The Wisconsin men's hockey team opened up WCHA conference play this weekend against the Denver Pioneers at Magness Arena. The Badgers fell to Denver on Friday 4-2 in a game dominated by penalties, but salvaged a point on Saturday with a 2-2 tie.
On Friday night in the series opener, it was Denver that jumped out to the early lead. Pioneer freshman Drew Shore won a battle for the puck with Wisconsin junior defenseman Eric Springer and found freshman Jason Zucker waiting in the slot area to put the Pioneers up 1-0.
The Badgers would respond late in the first period on the power play. Sophomore defenseman John Ramage launched a shot from the point that went wide of the net, but the puck took an odd bounce off the back boards and bounced to the front of the net where junior forward Jordy Murray put it away to knot the game at one heading into the intermission.
Denver would regain the lead just over two minutes into the second period on a power play goal of their own. The puck came out to freshman defenseman David Makowski at the point, he ripped a shot that was deflected by junior Luke Salazar at the top of the crease for the goal.
Wisconsin would start the third period on the power play, and quickly took advantage to tie the game at two. Twenty-eight seconds into the period, sophomore defenseman Justin Schultz passed to sophomore forward Craig Smith who fired a shot on goal that hit Pioneer goalie Sam Brittain in the mask and trickled over his shoulder, and into the net.
Despite a flurry of odd man rushes for Wisconsin, the Badgers were not able to take the lead, and Denver was eventually able to take control of the game for good.
Taking advantage of a Wisconsin line change during a 4-on-4, Jason Zucker took an outlet pass from junior defenseman John Lee and went in on a breakaway. Zucker made a nice move to his backhand and beat Wisconsin junior goalie Scott Gudmandson to his glove side for his second goal of the game.
That goal put Denver up 3-2, and it was clear after that goal that the momentum in the game had shifted in Denver's favor and about four minutes later Denver struck the game's decisive blow.
Senior defenseman John Ryder took a shot from the point that found its way through a crowd in front of Gudmandson and was deflected by sophomore Chris Knowlton for the goal, putting Denver up 4-2, which proved to be the final score.
The Badgers jumped out to a 2-0 lead during the second game of the series on Saturday thanks to a first period goal from freshman forward Mark Zengerle, and a second period goal from senior captain Sean Dolan.
Denver would storm back however with two third period goals from senior forward Kyle Ostrow to tie the game.
Despite a five minute overtime period, the game resulted in a 2-2 tie, leaving the Badgers without a win to show from their first WCHA clash of the young season.
