in the nation.
Scouting the Badgers: A young team is getting older fast. The Badgers have won only once in six outings and their anemic goal production is a big reason. Wisconsin has scored only 11 goals in six games, fewer than two per game. That they haven't been buried is due in part to a defense which has allowed only 16 goals.
What scoring the Badgers have produced has come primarily from junior forward Michael Mersch (4-0-4), a 2010 4th-round draft pick of the Los Angeles Kings and Zengerle
Sophomore Joel Rumpel (1-3-1, 2.37, .919) is Wisconsin's go-to goalie. He was in the twine for all four Wisconsin-Minnesota games last season. However…Eaves is making noises like sophomore Landon Peterson (0-1-0, 3.01, .900) might see some time this weekend at Mariucci.
Jump back on Friday when I'll reveal the latest inside info on the Gophers-Badgers series plus any updates on national signing week, which is under way!
