MADISON, Wisc. -- After back-to-back series in Michigan, Sun Devil Hockey makes the trek around Lake Michigan for a two-game Thanksgiving series at No. 14/15 Wisconsin (4-2-0) on FOX Sports Arizona. Saturday's puck drop will be at 7 p.m. CT / 6 p.m. MT, while Sunday will be a matinee 4 p.m. CT / 3 p.m. MT showdown.
The Sun Devils (0-3-1) are looking to avenge their finish to the 2019-20 season in Madison, which featured 7-6 and 6-2 losses at the hands of the Badgers.
"The guys are really upbeat and had some of our best practices this week," said head coach Greg Powers. "They're hungry and you know you have a good culture and leadership when your team wants more when they're a little bit down and didn't get off to a good start."
Sun Devil Rewind
After encountering the Michigan State series without active NCAA career goal leader Johnny Walker, the Sun Devils will again have to find a way to navigate the weekend without the senior forward. Walker took a knee-to-knee in the final game at Michigan and has yet to take the ice since as his status remains week-to-week.
Despite the lack of goals scored through two weeks, the Sun Devil roster boasts what Coach Powers calls the "deepest roster we've had as a program" and double-digit goal scorers in previous seasons. One of those is former Badger and senior forward Sean Dhooghe, who returns to Madison this weekend for the first time since departing this past offseason. Dhooghe has been playing on the top line with James Sanchez -- the first Sun Devil 40-point earner in 2019-20 -- and freshman Matthew Kopperud, who is filling in the role of Walker.
Goaltending has proved to be a bright spot for the Sun Devils so far in 2020-21, with freshman Cole Brady and junior Evan DeBrouwer splitting games thus far. Brady has posted a .929 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average in two starts and three appearances for a 0-1-1 record. DeBrouwer posted 38 saves Thursday at Michigan State in the 2-0 loss, which matches game one against Wisconsin last year for the last time he posted that many saves.
Breaking Down the Badgers
The Badgers (4-2-0) have two sweeps sandwiched around being swept at the hands of Michigan as well. They return four of the top six scorers from a season ago, including 2019 15th overall draft pick Cole Caufield -- who is coming off a hat trick -- and Sabres' 7th round pick and current point leader Linus Weissbach. However, Wisconsin will be without 2020 14th overall pick Dylan Halloway, who is off to World Junior camp with Team Canada.
Despite the two losses, the Badgers have scored first in five of their six games and have scored a goal in the first period in all but one game.
A big, new addition for the Badgers in 2020-21 is graduate transfer goaltender Robbie Beydoun from Michigan Tech. The Plymouth, Mich. native comes in after only playing five games for the Huskies in 2019-20, and is already putting up similar numbers with a 2.47 goals against average and .931 save percentage. The Badgers have not had a goaltender finish with above a .900 save percentage since 2015.
The Sun Devils (0-3-1) are looking to avenge their finish to the 2019-20 season in Madison, which featured 7-6 and 6-2 losses at the hands of the Badgers.
"The guys are really upbeat and had some of our best practices this week," said head coach Greg Powers. "They're hungry and you know you have a good culture and leadership when your team wants more when they're a little bit down and didn't get off to a good start."
Sun Devil Rewind
After encountering the Michigan State series without active NCAA career goal leader Johnny Walker, the Sun Devils will again have to find a way to navigate the weekend without the senior forward. Walker took a knee-to-knee in the final game at Michigan and has yet to take the ice since as his status remains week-to-week.
Despite the lack of goals scored through two weeks, the Sun Devil roster boasts what Coach Powers calls the "deepest roster we've had as a program" and double-digit goal scorers in previous seasons. One of those is former Badger and senior forward Sean Dhooghe, who returns to Madison this weekend for the first time since departing this past offseason. Dhooghe has been playing on the top line with James Sanchez -- the first Sun Devil 40-point earner in 2019-20 -- and freshman Matthew Kopperud, who is filling in the role of Walker.
Goaltending has proved to be a bright spot for the Sun Devils so far in 2020-21, with freshman Cole Brady and junior Evan DeBrouwer splitting games thus far. Brady has posted a .929 save percentage and 2.48 goals against average in two starts and three appearances for a 0-1-1 record. DeBrouwer posted 38 saves Thursday at Michigan State in the 2-0 loss, which matches game one against Wisconsin last year for the last time he posted that many saves.
Breaking Down the Badgers
The Badgers (4-2-0) have two sweeps sandwiched around being swept at the hands of Michigan as well. They return four of the top six scorers from a season ago, including 2019 15th overall draft pick Cole Caufield -- who is coming off a hat trick -- and Sabres' 7th round pick and current point leader Linus Weissbach. However, Wisconsin will be without 2020 14th overall pick Dylan Halloway, who is off to World Junior camp with Team Canada.
Despite the two losses, the Badgers have scored first in five of their six games and have scored a goal in the first period in all but one game.
A big, new addition for the Badgers in 2020-21 is graduate transfer goaltender Robbie Beydoun from Michigan Tech. The Plymouth, Mich. native comes in after only playing five games for the Huskies in 2019-20, and is already putting up similar numbers with a 2.47 goals against average and .931 save percentage. The Badgers have not had a goaltender finish with above a .900 save percentage since 2015.