Badgers Leave Minneapolis Unscaved

Following the sweep over Michigan Tech the young Wisconsin men's hockey team got their first taste the Minnesota-Wisconsin rivalry in a big way. Leaving Minneapolis with a victory and a draw to their record.

On Friday night the Badgers dominated the Gophers in impressive fashion winning 6-0 at Marricui Arena, but for the first time it was the newbies that stole the show. The Wisconsin freshman scored four of the Badgers six goals against the Gophers on Friday.

Led by freshman forward Michael Mersch the Wisconsin newcomers put together four goals, and single handedly dominated the pace of the game. The upperclassmen on the other hand accounted for two goals scored by Jordy Murray, and Derek Lee, but the best of the upperclassmen came between the pipes.

Senior goaltender Scott Gudmandson stopped all 24 Gophers shots for his second shut-out of the season. The shut-out was also the Badgers first over the Gophers since 2006, and their biggest margin of victory since the Badgers' 7-1 victory over Goldie in 1990.

Saturday night on the other hand was not as pretty. The Gophers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first period off of goals from Taylor Matson and Jacob Cepis. The Badgers would answer one of the Gopher goals before intermission when Justin Schultz capitalized on the Badgers first power-play of the evening.

Jordy Murray found the back of the net in the second period to knot the game up at 2-2. That is until the Gophers took the lead again off of a Jay Barriball scored the second power-play goal of the night for Minnesota. The Gophers would lead 3-2 heading into the third period, but that would be the last time they would lead.

Late in the third period the Badgers would answer with the second goal of the night for Murray. Following the goal there would be a long review by the officials, but the goal would count. Even with the comeback the Badgers were unable to find the back of the net in overtime, but at the same time neither would the Gophers.

The game would end in a 3-3 tie, and the Badgers would leave Minnesota without dropping a game to their rival Gophers. A key series victory for the Badgers with a match-up against conference favorite North Dakota this weekend at the Kohl Center.