Nov. 5, 2010
Wisconsin 6, Minnesota 0
Mariucci Arena • Minneapolis, Minn.
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| 1st | 2nd | 3rd | Final | Wisconsin (6-2-1, 3-1-1)
| 1 | 4 | 1 | 6 | Minnesota (5-4-0, 3-4-0)
| 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | | | | | | Scoring Summary
| | 1st | 19:17 | WIS
| Mersch (Unassisted)
| | 2nd | 01:50 | WIS | Lee (Zengerle, Ramage) | | 2nd | 08:20 | WIS | Murray (Smith, Zengerle) | | 2nd | 12:12 | WIS | Mersch (Simonelli, Turnbull) | | 2nd | 19:20 | WIS | Zengerle (Gardiner, Schultz) | | 3rd | 13:55 | WIS | Barnes (Simonelli) | | Goaltender Summary
| Min | GA | Sv | | MINN | Kangas (L, 1-4-0)
| 60:00 | 6 | 32 | WIS
| Gudmandson (W, 3-2-1) | 59:53 | 0 | 24 | | Statistical Comparison
| MINN | WIS
| | Shots on Goal | 24 | 38 | Power Plays
| 0-4 | 1-6 | Penalties-Minutes
| 7-14 | 4-8 | | |
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• Final Stats | Final Stats 
MADISON, Wis.-- The Badgers got the Border Battle off to a rousing start Saturday at Marriucci Arena, as Wisconsin (6-2-1, 3-1-1 WCHA) shut out the Gophers, 6-0. Wisconsin's freshmen combined for four goals and four assists to lead the Badgers offensively.
Fast Facts
| • UW's ninth shutout over Minnesota in 255 all-time games, second at Mariucci Arena, third in Minneapolis and fourth in Minnesota.
| • Craig Smith's failed penalty shot first UW attempt since Darren Haley scored vs. St. Cloud State in 1996.
| • Six goals is the largest margin of victory for the Badgers over Minnesota since March 12, 1990.
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Freshman Michael Mersch (Park Ridge, Ill.) would give the Badgers the 1-0 lead at 19:17 of the first period. Mersch converted on his third chance, shooting twice on his own rebounds for his fourth goal of the season. The goal capped off a period the Badgers outshot Minnesota (5-4-0, 3-4-0), 14-9, in the period. That was just the start of the offensive outburst for the Badgers.
In the second period, Derek Lee (North Vancouver, B.C.) would extend Wisconsin's lead. Mark Zengerle (Rochester, N.Y.) set up the play with pass from behind the net, against the grain, that gave Lee a wide-open look at mostly empty net, scoring at 1:50 of the second period. Zengerle actually banked the pass of the bottom of the goal to Lee, before Lee skated out in front for the open goal.
Jordy Murray (Fairbault, Minn.) scored the third goal after receiving the pass on a give-and-go from Craig Smith (Madison, Wis.). Murray put the puck past Minnesota's goalie Alex Kangas to give UW a 3-0 lead at 8:20 of the second.
Mersch scored his second goal of the game at 12:12 of the second period to extend the lead to 4-0. Frankie Simonelli (Bensenville, Ill.) took a shot and Mersch poked from underneath Kangas for the goal fifth of the year.
The Badgers would score their fourth goal of the period with just 40 seconds left. With Wisconsin on the power-play Zengerle, converted a rebound from Jake Gardiner (Minnetonka, Minn.) to give the Badgers a 5-0 lead after two periods.
In the third period, Craig Smith was taken down on a breakaway to grant Wisconsin a penalty shot. That marked the first penalty shot for Wisconsin since Darren Haley scored on St. Cloud State's Tim Lideen on Oct. 19, 1996. Smith's attempt failed.
Tyler Barnes (Eagan, Minn.) concluded the scoring for the night at 13:55 of the third period. Barnes converted a wrap-around for the goal to lead Wisconsin to the final score of 6-0. Frankie Simonelli was also credited with an assist on the play.
Scott Gudmandson (Sherwood Park, Alberta) made 24 saves to get his second shutout of the year for Wisconsin and improve his record to 3-2-1. That marked the first UW shutout over Minnesota since March 18, 2006. Kangas took the loss for Minnesota to fall to 1-4-0 despite stopping 32 shots.
The game marked the first six goal win over Minnesota since a 7-1 victory on March 12, 1990. Wisconsin was 1-for-6 on the power play while holding Minnesota to 0-for-4.
The Border Battle continues when Wisconsin and Minnesota face off again at 7 pm (CT) Saturday night. The game will be televised on the Big Ten Network.
