A Freebie From A Badger

There are a handful of NCAA teams that you expect to have good seasons based on a long history of winning. One of those programs is the Wisconsin Badgers men's hockey program, but this season hasn't quite gone according to plan as the team is off to a surprising 4-8-0 start while going 0-6-0 in conference play. Former NHL star Tony Granato hasn't quite been able to find the right chemistry for his team as head coach, but the Badgers have shown some life in sweeping tenth-ranked Minnesota-Duluth while sweeping Long Island University last weekend before they welcomed Lindenwood University to the Kohl Center this weekend.

Admittedly, this game would have been a snoozer in past years, but the struggles that the Badgers have shown means that this weekend's series against Lindenwood had some meaning if the Badgers wanted to get back on track in a tough Big 10 Conference. Things didn't start well after giving up the opening goal just 1:42 into the game, but the Badgers would close out the opening period with a pair of goals after outshooting Lindenwood 13-5. So far, so good, right?

Drew Kuzma drew Lindenwood even at 2-2 at the 8:26 mark, and one had to wonder if all the shots that Wisconsin was putting on Lindenwood netminder Trent Burnham was actually helping Burnham by keeping him focused on the task at hand. Kuzma's goal would be the only one scored in the second period as we entered the second intermission tied up at 2-2 despite Wisconsin outshooting the Lions by a 33-10 margin.

As we began the third period, it sort of felt like the Badgers were due for a goal based on how they were carrying the play. The Badgers would find the back of the net early in the third period, but I doubt it was how they envisioned their next tally. Credit goes to Todd Milewski for clipping the video of this play from the broadcast!

If you're watching closely, defender Daniel Laatsch attempts to throw the puck back to either Owen Lindmark or Liam Malmquist, but neither player is anywhere close to receiving Laatsch's pass. As a result, the puck slid all the way down to the ice into the vacated Wisconsin net with the delayed penalty call, and Lindenwood took the 3-2 lead on a goal awarded to Joe Prouty at 1:57. Again, I doubt that's how Wisconsin envisioned their next goal.

The good news is that Laatsch wouldn't have to feel too bad about the miscue as Wisconsin rallied with a couple of power-play goals later in the period. Corson Ceulemans made it a 3-3 game at 9:02 before Tyson Jugnauth notched his first-ever NCAA goal at 12:56 to put Wisconsin up 4-3 in a game they'd win by that 4-3 score! In a game where Wisconsin outshot Lindenwood by a 51-13 margin, I'm quite sure the last thing they wanted to do was help Lindenwood score more goals!

All's well that ends well, though, and the Badgers are now on a three-game winning streak. These two teams will finish off the weekend set tomorrow evening at 7pm local time before the Thanksgiving break for NCAA hockey. Wisconsin will be looking to make it four in a row before the break, and I'm sure one of the points that head coach Tony Granato will stress is not helping the Lions score goals.

Call me crazy, but that sounds like a good game plan!

Until next time, keep your sticks on the ice!