The last time Syracuse played Wisconsin, it lost the two-game series by a combined score of 11-0 in the span of 12 hours. That was nine years ago, in the program’s second and third games ever. This weekend, Syracuse gets another shot at the team that rudely welcomed it into Division I.

“If (the Syracuse) football team were to play Alabama, it’d be one of those things,” said Orange head coach Paul Flanagan. “(Wisconsin) just has that depth, and we’re a little bit banged up right now. But you know what, for us, this is awesome.”

A perennial Frozen Four contender, Wisconsin (4-0-0) has won four NCAA championships, third most all time. The Badgers lost in the championship game last year, but were recently ranked No. 1 by USA Today/USA Hockey Magazine. The Orange signed a two-year deal with the Badgers, so the team will travel to LaBahn Arena in Madison, Wisconsin, next season. Yet, SU’s full focus remains trained on this weekend. After the Orange went winless against Bemidji State on opening weekend, Syracuse (0-1-1) is looking forward to its home debut at Tennity Ice Pavilion on Friday at 4 p.m.

This week, the Orange has fixated on the chance to play the role of underdog, playing David to Wisconsin the Goliath. For goaltender Abbey Miller, there’s “bitterness” from playing with and against some of the Wisconsin team growing up in Minnesota, she said, and she believes the Badgers will overlook the Orange this weekend.

“They probably have the nicest women’s facility in the country,” Miller said. “I think them coming into our rink, they’re probably going to underestimate us quite a bit and kind of look over us. So, I think it’ll be a good opportunity for us to get a win and hopefully get ranked.”

In their 18-year history, the Badgers have never had a losing season and Flanagan credits the consistent competitiveness to the Badgers’ recruiting and, in turn, depth. UW’s fourth line isn’t much worse than its first, if at all, he said. Wisconsin’s depth will be tested against SU, because multiple Badgers won’t travel to Syracuse due to commitments with either the United States’ or Canadian national teams.

These pieces pile up and, though Syracuse might appear disadvantaged, junior defender Allie Munroe sees the Orange as prepared as it’s ever been.

“There’s a good opportunity to knock off the No. 1 team,” Munroe said, “so everyone’s excited.”

As for how the Orange plans to take down the top team in the country, Munroe says that Syracuse will try to disrupt Wisconsin’s winning culture, and “shake them up a bit.”

“You want teams to come in here, not just so that we can watch them, so that we can compete against them,” Flanagan said. “It’s going to make us better. I know our kids will be up for it. … It’s going to be a good weekend.”

Published on October 5, 2017 at 12:25 am

Contact Eric: erblack@syr.edu | @esblack34