No. 17 Wisconsin men’s hockey (2-0-2) took on No. 20 Minnesota State Mankato (1-1-2) in their first home games of the season last week, tying both games.
Wisconsin head coach Mike Hastings and sophomore goaltender Eli Pulver faced their former teams over the weekend. Two physical teams gave Badgers fans a game with huge hits, minor penalties and one game misconduct.
All tied up
Wisconsin and Minnesota State each combined for six penalties in the home opener Thursday, . Each time went scoreless on their power play opportunities, however, and tied 1-1 in regulation.
In the first period, Wisconsin received two penalties — forward Jack Horbach for tripping and defenseman Joe Palodichu for cross checking. After four combined penalties from both teams, the Mavericks opened the scoring in the second, getting one past freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser.
Hauser was solid throughout the rest of the game, collecting 21 saves for a .995 save percentage in his third official start of the season.
The Badgers tied the game in the third when freshman center Oliver Tulk scored his first career goal. Wisconsin couldn’t get another past Minnesota State goaltender Alex Tracy to take the lead, so the game went to three-on-three overtime.
“There were some good things, but there are some things we definitely need to clean up as far as our shift length in that overtime, so you can turn guys so they don't have to get that worn out,” Head Coach Mike Hastings said.
Neither team secured the sudden death, taking the game to a shootout. Both goaltenders kept the shootout scoreless until Badger freshman Bruno Idžan snuck one in on Tracy, the 2025 CCHA Goaltender and Player of the Year.
Game one ended in a tie, but Wisconsin took the exhibition shootout.
Keeping the physicality
Hauser was back in net for Wisconsin in Friday’s game, securing himself as the starting netminder for the Badgers as they tied 2-2.
Six minutes into the game, Badgers freshman forward Vasily Zelenov was assessed a five minute major for boarding. Zelenov’s game misconduct took him off the ice the rest of the game.
Minnesota State scored two goals quickly after, one coming on a Badger minor penalty kill, ripping the puck past Hauser’s shoulder before he could deflect them.
Junior Quinn Finley put Wisconsin on the board, bringing the Badgers within one on a wrister over Tracy’s right shoulder.
Badgers fans didn’t have to wait long for the game to even out, as senior Simon Tassy scored his second of the season with 07:11 remaining in the second period. Freshman Luke Osburn notched the primary assist on Tassy’s game-tying goal.
After an open ice hit five minutes into the third, Finley was helped off the ice by teammates and a trainer, putting no weight on his left leg. Minnesota State defenseman Campbell Cichosz was assessed a five minute major for tripping and a game misconduct. Cozhosz was booed off the ice on his way to the locker room.
With 13:30 to go, Finley skated back onto the ice, much to the relief of the Kohl Center crowd. Wisconsin was unable to capitalize on the five minute power play, but Finley took the final shift as Minnesota State successfully killed their penalty.
Wisconsin freshman Grady Deering’s hit was reviewed for a five minute major penalty, ultimately sending him back to the locker room for the remainder of the game. Deering’s exit marked the third game misconduct of the night Friday.
Finley had his chance at a revenge goal with seven minutes to go, but couldn’t follow through on a breakaway.
The game was once again tied in three-on-three overtime, sending it to a shootout. It went to seven rounds before freshman Blake Montgomery secured the shootout win for Wisconsin.
Wisconsin plays Alaska Fairbanks next at 7 p.m. Friday at the Kohl Center.
