The Wisconsin men’s hockey team will open its 2020-21 season in November.  The Big Ten Conference announced on Tuesday the season will start as early as Nov. 13, a delay of roughly six weeks due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The seven Big Ten teams will play 24 league games and will also play four non-conference games against Arizona State during the season.  That move allows the independent Sun Devils to fill their schedule, but puts that program on the road for the entire season.

The Badgers already had two non-conference games set up for this season against Arizona State.  The teams were also a part of the field for the inaugural Holiday Face-Off in December at Milwaukee’s Fiserv Forum.  That event will be put on hold for a year.

The Big Ten also decided to return to a one-weekend format for its 2021 postseason tournament after splitting the three rounds over three weekends for the last three years.  A site for that championship (March 18-20) hasn’t been determined.

Fans will not be allowed to see games in person, at least to start.  That means scheduling will be even more flexible than [Read more…]