A four-goal effort in the second period proved to be too much, as visiting Boston College were able to overcome a furious Badgers rally in the third period and secure an 8-5 victory for the series split.
“I think I liked a lot of it, but I also don’t like the fact that four games into the season we didn’t play a good, solid 60 minutes,” said Wisconsin head coach Tony Granato. “I thought with the day off in between and the way this series was set up, I thought we could’ve been better than we were on Friday night. I don’t think we were that better team tonight. I think Boston College came out and was unhappy with what happened Friday and they showed us what good teams do.”
The signs of trouble for the Badgers (2-2-0) were evident from the opening puck drop. Boston College (2-2-0) forward Chris Brown took advantage of a Badgers defense that was asleep and put home the first shot of the game just 10 seconds in to the contest.
However, it wasn’t the most incredible moment of a long game for the Badgers.
With the two teams sitting at 2-2 following JD Greenway’s goal at the 3:00 mark of the second period, it appeared the game was set to be a tight one to the finish.
Instead, it only served to wake up a dormant Eagles offense.
Matthew Gaudreau got the visitors going at the 7:10 mark of the period to make it a 3-2 lead. In the next eight minutes the lead would burst to 6-2 as Chris Brown put up goals No. 2 and 3 of his day, only to also see Julius Mattila score in between those goals.
Cameron Hughes tried to get the Badgers back in the game, giving those in attendance and watching at home an incredible individual effort. His goal at the 17:06 mark was a thing of brilliance, as he took a pass from Grant Besse and put it between his own legs and top-shelf over BC netminder Joe Woll.
Here is Cameron Hughes' nifty goal to make 6-3 BC. pic.twitter.com/cQSRJE9K8l
— Wisconsin Hockey (@BadgerMHockey) October 16, 2016
Can you say SportsCenter Top 10 y’all?
Goal of the year so far in #cawlidgehawkey Cameron Hughes #sctop10 https://t.co/Cbgl8ldwzR
— BucciOT.Com (@Buccigross) October 16, 2016
“It’s kind of just a lucky goal,” said Hughes. “Besse made a great play getting back, that’s one of the things we worked on was reloading and he kind of starts that whole play. You just get in front and it kind of just clicks. I don’t know, it was kind of lucky”
However, the two teams went in to the second intermission separated by three goals.
Wisconsin just simply didn’t have enough to come back from that far down on the night, but that didn’t stop them from trying in the final period of action.
As UW trailed 6-3 entering the third period, the player dug in and tried their best to put the game within shouting distance.
Wisconsin also helped keep itself in the game with an excellent penalty kill effort. UW held Boston College scoreless on the power play (0 of 6) on the night and really allowed itself the opportunity to come back because of that effort.
“The penalty killers did an outstanding job,” Granato said. “Again we blocked shots, you saw Cameron’s there. I wish we would’ve been a little bit sharper on the power play because there were a couple of key situations that could’ve changed the momentum of the game.”
Just 5:11 in to the period and Ryan Wagner (2) put the Badgers back in business. As he slid on the ice, Wagner was able to get his stick on a puck in front of the net and poked it home for a 6-4 scoreline.
It was his second goal of the weekend and it energized the small Kohl Center crowd along with the rest of the players on the Badgers.
Wisconsin was able to get within one less than five minutes later, as the man who assisted on Hughes’ incredible second period goal, Grant Besse, was able to put the puck in the back of the net right under Woll.
However, the Badgers couldn’t complete the comeback and BC was able to slam the door shut with a pair of late goals.
Ryan Fitzgerald’s first goal of the season gave the Eagles a 7-5 lead at the 18:32 of the third period and all but cemented the series split.
With the Badgers emptying the net, Collin White also got his account open for the season at the 19:35 mark and securing the 8-5 victory.
The Badgers will stay in Madison for their next matchup, but will take on the US U-18 squad in an exhibition game on Friday night.
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