When Wisconsin men's hockey coach Mike Eaves told me Tuesday afternoon that freshman right winger Craig Smith had his one-game punishment from the WCHA extended to two games, I assumed it was the league office that took the action because that's the routine when it comes to issues like this.

Eaves came up and told me said Smith "got another game.'' I then asked him if he was OK with that decision and he calmly said it was warranted.

A press release later Tuesday said the UW Athletic Department actually sanctioned Smith for his major penalty for checking from behind against Minnesota State-Mankato Oct. 24. He received a game disqualification after his third-period hit on winger Geoff Irwin -- which meant an automatic one-game suspension -- that left Irwin with a separated shoulder.

As such, Smith won't play Friday or Saturday when the Badgers host New Hampshire in a non-conference series at the Kohl Center.

Based on feedback I've received, Smith likely would have been further punished by the WCHA had the school not chosen to do. In that sense, UW deserves credit for recognizing the reckless nature of the hit and for taking appropriate action. That step may not be unprecedented where the UW men's hockey team is concerned -- I couldn't think of an instance in the time I've covered the team -- but it is rare.

I apologize for the confusion.

Smith's pending absence, coupled with the reinstatement of freshman center/winger Derek Lee from NCAA limbo this week, prompted Eaves to try some new line combinations at practice Wednesday.

Lee worked at right wing on the No. 1 line with senior left winger Andy Bohmbach and senior center and tri-captain Blake Geoffrion. Lee also rotated into the No. 2 power-play unit with junior winger Podge Turnbull.

The other lines had senior tri-captain Ben Street between senior John Mitchell and junior Patrick Johnson; sophomore Derek Stepan between sophomore Jordy Murray and senior Michael Davies; and senior Aaron Bendickson between Turnbull and senior Ben Grotting.

"We just wanted to see what it's like,'' Eaves said when asked specifically about Lee on the top line. "We'll sit down and talk about -- how did it look, what do we feel -- and go from there.''

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