From: Badger Blogby Andy Baggot
Irony drips from the news that Wisconsin will face WCHA rival Denver in the opening round of the NCAA tournament at the Kohl Center.
The Badgers, who host the NCAA Midwest regional, face Denver at 5:30 p.m. Saturday (local time).
The inclusion of UW in the 16-team field is controversial because it received one of 10 at-large bids despite a losing record (15-16-7) and the fact it failed to get out of the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
But the Badgers will point to a 3-2 loss to Denver Jan. 11 as a reason for their ills.
A tying, last-second goal by senior winger Matthew Ford was wrongly disallowed by referee Randy Schmidt, who ignored video evidence that the goal should have counted.
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod acknowledged that a mistake was made, but declined to remedy the situation beyond suspending Schmidt for the rest of the season.
UW officials subsequently filed an unprecedented appeal that was denied by a vote of WCHA faculty representatives.
If that game finishes in a tie, the Badgers not only get home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs, their NCAA resume is not nearly as controversial.
The Badgers, who host the NCAA Midwest regional, face Denver at 5:30 p.m. Saturday (local time).
The inclusion of UW in the 16-team field is controversial because it received one of 10 at-large bids despite a losing record (15-16-7) and the fact it failed to get out of the first round of the WCHA playoffs.
But the Badgers will point to a 3-2 loss to Denver Jan. 11 as a reason for their ills.
A tying, last-second goal by senior winger Matthew Ford was wrongly disallowed by referee Randy Schmidt, who ignored video evidence that the goal should have counted.
WCHA commissioner Bruce McLeod acknowledged that a mistake was made, but declined to remedy the situation beyond suspending Schmidt for the rest of the season.
UW officials subsequently filed an unprecedented appeal that was denied by a vote of WCHA faculty representatives.
If that game finishes in a tie, the Badgers not only get home ice for the first round of the WCHA playoffs, their NCAA resume is not nearly as controversial.
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