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The No. 7 Wisconsin Badgers extended their nation-leading
unbeaten streak to 14 games with 4-1 and 3-2 victories over Minnesota
State-Mankato Saturday evening.
“We came into tonight thinking we could get four points in
three hours,” freshman defender Ryan Suter said. “We went for it and we got it.”
The two teams first finished their Friday night matchup,
which was postponed for 21 hours due to a blackout. Facing a 6-4 deficit in
manpower after the Mavericks pulled goaltender Jon Volp, Badger Adam Burish
nonetheless managed to tally an empty netter with only 17 seconds left to play,
icing a 4-1 win for Wisconsin.
In the second game of the weekend the Badgers (11-3-4,
6-2-4 WCHA) jumped out to a 2-0 lead and held off a Maverick rally in the third
period to sweep the series.
UW co-captain Rene Bourque collected the game-winning goal
on a nicely set up one-timer from John Eichelberger, putting the Badgers in
front 3-1 at the 6:40 mark in the third period.
“He made a nice pass under the defenseman’s stick,” Bourque
said of Eichelberger’s assist. “I pretty much had a wide open net, I just had to
throw it at the net. Unbelievable pass by (Eichelberger).”
The goal came only 55 seconds after MSU-Mankato’s Brock
Becker put a shot past Badgers star netminder Bernd Brückler to cut the Badger
lead to one.
The Mavericks (3-9-2, 2-7-1 WCHA) pulled their goalie and
enjoyed a 5-on-4 advantage in the final minute. Minnesota State put up a fierce
rally in the closing seconds and again drew within one with a goal from Jeff Backes at 19:26. The Mavericks played hard for the final half minute, but were
unable to beat the Wisconsin defense with so little time.
“I thought we played hard tonight,” MSU coach Troy Jutting
said. “I’m proud of the kids for the effort they gave.”
Facing a 2-0 deficit entering the third period, Minnesota
State was desperate to break through the wall that was Brückler. His array of
impressive saves and tenacity under fire not only kept the Badgers in the game,
but almost took the Mavericks out of it.
“Without Bernd in the net backboning that (game), it
could’ve gotten ugly,” Wisconsin coach Mike Eaves said.
The Mavericks and Badgers traded stretches of control for
the second period, but it was Wisconsin that would use its time most
effectively. In a span of two minutes and 16 seconds in the middle of the
second, a pair of wristers from defenders Suter and Andy Wozniewski hit home and
seized a 2-0 lead for the home team.
Suter, the hyped No. 7 overall pick in last summer’s NHL
Draft, notched his first goal in a Badger sweater on a power play at 11:14 of
the period, while Eichelberger collected his first of what would be two key
assists on the second goal.
For the game Minnesota State outshot Wisconsin 36-23,
including a 14-4 margin in the first period.
This game will go down as one of the most penalized of
Wisconsin’s season. In all there were 21 penalties called in the game, including
a game misconduct (boarding by MSU’s Cole Bassett). Nine roughing penalties were
called in the final 24 minutes.
Minnesota State will have its chance for revenge on Jan.
2-3, when Wisconsin visits Mankato. The Badgers will be going into that series
without Eaves, Suter, Andrew Joudrey and Jeff Likens, who will miss the next
four games to participate in the World Junior Championships in Finland.