This past weekend the No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey team opened their 2010-2011 campaign by participating in the Ice Breaker tournament in St. Louis, Mo.
Wisconsin split their two weekend contests, falling to Boston University Friday night before rebounding to beat Holy Cross Sunday.
On Friday, the Badgers kicked off their season with a matchup against No. 14 Boston University Terriers. The Badgers quickly built a 2-0 lead. Seven minutes into the game sophomore center Derek Lee put home a rebound off a deflection for Wisconsin's first goal of the season.
Nine seconds later sophomore Ryan Little netted his first career goal after redirecting a Sean Dolan pass at the back door, staking the Badgers to an early two goal advantage.
However, that advantage wouldn't last long as Boston stormed back to tie the game with power-play goals from senior captain Joe Pereira and junior David Warsofsky that came about three minutes apart.
Wisconsin regained the lead on the power play late in the first period when sophomore forward Jordy Murray ripped a one-timer past the Terrier goaltender on a pass from Derek Lee.
It was on the power play again that Boston was able to tie the game at three in the second period. Terrier freshman Charlie Coyle tapped the puck in at the back of the net to knot the game at three heading into the third period.
Boston took the lead three minutes in to the third when Pereira netted his second goal of the game on a breakaway.
That 4-3 lead would hold up despite a pair of close calls on the ice for Wisconsin
The Badgers appeared to tie the game with two and a half minutes left in the game when sophomore defenseman John Ramage took a shot that appeared to hit the inside of the post, but the goal was waived off. Shortly after that a puck that deflected off a Badger player's knee and into the net was also waived off.
After the disappointing loss to Boston, the Badgers took to the ice for the consolation game of the tournament to play the Crusaders of Holy Cross.
Wisconsin dominated the game from start to finish. Senior Podge Turnbull opened the scoring about halfway through the first frame when he put away a loose puck at the side of the net.
After Boston terrorized the Badgers on the power play during Friday's game, Wisconsin's special teams stepped up to preserve the lead by killing a 1:26-long 5-on-3 advantage for Holy Cross in the first period.
Sophomore forward Craig Smith upped the Wisconsin lead to 2-0 in the second period after a tremendous individual effort. Smith dangled a Holy Cross defenseman and found the back of the net to complete the spectacular play.
The second period also saw goals from Lee and Little to push the Wisconsin lead to 4-0 at the intermission.
Freshman Michael Mersch scored his first goal as a collegiate hockey player in the third, and Craig Smith added his second of the game to complete the 6-0 rout for the Badgers' first win of the season.
