Late-season inconsistencies proved costly, as the Wisconsin men's hockey team struggled down the stretch and ended their season with a 4-1 loss to Michigan in the first-round of the NCAA tournament Friday night in Grand Rapids, Mich.
The Wolverines (23-3-2 Central Collegiate Hockey Association, 31-8-3 overall) out shot the Badgers (16-9-3 Western Collegiate Hockey Association, 23-14-4 overall) 31-18, as UW goaltender Bernd Br??ckler blocked 27 shots. But the senior All-American-playing in his 114th and final game as a Badger-was not enough to keep UM from taking a 2-0 lead into the third period.
Wolverine junior forward Jeff Tambellini scored a power play goal for UM at 7:08 in the first period. Senior defenseman Brandon Rogers made it 2-0 for Michigan one-timing the puck past Br??ckler at 13:48 in the first. Tambellini added his second goal of the night later in the third period to make it 4-0 UM. Junior forward Adam Burish prevented the shut-out, adding a goal late in the third period.
The women's hockey team made the program's first-ever NCAA tournament appearance last week, but that momentum was not enough to carry the women Badgers past the tournament's opening night.
Wisconsin (20-7-1 WCHA, 28-9-1 overall) was unable to hold on in the opening round, falling to Dartmouth 4-3 in Hanover, N.H. The Big Green (16-4-0 ECACHL 27-8-0 overall) and the Badgers came out of the gates firing, as five of the game's seven goals were scored in the opening period. UW sophomore forward Sara Bauer gave the Badgers a 3-2 lead with 35.6 seconds remaining in the first period, but it would prove to be UW's last goal of the night. Big Green junior forward Cherie Piper tied the game in the second period and DC junior forward Katie Weatherston gave Dartmouth the lead for good at 14:13 in the third period.
