The Badgers (1-0-1 WHCA, 1-2-1 overall) had two weeks to mull over a heartbreaking season-opening pair of losses to Northern Michigan in which they were unable to hold a lead in the third period of both games.
Having learned its lesson the hard way, Wisconsin managed to skate into Minnesota-Duluth’s AMSOIL Arena and record its first win of the season Friday night against the No. 14 Bulldogs (0-1-1 WHCA, 2-3-1 overall).
Saturday night Duluth came out strong, scoring a goal in each of the first two periods, but the Badgers rallied early in the third period and escaped with a 2-2 tie.
Just five minutes into Friday night’s matchup, Wisconsin junior forward Tyler Barnes put the puck past Bulldog freshman goaltender Matt McNeely, who recorded 14 of his 24 saves in the first period alone.
The second period saw both teams record six shots on goal, but Wisconsin made one count to go up 2-0 with roughly half of the game still left to play.
The Badgers’ sophomore goaltender Joel Rumpel held the game scoreless with 17 saves over the first two periods, but his true test came with eight minutes left in the game when freshman forward Morgan Zulinick was given a major penalty for checking from behind, leaving Duluth with a five-minute power play late in the third period.
Wisconsin then put together a definitive penalty kill with more than a few blocked shots, preserving the victory while helping Rumpel post the fourth shutout of his career.
Saturday night was a different story entirely, with the Bulldogs scoring just two minutes into the game, starting an onslaught that saw the Badgers outshot 10-26 after 40 minutes of play.
Fifteen minutes into the second period, Duluth senior wing Keegan Flaherty took advantage of a two-on-one situation to put the Bulldogs up by two, leaving the Badgers trailing by two heading into the final period.
Wisconsin took the ice for the last 20 minutes of play a changed team.
The Badgers struck early in the third period off a turnover caused by Barnes, pulling within one goal after a score by junior forward Mark Zengerle plunked off the bar into the back of the net.
Thirteen minutes later, with 5:13 left in the game, junior forward Michael Mersch found the net on a wrist shot from the high-right circle, equalizing the score.
Rumpel did his part in the third period as well, holding the Bulldogs scoreless through 11 more shots.
All in all, the Wisconsin defense killed five power plays over the course of Saturday night, including three in the third period.
The extra period expired without a goal, while Duluth recorded the only shot on goal.
Wisconsin returns home to the Kohl Center for its home-opening series against Colorado College next weekend, Nov. 2-3.
Friday night’s game will be televised on Fox Sports Wisconsin.
UWBadgers.com contributed to this report.
