Here's one way to measure Kyle Turris, the bull's-eye-wearing freshman center for the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team:

The last time he was held without a point in back-to-back games was nearly 50 outings ago, a stretch that began 10 months ago and includes matchups in juniors, against elite international competition and in college.

That remarkable consistency helps explain why Turris was taken by Phoenix with the third overall pick in the NHL Entry Draft last June.

It also helps explain why Turris leads the nation in points per game after eight outings with the Badgers (5 goals, 9 assists, 14 points).

It also helps illustrate why Turris was hounded and pounded throughout a Western Collegiate Hockey Association series with North Dakota at the Kohl Center over the weekend.

It was a somewhat ill-tempered series -- extending off the ice in one instance involving a North Dakota player and the UW mascot. Turris and his fellow teenage rookies for the Badgers were the epicenter of those moments.

"It's all part of the game,'' Turris said. "It's something I have to expect and I have to adapt to it.''

In the first period of the series opener Friday, won 4-0 by UW, Turris was walloped at the offensive blue line by Fighting Sioux junior defenseman Joe Finley, a fellow NHL first-rounder (Washington) who is listed at 6-foot-7 and 245 pounds.

Things escalated in the second game, which saw North Dakota gain a split with a 3-1 victory. Winger Max Watkins thumped Turris in the neutral zone, Finley literally tackled Turris along the right boards, senior defenseman Robbie Bina put a headlock on Turris in the corner and junior center Rylan Kaip made a point of trying to drive Turris to the ice during every faceoff.

"It gets frustrating, but I shouldn't let it get to me,'' Turris said. "I've just got to play my game and I definitely didn 't do that.''

Oshie said the treatment of Turris comes with the territory of being a prime offensive threat. Oshie has a similar bull's eye on his back, as does linemate Ryan Duncan, the reigning Hobey Baker Award winner.

"Turris is a great player,'' Oshie said, "but like they keyed on (Duncan), we tried to key on (Turris) to make sure he doesn't get too much space because he can definitely make some plays when he has it.''

When the final horn sounded Saturday, Turris was in the UW dressing room, having been part of a 10-player skirmish late in the third. There was lots of gesturing, headlocks, sweater pulling and wrestling, which led to five players from each team being assessed minors for roughing and 10-minute misconducts.

The incident began when Kaip charged into freshman defenseman Brendan Smith, who had his head down facing the dasher boards behind the UW cage. It ultimately triggered a heated postgame exchange between Badgers coach Mike Eaves and his counterpart, Dave Hakstol.

Hakstol declined to offer any relevant insights, but Eaves said was upset with the way the melee "unfolded and how it carried on.''

Meanwhile, a UW official confirmed that Finley allegedly used his stick to smack Bucky Badger in the leg when the two passed one another on the runway to the dressing rooms Saturday night.

UW senior associate athletic director Vince Sweeney said Sunday he had not spoken with the student, who he identified as David Blanchard, but it was Sweeney's understanding that the alleged incident was unprovoked.

"We'll talk about it (today),'' Sweeney said. "We may pass it along to the (WCHA).''