1976–77 Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey season

The 1976–77 Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey team represented the University of Wisconsin–Madison in college ice hockey. In its tenth year under head coach Bob Johnson, the team compiled a 37–7–1 record (26–5–1 against Western Collegiate Hockey Association (WCHA) opponents) and outscored all opponents 264 to 161. The Badgers received the WCHA's automatic bid to the 1977 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament by winning the 1977 WCHA Men's Ice Hockey Tournament, the only singular WCHA tournament champion over a 16-year period (1965 to 1981). They defeated the New Hampshire Wildcats in the Frozen Four semifinals and then beat WCHA- and Big Ten-rival Michigan Wolverines by a 6–5 score in overtime to win the national championship in Detroit, Michigan.
Goalie Julian Baretta was chosen as the Most Outstanding Player in the NCAA Tournament. He had two shutouts and a .905 save percentage for the season. The team's leading scorer was junior defenseman Craig Norwich with 18 goals, 65 assists, and 83 points. Norwich was the third defenseman (Bob Heathcott, 1952; Dan Lodboa, 1970) in NCAA history to lead his team in scoring while winning a National Title in the same season (the next occurrence was 2018).
==Season==
Head coach Bob Johnson returned to the program after taking a year off to coach the Team USA at the 1976 Winter Olympics in Innsbruck. The Olympic team finished a disappointing 5th-place after taking Silver in 1972 but the Badgers had fared even worse in Johnson's absence. Wisconsin went 12–24–1 under interim coach Bill Rothwell, compiling their first losing season since returning to varsity status in 1963 (The Badgers would not have another losing season until 1995–96).
Seeking to erase the previous year from their collective memories, the Badgers opened with a 6–7 overtime loss to dual conference rival Michigan but evened their record with an overtime win the following day. Over the next six games, Wisconsin scored no less than 5 times, winning each match until Michigan State handed them their second defeat of the season. After trading wins with several teams, and losing a match to HC Spartak Moscow, Wisconsin won 12 games in a row after the new year, rocketing up the standings to take first place in the WCHA. Wisconsin finished the regular season winning 26 of their 32 WCHA games to capture their first conference title and were led by Craig Norwich in scoring. Norwich's 63 points in WCHA play was good for third best across the conference and paced all defensemen by a wide margin.
Prior to the season, the NCAA instituted a new policy where they gave their tournament selection committee the ability to add up to four additional teams to the tournament. In response to this the WCHA changed their tournament format to have a solitary champion that would receive an automatic tournament bid rather than two co-champions who would both proceed to the national championship. This format would be in place for only the 1977 season and would revert to a co-champion system in 1978. Because of this Wisconsin would have to face three rounds of competitors rather than the customary two to win the WCHA tournament.
 
The Badgers played 8th-place Colorado College in the quarterfinals, who made the tournament over Michigan State based on tie-breakers. Though the Tigers had lost all four games to Wisconsin in the regular season they had done so with only seven fewer goals than the Badgers. In the two-game series Colorado College held Wisconsin's high-powered offense to only three goals twice, far below their average, but could only manage one score in each contest. In the semifinals the Badgers faced off against an upstart Minnesota squad that had defeated #2 seed Notre Dame in the opening round. The Golden Gophers were no match for the Badgers who took the series 17–8 and were set against Michigan in the championship series. Wisconsin got off to a great start, taking the first game 4–0, before cruising to a WCHA championship with a 5–4 win in the following game to take the series 9–4. The title gave Wisconsin an automatic bid to the 1977 NCAA tournament as the #1 western seed.
