Badger Hockey Notes: UW's Stephan to stay in school, Ruegsegger named Player of the Week

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MADISON - Wisconsin men’s hockey sophomore Derek Stepan says he will not leave the Badgers to play in the junior circuit.

The New York Rangers drafted Stepan in the second round a year ago, and the New York Post says he’s been thinking about leaving Madison.

But Stepan believes he needs another year of college seasoning – and he intends to stay at the U-W at least through the spring of 2011. He said about the only way that would change is if the Rangers sign him.

The 19-year-old Stepan raised lots of eyebrows with his recent performance at the World Junior Championships. He led the Americans to a gold medal and was the tournament’s top scorer with five goals and 15 points. That was the third-highest point total ever for an American in the World Junior tourney – and he had the second-most assists in U-S tournament history. Stepan is Wisconsin’s second-leading scorer with five goals and 22 points in 18 contests this season.

Wisconsin women’s hockey goal-tender Becca Ruegsegger has been named the WCHA’s Defensive Player-of-the-Week.

The freshman from Lakewood, Colorado had 33 saves in four periods last weekend, while holding North Dakota scoreless. Ruegsegger played the third period of a Badgers’ loss on Friday night, stopping seven shots. On Saturday, she played the entire game and had her second shutout of the season, with 26 saves.

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