This is in response to this post by Robert and another one (second one up) he made earlier.
Some further clarification about my statement that the Badgers likely will schedule a second opponent prior to the start of the next WCHA campaign that will not be “terribly threatening”. This is meant only to suggest the first two series are intended to provide reasonable competition in order resolve possible issues (e.g., the makeup of Bucky’s lines for the coming season) before launching conference play - similar to the tune-up games of major powers in college football. Losses are improbable though not impossible (ala Penn State made clear last season).
Since the 2017-18 season, the Badgers have scheduled only teams from the CHA – Lindenwood, Mercyhurst, and Penn St - with the exception in 21-22 of Merrimac of Hockey East (HE). But Merrimac rarely has posed a threat to any of the major programs in HE – NE, Quinnipiac, Colgate, et al. I expect that the Badgers will continue this approach in the first two weeks this coming season.
Likewise, I anticipate that Bucky will schedule a pair of games against more serious competition during the winter break as it also has been doing in recent years. The last two seasons this has been against Quinnipiac. In 2019-20 they played Harvard and BC in the Country Class in Nashville and Robert Morris and NE in the Battle of the Burgh in Pittsburgh – events in two cities experiencing growth in their interest in youth hockey for both girls and boys. The latter was made possible by the exit of North Dakota from the WCHA which provided 4 more open slots for nonconference games that also were used to schedule nonconference games with teams from HE in several other years.
Frankly, I would not mind Bucky reverting to at least a second quality non-conference opponent to an open weekend later in the season, one that would be a serious test (BC, Harvard, etc.). Teams are allowed only 34 games during the regular season and having only one opponent prior to WCHA play possibly could mean having to face OSU, UMD, and MN immediately thereafter - a challenge of another magnitude. Still, another two games against a quality team would be interesting and exciting to watch as well as serve to prepare Bucky for post-season play against the major competitors outside the WCHA. I think some of the teams in Hockey East also would view it as helpful for preparing for the post-season NCAA tournament - kind of like a midterm exam. Why not send them an open invitation?
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