In their first game at the Olympia Stadium Wisconsin played New Hampshire, who possessed the #1 offense in the east. The two teams fought to a 3–3 tie after regulation but Julian Baretta kept everything out of the Badger's net in the extra frame and allowed Mike Eaves to score the game-winner. The championship match set Johnson's Badgers against Farrell's Wolverines for the seventh time that season. Wisconsin's offensive firepower was apparent from the start and the Badgers jumped out to a 3–0 lead on the strength of two power play goals. Michigan replied with two man-advantage markers of their own to cut the score to 3–2 but goals by Mike Meeker and Mark Johnson at the beginnings of the second and third periods rebuilt the Badger's 3-goal lead. The Wolverines, however, would not go away and Mark Miller scored 26 seconds after Johnson's second goal of the game. Dave Debol notched his second less than a minute later to cut Wisconsin's lead to 1 goal and it was completely erased with less than 6 minutes in regulation by John Wayman. With the score tied and the Badger's reeling Baretta kept the score tied 5–5 and allowed Wisconsin to regain their footing as the two teams headed into overtime. In what turned out to be the shortest overtime period in NCAA championship history, Steve Alley backhanded the puck past Michigan netminder Rick Palmer and sent the Badger faithful into paroxysms of joy.
Wisconsin won its second National Title in 5 years on the strength of its power play, scoring a then-record 93 goals on the man-advantage over the course of the season. Only the 1980 Minnesota team has scored more (99). Mark Johnson set an NCAA record for freshman in assists (44) and points (80) and was named WCHA Freshman of the Year. Bob Johnson was named as the WCHA Coach of the Year while Julian Baretta and Craig Norwich earned both First Team All-WCHA and AHCA All-American honors. Mike Eaves was selected for the WCHA Second Team and an All-American while John Taft received a spot on the WCHA Second Team.
==Standings==
===Schedule===
During the season, Wisconsin compiled a 37–7–1 record, the best year the program has ever produced. Its schedule was as follows.
Date 	Opponent 	Score 	Result 	Venue 	Location 	Record (WCHA / Big Ten)
Oct. 15, 1976 	Michigan ‡ 	6–7* 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	0–1 (0–1 / 0–1)
Oct. 16, 1976 	Michigan ‡ 	7–6* 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	1–1 (1–1 / 1–1)
Oct. 22, 1976 	Western Ontario 	11–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	2–1 (1–1 / 1–1)
Oct. 23, 1976 	Western Ontario 	8–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	3–1 (1–1 / 1–1)
Nov. 5, 1976 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	5–4 	Win 	DECC 	Duluth, MN 	4–1 (2–1 / 1–1)
Nov. 6, 1976 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	7–5 	Win 	DECC 	Duluth, MN 	5–1 (3–1 / 1–1)
Nov. 12, 1976 	Colorado College † 	6–5 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	6–1 (4–1 / 1–1)
Nov. 13, 1976 	Colorado College † 	5–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	7–1 (5–1 / 1–1)
Nov. 19, 1976 	Michigan State ‡ 	2–5 	Loss 	Munn Ice Arena 	East Lansing, MI 	7–2 (5–2 / 1–2)
