ST. CLOUD, Minn. - One night the puck movement was crisp, the player movement fluid, and the goal lamp constantly alight. Then next evening'¦ not so much.
Defensive disruption was one of the key differences between the Badger men's hockey team's 6-2 loss Friday and their 1-0 shutout win Saturday. The quick forwards for the Huskies created scoring chance after scoring chance in the series first game, rarely encumbered by the Wisconsin defense.
We just watched the puck,"" Wisconsin head coach Mike Eaves said. ""That's something we had taken great strides at and we didn't do that.""
The Huskies power play, usually an offensive staple, was silent on Friday, but the even strength scoring more than made up for it. After an odd first goal where St. Cloud State freshman forward Travis Novak scored by putting the puck in net off Badger goalie Shane Connelly, the Huskies created a 2-on-1 rush and fired a shot between Connelly's legs.
St. Cloud State's next goal again came off snappy passing when junior forward Ryan Lasch found sophomore forward Garrett Roe in the slot with a no-look pass and Roe buried it.
""We were just careless and sloppy,"" junior defenseman Jamie McBain said. ""We got too many guys caught down deep and they were able to cycle it and take it to the net and have an open guy in front.""
Despite holding a 34-27 edge in shots taken, St. Cloud State came out ahead in terms of good scoring chances since they won many of the battles for loose pucks and played aggressively. Throughout the game the Huskies had chances for breakaways as their quick forwards often created opportunities for long outlet passes.
In the offensive zone the Badgers struggled to establish a presence in front of the net as the Huskies succeeded in fronting Badger forwards. Without that the Badgers ran into more trouble generating deflections and shot close to the goal.
The tone changed one day later when Wisconsin came out in the first period and disrupted the flow of St. Cloud State's offense. Utilizing aggressive poke checking, Wisconsin succeeded in separating puck from player before moves could be made and passes set up.
Eaves simply described his team efforts at ""taking time and space away"" and approach he has emphasized throughout the season.
Wisconsin put the puck on net 18 times in the first period by came away with no goals. The coaches felt it was important to make sure the team was not frustrated when their offensive efforts were not producing results.
""We had to stay relentless,"" Eaves said. ""We had to be patiently persistent and stay with the things that we wanted to do.""
That persistence finally paid off in the third period with a hard work-type play that had been absent the previous night. Junior center Andy Bohmbach won a face off in St. Cloud's zone and moments later freshman defenseman Jake Gardiner fired a shot from the point.
The shot was blocked but freshman wing Jordy Murray put the rebound over the glove of Husky goaltender Jase Weslosky.
""I didn't even try to flip at all,"" Murray said. ""I don't know how I got it in the air, but it worked out.""
The end of the game was marred by simultaneous commotions.
Senior goaltender Shane Connelly turned and pumped his fists at the St. Cloud student section that had taunted him all night. Elsewhere on the ice, a fight broke out that involved at least three played from both teams.
Despite the scuffle, the teams managed to complete their post game handshakes without further incident.
