Ryder Donovan is the type that doesn't seem to lack for energy and motivation in any setting.
It's possible that he'll reach new levels in both this weekend with the University of Wisconsin men's hockey team.
On Friday and Saturday, the 17th-ranked Badgers host No. 3 Minnesota Duluth, the team that Donovan followed closely in its march to the last two NCAA titles.
How much does this weekend mean to Donovan, who completed his standout Duluth East career with a state tournament appearance last season?
"It's everything," he said. "Ever since June, I've been thinking about this game, as soon as (coach) Tony (Granato) said we were playing them. So I'm excited. It's going to be tough to keep it under control, going into it with so much energy and a lot of motivation in this game."
That's the challenge for Donovan early in his college career, regardless of the opponent. The 6-foot-3, 203-pound Vegas Golden Knights draft pick was scratched for last Friday's loss at Boston College but made his debut a night later at Merrimack as the 13th forward on the line chart.
His exuberance became overexuberance late in the game when he was called for unsportsmanlike conduct along with a Merrimack player. He also was called for cross-checking midway through the first period.
Granato doesn't want Donovan to lose the vivacity that's such a big part of his game but said he needs to understand how to best use it.
"Ryder's a great skater," Granato said. "He's got a ton of energy. He's going to get in on the forecheck. He's big, so he can knock people down. But he's got to dial it back a little bit and be a little bit more controlled, and he will."
The Badgers (1-1) lost last Friday at Boston College — which climbed four spots to No. 6 — before defeating Merrimack.
Donovan, 19, said last Saturday didn't seem like his first college game because of the exhibition contests he played in Vancouver, British Columbia, six weeks earlier and because he has been in Madison since June.
"So I wasn't really nervous," he said. "But it was good to get the first shifts out of the way and get going. Tony wants me to be a hunter this year and just hunt down pucks and use my size and speed. So I just wanted to do that. I thought I did a pretty good job. (I've got to) try to stay out of the box. But I want to bring that to UMD now."
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Donovan, whose brother Shay is a UW freshman defenseman and also a former Duluth East skater, is keenly aware that the Badgers are slated to play next season at Amsoil Arena in Duluth, where in February he scored an overtime goal to send the Greyhounds to state.
"I might have to get 40 tickets or something like that," Ryder Donovan said.
Ticket update
The Badgers are expecting to have their largest crowds for a home-opening series in five seasons when the Bulldogs come to town.
As of Tuesday, more than 8,700 tickets had been sold for Friday and 11,230 for Saturday.
Over the last four seasons, the first game in the Face-Off package (the first game of a series) averaged an announced attendance of 7,441, with a 9,012 average for the initial game in the Slap-Shot package (the second game).
In 2014, the Badgers drew announced crowds of 10,605 and 13,621 for the home-opening series against another former Western Collegiate Hockey Association rival, North Dakota.
From the infirmary
Defenseman Mike Vorlicky, who left Saturday's game after being checked in the head, practiced for about a half-hour in a no-contact jersey Tuesday. But he missed Wednesday's practice with a viral illness that's going through the team.
The Badgers are hoping the freshman can go through a full practice Thursday before they have to make a decision on whether he'll play Friday.
TJ KOUFIS

TJ Koufis
Position: Forward
Hometown: Palatine, Ill.
2019-20 team: Okotoks (AJHL)
Date committed (age): July 6, 2016 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @TKoufis88
MATTY DE SAINT PHALLE

Matty de Saint Phalle
Position: Forward
Hometown: Kildeer, Ill.
2019-20 team: Chicago (USHL)
Date committed (age): July 23, 2016 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @mattydsp28
BEN HELGESON

Ben Helgeson
Position: Forward
Hometown: Lake Elmo, Minn.
2019-20 team: Vernon (BCHL)
Date committed (age): Oct. 25, 2016 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @benhelgeson9
ISAAC NOVAK

Isaac Novak
Position: Forward
Hometown: Sussex
2019-20 team: Des Moines (USHL)
Date committed (age): Dec. 13, 2016 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @IsaacNovak1
SHANE LAVELLE

Shane LaVelle
Position: Forward
Hometown: Chaska, Minn.
2019-20 team:Â Chaska HS (Minn.)
Date committed (age): May 21, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @shanelave21
CASEY ROEPKE

Casey Roepke
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Erin
2019-20 team:Â Janesville (NAHL)
Date committed (age): May 30, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @Casey_Roepke
DANIEL LAATSCH

Daniel Laatsch
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Altoona
2019-20 team: U.S. Under-18 Team (NTDP)
Date committed (age): Sept. 20, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @DanielLaatsch
ANTHONY KEHRER