Nov. 20, 1976 	Michigan State ‡ 	8–0 	Win 	Munn Ice Arena 	East Lansing, MI 	8–2 (6–2 / 2–2)
Nov. 26, 1976 	Notre Dame † 	1–4 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	8–3 (6–3 / 2–2)
Nov. 27, 1976 	Notre Dame † 	4–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	9–3 (7–3 / 2–2)
Dec. 3, 1976 	Minnesota ‡ 	4–3* 	Win 	Williams Arena 	Minneapolis, MN 	10–3 (8–3 / 3–2)
Dec. 4, 1976 	Minnesota ‡ 	7–2 	Win 	Williams Arena 	Minneapolis, MN 	11–3 (9–3 / 4–2)
Dec. 10, 1976 	North Dakota † 	6–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	12–3 (10–3 / 4–2)
Dec. 11, 1976 	North Dakota † 	11–6 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	13–3 (11–3 / 4–2)
Dec. 29, 1976 	Harvard 	3–4 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	13–4 (11–3 / 4–2)
Dec. 30, 1976 	Harvard 	7–5 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	14–4 (11–3 / 4–2)
Dec. 31, 1976 	HC Spartak Moscow 	1–2 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	14–5 (11–3 / 4–2)
Jan. 7, 1977 	Minnesota ‡ 	7–1 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	15–5 (12–3 / 5–2)
Jan. 8, 1977 	Minnesota ‡ 	4–5 	Loss 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	15–6 (12–4 / 5–3)
Jan. 14, 1977 	North Dakota † 	7–6* 	Win 	Ralph Engelstad Arena 	Grand Forks, ND 	16–6 (13–4 / 5–3)
Jan. 15, 1977 	North Dakota † 	8–7* 	Win 	Ralph Engelstad Arena 	Grand Forks, ND 	17–6 (14–4 / 5–3)
Jan. 21, 1977 	Colorado College † 	6–3 	Win 	Broadmoor World Arena 	Colorado Springs, CO 	18–6 (15–4 / 5–3)
Jan. 22, 1977 	Colorado College † 	4–1 	Win 	Broadmoor World Arena 	Colorado Springs, CO 	19–6 (16–4 / 5–3)
Jan. 28, 1977 	Michigan State ‡ 	10–6 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	20–6 (17–4 / 6–3)
Jan. 29, 1977 	Michigan State ‡ 	9–2 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	21–6 (18–4 / 7–3)
Feb. 4, 1977 	Michigan ‡ 	3–2 	Win 	Yost Ice Arena 	Ann Arbor, MI 	22–6 (19–4 / 8–3)
Feb. 5, 1977 	Michigan ‡ 	11–8 	Win 	Yost Ice Arena 	Ann Arbor, MI 	23–6 (20–4 / 9–3)
Feb. 11, 1977 	Michigan Tech † 	8–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	24–6 (21–4 / 9–3)
Feb. 12, 1977 	Michigan Tech † 	4–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	25–6 (22–4 / 9–3)
Feb. 18, 1977 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	7–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	26–6 (23–4 / 9–3)
Feb. 19, 1977 	Minnesota–Duluth † 	6–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	27–6 (24–4 / 9–3)
Feb. 25, 1977 	Denver † 	3–6 	Loss 	DU Arena 	Denver, CO 	27–7 (24–5 / 9–3)
Feb. 26, 1977 	Denver † 	5–2 	Win 	DU Arena 	Denver, CO 	28–7 (25–5 / 9–3)
Mar. 4, 1977 	Notre Dame † 	8–3 	Win 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	29–7 (26–5 / 9–3)
Mar. 5, 1977 	Notre Dame † 	3–3* 	Tie 	Joyce Center 	Notre Dame, IN 	29–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT 	WCHA TOURNAMENT
Mar. 9, 1977 	Colorado College 	3–1 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	30–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Mar. 10, 1977 	Colorado College 	3–1 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	31–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2 	Wisconsin Wins Series 6–2
