The Badger men's hockey team earned its first WCHA sweep this weekend, coming back in both games against St. Cloud State for wins of 3-2 and 4-3.
On Friday, Wisconsin continued its theme of falling behind in the first period as St. Cloud State freshman forward Garrett Roe scored on the power play for his 10th goal of the season. Roe hit both posts and the crossbar and the puck eventually found the net.
Senior forward Matt Hartman took a turnover by Wisconsin freshman defenseman Brendan Smith to score a shorthanded goal later in the first period.
The Badgers countered in the second period when Wisconsin sophomore forward Ben Grotting found his linemate John Mitchell in the slot. The sophomore forward whistled a shot past St. Cloud State sophomore goalie Jase Weslosky for his fourth goal of the season.
I definitely feel a little more comfortable there this year,"" Mitchell said, who added that he also feels more confident on the ice this season.
Another sophomore forward contributed for Wisconsin as Blake Geoffrion tied the game four minutes into the third period. Geoffrion was falling down when he shot the puck toward Weslosky which barely slid past the goal line for the equalizer.
""I was just lucky enough to get it to go in there,"" Geoffrion said.
Junior forward Ben Street redirected a Kyle Turris shot for the game winner half way through the third period. Street has seven goals on the season and has scored some big goals late in games, including the tying goal at Michigan Tech over Thanksgiving.
""The puck's been finding me in scoring areas lately,"" he said. ""It was nice to get one to put us ahead instead of to make us catch up again.""
In goal, junior Shane Connelly recorded 22 saves, as he blanked the Huskies in the second and third periods, allowing the Badgers to crawl back into the game.
Saturday was a strange night at the Kohl Center. Only half of the arena was full due to this weekend's snowstorm, some of the lights went out midway through the game and Wisconsin scored in the first period, only the second time they have done so in its eight WCHA games this season.
Freshman forward Patrick Johnson knocked home a rebound for his third goal of the season one minute into the game.
St. Cloud State sophomore forward Andreas Nodl countered later in the first period to even the game. This was the second straight night the Huskies scored on their first power play chance of the game.
The Badgers took a 2-1 lead in the second period when senior forward Josh Engel scored his second career goal.
Wisconsin could not hold the lead once again, as St. Cloud State freshman forward Aaron Marvin notched his first career goal later in the second period to tie the game.
Moments later, sophomore forward Ryan Lasch gave the Huskies the lead when he beat Connelly for his 11th goal of the season.
Wisconsin countered in the third period when freshman forward Kyle Turris took a snapshot from Weslosky's right and scored for his sixth goal of the season and first since Oct. 20.
""It feels really good,"" Turris said about scoring a goal. ""Hopefully they'll start coming a bit easier.""
Engel scored the game winner, as he found a wide open net off of a rebound from a shot by Geoffrion, capping a night in which he scored his first two home goals of his career.
""I'm still learning and learning a lot. I'm just going to try and get better every day,"" Engel said.
Wisconsin improves to 7-6-1 on the season and moves up to sixth in the WCHA standings. They head to Minnesota State this weekend to face the Mavericks before a three week break prior to the Badger Hockey Showdown.
