The University of Wisconsin-Superior men's hockey team doesn't have much of a drive this weekend, going on the road to open the Northern Collegiate Hockey Association playoffs. The Yellowjackets will just head over the Blatnik Bridge on Friday afternoon to Mars Lakeview Arena.
Facing No. 5-ranked St. Scholastica, however, will be a task.
St. Scholastica (17-4-4) finished second in the league and has beaten UWS in all three meetings this season. UWS (9-11-3) was last in the league, its worst finish since 1987-88 after winning the 2009 regular-season championship.
"All of these are clichés, but they fit the situation. It is do-or-die for us and we're going to empty the tank," UWS coach Dan Stauber said Wednesday. "It's a new season; that's the only way we can approach it."
If the Saints win the first-round series, they'd almost certainly be chosen for the 11-team Division III field. If the Yellowjackets win, they'd move on in their only avenue to the NCAA tournament, winning the NCHA playoff title. Regular season league champion St. Norbert has a bye this week.
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In NCHA play, St. Scholastica was second in scoring (3.33 goals a game) and second in defense (2.11 allowed), while UWS was sixth among seven teams in scoring (2.50) and last in defense (3.50). The Yellowjackets will pin much of their hopes on forwards Chris Wilson (30 points), Talon Berlando (21) and Logan Isley (14).
"We haven't been in this position very often, going on the first round of the playoffs, and St. Scholastica hasn't been in the position very often of being a favored home team in the playoffs," Stauber said.
St. Scholastica outscored UWS 13-4 in three wins this season. In 2007, St. Scholastica went to Wessman Arena and upset UWS in the first round of the NCHA tournament.
