Before heading off to meetings and practice Tuesday, UW men's hockey coach Mike Eaves said he'd gotten word from the NCAA that freshman center Derek Lee has been cleared to play.

Lee missed the first four games of the season due to a transcript error that UW had to appeal. Eaves said Lee, from North Vancouver, British Columbia, could play Friday and Saturday when the Badgers host New Hampshire in a non-conference series at the Kohl Center.

However, UW won't have the services of freshman right winger Craig Smith for the entire New Hampshire series. Smith originally received a major penalty and game disqualification for checking from behind against Minnesota State-Mankato Oct. 24. That meant Smith would have to sit out Friday's series opener.

But Eaves said he was notified by the WCHA that Smith has had another game added to that punishment. Eaves didn't disagree with the action because Smith didn't appear to slow down when he crosschecked Mankato left winger Geoff Irwin into the boards in the third period of a 3-2 loss.

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