Mar. 12, 1977 	Minnesota 	9–5 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	32–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Mar. 13, 1977 	Minnesota 	8–3 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	33–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8	Wisconsin Wins Series 17–8
Mar. 16, 1977 	Michigan 	4–0 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	34–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Mar. 17, 1977 	Michigan 	5–4 	Win 	Dane County Coliseum 	Madison, WI 	35–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4 	Wisconsin Wins Series 9–4
NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT 	NCAA TOURNAMENT
March 25, 1977 	New Hampshire 	4–3* 	Win 	Olympia Stadium 	Detroit, MI 	36–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
March 26, 1977 	Michigan 	6–5* 	Win 	Olympia Stadium 	Detroit, MI 	37–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
 	 	264–161 	 	 	 	37–7–1 (26–5–1 / 9–3)
* Denotes overtime periods† WCHA game‡ Big Ten and WCHA game
==National Championship==
===(W1) Wisconsin vs. (W2) Michigan===
Scoring summary	Scoring summary	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary 	Scoring summary	Scoring summary
Period 	Team 	Goal 	Assist(s) 	Time 	Score
1st 	WIS 	Steve Alley – PP 	Norwich and Eaves 	2:29 	1–0 WIS
1st 	WIS 	Dave Herbst 	Norwich and Lundeen	9:27 	2–0 WIS
1st 	WIS 	Mark Johnson – PP	Eaves and Alley 	15:12 	3–0 WIS
1st 	UM 	Kip Maurer – PP 	Manery and Palmer 	16:13 	3–1 WIS
2nd 	UM 	Dave Debol – PP 	Maurer and Palmer 	21:33 	3–2 WIS
2nd 	WIS 	Mike Meeker 	Johnson and Suter 	22:54 	4–2 WIS
3rd 	WIS 	Mark Johnson 	Grauer and Meeker 	41:10 	5–2 WIS
3rd 	UM 	Mark Miller 	Debol and Todd 	41:36 	5–3 WIS
3rd 	UM 	Dave Debol 	Thayer 	42:14 	5–4 WIS
3rd 	UM 	John Wayman 	Maurer 	54:22 	5–5
1st Overtime 	WIS 	Steve Alley – GW 	Eaves and Ulseth 	60:23 	6–5 WIS
Penalty summary	Penalty summary	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary 	Penalty summary	Penalty summary
Period 	Team 	Player 	Penalty 	Time 	PIM
1st 	UM 	Kris Manery 	Hooking 	1:12 	2:00
1st 	WIS 	Dave Herbst 	Hooking 	5:48 	2:00
1st 	UM 	Dane Hoene 	Tripping 	15:01 	2:00
1st 	WIS 	Murray Johnson 	Elbowing 	15:21 	2:00
1st 	WIS 	Craig Norwich 	High–Sticking 	19:20 	2:00
1st 	UM 	John Wayman 	High–Sticking 	19:20 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Steve Alley 	Hooking 	20:30 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Dave Herbst 	Tripping 	22:54 	2:00
2nd 	UM 	Dean Turner 	Interference 	28:44 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Bob Suter 	Roughing 	34:44 	2:00
2nd 	WIS 	Craig Norwich 	Roughing 	37:13 	2:00
3rd 	WIS 	Craig Norwich 	High–Sticking 	41:55 	2:00
3rd 	UM 	Dane Hoene 	High–Sticking 	41:55 	2:00
3rd 	UM 	John McCahill 	Hooking 	45:03 	2:00
3rd 	WIS 	John Taft 	Tripping 	48:41 	2:00
Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period	Shots by period
Team 	1 	2 	3 	OT 	T
Michigan 	11 	13 	15 	0 	39
Wisconsin 	11 	10 	8 	1 	30
Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders	Goaltenders 	Goaltenders
Team 	Name 	Saves 	Goals against	Time on ice
UM 	Rick Palmer 	24 	6 	
WIS 	Julian Baretta	34 	5 	
==Roster and scoring statistics==
