The Dane County Coliseum, or the Alliant Energy Center as it's called these days was home sweet home for a lot of great Wisconsin hockey memories throughout the years. So perhaps it was only fitting that in the final regular season game of the Badgers 50th year in the modern era they took care of business and earned home ice advantage with a 3-2 win over St. Cloud State on Saturday night.
“We talked about being 1-7-2 to start the season after the game in the locker room and where we’ve come from," said Eaves after the game. "To achieve home ice as a reward for their blood, sweat and tears and sticking through hard times. It’s a great thing for them. Now we get to go back to the Kohl Center and we get to practice there all week in preparation. That’s a big deal. That’s well deserved.”
With their backs firmly against the wall, needing at least a point, and coming off of a less than stellar performance as a team on Friday the pressure was firmly on Wisconsin to give the crowd of 5,781 something to cheer about and that's just what they did, taking the game to the Huskies early on.
Just 43 seconds into the opening period it was Jake McCabe riffling a one-timer off a laser pass from Nic Kerdiles that ended up being tipped by Frankie Simonelli to put Wisconsin up 1-0. It was just Simonelli's 2nd goal of the season.
However, that lead wasn't to hold long at all as St. Cloud tied things right back up just 24 seconds later on an Andrew Prochno goal.
The rest of the period provided some up and down action and a lot of chances for both squads, with shots on goal being even at 7-7 through one period.
But, it was the Badgers showing they wanted it just a bit more on this night as Michael Mersch continued to snip, scoring his 21st goal of the season at 12:08 of the 1st period. Mersch's goal was assisted by none other than Frankie Simonelli, his 7th of the season.
Wisconsin dominated the 2nd period, out shooting the Huskies of St. Cloud State 12-5, but had little show for it as the score remained 2-1 to the Badgers advantage. In fact this one was in doubt all the way to the final few minutes of action.
The Badgers weren't able to cement their home-ice status until Mersch blasted his 2nd goal of the night (22 on the year) at the 18:47 mark of the 3rd period. It was a clear change in effort and results for the Badgers most prolific scorer.
“I think he’d tell you he didn’t play well last night and he played at the other end of the spectrum tonight — he was dynamic," said Eaves. "That first goal of his was a big timer. As poor as he was last night, he was at the other end spectrum on this night."
However, the drama wasn't quite done as St. Cloud put on the extra man and used it to their advantage with Prochno netting his 2nd goal of the night with just 13 seconds remaining to make it 3-2 Wisconsin.
Overall it was Wisconsin as the aggressor, out shooting the Huskies 31-20 for the game and credit Rumpel for putting a bad Friday night behind him and stopping 18 of 20 shots on the night.
“In looking at how he played, the thing he did differently was he let yesterday go, he didn’t hold onto it," Eaves said. "He got back in the present moment, controlled the things he could and was sharp getting out to the puck, he was big in the net. The biggest thing was letting go of yesterday and being in the moment.”
Wisconsin will host their first round series back at the Kohl Center, but must wait out the results from Sunday. It'll either be Minnesota-Duluth or Colorado College coming to visit for the best of three series on Friday through Sunday.
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