Sauer, Rafalski named to US Hockey Hall of Fame

Former Badgers to be inducted in December

MADISON — Former Wisconsin Badger head coach Jeff Sauer and defenseman Brian Rafalski have been selected to enter the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame.

Sauer has coached hockey for more than 40 years.

He won 655 games at Colorado College and Wisconsin and led the Badgers to two NCAA men’s hockey championships in 1983 and 1990.

This year, he coached the 2014 U.S. Paralympic sled hockey team to a gold medal in Sochi, Russia.

Rafalski played 15 seasons of professional hockey, 11 in the NHL, winning three Stanley Cups, two with the New Jersey Devils (2000 and 2003) and one with the Detroit Red Wings (2008).

In 833 NHL games, he had 79 goals and 436 assists.

A Rafalski helped USA win the silver medal at the 2002 and 2010 Olympic Games.

He was among USA’s top players at the 2010 Games, recording four goals and four assists.

Women’s hockey legend Karyn Bye Dietz and veteran coach Lou Vairo will also be inducted into the U.S. Hockey Hall of Fame in Minnesota in December.