Border Battle Renews With Wisconsin-Minnesota Hockey Series MADISON, Wis. - One of the most exciting rivalries in college hockey continues when No. 2 Badger men's hockey meets the No. 4 Minnesota Golden Gophers at the Kohl Center for the first contest of a two game series beginning tonight at 7 p.m. The first-place Badgers (18-4-2, 13-3-2 WCHA) hold a four-point lead over the Gophers (16-6-4, 11-5-2 WCHA) in the WCHA standings. Both contests were sold long ago, so fans wishing to catch the action can view it live on FSN North or tape delayed on Wisconsin Public Television. The game can also be heard live on WIBA-AM 1310. Live game audio and postgame news conference at uwbadgers.com. The Badgers will attempt to snap their first two-game losing streak of the season with their last home games for over a month. The Badgers dropped a pair of home contests last weekend to two-time defending NCAA-champion Denver, 1-0 and 4-2. Minnesota earned a home sweep over Colorado College. Wisconsin won both games against Minnesota earlier this season at Mariucci Arena and look to take the season series with Minnesota for the first time since going 4-0-0 against the Gophers during the 1999–00 regular season. Wisconsin also beat Minnesota at the Final Five that season. The series will match the nation's No. 2 offense in Minnesota, against the nation's No. 5 in Wisconsin. The Badgers also boast the nation's top defense. The UW defense will again rely on freshman Shane Connelly, who made his collegiate debut last weekend. Of the five goals allowed last weekend, the Cheltenham, Pa., native, allowed three power-play tallies and two at even strength. The games will be against yet another ranked opponent as the Badgers are 9-2-1 against ranked opponents this season with wins over then-No. 1 Michigan, then-No. 1 Colorado College, and two wins over then-No. 4 Minnesota, then-No. 5 North Dakota and then-No. 5 Colorado College. In all, seventeen of Wisconsin’s 24 games this season have been played against teams with a winning record. That equates to the nation's toughest schedule, according to USCHO.com's RPI rankings. Minnesota has skated against the second-toughest slate. In attendance to witness the series on Saturday will be upwards of 70 Badger men's hockey alumni, who will be part of the Kohl Center's fifth packed building of the season for men's hockey.