Different night, same results for the Badgers as North Dakota (15-10-2, 11-9-0 WCHA) closed out the weekend series with a 4-2 victory over Wisconsin ((12-12-2, 7-11-2 WCHA). The win
completed the weekend sweep for UND as they avenged an early season sweep by the Badgers in Madison. It was a story of Wisconsin having to play from behind for the 2nd straight night and not being able to take a lead before UND slammed the door shut on any comeback attempt.
The game started off vastly different from Friday night as both teams were far more aggressive in checking and it had a feel of playoff hockey as both teams knew what was at stake.
Both teams seemed to be playing tight and headed for a scoreless 1st period, but the final few minutes changed all that. Star Wisconsin defenseman Justin Schultz took the Badgers 1st penalty of the game at the 18:17 mark of the period and the Badgers were forced to play a man down for the remainder of the period.
However, that was the opening UND needed as just 55 seconds from intermission forward Danny Kristo broke the deadlock on a very nice give and go from Brock Nelson to give North Dakota the 1-0 advantage.
It looked like they’d go into the break with the lead, but just like Friday night the Badgers fought hard and just 10 seconds later Keegan Meuer would take advantage of a nice rebound off the boards behind UND goalie Brad Eidsness and some awful officiating to slot home a riffled shot and tie the game back up 1-1.
Meuer raced up ice off the faceoff saw the puck head behind the UND net and he should’ve been called for a tripping penalty as he clearly stuck his stick between the legs of the North Dakota defender but the official, who was right in the line of the offense, never called it and Meuer used the advantage to slot home a beautiful wrist shot from the point. It was his 2nd goal in the series and showed Wisconsin wasn’t about to give up without a fight.
Things felt just like Friday night going into intermission and they’d continue to feel that way as just over 2 minutes into the 2nd period UND would retake the lead on a blast from beyond the blue line by Andrew MacWilliam that sneaked past the shoulder of Joel Rumpel for a 2-1 UND advantage.
To prove things were even more like Friday night the Badgers would come back once again, the fourth time in the series. With just 9:27 left in the 2nd period captain John Ramage found himself open in front of the net after Brendan Woods snuffed out a UND clearing attempt and put the puck in on a nice backhand shot.
With the score tied at 2-2 North Dakota really took control of the game as they out hit and out worked Wisconsin. That work paid off as just 5 minutes after Ramage’s 2nd goal of the season Michael Parks netted the game winner, putting UND up 3-2.
North Dakota iced the game away with a 4th goal courtesy of Brock Nelson at the 6:30 mark fo the 3rd period and Wisconsin just couldn’t solve the UND defense for the rest of the night.
Things really could’ve been worse for Wisconsin, but freshman netminder Joel Rumpel played a very good game, stopping 37 of the 41 shots he faced on the night.
All you need to know about why Wisconsin couldn’t come all the way back lies in these numbers: 41-22. That is the shots on goal for North Dakota vs. Wisconsin. You can’t give up that many opportunities and have so few of your own if you want to attempt a complete comeback.
The sweep puts UND in the drivers seat for a home playoff series as they moved up to a tie for 4th, sitting on 22 points. Wisconsin cost themselves dearly with the two losses and still sit in 9th place on 16 points. They are now 5 points out of that 6th and final home spot for the playoffs, currently held by Nebraska-Omaha on 21 points.
Up next for the Badgers is a weekend tilt with St. Cloud State at the Kohl Center. The Huskies are currently 8th place, just one point ahead of Wisconsin in the WCHA standings after being swept by league leading Minnesota this weekend.
With the sweep you may be down, but you can’t go a UND series without mentioning the classic “Water Bottle” fight, especially on it’s 30th anniversary year, so here’s the video for you:
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