Black Sunday eve.

March 7, 1981.

In the opening game of the WCHA playoffs, a two-game, total goals series, the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team dominated Colorado College, 8-2, at the Dane County Coliseum. The Badgers so controled play in the third period that it created a false sense of security for some players who celebrated into the early morning hours.

Black Sunday.

March 8, 1981.

Colorado College, coached by Jeff Sauer, would not roll over and surrender. That message was sent in the second period when the Tigers outscored the lethargic and hung-over Badgers, 5-1. "I couldn't believe what was happening to us,'' said UW freshman center John Johannson. "They were getting goals off sticks and skates. It was a nightmare. We underestimated them.''

Before taking the ice for the third period, the band played the traditional "Bud'' song and the Tigers sang along in the visitor's locker room at the Coliseum. "Here we are between the second and third periods of the game,'' Sauer said, "and we were singing along as loud as we could. We were cheering for ourselves.''

Black Sunday.

March 8, 1981.

The Tigers crushed the Badgers, 11-4, thereby winning the total goals series, 13-12. Colorado College moved on to face Minnesota in the second round of the WCHA playoffs, while the Badgers were left to ponder their fate; now squarely in the hands of the NCAA selection committee. "After we played today,'' Scott Lecy said of Black Sunday, "I can't see how we can be picked.''

Black Sunday led to some second-guessing in the community. "You can't believe the abuse we got on campus from people who are not even hockey fans,'' said Theran Welsh, an All-American defenseman. "Maybe it's a carryover from a losing football program where they really come down hard on the team. They seemed to group us with another loser at Wisconsin. I don't think a lot of guys have been to school for a couple of days because of it. And you certainly don't wear your hockey letter jacket around town this week.''

But he still tried to put things into perspective. "You can't ignore the season we had,'' Welsh rationalized of the Badgers who had finished second in the WCHA. "I believe the selection committee is going to take a hard look at us. I might feel a little funny about getting a second chance or going in through the back door, as they say. But it wouldn't be the first time it has happened in this sport.''

Selection Sunday.

Wisconsin's post-season fate was in the hands of the NCAA selection committee: Billy Cleary (Harvard), Charlie Holt (New Hampshire), Jim Lessig (Bowling Green) and John Matchefts (Air Force). When UW coach Bob Johnson, the legendary Badger Bob, was asked how the vote might go, he gritted his teeth and said, "I just know if we get that second chance to redeem ourselves, we will take full advantage of it.''

Huddled together in the UW hockey office like a group of expectant fathers, players and coaches alike, they waited for the telephone to ring that Sunday night. "It was worse than having a baby,'' Badger Bob suggested.

Shortly after nine o'clock, the official word from the NCAA arrived. Johnson, who had set up his vigil some four hours earlier, dashed to the phone. Being superstitious, he let the phone ring three times. "This time,'' he said, "I knew this was the one.''

Milking the situation for its full dramatic impact, Johnson took the call and them calmly gathered his players and herded them into a meeting room. He didn't smile, nor did he give any indication that the news was favorable.

After listing the matchups for three of the NCAA quarterfinals series -- and there was no mention of Wisconsin yet -- Johnson could see his players squirming.

"Clarkson, the No. 1 seed in the East,'' said Johnson, pausing, ''will host Wisconsin. Gentlemen, we have been selected to the NCAA tournament.''

There were a few hoots and yelps. But more sighs of relief than anything else. "Everyone learned a lesson against Colorado College,'' said defenseman Jay McFarlane, "and, hopefully, it will help us now.''

The Back Door Badgers were now a reality. "Hey, you know what,'' Bob Johnson posed, mopping his brow and beak in characteristic fashion, "they can call us anything they want because we're still playing and a lot of people aren't.''

So they were. Still alive and playing. And what followed was one of the most amazing runs in college hockey history. The Back Door Badgers defeated the No. 1 team in the ECAC (Clarkson), the No. 1 team in the CCHA (Northern Michigan), and the No. 1 team in the WCHA (Minnesota).

The Back Door Badgers won against all odds, beginning with their opening series in Potsdam, New York, where they outlasted Clarkson to start their improbable run. Next was Duluth, Minn., the site of the Final Four.

In the opener, the Back Door Badger overwhelmed Northern Michigan, 5-1. That got them into the championship game opposite Minnesota, the WCHA champion. The Gophers had set school record in wins (33), goals, assists and total points. Plus, they had won three out of four from Wisconsin during the regular season.

"But we just realized how cocky the Gophers were,'' said Ron Vincent, the UW's second-leading scorer. "They figured that they had the championship in the bag. They thought they could skate on the ice and impress us with their big names (Neal and Aaron Broten, among others); the high and mighty Gophers.''

But the Back Door Badgers put on a clinic and jumped out to a 3-0 first period lead, totally befuddling the Gophs. "Five minutes into the game,'' Johannson said, "I knew that we were going to win. You could see they were getting frustrated.''

Behind the steady goaltending of Marc Behrend, who would be named the Most Valuable player, the Back Door Badgers stunned Minnesota, 6-3. "We were kind of a Cinderella story, weren't we?'' Vincent posed, walking out the front door of the Duluth arena with a national championship smile on his face.

That was 27 years ago.

But the Back Door Badgers might still have application today for the Wisconsin hockey team and coach Mike Eaves, especially if his players are committed to redeeming themselves and taking advantage of their second chance.