About the Badgers

Record: 6-3-1 overall, 4-3-1 WCHA

Coach: Mike Eaves (149-114-35 in his eighth season at UW)

Player to watch: RW Craig Smith. In four games since the freshman was inserted in the No. 1 line, that unit has accounted for four goals, nine assists and 13 points. Smith is 2-5-7 in that stretch.

Tentative lineup

F Andy Bohmbach / Blake Geoffrion / Craig Smith

F Derek Lee / Ben Street / Ben Grotting

F Jordy Murray / Derek Stepan / Davies

F John Mitchell / Aaron Bendickson / Patrick Johnson

D Ryan McDonagh / Jake Gardiner

D Brendan Smith / John Ramage

D Cody Goloubef / Justin Schultz

G Brett Bennett

Injury report: None.

You should know: The Badgers rank among the top five nationally in scoring offense (fourth), scoring defense (fifth) and penalty killing (fourth). ... The power play, though, is 50th out of 58 schools with a conversion ratio of 12.1 percent.

About the Huskies

Record: 4-4-2 overall, 3-2-1 WCHA

Coach: Bob Motzko (85-64-21 in his fifth season at St. Cloud State)

Player to watch: RW Ryan Lasch. The senior came into the season with better career stats at the juncture (63 goals, 77 assists, 140 points) than the last two WCHA forwards to win the Hobey Baker Award.

Tentative lineup

F Dan Eddy / Garrett Roe / Lasch

F Tony Mosey / Drew LeBlanc / Brian Volpei

F Jared Festler / Nick Oslund / Travis Novak

F Ben Hanowski / Jordy Christian / Jon Ammerman

D Craig Gaudet / Garrett Raboin

D Sam Zabkowicz / Chris Hepp

D Oliver Lauridsen / Taylor Johnson

G Mike Lee

Injury report: None.

You should know: The Huskies have used a goaltending rotation similar to the one at UW. Lee, a freshman who was picked as preseason WCHA Rookie of the Year, will start tonight. Dan Dunn, the reigning WCHA defensive player of the week, is projected to work Saturday.

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