Poor goaltending, defensive lapses and missed opportunities cost the Badgers (4-3-0) in a 5-2 loss to Northern Michigan (2-5-1) Friday night at the Kohl Center.
The Wildcats got off to a quick start, scoring 33 seconds in and quieting the crowd of 7,795. Slow starts have plagued the Badgers throughout their first seven games and that pattern continued tonight.
“Our start was not what it needed to be; I think that first half of the game we didn’t play our game,” sophomore forward Seamus Malone said. “We didn’t battle like we needed to and they took advantage. In front of the net, we didn’t bear down, score our chances. They did.”
Sophomore goalie Matt Jurusik failed to stop the first two shots he saw and then allowed two more goals in the second period to give the Wildcats a 4-1 lead. He stopped just six of ten shots and was relieved by freshman Jack Berry after the fourth Northern Michigan goal trickled through his legs.
“Playing the game that I know how to play right off the bat, that’s been a big key for me this year,” Jurusik said. “I’m fine. I know it happens. Next time I get the net, I’ll be better.”
Zach Diamantoni got the scoring started early, taking a pass from Robbie Payne down low and beating Jurusik with a shot that snuck past his right pad. Later in the period, Dominik Shine took a shot from in front of the net that was deflected in the air by Jurusik. In an attempt to keep it from going in, Jurusik swung his right arm back and knocked the puck over the goal line.
It was more of the same in the second for the inconsistent goalie. Shine scored his second of the night, beating Jurusik after a drop pass from Diamantoni. Shine fired a nifty wrister into the top right corner of the cage. Head coach Tony Granato subbed in his backup after Filip Starzynski snuck a goal through Jurusik's legs with 14:58 left in the second.
Berry did a fine job in relief, keeping Wisconsin in the game with several crucial saves, most notably when the Badgers were down a man. With 18 minutes remaining in the game and trailing 4-1, Northern Michigan went on the power play. After a pass to a wide-open Payne, Berry sprawled out and stopped the puck on the goal line with his stick.
“He’s calm in the net. He’s comfortable there. That’s not an easy situation to come in because you give up another goal, the game is over,” Granato said. “He’s done it twice for us against good teams and gave us that chance.”
After the strong relief appearance from Berry, Granato said that the coaching staff will take a look at the current goaltending situation.
“There’s a good chance he’ll start tomorrow,” Granato said.
Wisconsin did play well offensively throughout the night, creating several chances that could have swung the momentum of the contest. Mathias Israelsson was a brick wall in net for Northern Michigan, making several key saves. Sophomore forward Luke Kunin was stuffed in the early-going after some shifty passing from the top line. Later in the period, on the power play, Kunin sent a beautiful pass to sophomore forward Dan Labosky, but Israelsson made a sprawling pad save.
“Their goalie made some big saves when we were down to keep the lead what it was,” Granato said.
Wisconsin went into the first intermission down just one goal thanks to a phenomenal coast-to-coast score by freshman forward Trent Frederic. On the power play, Frederic faked out a Wildcat in the defensive zone, then continued up the ice where he beat two defenders with one move in the offensive zone. Frederic then found twine with a top-shelf wrister that evened the score.
The Badgers also played well in the second after allowing the two goals, leading in shots 26-13 at the end of the frame. Wisconsin picked up the pressure and generated several scoring chances, but couldn’t get one past Israelsson.
The frustration continued in the third, when Malone rang one off the post with 18:33 left, a goal that would have made it just a two-score game with almost the entire third period left. Redshirt junior Tim Davison then hit the post again on the power play, just a few seconds after Frederic was denied by a good blocker save.
“We did a lot of things to get shots; I think we could have battled harder and paid a bigger price at their net for rebounds and second chances,” Granato said. “That’s where we’ll have to be better tomorrow night.”
Malone did bring the Badgers to within two with just over five minutes left, sliding a penalty shot through the legs of Israelsson. Gerard Hanson added an empty netter with 56 seconds left to seal the victory after a lackluster Wisconsin performance.
“We all know what we need to do. We’re winners in there. This doesn’t sit well with us,” Kunin said.
Wisconsin will get a chance to redeem itself tomorrow night. The Badgers may be without their team-leader in points, senior Grant Besse, who left the ice in the third after being hit hard into the boards. The puck drops at 7 p.m.
