by Steve Greene, FOXSports.com

Comment

1 - Minnesota has scored just one power play goal this season in twenty-nine chances, or a conversion percent of just .034. That's down significantly from last year's mark of .201.

2.37 - Career Goals Against Average for Minnesota goalie Alex Kangas. After a difficult series against Denver, Kangas rebounded against Alaska-Anchorage, giving up a single goal in each game.

7 - Different Minnesota players who have scored a goal this season, led by senior forward Tony Lucia.

18 - Wisconsin's national ranking, according to the most recent USCHO/CBS College Sports Division I list.

19 - Career multi-point games for Wisconsin's Michael Davies, the most for any active Badger. Davies snapped a nine-game streak without a goal on Halloween with a late-third-period score against New Hampshire.

111 - Career games played by defenseman Jamie McBain, who the Badgers lost to the NHL at the conclusion of last season. The INCH Defenseman of the Year and WCHA Player of the Year signed a three-year contract with the Carolina Hurricanes worth up to $1.8 million.

557 - Career wins for Minnesota head coach Don Lucia, 278 of them coming at Minnesota. Lucia previously helmed squads at Alaska-Fairbanks and current WCHA rival Colorado College.

15,237 - Seating capacity of Kohl Center, Wisconsin's on-campus rink and the site of this week's games. Three previous Badgers-Gophers contests have reached this attendance mark, twice in 2005 and once in 2001.

Both teams are having in-conference troubles so far this season, as both are under .500 in the WCHA. Wisconsin's recent sweep of New Hampshire was a boon to their season after splitting against Minnesota State and only managing to grab one point from a two-game set with Colorado College. Wisconsin has the whole rest of the season, though, to prepare for another NCAA tournament run. Former Badger great Mike Eaves has coached this team to four appearances in the last seven years.

Minnesota has struggled on the road this year so far, losing and tying at North Dakota. The Gophers will need to improve their in-conference and away marks if they are going to improve upon their underachieving 2007-08 and 2008-09 efforts. The back-to-back national championships of 2002 and 2003 seem like bygone days. They will certainly need a strong presence in the WCHA in order to get anywhere close to those previous marks. Like their opponents this week, this week is a chance to make a statement.