MADISON, Wis. – Postseason hockey is upon the Wisconsin men's hockey team. The Badgers travel to Columbus again this weekend to face the Buckeyes for the second weekend in a row. Here are six quick things you should know:
 
1. A SENIOR'S FINAL MISSION: Coming into this season, senior Max Zimmer tallied 11 career goals throughout his first three years as a Badger. Since then, the forward has netted eight goals this season, not including a shootout-winning goal against Minnesota. Seven of these goals have come within the past eight games. Teams and goalies across the Big Ten don't seem to have an answer for Zimmer's newfound confidence and Wisconsin is hoping the Buckeye's can't find a solution either.
 
2. SEEING STARS: For the second week in a row, freshman Alex Turcotte was named the Big Ten Third Star of the Week. The young forward has been impressive over the past two weeks notching eight points in four games for the Badgers including some pretty crafty ways to assist his teammates in goals. Turcotte, the No. 5 overall pick by the Los Angeles Kings in the 2019 NHL draft, has scored in all but one game against the Buckeyes this season.
 
3. PREPARED BETWEEN THE PIPES: Last weekend, Badger fans saw two different goalies play exceptionally well between the pipes for Wisconsin. Sophomore Daniel Lebedeff got the win Friday night against Ohio State, extending the Badger win streak to three. Senior goaltender Jack Berry was back in goal Saturday after dealing with a late-season injury. After allowing three goals in the first half of the game, he shut the door and kept OSU scoreless in UW's 3-3 comeback tie. 
 
4. DÉJÀ VU: The Big Ten tournament is where teams see opponents for most likely the third time that season, this is true for Wisconsin, but it is also back-to-back weekends the Badgers find themselves in Columbus playing Ohio State. Although, this weekend proves to be a little more important on the Wisconsin side. The Badgers earned five of six points last weekend after a 3-2 win and 3-3 tie, with a 3-on-3 victory, and are 2-1-1 against the Buckeyes this season, their best record against any Big Ten team this season. 

The Badgers have finished a regular season, then opened conference playoffs seven time before this year. They have won five of those seven series or games including most recently in 2017 when UW beat Ohio State in the Big Ten semifinals after finish its season against the Buckeyes.
 
5. SCOUTING THE BUCKEYES: With this series being the fifth, sixth and maybe seventh game between these two teams, it is fair to they know each other fairly well.

Ohio State (18-11-5, 11-9-4-1 Big Ten) is the second seed for the Big Ten tournament after finished in a three-way tie for second place in the regular season, but held the tie break over Michigan and Minnesota.

Tanner Laczynski leads OSU with 31 points on 10 goals and 21 assists. He scored a goal in each game last weekend against the Badgers. Carson Meyer shares second on the team with Gustaf Weslund with 25 points after leading OSU with a goal and two assists last weekend. Quinn Preston leads the team with 13 goals.

Ohio State goalie Tommy Nappier is 15-10-4 with a 2.11 goals-against average and .929 save percentage. He ranks third among Big Ten goaltenders in both goals-against average and save percentage.
 
6. HOW TO WATCH: Puck drop will be 6 p.m. from Columbus both Friday and Saturday night and Sunday if needed. A stream will be available on BTN+ with a radio play-by-play on 1310 WIBA.