For Lowell University, tonight's first-round NCAA tournament game against the University of Wisconsin will be a baptism on ice.

After four full years of Division I competition, the Chiefs have finally earned a berth in the championship tournament, entering as the sixth seed from the East. However, the two-game, total-goals series might well prove perilous with the host Badgers trying to re-establish national dominance.

The 1980s began auspiciously for Wisconsin. Between 1981 and 1983, the Badgers sandwiched two national championships around a second-place finish.

But a drought has descended upon Madison since then, as the Badgers have been shut out of the NCAA Tournament until this year. Today, they enter as Western Collegiate Hockey Association champions, sporting a 28-12-1 record. They are seeded fourth from the West.

Lowell (20-16-1) arrives well-rested after two weeks off from competition. The Chiefs succumbed to North eastern in the semifinals of the Hockey East tournament, winning the second game of the series but coming up short in the total-goal tally. Their tournament performance put their playoff prospects in doubt.

"We were sitting on pins and needles," said Lowell Assistant Coach Brian Reilly, "It's tough to sit and wait."

The Chiefs will have to preserve their game plan and their sanity in front of a crowd expected to exceed 8600 fans at Wisconsin's Dane County Coliseum.

"It's a great place to play college hockey," Reilly said. "A crazy atmosphere."

The Lowell attack has been paced by Jeff Flaherty (27 goals). Selfless Chief John Morris is tops in points by virtue of his astounding 39 assists. Goalie Dave Delfino posesses a 3.84 goals-against average and two shutouts this season.

Wisconsin (28-12-1) is led by goalie Dean Anderson, who has posted a 3.22 g.a.a. and has recorded two shutouts. Steve Tuttle and Paul Raaheim have powered the Badgers with 61 and 57 points, respectively.

The teams met earlier this year in Madison with the Badgers edging the visitors, 6-4. Yet neither team will accept that as a probable indicator of this weekend's results.