Kehrer
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Winnipeg, Manitoba
2019-20 team: Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed (age): Sept. 21, 2017 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @KehrerAnthony
JOSH BOHLIN

Bohlin
Position: Forward
Hometown: Wausau
2019-20 team: Minnesota (NAHL)
Date committed (age): Oct. 12, 2017 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @Josh_Bohlin
LUKE LAMASTER

LaMaster
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Duluth, Minn.
2019-20 team: Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed (age): Nov. 28, 2017 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @LukeLaMaster
CORSON CEULEMANS

Ceulemans
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Beaumont, Alberta
2019-20 team:Â Brooks (AJHL)
Date committed (age): April 2, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @corson_4
NOAH GRANNAN

Noah Grannan
Position: Goaltender
Hometown: Germantown
2019-20 team: U.S. Under-18 Team (NTDP)
Date committed (age): April 17, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
CADEN BROWN

Caden Brown
Position: Forward
Hometown: St. Louis
2019-20 team:Â U.S. Under-17 Team (NTDP)
Date committed (age): May 28, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @cadenwbrown21
NICK PIERRE

Nick Pierre
Position: Forward
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.
2019-20 teams:Â MAP South Hockey (Elite League), Hill-Murray HS (Minn.)
Date committed (age): June 6, 2018 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2022
On Twitter: @nickpierre11
JOE PALODICHUK

Palodichuk
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Cottage Grove, Minn.
2019-20 teams:Â MAP South Hockey (Elite League), Hill-Murray HS (Minn.)
Date committed (age): Aug. 18, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @JoePalodichuk
SAM STANGE

Stange
Position: Forward
Hometown: Eau Claire
2019-20 teams:Â Sioux City (USHL)
Date committed: Sept. 7, 2018 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @sam_stange3
GRAYDEN DAUL

Daul
Position: Defenseman
Hometown: Glenview, Ill.
2019-20 team: Chicago Mission 16U
Date committed (age): Sept. 10, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
ETHAN MANN

Mann
Position: Forward
Hometown: Grafton
2019-20 teams: Team Wisconsin, University School of Milwaukee
Date committed (age): Sept. 14, 2018 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2021
On Twitter: @Ethan_Mann11
LUKE LEVANDOWSKI

Levandowski
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Rosemount, Minn.
2019-20 teams:Â TDS Transportation (Elite League), Rosemount HS (Minn.)
Date committed (age):Â Dec. 13, 2018 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2021
On Twitter:Â @LukeLevy21
ZACH URDAHL

Urdahl
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Eau Claire
2019-20 team:Â Lincoln (USHL)
Date committed (age):Â Dec. 21, 2018 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2020
On Twitter:Â @ZUrdahl
BRETT MORAVEC

Moravec
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Airdrie, Alberta
2019-20 team:Â Okotoks (AJHL)
Date committed (age):Â April 19, 2019 (16)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2021
TRISTAN LUNEAU

Luneau
Position:Â Defenseman
Hometown:Â Victoriaville, Quebec
2019-20 team: Trois-Rivières (QMAAA)
Date committed:Â April 29, 2019 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2022
On Twitter:Â @TristanLuneau
DYLAN GODBOUT

Godbout
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Woodbury, Minn.
2019-20 team:Â Hill-Murray (Minn. HS)
Date committed:Â April 30, 2019 (14)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2022
On Twitter:Â @dylan_godbout
REED KLUENDER

Kluender
Position:Â Defenseman
Hometown:Â South St. Paul, Minn.
2019-20 team:Â South St. Paul (Minn. HS)
Date committed:Â May 10, 2019 (15)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2022
On Twitter:Â @ReedKluender
LIAM MALMQUIST

Malmquist
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Edina, Minn.
2018-19 teams:Â Penticton (BCHL)
Date committed:Â May 23, 2019 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2020
On Twitter:Â @Liam_Malmquist
CAMERON ROWE

Rowe
Position:Â Goaltender
Hometown:Â Wilmette, Ill.
2019-20 team:Â U.S. Under-18 Team (NTDP)
Date committed:Â July 28, 2019 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2020
On Twitter:Â @C_rowe00
ROBBY NEWTON

Newton
Position:Â Forward
Hometown:Â Whitefish Bay
2019-20 team:Â Cedar Rapids (USHL)
Date committed:Â Oct. 30, 2019 (18)
Earliest arrival at UW: 2020
On Twitter: @RobbyNewton13
JACK HORBACH

Jack Horbach played four games with the Madison Capitols in 2018-19 before joining the team full time this season.
Position: Forward
Hometown:Â Naperville, Ill.
2019-20 team:Â Madison (USHL)
Date committed:Â Nov. 6, 2019 (17)
Earliest arrival at UW:Â 2020