In an important series for home ice in the WCHA playoffs, the Wisconsin men's hockey team posted an overtime loss and a tie at Minnesota State, placing even more importance on next weekend's home series against conference leader North Dakota. By earning one point in the series, the Badgers will now need two points in the coming series to guarantee themselves postseason play at the Kohl Center.
Friday's game may prove even more disappointing should Wisconsin lose home ice, which is awarded to the top five finishers in the conference.
After a scoreless first period, the Badgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead thanks to a pair of power-play goals from sophomore defenseman Brendan Smith and senior forward Tom Gorowsky in the second. They led 3-1 until late in the period, when Minnesota State's Trevor Bruess scored with 19 seconds to go in the second to bring the Mavericks within one.
In the third period, the Badgers appeared to score a goal that would have put them up 4-2 with just under five minutes to go, but saw the score waved off by referees who said Gorowsky kicked the puck in. Just over a minute later, Minnesota State's Kael Mouillierat scored a power-play goal to tie the game at three goals apiece.
Just over three minutes into overtime, the Mavericks' Jerad Stewart scored to give Minnesota State the 4-3 overtime win.
The second game of the series saw an impressive comeback from Wisconsin, but ended with another frustrating result.
Saturday saw the Mavericks take the early lead, as a pair of goals from Mouillierat put them up 2-0. However. a strong second period from junior forward Michael Davies helped erase that deficit. Davies scored of Wisconsin's first two goals to even the game at two, and Gorowsky added a third to give the Badgers a 3-2 lead.
But the third period was an issue for Wisconsin again.
After a Minnesota State goal that would have tied the game was overturned-—the fifth goal to be reviewed and second to be waved off—the Mavericks scored again with 9:34 to go in regulation. The goal came on the power play, and for the second night in a row the Badgers surrendered a third-period lead.
Wisconsin survived the overtime to earn one point from the game and series and extended their winless streak in Mankato's Alltel Center to six games.
Now the Badgers' focus turns to March 6-7, when the team will face No. 8 North Dakota at home. The Sioux lead Denver by one point for the top spot in the WCHA after earning an overtime win over Colorado College this weekend.
The Badgers currently sit fourth in the WCHA standings, one point behind Colorado College and two above a three-team tie for fifth place. St. Cloud State, Minnesota and Minnesota-Duluth have 27 points to Wisconsin's 29, and if the Badgers can take two points from North Dakota they will guarantee themselves home ice in the first round of the WCHA playoffs, which take place March 13-15.
—uwbadgers.com contributed to this report.
