Challenged by a men’s hockey powerhouse, No. 13 Wisconsin Badgers men’s hockey (19-11-2, 12-10-0 Big Ten) split the weekend with No. 2 Michigan Wolverines (25-6-1, 16-5-1 Big Ten) in their last regular season series at home.
Michigan, a college hockey powerhouse, has put together another outstanding season. The Wolverines have been ranked No. 1 for the majority of the season but were overtaken by then-No. 2 Michigan State two weeks ago when they split their last regular season series.
The Wolverines dominate the No. 2 and 3 spots in player points per game, with forwards T.J. Hughes and Michael Hage averaging over 1.4 points per game.
With Wisconsin still missing freshman goaltender Daniel Hauser and sophomore defenseman Logan Hensler, head coach Mike Hastings kept junior forward Quinn Finley on sophomore forward Gavin Morrissey and senior forward Christian Fitzgerald’s line with the hopes of jumping back into the win column.
Celebrating Fan Appreciation Night with a win
After the Wolverines scored first, Wisconsin blew Michigan out of the water, winning 4-1 on Friday.
Sophomore goaltender Eli Pulver stood between the pipes for the Badgers, holding his own after a rough start at Ohio State last weekend. Pulver made 22 saves Friday night as the Badgers’ blue line held the Wolverine’s offense to only five shots each in the first and third periods.
Netminder Jack Ivankovic stood between the Badgers and a conference victory with his 35 saves as Wisconsin’s offense slowly picked him apart.
The first period started as any team’s game, as both Ivankovic and Pulver made stops to keep the game even.
With 6:52 to go in the period, Fitzgerald was assessed a two minute minor for charging the goalkeeper. Wisconsin’s penalty kill kept them to three shots and led to a short-handed attempt from freshman forward Finn Brink.
Four minutes later, freshman forward Grady Deering sat two minutes for cross checking. With seconds dwindling on the man-advantage, two Badger faceoff wins didn’t stop Will Horcoff from notching the first goal of the game with a wrister from the right circle to take the 1-0 lead.
Wisconsin went on their first power play of the game with 43 seconds remaining in the first period. Starting the second period on the man-advantage, the Badgers recorded five shots before their power play ended in their offensive zone, with Pulver forced to make a save.
The game went into four-on-four play three minutes into the second period after sophomore defenseman Weston Knox was assessed a two minute roughing penalty, and Michigan had to sit two minutes for interference. The Wolverines managed two shots on Pulver, but the Badgers held them off.
A two minute Wisconsin onslaught on Ivankovic resulted in a Finley goal with 12:35 to go. A shot from senior defenseman Aiden Dubinsky had Finley pitching in a sitting puck in Ivankovic’s crease to tie the game 1-1.
Fired up, freshman forward Vasily Zelenov beat a Michigan defender with a walk-in snipe past Ivankovic from the left circle with 11:09 remaining to give the Badgers a 2-1 lead.
A tight back-and-forth game ensued, with Michigan trying to even the score and Wisconsin desperate to hold on to their lead over the No. 2 team.
With 3:12 to go in the period, sophomore forward Adam Pietila stood in front of Ivankovic and slipped the puck under his outstretched pad to extend the Badgers’ lead to 3-1. Pietila had another chance shortly after, but Ivankovic closed out the second period with a save.
Early in the third period, Wisconsin went back on the power play. The man-advantage ended with a measly two shots on goal.
Four-on-four play resumed with 12:54 remaining as Michigan and freshman forward Oliver Tulk were called for roughing. Wisconsin took charge of the limited play but couldn’t slip the puck past Ivankovic.
Ivankovic was pulled with 2:33 to go, and one minute later senior forward Jack Horbach notched the empty netter to defeat Michigan 4-1.
Senior Night sorrows
In front of 15,551 fans Saturday, the largest hockey crowd in Kohl Center history, the Badgers were unable to complete the sweep, losing 3-1.
Pulver and Ivankovic faced off once again on opposite ends of the ice as the Badgers looked to sweep the relentless Wolverines.
Starting off the game on a high from Friday’s win, Wisconsin went on an early power play four minutes into the first period.
Seconds later, Morrissey took a shot from the left circle and Ivankovic deflected it. Fitzgerald knocked in the bouncing puck for his 15th goal of the season to give the Badgers an early 1-0 lead.
Michigan retaliated quickly, dominating the offensive zone before a Kason Muscutt deflected Ben Robertson’s shot over Pulver’s stick for a tie 1-1 game.
Pulver was pulled for an extra skater after a delayed penalty, but the Wolverines grabbed possession of the puck before the Badgers began their man advantage. Wisconsin recorded one blocked shot in the two minute minor.
The Badgers received another opportunity with 7:13 remaining in the first and managed five shots, but they couldn’t re-take their lead. In the final six minutes of the period, Wisconsin didn’t record another shot.
A tough battle ensued in the second period as the Badgers fought to score against Ivankovic. Another opportunity opened with 11:59 to go as another Wolverine sat in the penalty box for cross checking.
Michigan had a short-handed opportunity, but the puck ricocheted off the post and Wisconsin took back control.
Freshman forward Blake Montgomery skated up the ice with just over six minutes to go in the second period for a breakaway attempt but couldn’t convert.
Two minutes later, Michigan took the 2-1 lead when another deflected shot resulted in a goal, causing Nick Moldenhauer to celebrate in front of Wisconsin’s student section.
Senior defenseman Ben Dexheimer sat two minutes for holding with 4:37 remaining in the second period, limiting Wisconsin’s chances to tie the game.
As Michigan looked to extend their lead, Pulver made a huge glove save as the game faded into the final 20 minutes.
An early interference call in the third period put Wisconsin back on the power play, but the Badgers weren’t able to muster up a shot on goal.
With 14:29 to go, Montgomery had to sit two minutes for boarding as Michigan targeted Pulver. The netminder made two saves during the man-disadvantage and another just after Montgomery’s release.
Wisconsin is ranked No. 4 in power play percentage, but went one for seven against Michigan, who ranks first in the category.
The Badgers dominated puck possession for the next nine minutes where Pulver only had to make one save. With 2:36 to go in the game, Pulver was pulled for an extra skater.
A minute after a Michigan time out, the Wolverine’s points leader and leading goal-scorer Hughes scored the empty net that defeated the Badgers 3-1.
After the split, Wisconsin’s chances for a bid in the NCAA championship tournament are looking up. Beating the Nittany Lions in two weeks, and then ending the Big Ten Tournament on a high could guarantee a higher seed in the regionals.
Wisconsin has a one-week bye to work out any kinks before they travel to face Penn State 6 p.m. on March 5 in University Park.
