The Badger men's hockey team (3-2-1 WCHA, 6-3-1 overall) played hard when it mattered as it rallied from behind two nights in a row and emerged unbeaten in its series with the two-time defending national champion Minnesota Gophers (1-6-1, 2-7-1).
Minnesota clearly played better in the early going both nights. The Gophers had a two-goal lead both Friday and Saturday, but the Badgers were resilient, clawing back to force a 3-3 tie Friday night and a 4-3 victory Saturday.
Friday night, the Gophers were ahead for most of the game, led by their premiere player, sophomore forward Thomas Vanek. Vanek had two goals in each contest, doubling his season total on the weekend. Minnesota had a two-goal lead twice at 2-0 and 3-1, but their sketchy goaltending proved to be problematic once again.
With Minnesota up 3-1 going into the third period, normally quiet senior defenseman Dan Boeser snapped in the locker room during the intermission, challenging his teammates to go out and play better hockey after being embarrassed during the first two periods.
He then led the team out onto the ice and scored a goal just 36 seconds into the period. Four minutes later sophomore wing/center Ryan MacMurchy made a slick move and extended his goal-scoring streak to four games, tying the game at three. The Badgers bounced back and were happy with the tie.
\We are na??ve to the fact that you shouldn't come back against these guys,"" Head Coach Mike Eaves said. ""They just keep playing and that's a lesson that they'll carry on for the rest of the year.""
Saturday night's contest was almost a mirror image of Friday, except the Badgers got one more goal and walked away as victors. Vanek got started early with two first-period goals, showing why he was picked WCHA preseason Player of the Year.
Despite having 2-0 and 3-1 leads for the second night in a row, the Gophers could not slam the door and the Badgers clawed back again.
Goals by sophomore blue liner Tom Sawatske and senior forward Rene Bourque tied the game at three heading into the third period. In one of the best hockey series in recent Kohl Center memory, the Badgers won Saturday night in dramatic fashion.
""It was a special weekend for us, beating the Gophers tonight and taking three out of four points,"" junior guard Bernd Br??ckler said.
With Minnesota on the power play, freshman forward Jake Dowell took on two Gopher defenders and got the puck to sophomore forward Adam Burish, who rifled a shot past freshman goalie Kellen Briggs for his first goal at the Kohl Center, a game-winning, shorthanded goal.
""I'm still shaking,"" Burish said after the game. ""It was unbelievable. It's unbelievably special.""
The Badgers came back and defeated their border rivals and stole three out of four league points. Victorious over Minnesota for the first time in nine tries dating back to 2001, Wisconsin proved doubters wrong and showed they are a solid college hockey team that demands national respect.
""We have this upward spiral still going,"" Eaves said. ""What we did tonight was a lesson to our kids. They know now that they can get it done.""
The Badgers are now riding a six game unbeaten streak, much in part to the play in goal by Br??ckler. He thwarted many of Minnesota's opportunities throughout the weekend, compiling 71 saves and a 0.922 save percentage. Now third in the WCHA standings, they carry their momentum into another home series next weekend with Colorado College.
