The Badgers (2-12-2 Big Ten, 4-22-4 overall) failed to get a win in their trip to Ann Arbor as the No. 17 Wolverines (11-5-0, 19-11-0) dominated the Badgers 3-0 and 5-2.
In Friday night’s game, Michigan junior goaltender Steve Racine earned his first shutout of the year as Michigan shut out the Badgers.
Both teams were even after an uneventful first period, but the Wolverines scored a couple of goals around a cluttered net to shut down the Badgers.
In the second period, Michigan senior forward Zach Hyman sent a hard pass toward the net that deflected off UW senior defenseman Chase Drake and into the net. Early in the third, freshman Wolverine forward Zach Werenski scored on a rebound that bounced all the way out to the blue line. The third Michigan goal came on an empty net as the game ended.
While Michigan often alternates goalies, Racine’s shutout earned him the start the next day, and the Wolverines downed the Badgers 5-2 in a back and forth affair.
Wisconsin struck first blood as freshman forward Ryan Wagner netted a rebound opportunity halfway through the first period. The Badgers took the advantage into the first intermission, but two goals by Michigan had the Wolverines up 2-1 with time winding down in the second. With 52 seconds left in the period, UW standout sophomore forward Grant Besse scored on a controversial goal that Racine grabbed just as it crossed the line to tie it up at the second intermission. But then the Wolverines ran away with the game, scoring three unanswered in the third period.
In Saturday’s game, two players were too much for the Badgers to handle. Michigan sophomore forward JT Compher scored a hat trick and junior teammate Justin Selman scored the other two for the Wolverines.
The Badgers continue a Michigan road trip next week as they head to East Lansing to play the Michigan State Spartans at 6 p.m. Friday and Saturday night.
