Overcoming early season struggles, the Wisconsin Badgers Men's Hockey team (7-11-2 WCHA, 12-12-2 overall) had appeared to turn the proverbial corner during the winter break, but after being swept at the hands of North Dakota (11-9-0, 15-10-2) this weekend, it is clear they are still a work in progress.
Going back to late November, the Badgers had put together an impressive streak, compiling an 8-2-1 record while playing some of their most inspired hockey of the season.
This run not only brought the team above .500, but also put them in a good position for earning home-ice advantage this postseason, but back-to-back losses in North Dakota have put Wisconsin in another rut.
"[North Dakota] got timely goals and we're in their barn, it's a tough place to win," head coach Mike Eaves said after Saturday's 4-2 loss. "We didn't make plays at those tough moments, those ‘moments of truth,' and they did."
Friday night's game opened with a flurry of goals, as Wisconsin erased a 2-0 deficit to tie the game in the first period. Sophomore forward Michael Mersch got the Badgers on the board with a deflection past UND senior goaltender Bradley Eidsness before fellow sophomore forward Keegan Meuer knotted the score.
Minutes later, Mersch appeared to give the Badgers the lead with another deflected goal, but referees determined that the puck went off his skate,and waived it off.
The teams traded goals in the second period and with little action early in the third, it appeared the teams would be heading to overtime. However, with just under two minutes to play in regulation, UND's freshmen forward Stephane Pattyn notched his first goal of the season to give the Fighting Sioux the lead for good. Sophomore forward Brock Nelson closed the scoring with an empty net goal to seal the 5-3 victory.
"There were some victories tonight, no question," Eaves after said Friday's loss. "The win didn't come because we didn't do enough things in the third period to make it happen."
Wisconsin continued its theme of fighting from behind on Saturday night, as they came back from 1-0 and 2-1 deficits, but they still couldn't earn the win.
Junior defensemen John Ramage tied the game at two in the second period with his second tally of the year, but goals from UND's freshman forward Michael Parks and Nelson gave North Dakota the 4-2 win.
As a team that is fighting for home-ice advantage in the postseason, Wisconsin didn't do themselves any favors this weekend, but the team hasn't taken their eyes off the goal.
"Does it make the path steeper?" Eaves said on his team's pursuit of home-ice advantage. "I'm not going to lie, it does, but it doesn't change anything in our resolve to keep climbing that path."
"Obviously we need points to be able to get that home ice, but I feel personally that I learned a lot this weekend," freshman goaltender Joel Rumpel said after Saturday's game.
The Badgers will continue their postseason pursuit this weekend as they return to the Kohl Center to take on the St. Cloud State Huskies.
