The Red Cross has mobilized in Myanmar following a cyclone that is estimated to have claimed over 20,000 lives. More info

UW men's hockey: In last decade, home ice has always paved way to Frozen Four

Todd D. Milewski  —  3/27/2008 5:58 am

There are all sorts of comforts in being at home, especially when it comes to a high-pressure situation like the NCAA tournament.

So what's the biggest advantage for the University of Wisconsin in playing the NCAA Midwest Regional at the Kohl Center?

Coach Mike Eaves pointed to the rink itself.

"You know what? It's being able to practice right out here," Eaves said after a recent practice inside the regional site. "We haven't been here very much other than games our whole second semester. It's just the world in which we live. And being able to walk from there (the locker room) to there (the ice) and practice and get used to our boards and the ice and the air in this building, that's a very nice thing to have."

Wisconsin opens the NCAA tournament against Denver in a regional semifinal game Saturday in front of what should be a friendly crowd at the Kohl Center.

The Badgers were 10-6-2 on home ice in the regular season, the program's sixth winning home record in 10 years at the Kohl Center. They've barely skated on the ice in the last month, however -- they practiced there for three days two weeks ago but they haven't played there since Feb. 16.

A step back to look at the overall picture, however, shows a strong benefit in a team playing in its building during the NCAAs.

In the last 10 years, six teams have had home ice for the regionals. All of them advanced to the Frozen Four.

Michigan did it three times, and, but for the familiar venue, it could have been considered an underdog all three times.

In 1998, the Wolverines beat Princeton and then North Dakota, the second seed in the West Regional and the recipient of a first-round bye.

In 2002, Michigan beat St. Cloud State in the opener and then knocked off rested Denver, the West's top seed, to make the Frozen Four. A year later -- when the tournament had expanded to 16 teams, eliminating first-round byes -- third-seeded Michigan beat No. 2 Maine, then No. 1 Colorado College at Yost Ice Arena.

Minnesota (2003, 2005) and North Dakota (2006) also have advanced to the Frozen Four through their home ice in recent years.

In all, since the tournament expanded past four teams in 1977, home teams are 106-38-5 (.728) and have either advanced out of the regional or won the series 55-of-74 times (74.3 percent).

"I'm hoping that's one of the factors that assists us in counteracting the fact that we've been off for two weeks," Eaves said. "Maybe that'll balance that scale a little bit."

Home ice controversial

In part because of the record Michigan has put together in its building, on-campus regionals have been a hot topic for the NCAA hockey committee. Last season was the first time in six seasons of a 16-team, four-regional format that no campus regionals were scheduled.

Minnesota will host the West Regional next season, and sites for the Midwest and West regionals for 2010 and 2011 will be announced this summer. Wisconsin has submitted bids for both seasons.

Joel Maturi, the Minnesota athletic director who serves as the chair of the Division I men's ice hockey committee, said the committee wanted to take the pulse of the membership on the campus regional issue before deciding future sites.

"There are not as many options in the West as there are in the East," Maturi said. "Some of the options in the West are actually at institutions, where it's not as common in the East. And there's a built-in advantage when you're playing at home."

The committee didn't want to limit itself to neutral sites, however, NCAA associate director of championships Kristin Fasbender said, so the issue likely will linger.

It's not likely you'll hear Denver coach George Gwozdecky offering much in the way of complaints this weekend. He said he had no issue whatsoever with being sent to play Wisconsin at the Kohl Center in the first round.

"You like to play in venues that you know and that you're comfortable with," Gwozdecky said.

The best evidence of the Pioneers' comfort in playing at the Kohl Center: They're 11-1-2 here since the building opened for hockey in 1998, including five straight victories.

Wisconsin hopes it has a bigger advantage on Saturday.

It doesn't have to travel. It has a familiar locker room. It has a familiar ice surface.

"To me, it's more exciting to be here playing in the NCAA tournament," Badgers senior defenseman Josh Engel said. "Obviously, everyone's excited to be in the tournament. But there's something about being at home when you're in the tournament that's special."

Todd D. Milewski  —  3/27/2008 5:58 am