Wolverines Beat Badgers With Special Teams Play
November 25, 2001 | Men's Hockey
Wisconsin entered Saturday night's game vs. Michigan having held opponents scoreless on their previous 31 power-play attempts. After a 5-3 setback to Michigan, the UW had allowed the Wolverines to go 3-7 on the power play and tally shorthanded. The loss dropped the Badgers to the .500 mark at 6-6-0 overall and gave the UW yet another 0-2 mark in College Hockey Showcase action.
Unlike Friday night's slow-paced defensive struggle at Michigan State, the game against Michigan was fast-paced, up-and-down hockey. Michigan 's Mike Cammalleri put the Wolverines up 1-0 with his eighth goal of the year. Coming on the power play, Cammalleri's shot from the point seemed to deflect in off of UW goaltender Bernd Bruckler's pad, who got the nod in goal for the third time this season. Sophomore winger Rene Bourque tied the game for the UW on another power-play goal at the 13:58 mark of the opening period. After winning a face off in their defensive zone, the Badgers' Andy Wheeler (on an initial pass from David Hukalo) made a perfect pass to Bourque who beat Michigan goaltender Josh Blackburn.
Just 30 seconds later, senior Matt Murray notched his second of the year on assists from Wheeler and Matt Doman. The goal gave the UW its first lead of the weekend at 2-1 as the Badgers took a slight advantage into the lockerroom after one period of play.
Wisconsin's momentum was shortlived as the second frame began when Murray and sophomore blueliner Andy Wozniewski were whistled for penalties at the 1:18 and 1:43 marks,respectively, giving the Wolverines a 5-on-3 power-play opportunity. UM converted to tie the game (for the second time) where the game remained until late in the period. At the 17:46 mark, Bruckler tried to control the puck behind the net, passing the puck around the boards, and was caught up in trying to get back in goal. Michigan's Mike Komisarek recovered the puck off the leftside boards and got a shot off that Bruckler was out of position to make. That made the score 3-2 and gave Michigan the momentum after two periods.
The final period saw the Wolverines extend their lead to two goals at 4-2 at the 5:16 mark. Komisarek, with his second goal of the game, scored shorthanded when the Badgers lost a face off in their defensive zone.
Wisconsin answered at 5:42 when sophomore blueliner Dan Boeser caught Blackburn when he fired a shot from the left point. The contest remained 4-3 Michigan until 19:52 when the Wolverines scored into an empty net to seal the win at 5-3.
The loss marked the first time this season the Badgers lost back-to-back games and also the first time this year Bucky yielded three power-play goals in one game.
The Badgers return to WCHA play this weekend when they travel to Alaska Anchorage for a two-game series this Friday-Saturday, Nov. 30-Dec. 1.
