Badgers Lose Defensive Struggle Against North Dakota

If you like high scoring hockey this one wasn't for you. On the other hand if you like stingy defense this may have been your cup of tea.

In the season's first match-up between the Badgers and Fighting Sioux offense was hard to come by. Penalties on the other hand were not to find. Powerplay goals were a different story.

The Badgers on the powerplay were shut out for the six times that they sent the unit to the ice. Same for the Fighting Sioux who were unable to score on the three powerplay opportunities that they were granted.

While the Wisconsin powerplay was not impressive, it was very obvious in the third period. In the final minutes of the game trailing by one the Badgers once again found themselves on the powerplay. An ugly powerplay at that.

The Badgers were unable to gain solid opportunities against the Fighting Sioux in the power play, and at times looked sluggish with the puck. Sloppy passes, and slow skating dominated the Wisconsin side of the power play. On other side the Sioux looked fresh, and were able to kill the powerplay with minimal resistance.

The one bright spot for the Badgers in the loss was the play of senior goaltender Scott Gudmandson. Of the 25 shots Gudmandson faced in the game only one found the back of the net. Other than the one goal Gudmandson was able to stop all of the Fighting Sioux's scoring chances which at times were great scoring chances.

Striking in the third period was Fighting Sioux "" Jason Gregiore. With a breakaway off of a pass from Derrick LaPointe, Gregiore was able to place a wrister just over the left shoulder of Gudmandson that found the top corner of the net. That lone goal would prove to be all the Fighting Sioux would need to hold off the young Badgers.

Defensively the performance for the Badgers was a solid and impressive one. Holding the conference favorite Fighting Sioux to their second lowest goal total of the season (the lowest was a shutout against Denver), but on this night it wasn't enough.

The Badgers will meet the Fighting Sioux again on Saturday night at 7 P.M. in an effort to avoid the sweep. Which would be the Badgers first of the season.