No. 	Name 	Year 	Position	Hometown 	S/P/C	Games	Goals	Assists	Pts	
5 	Craig Norwich 	Junior 	D 	Edina, MN 	 	44 	18 	65 	83 	70
17 	Mike Eaves 	Junior 	C 	Denver, CO 	 	45 	28 	53 	81 	18
10 	Mark Johnson 	Freshman 	C 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	43 	36 	44 	80 	16
11 	Steve Alley 	Senior 	LW 	Anoka, MN 	 	45 	32 	31 	63 	50
7 	John Taft 	Senior 	D 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	42 	15 	43 	58 	41
9 	Les Grauer 	Sophomore	LW 	Leader, SK 	 	43 	21 	33 	54 	42
19 	Mike Meeker 	Sophomore	W 	Kingston, ON 	 	41 	26 	27 	53 	50
22 	Dave Lundeen 	Senior 	C 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	44 	18 	29 	47 	110
25 	Dave Herbst 	Junior 	W 	Saint Paul, MN 	 	45 	14 	19 	33 	72
16 	Tom Ulseth 	Junior 	RW 	Moorhead, MN 	 	42 	13 	18 	31 	10
8 	Norm McIntosh 	Junior 	D 	Grande Prairie, AB	 	45 	8 	20 	28 	58
20 	Mark Capouch 	Junior 	RW 	Grand Forks, ND 	 	44 	11 	12 	23 	14
2 	Bob Suter 	Sophomore	D 	Madison, WI 	 	38 	3 	15 	18 	107
18 	Murray Johnson 	Junior 	W 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	43 	7 	6 	13 	40
26 	Ron Griffin 	Freshman 	D 	Detroit, MI 	 	35 	5 	8 	13 	14
15 	Tim Phippen 	Freshman 	LW 	Saint Paul, MN 	 	27 	3 	5 	8 	16
3 	John Suter 	Junior 	D 	Madison, WI 	 	40 	2 	3 	5 	30
24 	Tim Phippen 	Sophomore	C 	Saint Paul, MN 	 	43 	1 	3 	4 	12
29 	Jim Scheid 	Freshman 	C 	Rochester, MN 	 	7 	1 	2 	3 	0
23 	George Gwozdecky	Senior 	LW 	Thunder Bay, ON 	 	12 	1 	2 	3 	8
14 	Brad Mullins 	Junior 	D 	North Bay, ON 	 	15 	1 	0 	1 	12
12 	Ian Perrin 	Junior 	D 	Spy Hill, SK 	 	8 	0 	1 	1 	0
4 	John Gregory 	Junior 	D 	Maple Ridge, BC 	 	10 	0 	1 	1 	0
1 	Julian Baretta 	Sophomore	G 	Madison, WI 	 	26 	0 	1 	1 	0
30 	Dave McNab 	Senior 	G 	San Diego, CA 	 	3 	0 	0 	0 	0
21 	Clark Kavolinas 	Sophomore	W 	Surrey, BC 	 	8 	0 	0 	0 	4
27 	Mike Dibble 	Senior 	G 	Minneapolis, MN 	 	22 	0 	0 	0 	0
Total	 	 	 	 	 	860 	264 	441 	705	794
==Goaltending Statistics==
No. 	Name 	Games	Minutes	Wins	Losses	Ties	Goals Against	Saves	Shut Outs	 	
30 	Dave McNab 	3 	60 	2 	0 	0 	3 	22 	0 	0.880	3.00
1 	Julian Baretta	26 	1458 	21 	2 	0 	75 	714 	2 	0.905	3.08
27 	Mike Dibble 	22 	1219 	14 	5 	1 	83 	686 	0 	0.892	4.08
Total	 	 	2737 	37 	7 	1 	161 	1422 	2 	.898 	3.53
==Players drafted into the NHL/WHA==
===1977 NHL amateur draft===
	= NHL All-Star Team		= NHL All-StarPlayers are identified as an All-Star if they were selected for the All-Star game at any time in their career.			= NHL All-Star and NHL All-Star Team		= Did not play in the NHL
Round	Pick	Player 	NHL Team
4 	66 	Mark Johnson 	Pittsburgh Penguins
5 	84 	Julian Baretta	Los Angeles Kings
7 	120 	Bob Suter 	Los Angeles Kings
===1977 WHA Amateur Draft===
	= Did not play in the WHA
Round	Pick	Player 	WHA Team
3 	22 	Mark Johnson 	Birmingham Bulls
6 	51 	Julian Baretta	Edmonton Oilers
7 	58 	Bob Suter 	Birmingham Bulls
==See also==
*1977 NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament
*List of NCAA Division I Men's Ice Hockey Tournament champions
==References==
Category:Wisconsin Badgers men's ice hockey seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey Frozen Four seasons
Category:NCAA men's ice hockey championship seasons
Wisconsin 
Wisconsin 
Wisconsin