A highlight-reel goal and Wisconsin’s first completed penalty shot since 1996 weren’t enough to propel the Badgers past the Wolverines in Ann Arbor this weekend.
Instead, No. 9 Wisconsin (5-3-1-0 Big Ten, 14-8-2 overall) was bested by No. 12 Michigan (5-2-0-1 Big Ten, 12-6-3 overall) in its first road series in over two months, losing Friday’s game 3-1 and tying in Saturday’s matchup 2-2. The Badgers are now 1-6-1 away from the Kohl Center this season.
The Badgers were without two key players for the series: senior forward Tyler Barnes and sophomore forward Nic Kerdiles, who are third and fifth on the team in points, respectively.
Friday’s game was characterized by both strong goaltending from Michigan freshman netminder Zach Nagelvoort and costly mistakes by the Badgers that would eventually cost them the game.
The Wolverines got on the board first with a goal from freshman forward Tyler Motte midway through the first period. After a Badgers turnover, sophomore forward Boo Nieves fed Motte a pass that he buried behind junior goaltender Joel Rumpel to put the Wolverines up 1-0.
Less than two minutes later Michigan struck again, this time at the hands of junior forward Alex Guptill. Following a few strong Wisconsin scoring chances, the Wolverines reclaimed the puck and put another past Rumpel. The Badgers went on to enter the first intermission down 2-0.
“I think when they scored the [first] goal, our level dropped,” said head coach Mike Eaves. “When they scored the other goal, our level dropped … we didn’t respond, we didn’t push back hard enough.”
Wisconsin fell into a 3-0 hole midway through the second period when Michigan junior forward Zach Hyman capitalized on a rebound.
Shortly after, the Badgers scored their only goal of the night. A pass between freshman forward Jedd Soleway and junior forward Joseph LaBate bounced off a Michigan defender and into the net. Soleway was originally credited with the goal, but LaBate was given the official tally on assists from senior forward Frankie Simonelli and sophomore defenseman Kevin Schulze.
“We didn’t have enough tonight,” Eaves said. “We didn’t have enough guys step up with guys missing in our lineup and get the job done.”
Saturday’s game, which was televised nationally, tipped in Wisconsin’s favor out of the gate. After a scoreless first period, senior forward Michael Mersch got the Badgers on the board with a flashy, highlight-reel goal.
Taking a pass from senior defenseman Joe Faust, Mersch tapped the puck behind a Michigan defender, spun around and put the puck through Nagelvoort’s legs to give Wisconsin a 1-0 lead.
“It was just one of those plays around the net,” Mersch said. “I’m always sitting around the net. When you have a defender on your hip, you want to make a move to the net. It’s kind of an instinct move.”
Michigan got on the board in less dramatic fashion midway through the second period when Motte scored on a rebound to tie the game.
After Michigan had a goal waved off due to interference with Rumpel, senior forward Mark Zengerle was held on an offensive rush, leading to a successful penalty shot, the first for Wisconsin since October 1996.
The Badgers lost their 2-1 lead seven minutes into the third period when senior forward Luke Moffatt shot through traffic and scored an unassisted goal.
The rest of regulation and overtime both passed in a 2-2 deadlock, leading to Wisconsin’s first-ever Big Ten shootout. Mersch, Zengerle and redshirt freshman Morgan Zulinick shot for the Badgers, but Nagelvoort stopped all three attempts. Michigan’s Moffatt scored the only shootout goal, giving Michigan the extra point in the standings despite the game going down as a tie.
Wisconsin killed 11 Michigan power plays, but its own power play struggles continued as the Badgers failed to capitalize on any of their three man advantages. Rumpel made 70 saves in the series, good for a .929 save percentage.
