University of Wisconsin Athletics
Wisconsin Streak Ended by Ferris State in Showdown
December 28, 2003 | Men's Hockey
The Ferris State Bulldogs overpowered the Wisconsin Badgers by a score of 3-1 to become champions of the 15th annual Badger Hockey Showdown at the Kohl Center and end the Badgers 15-game unbeaten streak. FSU goalie Mike Brown stood as a wall between the pipes with 38 saves in the victory.
The opening frame's action began when Nick Schieble and Matt Rutkowski set up a goal for Simon Mangos, who slipped it past netminder Brian Elliott 's stick-side at 3:02. Andy Wozniewski (Buffalo Grove, Ill.) took his first of eight shots on goal in the game near the twelve minute mark, giving the Badgers their lone goal of the game. On a one-man advantage, Adam Burish (Madison, Wis.) fed the puck to Tom Sawatske (Duluth, Minn.), who dumped it off to Wozniewski near the blueline for the goal.
Early in the second period, FSU's Mike Kinnie dished the puck to Carter Thomson who routed it past Badger goalie Brian Elliott (Newmarket, Ont.). His goal at 4:17 put the Bulldogs up 2-1. Both teams put threatening pressure on the netminders, especially during their man-advantage situations. Elliott made 18 saves in the first 40:00 of play, while Brown stopped 24.
Wisconsin took the deficit seriously in the third period and created an intense battle in its offensive zone, including a break away scoring chance by Andrew Joudrey (Bedford, N.S.) and several aggressive passes in front of the goal. Brown made all 14 saves in the period to keep UW scoreless in the final frame. FSU's Mark Bomersback intercepted a pass in front of Elliott and secured the victory with a goal at 18:38.
Elliott ended the game with 23 blocked shots on target and Brown boasted 38 saves.
The Badger loss ends UW's nation's longest fifteen-game unbeaten streak and is its first defeat at home in the 2003-04 season. By killing all penalties in tonight's game, Wisconsin extends their penalty kill streak to 25 and has allowed only one power-play goal in the last 50 times short-handed.
Wisconsin (12-4-4, 6-2-4 WCHA) resumes conference action next weekend, traveling to Minnesota State-Mankato.
